Page 148 of The Stolen Moments Trilogy

Emilia shakes her head, her lips opening and closing in shock, and then she bursts out laughing too. The two of us just sit there, chuckling like two school kids, Crazy Frog playing in the background. I have a room full of employees staring at us in shock, but I couldn’t care less. This is the happiest I’ve felt in forever.

Chapter 24

Emilia

The prank Carter pulled on me in today’s meeting still has me smiling to myself. It’s been years since I’ve felt even remotely playful. I forgot how it feels to laugh like that. I kind of want to retaliate. I want to make him laugh the way he made me laugh.

“What are you smiling about, Princess?” Dad asks.

I grin at him and shake my head. Dad is hooked up to his machine, his hand in mine. “Oh, it’s nothing. Do you remember that really annoying ring tone everyone was downloading back when I was a kid? It was called Crazy Frog. It was the worst.”

Dad laughs and nods. “Yes, I remember. You and the Clarke kids drove me half insane with it.”

I giggle. “Well, today Carter managed to change my phone’s ringtone to that song. Then he called me in the middle of a meeting. I had no idea whether I should be mortified or amused,” I say, laughing. “I can’t believe he’s still so childish.”

Dad smiles at me indulgently. “He still makes you laugh, huh?”

I nod, thinking back to the two of us sitting in that meeting, both of us laughing. “He’s the CEO of such a huge company, yet he still does stuff like that. He really should take himself a little more serious.”

Dad grins knowingly. “Oh, he does, Emilia. He does, around anyone that isn’t you. You’re the only one that gets to see that side of him. The only one that brings it out.”

I look up at Dad, startled. I smile tightly and shake my head, but before I can even deny it, Dad interrupts. “I assume you’re going to get him back for this?” he says, an amused look in his eyes.

I giggle. “Of course, Daddy. Who do you think I am? I went straight to the little toy store in town and bought myself a set of supplies.”

Dad laughs, his entire frame shaking. “That’s the spirit, Princess,” he says. The way he’s looking at me warms my heart. It’s like he hasn’t seen me in forever, even though I’ve been with him for weeks now.

My phone buzzes and I glance at it, tensing when I realize it’s Sam. “Sam just messaged to say that he’s booked his tickets,” I tell Dad. He glances at my phone, his expression guarded. I should be eager to see him again, but things haven’t been the same between us in a while now. I keep feeling like he doesn’t understand me, like he doesn’t truly care about what’s going on. Everything he says grates on me, and we keep arguing.

“It’ll be wonderful to have him here for Thanksgiving and New Year’s. But we don’t have plans, do we?” I say, trying my best not to let my agitation show.

Dad purses his lips and shakes his head. “I usually spend Thanksgiving with the Clarkes and then I come see you for Christmas. Carter has been hosting Christmas here for years now, but I always spend it with you in London.”

My expression falls. How could I have forgotten that he usually spends Thanksgiving at Carter’s house? He rarely talks about it, but he’s mentioned their invites before. The last thing I want to do is spend Thanksgiving with Helen, and I doubt she’d even have me. I bet I’m still just a reminder of what happened to Kate. I bet she still blames me.

I’ve tried my best not to wonder about Kate. I know she doesn’t live here anymore, or I’d have run into her weeks ago, but she’ll probably come back for Thanksgiving, and maybe even Christmas too. Both are huge affairs at the Clarkes. I don’t want to see her. I might want to avoid Helen, but that doesn’t even come close to how badly I want to avoid Kate. When everything went down with her and I left, I’d just felt hurt. But now? Now I’m mad. I’m angry that I loved both of them so much, yet I was treated like some sort of pariah. I’m mad at them for hurting me the way they did, but I’m even more mad at myself for letting it happen for so long. There were always signs. Little things Kate would say or do that I’d just ignore.

“So, Sam and you are quite serious, huh?” Dad says cautiously, snapping me out of my thoughts. I look at him and nod. I guess we are.

“Do you think he’s the one?”

I stare at Dad in surprise and laugh nervously. “Dad, where is this coming from?”

Dad tightens my grip on my hand and sighs. “Well, you said you two are moving in together. I guess the next step is marriage, isn’t it?”

I nod, but the mere thought of that gives me anxiety. I can’t imagine getting married. I love Sam, and I love my life back in London, but I just can’t imagine it all being so… permanent. The thought of it terrifies me. I feel panicked just thinking about walking down the aisle and finding Sam waiting for me.

I bite down on my lip and shake my head. “We haven’t even moved in together yet, Daddy,” I murmur. “I do like the idea of you walking me down the aisle, though.”

Dad finally smiles and nods. “I’ll be there to do that, Emilia.”

I tighten my grip on his hand and nod. I really need to go to the clinic to discuss a paired donation, and any other options, but I’ve been avoiding going back in to see Layla. I can’t even look at her, knowing she’s had everything that used to be mine.

“I never asked you, Dad, but what do you think of Sam?”

Dad sighs. “He’s a nice man, Emilia. He’s well educated, and from what I can see, he treats you very well.”

“Why do I feel like there’s a but there?”

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