Page 127 of You Found Me
I nod. “I’m doing my best to ignore him, hoping that he’ll get tired of harassing me when he’s not getting the reaction he wants.”
“Please tell her that someone like him won’t let it go,” Colette begs of her twin.
“I’m not her mother, Lettie. She’s a grown woman and I’ve already given her my thoughts on the whole situation. Even my professional opinion.”
Our waiter sets our desserts on the table, along with the checks as Colette huffs, “Fine.”
“Why don’t you tell the girls about your Christmas plans,” Mia says, smiling around her forkful of tiramisu.
“Oooh,” Colette and Cori say in unison, causing us all to laugh.
“More holiday lingerie shenanigans in our favorite childhood hangout?” Cori asks with a smirk.
My mouth pops open before looking at Mia, who’s looking everywhere but at me. “You rat. See if I tell you anything juicy anymore.”
She swats away the cloth napkin I toss towards her. “I’m sorry. It was just too good not to tell them about. I knew you were going to tell them anyway, but without my addedflair.”
I chuckle because she’s right, I was going to tell them—definitely in a milder manner than I’m sure she told them. “While I’ll have the festive lingerie, I’ll keep it confined to his apartment. But we’re doing Christmas lunch with both sets of parents plus Beckett.”
“That’s a big deal,” Cori says. “Especially with how much you love Christmas.”
Smiling, I respond, “I know. Any special plans for you guys?”
“We’re spending Christmas Eve with Dad, Annie, and Piper. The usual tradition of watching Die Hard.”
“The only Christmas movie I like,” Cori adds.
Mia and I roll our eyes. “That isnota holiday movie. You’re only saying that to irk my nerves.”
Cori blows me a kiss. “Doesn’t sound like something I’d do.”
Colette clears her throat, looking to Mia. “What about the Callahans? Going away this year?”
“Not this time. Since they went away during Thanksgiving, we decided to have dinner at Theo’s,” Mia smiles. “If you get bored, you should come over.”
At Colette’s wide eyes, Mia adds, “All three of you. You know my parents would love that.”
“Right. Thanks.”
***
We walk out to the valet stand, waiting for one of the men to bring Cori’s SUV around.
It never fails that she gets hit on—even by men. She politely turned them down, stating that she played for the other team. Despite their young age, they didn’t throw out any crude remarks at her revelation and turned their attention to the rest of us.
In the middle of laughing with Colette at Mia’s attempts to frazzle the guys, I hear what I think is someone shouting my name. But since no one else seems to have heard it, I shake it off. That is until I hear, “Emma, you ungrateful bitch. I know you hear me.”
Only one person calls me that. I turn to my right to see an enraged Chance coming my way with Grayson following quickly behind him—trying to stop him.
“Call the cops,” Mia says aloud.
As he gets closer, Mia steps in front of Chance, trying to slow him. But that doesn’t faze him. He pushes her out of the way—like physically shoves her. Luckily, one of the valets and Colette are able to catch her before she falls.
Something about Chance putting his hands on Mia, versus when he gripped me hard enough that I bruised, elicits twoverydifferent reactions from me. Instead of retreating into myself, I metaphorically pull my big girl panties up and step up to him. “Whatever issues you have with me, youdo nottake them out on the people I care about. I’ve told you countless times to leave me alone. You need to go back to wherever you came from.”
“Let’s talk about where I came from since you were supposed to be there. Your ungrateful ass cost me the deal of my career at the Gala, all because you got your feelings hurt then also chose to open your whore legs for someone else. I tried to spin it in a way that garnered me sympathy, but no, Kari fucked me over too.”
I give a humorless laugh. “First, who I choose to open my legs for is none of your business. You lost that right. Second, it’s not surprising Kari screwed you over considering you were trying to win me back but still sleeping with her.”
