12. Stone
Islept like shit.
I tossed and turned in my bed all night. I wanted to say that it was from the adrenaline still coursing through my veins after yesterday’s game, but I knew better.
I couldn’t sleep because I couldn’t stop thinking about Emerson.
This was torture.
At seven, I finally ripped my eyes open, pulled off my comforter, and slipped into my gym shorts. I needed to exercise, or the feelings that were coursing through my veins were going to consume me.
I grabbed my jump rope and headed out onto the landing. I blared my music in my headphones, and thirty minutes later, I was covered in sweat and my legs were numb. I went inside, grabbed a glass of water, and took a shower.
I was out the door by eight. Thankfully, George drove my motorcycle here last night so I didn’t have to head back to Fusion Boozin’ to get it. I walked into the locker room at nine. Even though we won last night, coach was going to work us hard today. By the time practice was over, I’d finally cleared my mind enough to focus on something other than Emerson.
The guys tried to tease me in the locker room, but thankfully, one look from me and they shut up. I showered and changed. Then I grabbed my jacket and helmet and headed out to the parking lot where I climbed on my bike and headed to China Cavern for some to-go lo mein.
They knew me there, and as soon as I walked in, they had my order started. Fifteen minutes later, I was leaving with a plastic bag full of food. I rode home and tapped my foot while I waited for the elevator to come down to the parking garage.
I rode the elevator to my floor and stepped out onto the landing. I nearly ran right into Emerson, who had come up the stairs, but thankfully, I caught myself before that happened.
“Sorry,” she said as she sidestepped me and my bag of food. She was wearing a green polo with The Jumping Bean embroidered on it. In her hand, she was carrying a hat with the same logo. Her hair was flattened like she’d been wearing the hat all day.
I pulled the bag of food out of her way and smiled sheepishly. “No harm, no foul.” I lifted the bag and held the warm food against my chest.
When Emerson didn’t leave right away, I lingered. She looked like she had something she wanted to say. I must be a glutton for punishment, ’cause I wanted to hear it.
“I wanted to thank you for what you did for me last night.” Her cheeks flushed as she glanced at everything else but me. “And thanks for the pain meds and water on my nightstand. I didn’t even notice that you’d brought it in.” She flicked her gaze toward me before studying the ground.
“Sure. I was happy to help.” There was so much more that I wanted to say, but I couldn’t seem to find the words.
She glanced up at me and held my gaze for a moment before she sighed and motioned toward her door. “I should get going. I’ve got to make dinner, and I’m exhausted.” She leaned toward me, her scent wafting with the movement. “Don’t let me drink like that again.”
“I have enough food for a family of four. Wanna eat dinner with me?” I held up the food as proof. When I realized what I’d just asked, I silently cursed myself. I needed to backtrack. “I mean, if you want.”
She eyed my food and then her gaze drifted to my door. She chewed her bottom lip and I could see the unrest rushing through her. She wanted to say no but I could tell she was hungry with the way she was staring at the bag of food.
“Come on,” I said as I nodded toward my door. “It’s just food.” I started walking, praying that she’d follow me. When I got to my door, I grabbed my keys from my pocket, slipped the key into the lock, and turned. I peeked over my shoulder to see that Emerson was still standing there.
I took that as a good sign. I pushed open my door and walked into the kitchen. After setting the food down on the counter, I walked back to the open door and glanced out. Emerson was chewing her thumbnail now.
I waved at her. “Come on. I won’t bite.” I folded my arms and leaned against the doorframe. “It’s just dinner, Em.”
She narrowed her eyes before she sighed and dropped her arms to her side. “Fine.” She crossed the space between us and paused right before she walked past me. “It’s just dinner.”
I watched as she entered my apartment. I was silently cheering inside. I nodded as I moved to follow her, grabbing the door handle to swing the door shut. “Yep, just dinner,” I replied.
I hurried around her as she made her way into the kitchen. I opened a cupboard. “You can get a plate here,” I said as I motioned toward Gran’s floral plates.
Emerson pulled one down and glanced at the design. “I never pegged you for a floral china kind of guy.”
I laughed as I got a plate as well. “It’s my Gran’s. In fact, this whole apartment is hers. I’m watching it while she’s on a cruise.”
Emerson raised her eyebrows. “Your Gran?”
I nodded. “Yeah. She and I rebuilt our relationship after I left my dad’s house. I needed a place to stay, and she welcomed me in with open arms.” I paused, a smile spreading across my lips at the memories that flooded my mind. “It was the first time I felt like I could live without strings attached.”
