Chapter 18 Emery
EMERY
Timothy and I spent the next day with Bash at the hotel. Noah trailed behind us as Bash gave me the grand tour. After lunch, Noah took Timothy swimming again while I sat in on some interviews. Bash was still looking to lock down a general manager.
After we finished, we headed out to find Timothy and Noah still having fun in the pool.
I decided against joining them. Right now, it was best to keep my distance from Noah, and I knew, as soon as I got into that pool, Timothy would concoct a plan that would require Noah and me to get close once more.
I had enough confusion plaguing my mind to last me a lifetime.
My thoughts had been so turned around last night that I had a dream Noah and I got close…
too close. Now, I was not only plagued with the actual memory of Noah gripping my thighs while I sat on his shoulders, but also with the made-up memories of his hands all over my body. This was akin to torture.
Since I couldn’t fire the man, the next best thing was to stay far, far away from him.
I needed my sanity for Torres Investments and for Timothy. I didn’t have room in my life for anything more.
Fanny, Abigail’s employee, was feeling better today, so Abigail texted me that she was leaving early so we could get ready for the dinner party. I texted her a thumbs-up and announced that swim time was over.
Timothy complained and refused to get out by going to the opposite end of the pool.
Thankfully, Noah was still in the water and easily lifted the boy out.
Once I told him that we were going to go meet Aunt Abigail at a party, he was all smiles and giggles.
I didn’t have the heart to tell him that it was an adult party.
I knew he’d be fine once he was set up with my phone and some food, so for now, I’d stretch the truth to get him to comply.
Bash drove us back to their apartment. Timothy showered first, followed by Noah.
I focused my attention on getting Timothy dried and dressed.
Normally, my son had my undivided attention when it came to getting him ready, but as soon as Noah walked out of the bathroom with just a towel wrapped around his waist and his skin glistening with water droplets, my entire body froze.
When he disappeared into the far bedroom, I blinked a few times, forcing myself to the present.
I really needed to get my head on straight.
I needed to stop letting Noah distract me.
I needed to draw a very real and very distinct line in the sand when it came to our relationship and the thoughts I entertained about him.
Maybe meeting another guy was a good idea.
Abigail had filled my head with thoughts of Noah, and my imagination had taken those thoughts and run wild with them.
It would be best for me to take that energy and focus it elsewhere.
Like fulfilling this stupid stipulation so I could keep my job and everything that Carson had worked for.
I settled on a sheer, floor-length floral dress with a slip that hit me mid-thigh.
It was fancy enough for cocktails with investors but also light enough for the beach.
I pulled my hair up into a messy bun at the nap of my neck so when the wind inevitably pulled strands down it would look intentional.
I applied a little bit of makeup—just enough to make me not look like a single, overworked mom.
By the time I opened the bathroom door, everyone was waiting for me in the living room. Abigail was in a dark navy dress and was the first to see me and the first to react. She gushed over my dress, insisting that I spin around to give her the full effect.
Bash was in a charcoal-colored suit. He was leaning against the wall, and when he looked up he smiled and told me that I looked beautiful.
Timothy was too distracted by the cartoon on the screen to look up.
And Noah? He was in a black suit with no tie, sitting on the couch next to Timothy.
He glanced up for a moment before his gaze darkened and he turned his attention back to his phone.
I wasn’t sure what I had expected from him.
After all, I’d never needed Noah’s approval.
Before coming to Harmony—before Abigail started putting thoughts in my head—I was content with just having him around.
Now, for some asinine reason, a hurt settled in my gut when he refused to say anything or even acknowledge me.
I’d officially gone mad.
Timothy and I rode with Abigail to the hotel while Bash and Noah rode together in Bash’s truck. I was grateful for the break from Noah and for Abigail, who kept me distracted as she broke down everyone who was going to be there and who she thought would be a good fit for me.
I was surprised by the sheer number of single investors. Maybe I wasn’t the only one who sucked at love.
The weather was beautiful. The salty air, mixed with the warmth of the setting sun, washed over me as I stood on the veranda amongst the tall, standing tables.
The floor-to-ceiling windows that looked into the hotel’s ballroom reflected the sunset over the ocean.
