Page 80 of You Found Me
I wait for what feels like hours for her answer, when really it’s just seconds. When she gently nods, I take a deep breath to calm the nerves I feel bubbling up.
“Emmy, when I agreed to this whole arrangement, I wasn’t completely honest with you. Yes, I wanted to get my mom and the other women in town off my case, but I need you to know that I’ve had a thing for you from the moment I met you. I even told Theo after we left the party that night that I’d found someone who spoke to my soul. I didn’t tell him anything more because I wanted to keep you to myself for a little bit. I’d planned to wait a few days to text you and when I did, you’d given me the wrong number.”
“Spence, no. I gave you the right number. I went back to campus and Chance was there waiting for me, asking if I had fun and met anyone before saying how much he missed me. That’s when he decided he wanted to be my boyfriend. I was honest with him about getting your number. He seemed fine and then asked me out on a date. I never received a text . . . he must’ve blocked your number when I was in the shower.”
Rage fills me once again at that pathetic excuse of a man. But I tamp it down because it’s not her fault. He didn’t want her until he thought he’d lose control over her, so he swooped in to take her.
“It’s okay. I promise. A couple months later, Theo was showing me photos Mia had taken on a trip and there you were. My Buttercup.” At that her eyes widen a bit, but I continue on. “Iasked him who you were and that’s when he told me your name along with having known you since you were kids.
“He must have seen my interest in you because he shut it down quickly. He said you got with Chance right after that Halloween party. I’ll be honest, the hope I felt was squashed. That’s when I decided wanting to find a partner would only cause me grief. Which is why I put everything into school and work.”
Her face drops and I know what she’s going to say. “Don’t even think about apologizing. My reaction to the situation was not your fault, nor was it an appropriate response.
“When Theo offered me a job here in town, I was worried you’d be in town with your boyfriend. I asked him about Mia, hoping he’d bring you up in some way. And he did. Theo said she was visiting you in Atlanta. After I heard that, I took the job since the chances of seeing you were slim.
“Then we met again in the diner, and I told myself we could be friends. That with you in Charleston, you’d probably come visit and I’d get to be around you from time to time. Then suddenly you were moving back to town, single, and I kept finding myself in your orbit.
“After I saw the marks on your wrist the night of Mia’s dinner . . .” I have to take a minute before continuing on and she grabs my bicep, giving it a squeeze. “I have never been in a fight with someone who wasn’t Beckett and in that moment I wanted to hurt him like he hurt you. Then your cute, tipsy brain came up with the fake dating scheme to get him off your back first and god help me, I jumped at the opportunity to date you—even if it wasn’t real. Because it’d allow me to get to know you better while spending time with you.”
I close my eyes for a second before continuing, knowing this might ruin everything, “Being with you last night was more than I ever imagined would actually happen between us. And before you think this is all about sex, it’s not. It’s because you’re an amazing woman and you bring out the best in everyone around you, including me. Emmaline, I want to be with you, to give this a chance to become something more. If you go in and decide you don’t want more than this arrangement or if you want it toend, I’ll respect that. You won’t lose me as a friend, and I’m old enough to be able to handle that, because I want you in my life.”
Through my whole speech, her eyes have gotten progressively redder in an effort not to cry but when I deliver the last line, one tear slips free. I raise my hand to her face, wipe away the tear, and lean down to kiss her forehead.
“Take as much time as you need. You know where to find me.” And with that, I turn towards my apartment.
“Spencer, wait!”
I turn around at her command. “Will you go out to dinner with me Thursday? I do need to think about everything—I just want to give myself and you a deadline. I have a trip to the city planned Wednesday night with Piper to visit Cori and see a show. Though . . . it might be for the best if you don’t drive me to work tomorrow and Tuesday.”
“If that’s what you want. I’d love to go out to dinner with you on Thursday. See you then, Buttercup.”
Chapter 24
Emmaline
When I walk into the apartment, I find Colette and Mia watching TV.
Instead of saying anything to them, I head to my room to decompress. To someone who doesn’t know how we work, it probably seemed a bit rude to ignore them. But those two know me through and through, and know I need a minute to myself.
Which is all I got before my door was thrown open, and my two best friends were jumping onto my bed like the impatient people they are.
“Sooo, got anything to tell us?” Mia pries, her eyes all too knowing.
“No,” I squeak out and clear my throat before saying it more confidently.
They share a look and whatever silent conversation is had, Colette’s the one who asks if everything is okay. I don’t know if it’s her voice or just that it’s her asking, but I start to cry.
I end up telling her that the entire relationship has been fake, apologizing to her for lying. After that, I explain what happened with Spencer last night. Even as I repeat his words back to them, it still doesn’t seem to click that he has feelings for me—for years now—until I see Mia’s face. She knew how I felt about him justafter meeting him the one time, even if she didn’t know who he was.
That feeling never went away, it just somehow got buried alongside my other desires after choosing Chance.
“What are you going to do now?” Colette asks gently.
“I’m going to take a few days without seeing him to think about it all. Though, before he walked to his apartment, I asked him to go to dinner with me on Thursday. Hopefully by then I’ll know what I want.”
Mia asks, “Are you leaning one way or the other?”
“Ireallylike him, even more so now that we’ve gotten to know each other better. But I know I have lingering issues from all the shit Chance put me through. I’m not sure it's a good idea to start something new.”
