Page 52 of You Found Me
“Okay, come on guys. I wanna get a good table,” Colette says in an agitated voice. “Last time we were late we got stuck with the shitty table by the bathroom. And yes, pun intended.”
“Alright, alright. We’re going,” Emmaline says with a laugh before looking at me. “Don’t mind her, she and Piper take games pretty seriously. Try not to get too rowdy tonight. Beckett looks like he’s ready to get a bit crazy.”
I pull her into me, smirking. “I’m pretty sure you’re confusing Beckett with you and Mia. I won’t get too rowdy. Promise.”
She throws her head back and the laugh that comes out of her is deep, from her belly. Something about the actual joy she got from a silly remark has averystrong part of me wanting to kiss her, to claim her lips for real.
I thought I pushed down that want back in college, but it’s started to come back up ever so slowly the more I’m around her. I need to stuff it back into the dark corner of my mind. Instead of completely giving in, I gently grasp her face and lean down to kiss her forehead.
“I’ll see you tomorrow Emmaline. Call if you need anything.”
As I sit back down, B looks confused and hurt. Theo realizes in that moment that I haven’t told Beckett about dating her and excuses himself to the bathroom.
“The last time I was here, she was ‘just your neighbor.’ Considering Mia is also your neighbor, and you don’t look at her like she hung the moon, I’m going to assume you’re dating Emmaline. But what I don’t get is why you didn’t tell me?”
“I’m sorry. I should’ve said something to you, but we’ve only been dating for a month. It’s still relatively new and we’re getting to know one another.” He doesn’t look any less upset after hearing this information, so I keep talking, “Look, she’s going to be at the barbecue tomorrow. You’ll have a chance to get to know her better. I understand you’re upset with me, just don’t take it out on her, please.”
“I’d never take it out on her. I just wish you would’ve told me about her when this started.”
“Kinda like you told me about Aria?”
A flash of hurt spreads across his face. “Is that the real reason why you didn’t tell me?”
I quickly backpedal. “No. I swear, B. I didn’t tell you because of the reasons I already gave. I only said that because it feels a little hypocritical considering how long it took for you to tell us about Aria. I know you don’t like talking about your personal life, and I’ve always been respectful of the things you’ve kept private. I’ll never push you to tell me anything you don’t want to. But please just try to understand this from my side.”
“You’re right, I’m sorry. Are you happy with her?”
I answer honestly, “I am. She’s . . . amazing. And so beautiful, inside and out. It’s been fun.”
He nods. “Then I’m happy for you.”
Theo comes back and senses a shift in the tension that was building between us. “Are we back to being cool? Ya? Great, cause I’ve been dying for a life update from you man,” he says to Beckett. “How’s it been going?”
“Life has been pretty good. I do actually miss having my brother around all of the time . . . which is why I’ve thought about moving here. But I know if I move here, our mom will want to move here as well.”
Theo asks, “Would you not miss being in the same town as your friends? And what would you do about work?”
I’m glad Theo is asking these questions because I’m shocked Beckett’s thought about moving here. I mean, I’d love for him to be near me. But he’s never said anything about leaving our hometown ever, even when he came back from culinary school.
Beckett sighs. “I found something out that makes me question if I have true friends or not. So no, that wouldn’t be an issue.”
“What do you mean?” I ask him.
Beckett waves me off. “I don't really want to talk about it right now. But I’ve been taking business classes at night so that I can figure out that side of things for when I take the plunge for the restaurant.”
“When did you start those?” I ask, actually shocked to hear about this.
“I’ve been taking them for the last year actually,” he tells me.
“The last year? Have you told Mom and Dad?”
“I’d rather show them how wrong they are about mysilly dreamsonce I succeed. Bastian and I have talked and he thinks with his popularity in the NFL, a restaurant that he co-owns would do really well. He’s even offered to foot a good chunk of the money I’d need to get started.”
Theo sits there for a minute. “I think that is a great idea. Would you do it in the city or say, a small town like Meadow Springs? Because I’ve been thinking about taking an idea to my dad that involves a sort of co-op building with multiple businesses inside.And I think a brand-new restaurant would work really well for it.”
“Are you serious? I’d love something like that. I haven’t decided the type of cuisine or style I want it to be, but Sebastian told me he’d get behind whatever.”
“I think this will be great for you,” Theo tells him, clapping him on the back. “When the time comes, if you need any help in the kitchen with desserts, Piper is actually an amazing baker.”
