Chapter 6 #2
He was right. It did hurt to hear. And all in front of the ethereal Emma.
I knew Greg cheated on me the summer we were apart.
The summer I kissed Wyatt. But I really thought, I foolishly thought that was behind him.
Even when he called off our wedding, I didn’t suspect.
Call me foolish. But when you really want something, sometimes you see what you want to see.
And I really wanted my fairytale wedding.
Emma’s eyes bounced between us knowingly before she picked up the menu and declared.
“Well then... that’s settled. I feel like breadsticks.
” Apparently, the interrogation was over.
At that moment, my feelings for Wyatt were topsy-turvy.
I was still irritated with him for interfering with my wedding.
But the way he looked at me when he said, “You deserved better,” it felt good to hear.
After we ordered, Emma picked up the topic I was least interested in—my love life.
“Maybe you should take a year off men? That’s what I’m doing.” So Wyatt was misinformed; she didn’t have a boyfriend, which was for the best since she was practically sitting in his lap.
“A year off men, huh?” I asked.
“Yeah, it’s been brilliant. I’m focusing on my relationship with myself and school. What is it you do exactly?” she said out of nowhere.
“I’m a personal stylist.”
“Are you really?” Emma looked me up and down.
Most people fidgeted when they learned I was a stylist. They would second-guess their outfit, their shoes, and their accessories.
This time, I was the one intimidated. Emma had such an inherent sense of style that to call her stylish would be like calling water wet.
I could feel her looking at me, thinking, You, a stylist?
Nothing to do but fake smile and talk about my work.
“Yes, I have a growing list of private clients.”
“Do I know any?”
“Probably not, I mainly work with politicians. But I work with the Darcy family of Pemberley Almonds.”
“Get out of here! What a small world. I’m friends with Georgie.”
“I’m friends with her, too.” I was friends with Georgianna Darcy, though I hadn’t seen her for a bit since she had moved to England.
“I used to have the hugest crush on Liam,” sighed Emma. “It’s a shame about him getting married.”
“Not at all.” I surprised myself by my automatic defense of Lettie. “His fiancée is one of my favorite people.”
“Well, that’s good. It’s such happiness when good people end up together.
” She leaned her head on Wyatt’s shoulder.
I knew that move. I had definitely made it before—on Liam Darcy, no less.
Mo was right. Emma was into Wyatt. But did he like her?
He certainly laughed a lot and was friendly.
It was obvious he was having a great time catching up with his old friend.
But did I see sparks? No, I definitely did not.
There were more sparks between Wyatt and me. And we could barely stand each other.
***
“What was Emma talking about when she said you rescued her?” I asked Wyatt as he drove me from the pizza place back to the trendy restaurant where the evening had begun hours before.
“I have no idea. I think she was making that up.”
“She likes you,” I said because it was the truth, but I also had my eye on the prize.
While I didn’t love the thought of Wyatt ending up with Emma, I absolutely relished the idea of Sally Scott burning with envy.
I also wanted to make Greg jealous. Though I was fairly sure Greg didn’t care enough about me or anyone to be jealous.
“Hmm...” Wyatt turned on his music. It was some sort of bluegrass. I liked the vibe.
“Emma seems really great.” I was fishing again. “Though I’m not sure I know what one does with a masters in French Poetry.”
“It doesn’t matter,” he said. “Emma has a trust fund. She doesn’t need to worry about making a living. She mainly just wants to be a mom and collect art.”
“Are you serious?” I asked.
“Yeah, I know it’s weird that she’s our age and doesn’t need to worry about money.
But I don’t see why that should stop her from getting what she wants out of life.
” I found myself wishing I could be as confident as Emma.
She obviously had no qualms about telling people—or at least Wyatt—that all she wanted was to be a mom.
“No judgment here,” I said. I don’t know what came over me.
Something about the dark car and the rain gently falling made me want to speak.
“I want the same thing. Not the art collecting but... I like my work...” I took a deep breath.
“But being a stylist is just the placeholder until I can start my dream job.” I didn’t know why I was telling Wyatt this.
But he already knew all my secrets. What was one more?
“I want to be a doting, over-the-top, picture-perfect mom. The kind that puts notes in her kids’ lunch boxes and plans elaborate treasure hunts and volunteers at school and takes them to libraries and zoos and aquariums.” Wyatt didn’t answer for a moment.
“Did I shock you?” I asked the darkness.
“Nah... that tracks. I knew you liked kids.”
“Wait—how?”
“Caroline, how many years have you been coming to the Scott reunion? I saw you reading to the littles. And making cookies with Nan and Simon. You were always holding the newest baby during dinner.”
“I had no idea. So what do you think? Do you think it’s stupid, that I want to be a mom and all that?”
“Why would I think that?” He sounded offended. “I mean, it explains a little more why you put up with Greg for so long.”
