Patty's POV Emma and Kevin, as she called him, arrived without much fanfare. It'd been a minute since I saw her so happy. She wasn't my favorite person in the house, but I had grown to have a soft spot for her. “How are you, Patty?” She squealed and even threw her arms open. “I'm good.” I smiled. “Meet Kev.” She smiled, “Kev, here's Party. Mark's longest serving home manager.” “Nice to meet you Ma'am. You're in really good shape too.” The boy flashed his million dollar smile at me. He looked so good, the most pretty eye candy I'd seen in a while. “You're welcome, Kevin.” I said. “Everyone's inside.” Mark and Linda have been attending to the event planners that Chase had coming to the house. With his arm still in a sling, there was very little he could do without Linda's help. The air around them was a bit icy, but they made it work. I hoped for both of their sakes that they fix what was between them. At least he wasn't cheating on Linda with her friends like he d
Emma's POV Two days, with Kev and Chase the house wasn't what I thought it would be. Chase was barely available, and when he was, he made sure he was extremely busy. Kevin, too, worked in the room Patty had arranged for him, so they had no reasons to cross paths except dinner time. I had an extensive talk with my mom about Kevin. She still really wasn't feeling him, but she was glad I'd moved on from Chase, it was mixed emotions for her. “This is so good, Mr Norman.” He smiled at the wine Chase's dad asked Patty to get. “This old man knows good things when he sees one.” He looked glaringly at my mom, but she avoided his eyes. The air between them was still a little weird, but they had to put up a show, for the rest of us at least, who had bigger things going on. I'd spent two days feeling like shit for not forcing Casey to come along with me instead of Kevin. In my defense, he said he wanted to meet my mom and properly apologize for all that'd happened in Starry. It seemed l
Emma's POV “Come on, Patty can wait.” Kevin held me closer. I thought I heard someone enter, but Kevi didn't give me headroom, and I didn't want to distract him. “Anything else?” I asked jokingly, even though I really was so keen on getting back to Party. “Yeah, let's hang out a while.” He said. “Kev, today is the D-day, it's what we're here for. I kinda have to be there.” I protested. “Fine then.” He said, taking his arms away from around my waist. “Come on, Kev.” I pulled him back, “you are not and, are you?” I asked. “It just seems like things are a lot different than I felt they would be.” He replied, looking away. “What does that even mean?” I asked It was our first argument, and I didn't like it that it was happening at Mark's house. “Em, you're obviously with your family. I'm second place. I should've expected that. Maybe I'd have rethought traveling all the way here.” Kev smiled. “You don't mean that. Kev, we've literally been together, I only l
Emma's POV. “You were gonna go in.” He said, looking away. “I was.” I replied, unshifting. He no longer had the courage to stare me down, and I no longer had the will to leave, “MIT looks good on you.” He said. “Thank you.” I smiled, “I could say the same for you.” “I see you've made new friends, well old ones,but you know…” He said. I chuckled within myself. Who'd have known that I could make the bad boy Chase unsure about me? “Yeah, I had no choice.” I murmured. “Uhm, how are you?” I asked, just out of courtesy, I told myself. I thought being brave and bold was gonna make me indestructible by him, but I was beginning to come off as antagonistic, and I didn't like it. Deep down, in the corners of my heart I hoped Kevin would never see, Chase occupied it. I wanted for him to close the distance between us like he'd once done. To treat me like his own. I was getting a little teary, so I dug my freshly manicured nail into my palm, I wasn't gonna cry, I could not.
