Page 61 of That One Night
Seventeen
“That’s it?”Maisie asked, sounding almost disappointed. “He just drove you home? Nothing else?”
Emery frowned. “I thought you’d be pleased. I crossed off two items. I achieved number seven. Isn’t that the pinnacle?”
“It would be if you didn’t seem so down about it.”
Yeah, well she couldn’t help it. Going from the high of feeling Hendrix Hartson’s lips on hers, his hands caressing her body, to the sound of a stranger calling out had been pretty much like falling down to earth from a great, great height.
The man had seen Hendrix’s truck abandoned on the side of the road and thought there was a problem.
And there was. A big problem. She couldn’t stop thinking about the way his mouth moved desperately against hers.
He’d driven her home silently, after explaining to the good Samaritan that they’d heard a hurt animal. All lies, but the stranger had just shot them a knowing look and left.
Hendrix clearly didn’t want to talk about what had happened. He’d put the music on high and pressed his foot down on the gas, his jaw tight as they drove home. And he’d droppedher off in the road right outside her mom’s house, waiting until she’d made it inside before he drove to his own farm.
She hated the way he wouldn’t meet her gaze. She couldn’t read him at all. It was like he’d closed down and she couldn’t pry her way inside the steel box encasing his thoughts.
“I think I might’ve messed things up,” she confessed. “He’d made it clear he didn’t want to touch me at the bar. And then I behaved like an idiot and practically forced him to chase me.”
“You didn’t force him to do anything. He’s a grown man,” Maisie pointed out. They were on the phone this time, instead of chatting by video call. Maisie was at the beach with some friends she’d made traveling. When they were both silent, Emery could hear the murmur of the other sun-worshippers and the occasional crash of the water hitting the shore.
It was almost four o’clock in the afternoon and she hadn’t seen Hendrix all day. He must have left before she’d got up, because there was no sign of his bike outside when she’d looked out of the window. If he’d been in the yard, if he’d even been home, she would’ve tried to talk to him.
He thought bad of her. That had to be it. He thought she’d been unfaithful to Trenton, even though she honestly hadn’t.
But she hated that he didn’t know that. That he would probably be assuming the worst about the best kiss she’d ever had.
“I can hear you overthinking,” Maisie told her.
“I’m not overthinking. I’m catastrophizing. It’s different.”
Maisie started to laugh. “You need to tell him the truth.”
“What? Why? We just kissed. Nothing more.”
“Oh honey, I know you too well. You don’t just kiss guys. You don’t do anything without your heart rushing in first. I can hear it in your voice. You’re falling for this guy. And you’re beating yourself up even though you shouldn’t be.”
“If you knew I wouldn’t kiss another man lightly, why did you put it on the list?” Emery asked her.
“Honestly? I didn’t think you’d do it,” Maisie admitted. “I didn’t think you’d do most of the things. I just hoped… I don’t know. I wish I was there, helping you work through this. The list felt important somehow.”
“You are helping me.”
“No, you’re helping yourself. The list, that’s just the catalyst. Look at how you’re changing. After all those years of being suffocated in a chrysalis, you’re like a butterfly, being set free. Now tell me. How do you feel about him?”
“Hendrix?” Emery let out a soft sigh. “I feel… I don’t know. Yearning, I guess.”
“Yearning?”
“Like my heart is about to break out of my chest every time I look at him. But I can’t feel that way.”
“Yes you can. Fuck Trenton. I mean it, fuck him.” Maisie sounded furious. “He’s getting everything, and you’re getting nothing out of this.”
Emery stayed quiet. She still hadn’t told Maisie about the lien. It felt too painful. Like it was her fault.
“I’m adding a number eight,” Maisie said. “And you have to do it tonight.”
