Page 12 of Snowed In with Four Firemen
The elevator door opens and we step inside. She scowls at me.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Well, it kind of does. They’re my friends, and you are…”
“A long-forgotten ex-girlfriend. Tell me, Jace, how many times since we broke up have you thought about me?” she says.
More times than I would admit. But I never had the courage to pick up the phone and talk to her.
“It’s not that.”
As we enter the elevator, the tension between us is thick enough to cut with a knife. Emily’s jaw is set, and I can see the frustration in her eyes. I know I’ve messed up, but I’m not sure how to fix it. The doors slide shut, and the elevator begins its slow ascent.
“Then what is it? Now that your friends are interested, suddenly you’re concerned?” Emily snaps, her voice sharp.
“That’s not what I meant. I just…I don’t want them to…I don’t know, get the wrong idea.”
“The wrong idea?” she repeats, her eyes narrowing. “You mean, like thinking I’m some girl they can just flirt with?”
“No, no, that’s not what I’m saying!” I stammer, feeling like the walls are closing in on me. “I just…I care about you, alright? I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Emily crosses her arms, her expression icy. “You didn’t seem to care when it was just me and you, Jace. But now that your friends are paying attention to me, suddenly you’re all protective?”
“That’s not fair,” I mutter, but even I can hear how weak it sounds.
“Oh, it’s not fair?” she fires back, her voice rising. “What’s not fair is you trying to act like you have some sort of claim on me. You don’t get to do that, Jace. Not anymore.”
I can feel the heat rising in my face, and I know I’m only making things worse, but I can’t stop myself. “I’m not trying to claim you, Emily. I just…I don’t want them to take advantage of you.”
Her eyes widen in disbelief, and she shakes her head, laughing bitterly. “Take advantage of me? You’ve got to be kidding me. I’m not some naive girl who needs you to save her from the big bad world.”
“Emily, I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just trying to look out for you. I care about you.”
“Are you the same guy who forgot my birthday? Or the one who just happened to ‘wander off’ with Chloe Yaeger at prom?” Her voice drips with sarcasm, but the hurt behind it is unmistakable. “Did you care about me then?”
I stand there, speechless, as the memories she’s dredging up hit me like a freight train. I haven’t thought about Chloe in years, but now it all comes rushing back—the mistakes, the hurt, the way I let Emily down when it mattered most.
My mouth opens to say something, to apologize, to explain, but nothing comes out. What can I say? She’s right. I was a selfish idiot back then, too wrapped up in my own world to see how much I was hurting her.
“You know what, Jace? If you really cared about me, you’d trust me to handle myself. But instead, you’re just making this all about you.”
Before I can respond, she turns on her heel and heads down the hallway, leaving me standing there, feeling like the biggest idiot in the world.
CHAPTER 5
EMILY
I stormdown the hallway to my room, my heart still pounding with anger. Jace has some nerve, bringing up all this protective nonsense when he’s the one who’s always let me down. Has he seriously forgotten the events that led to our breakup? Typical man.
I shake my head.
As I shove open the door to my room, I’m too frustrated to appreciate the cozy setup waiting inside. I flick on the light and take a breath, trying to calm myself down. The room is rustic and charming, with wooden beams across the ceiling and a stone fireplace in the corner. A thick, plaid blanket is draped over a big, comfy-looking armchair by the window, and the bed is covered in a fluffy white duvet that looks warm and inviting. It’s the perfect mountain retreat. I might even find it peaceful under different circumstances.
But right now, I can’t think about anything but Jace and his idiotic assumptions. I flop down onto the edge of the bed, fuming. Who does he think he is, warning me off his friends like I’m some clueless girl who can’t make her own decisions?
But then, his words echo in my mind, and I find myself wondering—are his friends seriously interested in me? I mean,I’m not blind. Axel, Tanner, and Ben are all handsome in their own ways. Axel, with those striking blue eyes and a natural authority that makes him impossible to ignore. Tanner, with his easygoing charm and that teasing grin. And Ben, who’s quieter but has this rugged appeal that draws you in.
I shake my head, trying to dismiss the thought. Why should I care if they’re interested? I’m here for Hailey’s wedding, not to get tangled up in a messy affair. Especially with my ex at the wedding.