Emma's POVI decided to see my mom before the dinner. I didn't care if it was right or wrong, but I'd barely seen her all through the day and I was dying to know how she was holding up. Maybe an escape for myself was the other motive, but primarily, I wanted to know how she was doing. “Hey mom.” I said, pushing her door open. It almost felt like it was her wedding all over again. Mark was going all out. And I didn't know why it had to be that big for a guest list of just sixteen people. “This is a lot.” I smiled. “It is.” I saw the woman beneath all the makeup, hair glam, and accessories. She was still just my mom. “Can I have a moment with my daughter please?” She referred to everyone else in the room who wasn't me, and they, by my rough headcount, were about eight. “We can spare only about half an hour.” A kind lady who looked like she was in her thirties said, She had an outrageous makeup done. While it looked good, edgy, classy on her, I hope that wasn't gonna be my
Chase's POV I wished I could remain busy throughout the day. A time to rest meant a time to think. I was under the same roof as Emma, like I'd been wanting, but we were yet so far apart. The flowers were an ill thought decision, but I had to do something. Being in the same house with Emma for over three days was beginning to mess with my mental health. “You shouldn't have done that.” I said to myself. If only Emma had kept it a family thing and didn't have that one over, things would have been a lot easier. I intentionally left a note out of the flower delivery, but I knew she recognised the sender, irregardless. Before I knew it,my 5:30 alarm went off, and I had to throw on my tux as fast as I could. It'd be great if my dad and Linda got down to a full audience waiting for them. It was a really big deal for my dad, so big he had made arrangements for his helicopter to pick them both at ten o'clock. Linda was wearing a slick floor length satin dress in emerald green, paired
Chase’s POV“I didn't think you'd be here.” She said,“I could say the same.” I replied to her Emma was the last person I thought who'd want to catch a break from the ceremony.She was at the center of it all, and really did well at her job of role playing a perfect daughter.“It's too much.” She replied with a low voice.“What is?” I asked, clearing my throat. “The atmosphere.” She explained, kicking the grass in her stilettos. Her legs looked like they must've been hurting. “Here.”I gave way for her to sit on her favorite swing. I could never take that away from her. “Thank you.” Emma was being her generic self, the side that she showed everyone else. Shy and contained. But I didn't like that. I liked that Emma I fell for, headlong. “It's nothing to Chase’s POV “I didn't think you'd be here.” She said, “I could say the same.” I replied to her Emma was the last person I thought who'd want to catch a break from the ceremony. She was at the center of it all, and really
Chase's POV. “It's not good that I'm too close to you, Chase.” Emma cried. Her eyes were already tearing up, and her face wet. Her rosy cheeks were beginning to peek from beneath the light make-up. “Why, Emma?” I asked her, letting my mouth say all the things my heart felt. “Am I so bad?” I asked. “I never said anything like that.” She answered. “So what is it?” I asked, exhausted. “Why do you want to be away from me so bad? Why do you treat me with such a long spoon? You can't deny missing me, Em. I see it in your eyes. What is holding you back?” I dared reach for her trembling hands, and she didn't pull away. It was a good thing. “Chase, I just still find it so hard to process. I'd rather think about things that hurt me, than process the whole thing. The past year has been the most tumultuous part of my life yet. I'm so fucking drained, I just need peace.” She said, “And you think that description doesn't fit me.”I asked, against my better reasoning. I then remi
Emma's POV “We are both hurt. I think it's better we realize that and stop shaming the other person. Emma, you're just as damaged as I am.” Chase said. “That's not rocket science, Chase. Isn't this how you leave everyone you've been with?” I asked, “Broken and damaged?” “That's unfair, Em. You keep skipping the fact that there are always two sides to anything.” He replied to me. “You think I did, Chase?” I looked at him in his sinfully sexy blue eyes I still hadn't gotten an antidote to, not even the anger I felt, “All I did was allow you. I made you do all you did to me. In a way, I even enabled you.” “That's untrue, and you know it.” He replied to me. “I've talked about this, over and over. In my head and out of it, and it's still the same conclusion I reach.” I responded to him. “If ‘out of your head’ in any way refers to the bastard up there, I don't think I want to hear it.” I replied to her. “You've gotta get over yourself, Chase.” I said. “There's life
Chase's POV “You're still here, Em. It means you're interested.” I said. “I'm not comfortable here.” She said in a low voice. “I'd be in the garage, meet me there.” I said. “Maybe this is your time to show how low you regard me.” I let go of her hand which I had in mine, doing it both lightly and seductively. I knew I walked with such swagger, such essence that couldn't betray how scared I felt deep inside. Maybe she'd realize that I wasn't worth shit, and just go upstairs to meet her little boyfriend. I sat in my favorite of my dad's lot, the black mustang I saved Emma's ring in. That particular car had so many memories. I wanted to be in. I checked the time on my Patek, it was a few minutes to midnight. The estate gate was gonna be locked by 00:00, and if I couldn't make it out by then, I'd be stuck with Em and that bastard. 23:53, I had begun to get antsy. It'd be really unfortunate if I left, and Em eventually came down. I kept telling myself to calm down and b
Emma's POV “Can I trust you?” I asked Chase. I was mentally drained. Having played the good daughter throughout the anniversary, I wanted to catch my breath. Little did I know I had just been walking straight into Chase’s arms. “You know you can, Em.” He said, enthusiastically. “I'd hold your secret against me, Em. I wouldn't even tell myself.” His eyes mirrored mine, tired, hunger of the soul, and exhaustion. I couldn't believe that it was the same person who acted like I didn't exist last night. “I don't know where I stand with Kevin, really.” I said what I'd forbidden myself to. I made a deal with my mind to never say it. Just so I didn't believe it. The more I said something, the more I was forced to believe. “Start from the point where you left me, Em. I want to know it all.” He said, looking downI hated when Chase had that pensive look on his face. It felt like he was just a slight provocation away from murder. “After us,” I started, my mind was a bit foggy