A spread of hors d’oeuvres was tucked in next to the bartender, who was busy making drinks.
Timothy was sitting at one of the ballroom tables. He was busy eating a plate full of pigs in a blanket and pineapple while watching a movie on my phone. I made a point to glance over at him every few minutes to make sure he was okay.
Noah kept near the door to the hotel. He was leaning against one of the windows with his arms folded across his chest. I could feel his gaze on me every so often, but when I looked over to confirm, it was always dropped to the ground.
I was beginning to wonder if I’d officially gone mad and was just making these interactions up in my mind.
Most of the men Abigail introduced me to weren’t really my type.
They were nice and we exchanged pleasantries, but there wasn’t anything that wowed me about them.
Maybe it was me. Maybe I was the problem.
Everyone I came across I compared to Carson.
And that only made his absence that much more poignant.
Overwhelm hit me, so I excused myself from the conversation with Abigail and Brad, an owner of a hotel on a neighboring island, and made my way over to the food table. It wasn’t until I was standing there, staring at all the little finger foods, that I realized just how hungry I was.
My stomach growled as I picked up a plate and started stacking it with pigs in a blanket, mini quiches, and carrots. I was scooping some ranch onto my carrots when I heard a man clear his throat behind me.
“Want me to get you a bigger plate?” His voice was soft and teasing.
I glanced down at my plate to see just how much I’d piled onto it, and my entire face warmed from embarrassment. “Oh, gosh, no,” I said as I turned to face this stranger.
His dark brown eyes were dancing with amusement as he stared down at me.
The wind had picked up, causing his dark brown hair to shift in the breeze.
He was suntanned, which accented his white teeth.
“I can get you a bigger plate.” He leaned in, and I caught a subtle hint of his cologne. “I know a guy.”
I raised my eyebrows. “You know a guy?” I asked. This conversation wasn’t going to stop me from eating, so I slipped a grape between my lips and chewed while I waited for a response.
He smiled at me. “I know a guy.”
“Mmm.” I went for a mini quiche this time.
He studied me, his gaze never leaving mine. Then he smiled slowly. “I’ve never seen you at one of these events before.” He reached out his hand. “William Hamilton.”
I glanced down at his hand and then realized that I currently had pastry crumbs on my fingertips. I thought about pulling a Timothy and wiping them on my dress, but I wasn’t a five-year-old boy, so I started looking around for a napkin.
When I spotted them, I moved to pick one up, but William beat me to it.
“Let me,” he said as he removed a napkin from the pile and handed it over.
I offered him a soft smile. “Thanks,” I said. I took it from him, dusted off my fingers, and then placed it under my plate. “Emery,” I said offering my hand to him.
“Oh, good. You’ve met Will.” I turned to see Abigail walking up behind me. She had a wide smile, and her eyebrows were raised like this was a very exciting event. I turned to Will, who was smiling at Abigail and then directed his smile over to me.
“You know Abigail?” Will asked.
“Emery is Bash’s sister-in-law,” Abigail explained.
Will raised his eyebrows. “Sister-in-law?”
I parted my lips. I wanted to say that I was married to Bash’s brother. But Carson was no longer here. It was the first time I was faced with who I was to Bash. If Carson was dead, was I still married? We’d never gotten a divorce, but could I still be his wife? Was this how that worked?
My entire body froze as I stood there, staring at Will.
His smile faltered as he studied me and then turned to Abigail.
I didn’t blame the man. I’m sure I looked crazy.
But my brain was frozen. I wasn’t sure I was ready to come to a conclusion about my marital status in front of this man, no matter the outcome.
This was too much. This was too complicated.
“Emery was married to Bash’s late brother,” Abigail offered. Her voice was hushed and held a reverence that I appreciated.
Will turned his focus back on me. “Oh,” he said before his smile softened. “I’m so sorry for your loss.”
My mouth felt dry, and my throat felt like sandpaper as I tried to swallow. This had been a mistake. I’d had this same reaction to Rex at the shop. It had only been a day since that interaction. Why did I think I was suddenly fixed?
The last thing I wanted was to break down in front of this stranger, so I just nodded and managed out a weak, “Thank you,” before I turned on my heel and headed over to the bar.
I needed a drink and I needed one now.