10
E mily gently closed the bedroom door behind her and went to the kitchen, where Roman was finishing the dishes. “She’s finally asleep,” she said with a hint of relief. “I just hope she doesn’t have nightmares after everything she’s been through today.”
Roman dried the last dish and placed it in the dish drain. “I’m sure she will be fine. Kids have a way of bouncing back from everything.”
“I hope so,” Emily said as she took in the charm of the quaint little kitchen. “This cabin is adorable. Who’s is it?”
Drying his hands on the dish towel, Roman replied, “It belongs to my childhood friend. I spent so many summers here growing up. His parents passed away a few years ago, and he inherited it.”
After placing the towel on the counter, Roman joined Emily by the patio doors, where she stood gazing out onto the deck.
“It’s so quiet and peaceful out here,” Emily said.
Roman smiled, “Yes it is. How about a glass of wine?”
“That would be nice.”
Opening the sliding glass door, Roman said, “Go on out. I’ll get the wine and join you in a minute.”
“Okay,” Emily said as she stepped onto the deck, then settled into the double glider.
A moment later, Roman joined Emily on the deck, holding an open bottle of wine and two glasses. He handed one to her, filled it with wine, and then took a seat beside her on the glider.
“Thank you,” she murmured, her eyes drifting to the star-filled sky.
He tilted his head to the sky and said, “There are so many stars tonight.”
After several minutes of quietly gazing at the stars, Emily broke the silence. “Have you learned anything new about who’s blackmailing me?” she asked, her voice tinged with worry.
Roman took a deep gulp of his wine and then paused, his expression serious. “You’re not going to like this,” he said quietly.
“What is it?” Emily asked, sitting up straighter.
“It’s about your finances, Em,” he said, gently touching her shoulder. “They’re not good.”
Her breath caught in her throat, and panic surged through her. “What? That can’t be right. We have plenty of money. Gabriel just became a partner, which came with a big raise,” she protested, her voice trembling with disbelief.
“Are you sure about that? It looks to me like Gabriel’s pay has been reduced.”
Shaking her head, Emily said, “That’s not possible. He would have told me.”
“Don’t you even look at your bank statements?” Roman asked, surprised.
Emily put out her hand, “Can I see your phone?”
Roman reached into his pocket and handed her his phone.
“What’s your pin?”
“7659.”
With shaky hands, Emily entered the PIN and tapped the internet icon, bringing up the Chase Online Banking app. She logged into their joint bank account, her heart pounding. The screen loaded, and what she saw made her stomach drop. Roman was right—barely any money was left in their checking and savings accounts. It was all gone. She stared at the minimal balances, unable to process the enormity of the situation.
“What the hell is going on?” She asked Roman with tears in her eyes.
He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and said, “I don’t know.”
“I think we need to go to the police,” Emily said, her voice trembling with anger and disbelief. “Gabriel stole all our money. That has to be criminal. I need to press charges.”
Roman shook his head gently. “It’s a joint bank account, Emily. Legally, he had every right to take the money.”
She covered her face with her hands for a minute, then removed them and said, “Maybe he’s emptying the bank accounts because he’s planning on leaving me.”
“It’s possible,” Roman confirmed.
“Or maybe the empty bank accounts have nothing to do with the blackmail.”
“Why are you defending him?” Roman asked incredulously. “You’re not seriously considering staying with him, are you?”
Emily poured herself a second glass of wine, her hands steadying as she gathered her thoughts. “No, but I have to talk to him. I need answers. I can’t stay here forever; I need to get my life back on track. The more help we have figuring this out, the sooner I can move on with my life.”
“I understand,” Roman said, his tone softening. “Can you just give me a little more time before you go to the police?”
Emily nodded, though her eyes remained focused on him. “Have you figured out who Gabriel is seeing yet?”
“Not yet, but I’m working on it,” Roman replied determinedly. “I’ll follow him again tomorrow. With any luck, he’ll visit her, and we’ll finally find out who she is.”
“While you’re out, could you swing by your place and get my luggage?”
“Sure.”
“Thank you,” Emily rested her head on his shoulder. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”
Roman wrapped an arm around her, “You’re welcome.”
Emily pointed excitedly to the sky. “Look, a shooting star. Make a wish!” She lifted her head, eyes locking onto Roman’s, waiting for his response with a hopeful smile.
Roman whispered, “I wish we could stay like this forever,” before slowly leaning in and pressing his lips against hers.
Emily returned his kiss, feeling herself slowly melt into him as all the tension from the past several days evaporated. But just a moment later, reality set back in. She quickly pulled away and stood up, her pulse racing as she tried to gather her thoughts.
Roman looked up at her, his eyes filled with remorse. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “I shouldn’t have done that.”
Emily took a deep breath, trying to steady her emotions. “It’s late,” she said, “I think I’ll go to bed now.”
“Okay, I’m going to stay out here for a little longer. Goodnight, Em.”
“Goodnight,” Emily said softly as she walked to the sliding glass door and opened it. Once inside, she paused, her fingers brushing against her lips as she replayed the moment in her mind. The kiss had been sweet and unexpected. She and Roman had been friends for years and she had never considered him in that light before. Maybe, once this whole ordeal was over, she could explore the possibility of having something more with him.
She entered the bedroom, stripped down to her bra and panties, and slipped into bed beside Ava. Despite her exhaustion, sleep eluded her. Her mind was racing with thoughts and emotions that refused to be quieted.