Chase's POV “What did you do that for?!” Emma yelled after landing me a slap to the cheek. “I already said I wasn't gonna let you go.” I replied stubbornly. “Chase, my arm is hurting.” She cried, referring to the arm I'd been holding. I felt like a nasty person. Maybe it was the universe providing answers to the question I'd asked so many times, “Am I not good enough for her?” Well, I now knew I was too violent, too relentless, too impulsive, I rarely rethought my decisions, I bent everything to my will, things had to suit me, always. And those were all the things Emma stood against. “Emma, I'm a damaged guy, and I know it's really not your job to fix me. I'm a sorry project who should've belonged to my late mom and my dad who's now a happily remarried man. I get it. No one wants a project. But this is me swearing that I'd never hurt you, Em. I've learned. I do better for myself these days.” I said, frantically. Emma was rubbing her arm where I grabbed her, a sorry rem
Chase's POV. “It's not good that I'm too close to you, Chase.” Emma cried. Her eyes were already tearing up, and her face wet. Her rosy cheeks were beginning to peek from beneath the light make-up. “Why, Emma?” I asked her, letting my mouth say all the things my heart felt. “Am I so bad?” I asked. “I never said anything like that.” She answered. “So what is it?” I asked, exhausted. “Why do you want to be away from me so bad? Why do you treat me with such a long spoon? You can't deny missing me, Em. I see it in your eyes. What is holding you back?” I dared reach for her trembling hands, and she didn't pull away. It was a good thing. “Chase, I just still find it so hard to process. I'd rather think about things that hurt me, than process the whole thing. The past year has been the most tumultuous part of my life yet. I'm so fucking drained, I just need peace.” She said, “And you think that description doesn't fit me.”I asked, against my better reasoning. I then remi
Chase’s POV“I didn't think you'd be here.” She said,“I could say the same.” I replied to her Emma was the last person I thought who'd want to catch a break from the ceremony.She was at the center of it all, and really did well at her job of role playing a perfect daughter.“It's too much.” She replied with a low voice.“What is?” I asked, clearing my throat. “The atmosphere.” She explained, kicking the grass in her stilettos. Her legs looked like they must've been hurting. “Here.”I gave way for her to sit on her favorite swing. I could never take that away from her. “Thank you.” Emma was being her generic self, the side that she showed everyone else. Shy and contained. But I didn't like that. I liked that Emma I fell for, headlong. “It's nothing to Chase’s POV “I didn't think you'd be here.” She said, “I could say the same.” I replied to her Emma was the last person I thought who'd want to catch a break from the ceremony. She was at the center of it all, and really
Chase's POV I wished I could remain busy throughout the day. A time to rest meant a time to think. I was under the same roof as Emma, like I'd been wanting, but we were yet so far apart. The flowers were an ill thought decision, but I had to do something. Being in the same house with Emma for over three days was beginning to mess with my mental health. “You shouldn't have done that.” I said to myself. If only Emma had kept it a family thing and didn't have that one over, things would have been a lot easier. I intentionally left a note out of the flower delivery, but I knew she recognised the sender, irregardless. Before I knew it,my 5:30 alarm went off, and I had to throw on my tux as fast as I could. It'd be great if my dad and Linda got down to a full audience waiting for them. It was a really big deal for my dad, so big he had made arrangements for his helicopter to pick them both at ten o'clock. Linda was wearing a slick floor length satin dress in emerald green, paired
Emma's POVI decided to see my mom before the dinner. I didn't care if it was right or wrong, but I'd barely seen her all through the day and I was dying to know how she was holding up. Maybe an escape for myself was the other motive, but primarily, I wanted to know how she was doing. “Hey mom.” I said, pushing her door open. It almost felt like it was her wedding all over again. Mark was going all out. And I didn't know why it had to be that big for a guest list of just sixteen people. “This is a lot.” I smiled. “It is.” I saw the woman beneath all the makeup, hair glam, and accessories. She was still just my mom. “Can I have a moment with my daughter please?” She referred to everyone else in the room who wasn't me, and they, by my rough headcount, were about eight. “We can spare only about half an hour.” A kind lady who looked like she was in her thirties said, She had an outrageous makeup done. While it looked good, edgy, classy on her, I hope that wasn't gonna be my
Emma's POV. “You were gonna go in.” He said, looking away. “I was.” I replied, unshifting. He no longer had the courage to stare me down, and I no longer had the will to leave, “MIT looks good on you.” He said. “Thank you.” I smiled, “I could say the same for you.” “I see you've made new friends, well old ones,but you know…” He said. I chuckled within myself. Who'd have known that I could make the bad boy Chase unsure about me? “Yeah, I had no choice.” I murmured. “Uhm, how are you?” I asked, just out of courtesy, I told myself. I thought being brave and bold was gonna make me indestructible by him, but I was beginning to come off as antagonistic, and I didn't like it. Deep down, in the corners of my heart I hoped Kevin would never see, Chase occupied it. I wanted for him to close the distance between us like he'd once done. To treat me like his own. I was getting a little teary, so I dug my freshly manicured nail into my palm, I wasn't gonna cry, I could not.