Page 50 of Champagne Kisses
Damnit. Ireallydon't need this tonight, but I'm pretty sure Bryan would kick my ass if I left her in this state. Against the niggling thoughts in the back of my head, I step aside to let her in.
“OK, Emily. You've got until I finish one glass of wine. What's up?” To ensure she knows my threat isn't idle, I move to the kitchen, grab a corkscrew, and immediately pour myself some wine while she settles on the couch. Her shoulders are hunched, and she's worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.
"First," she says, clearly about to launch into a prepared speech, "I want to apologize." I barely contain an eye roll.This outta be good.
"I know I've crossed the line through the years and…" she sighs. "I'm sorry. I know it wasn't cool."
"No, it really wasn't." I sit down a safe distance from her on the couch and sip my wine. "So…Was that it? I appreciate the apology, but you could've just texted."
Emily turns her knees towards me before looking up with tears in her eyes.
"Jesus, Emily," I curse, grabbing her hands in mine. They are cold and trembling. "What's wrong? Should I call Bryan?" The mention of her brother brings a panicked look to her eyes.
"No!" she shouts. "I'm not ready to tell him yet."
"Not ready to tell him what?" I ask, using the same tone you'd use around a loose wild animal. A tear trails down her cheek before she wipes it away with the edge of her shirt.
"The real reason I kept asking you out. Why I kept coming on so strong." I am beyond confused, my wine glass all but forgotten.
"I haven't told him you've hit on me, if that's what you're worried about. Assuming this apology means you won't do itagain, what's the big deal?" She wipes her eyes again, but doesn't look up.
"I kept asking you out because Iknewyou would say no. I would ask you out, you would say no, and then I wouldn't have to think about who Ireallywanted, underneath the bullshit."
I grab my wine and gulp down half the crimson liquid at once, more confused than ever. Shewantedme to say no?
"So who did you really want, then?"
Emily takes my hands in both of hers and looks me straight in the eyes.
"Women." She picks up my wine and empties the glass. "I'm attracted to women."
I jump up from the couch and head to the kitchen, bringing back another glass and the rest of the wine. She laughs lightly and pours herself a glass.
"That's big news, Em. How long have you known?" She takes another swig before answering, looking chagrined.
"Maybe…Freshman orientation?" I playfully hit her with a pillow.
"Em! What the hell! Do you know how close I was to telling your brother about you hitting on me? You were really starting to make me uncomfortable." She winces around her glass and I pour more for myself.
"I know…I was terrible, wasn't I?" She pulls her ponytail out, before raking a hand through her hair. "I just…couldn't tell anyone. People in my industry talk. They think because their planner is gay suddenly they're going to have a 'gay wedding'."
"Oh, the horror!" I tease, clutching imaginary pearls. She cracks a smile at that. "Imaybeget hiding it for work…Maybe," I grumble and eye her with suspicion. "I get not wanting to mess with your money. But do you really think Bryan is a homophobe? Do you thinkIam?" Her smile fades and I take her hands back in mine.
"I didn't know what to do, Adam. I was so used to playing this role, and I had no way to know how anyone would react if I stepped away from that."
We drink our wine in silence, both unsure how to proceed. I don't want to blame her for making the choice she thought was right, but that she worried about coming out to me kinda stings. Plus she acted like the Romantic Terminator this whole time! I felt like I had a target on my back and she didn't even want me.Whatever. That'ssonot the point right now.
"OK. First off, thanks for telling me. I hope now we can be friends without all that other stuff." She nods eagerly. Whatever her reasons for keeping this from everyone were, she seems relieved. "Second, why now? Did all the wedding stuff make you just lose it or something?"
She grins mischievously. "It was actually that hottie from the engagement party. The one who brought the champagne flutes?" I choke on my wine, spilling all down my shirt.
"Maya?! You have a thing forMaya?!" Emily giggles behind her hands, her shoulders finally relaxing.
"Is that her name? All I knew was that when I looked at her, the way she was swishing around in that pleated skirt…" Emily lets out a wistful sigh. "There was no way I was straight."
Oh my God! She doesn't know the half of it. I laugh so hard, my stomach starts to hurt. All this time she's been hitting on me, and now we want the same woman?! There's a knock at the door and I go to answer it, still chuckling.
At this hour, it's probably a neighbor who needs something. I yank the door open without thinking, without checking the peephole.