Emerson was hugging the plate to her chest as she watched me. I couldn’t quite tell what she was thinking, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to know. We had history, and I could only imagine my words were bringing back some uncomfortable memories.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
I’d set my plate down on the counter and started the process of untying the plastic bag so I could pull out the white to-go boxes. “For what?” I asked.
She shrugged. “For my parents kicking you out. I know you wanted my house to be a safe place to land.”
I opened the sesame chicken and got sauce on my fingers. I glanced up at her. Her words hit me harder than I think she realized. “It’s okay,” I said as I rounded the counter and turned on the faucet.
“Was it?” she asked, leaning forward and catching my gaze. “You and Cayden were inseparable, and you needed a safe place. I’m sorry my parents weren’t that for you.”
I turned off the water as I chewed on her words. I shook off my hands before grabbing the towel hanging from the oven handle. After my hands were dry, I moved back over to finish opening the containers of food.
“Thanks,” was all I could think to say. Truth was, it hadn’t been her decision to make. Her parents were the ones who told me to leave. She was collateral damage from their desire to make their son into a football star. I hated that for her. “You’re sweet to care.”
Her gaze landed on me once more. She studied me like she had more she wanted to say, but we didn’t have that kind of relationship. Truth was, I didn’t know how to define our relationship. The girl I knew in high school? My ex-best-friend’s sister? And what was I to her?
Not wanting to get into too deep a conversation, I decided to pivot. “Tell me about your music,” I said as I dumped some chicken lo mein onto my plate.
She’d just filled her plate with rice and sesame chicken. Some of the sauce had gotten on the handle of her spoon and on her fingers. She licked them as she watched me.
“I tried the college route,” she said.
“Didn’t work?”
She shook her head. “Turns out the only thing I’m good at is singing.” She sighed. “And even then, I feel like nothing I do is good enough.” She added some white rice to her plate and then picked it up.
I paused, taking the time to stare at her. I wanted her to know how ridiculous that was. “That’s not true,” I said. My tone had come out deep and commanding. She had to know that was a lie. “From what I’ve seen, you’re incredible.”
She held my gaze. Her eyes were wide as she studied me. Was she shocked by my words? They were true, and I would say them over and over again until she started to believe them.
“Follow me,” I said, taking my plate overflowing with food over to the living room and setting it down on the coffee table. I needed to focus on something other than Emerson. “Want a soda?” I asked as I straightened and turned to head back to the fridge.
“What do you have?”
I listed off what I could remember having and she picked a Sprite. I grabbed a Coke. By the time I got back to the living room, she was sitting on the chair perpendicular to the couch. I set her drink down on the coffee table by her plate before collapsing on the couch.
The sound of the tabs cracking filled the air. We kept quiet as we ate. I didn’t realize how hungry I was until the first bite passed my lips. Then I was unstoppable.
Emerson ate a few bites before she set her plate down. She wiped her lips with a napkin and glanced over at me. “What about you? I mean, I know you have the Tigers, but is there anything else?”
“Like what?” I asked through a mouthful of food.
Emerson’s cheeks flushed as she dropped her gaze. She picked up her fork and skewered a piece of chicken. She slipped it into her mouth and chewed thoughtfully. “Like…your personal life?” She glanced over at me.
Was she asking me if I was dating anyone? That was cute. I chuckled and shook my head. “I’m not dating anyone if that’s what you’re asking.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Really?”
“Did you know that I was voted MEP last year?”
She frowned. “MEP?”
“Most eligible player.” Then I paused. “Player as in football player. Not player in the dating sense.” Why had this been the first time I realized how ridiculous that sounded? The last thing I wanted people to think was that I was out dating anyone and everyone. That wasn’t my style.
“I figured that,” she said, her lips tipping up into a shy smile. “And no, I didn’t know that you were voted MEP.”
I shrugged. Silence fell between us. I glanced over at her, wondering why she hadn’t offered the same information.
“And you?” I asked as I spun my fork around in my lo mein.
“Me?”
I was in the middle of chewing, so I just nodded.
She sighed as she slumped forward. “No. I’m not dating anyone.” She took a sip of her soda.
As much as those words caused my heart to sing, I was confused. Why wasn’t she dating anyone? She was the complete package. She was gorgeous, smart, funny, talented. The rest of the male population must have their heads in the sand. She should have guys knocking down her door. Even though that thought made my skin prick with jealousy, it still pissed me off that it wasn’t happening.
