Page 113 of Always Be an Us

"Nate?" Her eyebrows furrow. "He's trouble. He's Carly's cousin but they're not close. Nate has sticky fingers."

"Does he have a problem with you?"

She frowns. "Not that I know of. Why?"

I shake my head and continue driving, organizing my thoughts as I do.

When we get to Emma's cottage there's an unfamiliar car parked outside, a sleek red Mazda I've never seen before.

"Who's that?" I ask and Emma shrugs, frowning at the car as she lets Remy down, leashing him before both exit the Suburban.

As we get closer, we notice that someone is standing in front of Emma's door.

Emma suddenly stops in step.

I turn to find that she's gone pale as a ghost as she stares at the person's back. I can practically feel the tension radiating off her, and some of the sunlight seems to dim with the light in her eyes.

She recognizes them. And it doesn’t look pleased.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Emma

I hear waves crashing all around me, even though a second ago it was only the gentle lapping of the lake in the distance. My breath hitches in my throat, and I struggle to get it going again. Physically, I can feel a breeze at the tips of my fingers, but at the same time it's like all the air stopped and I can’t drag in anymore because the atmosphere is suddenly leaden.

That carefully tousled blond hair...that lean back covered with that cream cashmere sweater…I recognize it.

"Emma." I hear Declan’s concerned voice, but it feels like it’s coming from far away. "Emma, what’s wrong?"

I shake my head. I can’t answer, because suddenly my brain is flooded with all the images of when I last saw that shirt, all the horrible memories I’ve tried so hard to keep suppressed. And now the sweater is turning around, and the blonde hair is giving way to a face that has haunted me in both dreams and nightmares.

"Xavier." The word leaves me breathless and time stops when he smiles, a smile so familiar and yet so achingly alien at the same time.

"Emma," he responds. There’s a single moment of tense silence that is instantly shattered when Remy starts barking his head off.

"Remy," I caution, but the fluffy terrier crouches threateningly with his shoulders around his head. His tail wags agitatedly, his entire body shaking as his jaws snap at Xavier. Xavier glances at the dog curiously and then his eyes instantly flicker to the spot next to me where Declan is standing. His smile falters.

That's when I take a moment to look at Declan’s face.

Now I understand Xavier's reaction.

Declan appears to match Remy's sentiment exactly, his eyes cold as he stares at Xavier.

"Who are you?" he asks.

Xavier recovers quickly and flashes Declan with his affable grin which has always managed to disarm even the toughest of hearts. "I’m Xavier Collins. I’m a friend of Emma’s. And you are?"

He holds his hand out for a handshake, but Declan ignores it.

He doesn’t answer Xavier’s question either. Instead, his eyes scan Xavier from head to toe and then he turns to me with an obvious question in his eyes.

Is that true? Is this guy a friend of yours?

I understand his confusion because I understand how odd it looks. Xavier and I don't seem like we would have much in common. Everything about him screams wealth and good breeding but not in the same way as it does with Declan.

While Declan gives off the hard-assed aura of a powerful, successful man, Xavier seems softer, like he's only wealthy because his parents are.

I swallow, feeling caught off guard by Declan's unspoken question. I don’t know how to respond. All I want to do right now is escape.

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