Chapter Five

Ace’s POV

The door opened barely twenty minutes later.

Emma stepped outside in jeans and a plain black top and sneakers that looked like they had survived several emotional breakdowns.

I looked at her and then looked at the door and then looked back at her.

“That is what you are wearing.”

“Yes,” she said. “Why.”

I nodded slowly. “Okay then.”

Her eyes narrowed. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“It means I already knew your outfit was going to be a disaster so I planned ahead.”

She crossed her arms. “What are you talking about?”

I opened the backseat of my car and grabbed the shopping bag. “I bought you a dress.”

Her mouth fell open. “You did what?”

“Relax,” I said. “It is for tonight.”

“I did not ask you to do that.”

“I know.”

“I am not wearing something one of your skanks wore.”

I raised an eyebrow. I pulled the dress out of the bag and held it up. “ It's brand new. Still has the tag. No one has ever worn it. Not even the store mannequin and I did not trust her anyway.”

She stared at it like it was a bomb.

“Why are you doing this?”

“Because my grandma dresses better than you and she is seventy-three.”

“My outfit is not that bad.”

“Yes it is.”

She sighed like this was the worst timeline. “You are impossible.”

“And you are welcome.”

She stood there for a long second then snatched the bag from my hand. “If this goes badly I am blaming you for the rest of my life.”

She disappeared back into the apartment and I leaned against my car smiling like an idiot.

Ten minutes later the door opened again.

And yeah.

That was not the same Emma.

She stepped outside in the dress. Her hair was down and I forgot how breathing worked for about three seconds.

She stopped when she saw my face. “What.”

“Nothing,” I said quickly. “You look… acceptable.”

She narrowed her eyes. “You are lying.”

“Maybe a little.”

We drove in silence for a minute and then she spoke.

“Why are you helping me?”

I shrugged. “Because you need help.”

“That is not an answer.”

I glanced at her. “Because it's fun.”

She looked out the window.

Dante’s place was already loud when we got there and the moment we walked in half the room noticed and then the other half did too.

Dante spotted us from across the room and started smiling.

“That’s him,” Emma whispered.

“I know,” I said. “Try not to fall.”

She elbowed me.

Dante reached us and clapped my shoulder. “Fallon. You made it.”

“Wouldn’t miss it.”

He turned to Emma and his smile got even bigger.  “Hey,” he said. “Emma right?”

“Yes,” she said. “Hi.”

He laughed. “You look great.”

She smiled and I stepped back and watched her do exactly what I told her and it worked and that was supposed to be the end of my job.

Except it was not.

Because ten minutes later she was laughing and he was leaning closer and I did not like the way my chest felt.

At some point she leaned over to me. “He just asked what my major is.”

“Answer him.”

“I panicked and said economics.”

“You are a history major.”

“I know.”

When it was time to go home she crossed her arms.“That was exhausting.”

“You are doing great.”

She stared at the ground for a second then looked up. “So about that tutoring deal.”

I smiled. “I knew you would come around. We’ll talk about the details tomorrow.”

She nodded. 

We stood there for a moment and neither of us moved.

“Thank you,” she said quietly.

I didn’t answer right away because the truth was complicated.

“Anytime, Professor.”

She rolled her eyes and got into the car.

And that was when I realized I was already in trouble.