“And tonight’s geriatric date,” I said with a huff. “You don’t know how hard it is to have a dream that is totally dependent on another person. I hate it.”
“No one has much control over their dating life. It’s a little like a barn find. You have to keep looking and be open to what the universe gives you.”
“Waiting on the universe gives me hives.”
“Yeah, you probably have a spreadsheet of all the qualifications you want in a man,” he said. “You love a well-executed plan.”
Except this. I thought to myself. What was I doing sitting in Wyatt’s pick up truck past eleven, telling him about my dreams while the rain pattered outside?
“So... what are you going to do about Emma?” I asked.
He tapped the steering wheel. “Probably nothing.”
“See! That!” I pointed at him. He was closer than I expected. And my finger bumped into his firm shoulder. Wyatt looked down, amused, and lightly brushed my hand away. “If I were you, I’d lock that down,” I said. “Emma seems fabulous. And wouldn’t it be fun to see Sally Scott burn with envy?”
“Why would I want to make my aunt jealous?”
“Because she was always so rude to me.”
“But Caroline, as you keep reminding me and everyone else who will listen. We’re not even friends.” He was joking but still sounded mildly aggrieved.
“C’mon, Wyatt, don’t tell me you don’t have some dreams of besting Greg. Everyone’s always comparing you two. It must get old.”
“Nah! As a mechanic, I’ve come to expect that people will assume the worst of me. I have my insecurities. But overall, I like who I am, and I’d hate to be Greg.”
“So you were never jealous of him?”
“Not really. He’s only had one thing that I ever wanted.”
“What was that?” I asked, studying his profile as Wyatt watched the rain running down the windshield. Passing headlights lit up the interior intermittently, making it hard to read his expression.
“I don’t have to answer that.”
“C’mon Wyatt... please?” I literally batted my eyes at him. “Pretty please?”
“What are you doing?”
“I’m trying to be charming.”
“Oh, is that what that is?” He chuckled.
“Please tell me! Wyatt!” I ran my fingers up his arm. He caught my hand.
“I’ll tell you, but it’s embarrassing.”
“I promise, I won’t tell a soul.”
“Fine. It was the Lego Death Star.”
Surprised, I laughed out loud, pulling my hand away from him. For some deranged reason, I thought he was going to say some cheesy line about me. A small part of me hoped he would, which made absolutely no sense.
“Legos! You were jealous of his Legos.”
“It’s the Death Star! Yes, I was jealous. He didn’t appreciate what he had. He got bored building it, so I helped him finish it. Two months later, he knocked it over by accident and gave it to Goodwill.”
“You still sound bitter about it.”
“I AM!” he said, laughing heartily. Wyatt had a great laugh. It rumbled through the cab and coursed through me. I would have never pegged him as a Lego fan. I wondered what else I didn’t know about Wyatt Knox. He caught me staring, and the mood suddenly shifted. He stopped laughing.
“Are you sure you were never jealous of anything else?” I ventured. He looked at me for a long moment. I couldn’t quite read his expression in the half-light. But I felt something.
“Time to call it a night.” He opened his door and stepped out into the rain.
I watched his silhouette cross the front of the car, the street lights shining on him.
He opened my door. “Careful,” he said. “There’s a river in the gutter.
” Muddy water rushed between the pickup and the sidewalk. “Let me help you down.”
I nodded. He reached up and lifted me like a groom carrying a bride over the threshold.
I let out an astonished gasp. I hadn’t expected him to carry me.
I thought he would “help” me by holding my hand.
I flung my arms around his neck, and our eyes met.
My mind flashed to Wyatt’s lips on mine.
His brown eyes blazed. Was he thinking the same thing?
Why was I always thinking of that kiss? He set me down on the sidewalk. “Good night, Caroline.”
“Good night,” I replied, a bit unsettled. “Thanks for rescuing me.”
He gave the slightest head nod before getting back in his vehicle.
My car was parked in front of his. Inside my warm, dry Mercedes, I turned on the engine, which sounded extra loud after being in an electric vehicle.
I didn’t drive off. I needed a minute to process.
I was still stuck in that moment when Wyatt hoisted me out of the car.
I rested my head on my steering wheel, trying to let my thoughts clear.
I wanted to help Mo. But maybe I wasn’t up for this assignment.
And Wyatt? What was his game? He was simply an incurable flirt, right?
Even if he were serious about me, which he was not, he was still Greg’s cousin, not to mention obnoxiously heavy-handed.
When he wanted to end the conversation, he literally carried me out of his truck.
So why did I feel so flustered? I glanced in my rearview mirror.
He still sat in his truck. Was he feeling as confused as I was?
His words ran through my mind. Greg’s only had one thing that I ever wanted.
The Lego Death Star? Perhaps it was conceited of me, but a part of me thought he was lying.
And even though I could never date Wyatt Knox, I really wanted that one thing to be me.