Her gaze drifted over to me. She must have seen my confused expression because she just shrugged. “I mean, I’ve dated, but nothing lasted.”
“Why not?” I asked as I picked up my drink and took a big swig.
She pushed some rice around on her plate with her fork. “I guess I have this curse of comparing my relationships to what my grandparents had. Nothing ever seems to measure up.”
I was jealous that Emerson had such an amazing example of a loving relationship. My parents seemed to show affection by beating and leaving each other. My thoughts shifted to the keychain she gave me the night I showed up with a bloodied face. Shame that I lost her gift rushed through me, and suddenly, I needed to change the subject. I didn’t want her to ask me where it was.
I didn’t want to have to tell her that it was gone.
Emerson’s phone chimed, and I blew out my breath as I watched her pull her phone from her pocket. She studied the screen with a frown before she glanced up at me.
“Tilly’s here. She’s hoping she can get her car from you.”
I stood and made my way into the kitchen and fished her keys from the bowl I’d set them in when I got back last night. “Yep,” I said as I held them up in the air.
Emerson nodded and typed on her phone, but a knock sounded on my door before she finished. I rounded the counter peninsula and pulled open the door. Tilly’s smile was wide as she nodded at me.
“How’s it going, Stone?” she asked. She didn’t wait for an invitation. She just pushed past me and scanned the room until her gaze landed on Emerson.
“Good, you’re both here,” she said as she moved to drop down onto the couch right where I’d been sitting.
“Come on in,” I said as I moved to shut the door behind her. I motioned toward the food on the counter. “Are you hungry, Tilly?” I asked.
She glanced up at me and then to the boxes of food. She shook her head and waved her hand. “I grabbed some fast food after work. I’m stuffed.” She leaned forward, her focus trained on Emerson.
Emerson had pulled back slightly as she stared at her friend. “What is that look for?” she asked before flicking her gaze to me.
“I had a genius idea, and I want you to agree with it,” Tilly said as she leaned forward and grabbed a piece of sesame chicken off of Emerson’s plate.
Emerson looked uneasy. “Okay,” she said slowly.
Tilly glanced over at me before she patted the seat next to her. “Sit,” she commanded.
Tilly was tiny but mighty. I moved to join her because I didn’t want to see what would happen if I tried to defy her. She looked at me and then studied Emerson, who was watching her with wide eyes.
“I already talked to Stone about this”—Emerson snapped her gaze to me—“but I wanted to have the two of you together when I pitched this to Emerson.” She smiled sheepishly at her friend.
“Tilly.” Emerson’s voice was low and full of warning.
“I haven’t finished.” Tilly paused for what felt like an eternity before she sucked in her breath. “I think the two of you should fake a relationship.”
“Tilly!” Emerson’s face turned red as she stared at her friend. She glanced over at me with an apologetic expression. “I’m so sorry. You do not have to do that.”
“Hear me out.” Tilly raised her hands. “You need the visibility. Linking yourself with someone famous would get eyes on you.”
Emerson’s face reddened. “I don’t need a famous person to help me.” Her voice was soft, and my heart hurt for her. I knew what it was like to feel like your life was hanging in the balance as you waited for someone to finally believe in you.
“I’ll do it,” I said. The words echoed as both girls turned to look at me. Emerson’s eyes were wider than I’d ever seen them.
“You don’t have to, because I’m not doing this.” Emerson stood abruptly. She knocked into her plate, almost flinging it to the ground, but she caught it before it fell. “I’m sorry, I have to go,” she whispered as she made her way through my apartment and opened the front door.
I watched her until she disappeared onto the landing, then I turned to look at Tilly. The last thing I needed was for Emerson to pull away from me. She was already so distant. I was gradually chipping away at her cold exterior, and I didn’t need her to retreat again.
“I’ll talk to her,” Tilly said as she patted my knee. She closed the front door behind her, and I was left in my apartment alone.
Unable to sit with all the nervous energy vibrating through my body, I stood and began pacing back and forth. I thought about checking how things were going through the peephole, but decided that it would only make me more anxious. So I focused on trying to think about anything other than Emerson suddenly hating me more than she already did.
Seconds felt like hours, but eventually, my front door opened and Emerson and Tilly appeared. Tilly was smiling, and Emerson looked stoic as she stood behind her friend.
I stopped pacing and turned my attention to them.
Tilly pumped her fists in the air. “Operation Get Emerson Discovered is a go!”