15. Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Fifteen
Emma
I checked my phone again for what had to be at least the tenth time in the last few minutes.
This wasn't how today was supposed to go.
I was supposed to be brave and determined.
Instead, I'd gotten to the town center, prepared to canvass the streets for signatures on my Save the Railways project, and saw Miles was out there doing the same thing.
Except where people mostly ignored me, it seemed like they were interested in what he had to say.
He winked and waved at me from where he was holding court, surrounded by people, and I couldn't do it anymore.
I wanted to go home, but he knew where I lived. I didn't know what else to do, so I'd texted Gauge.
It was a little pathetic of me, but now I was waiting for his roommate to come rescue me like a damsel in distress. So much for me being driven and determined.
"Emma?"
I looked up and was surprised to see an adorably dorky-looking person with dark curly hair falling in their eyes. They pushed it off their face with a lopsided grin that I feel a little in love with on the spot.
"You're Emma, right?" they asked again, and I quickly nodded.
"Yeah, sorry, are you Gauge's roommate?"
"Yeah, I'm Jamie. Good to meet you."
"You too. How'd you know it was me?"
"Easy! Gauge told me to look for the most beautiful woman in the square, and…
" They made a show of looking around and I followed their eyes, taking in the rest of the square.
Besides my ex and the group of people he was talking to, there were a few businessmen walking through the area, some parents with their kids, and a few elderly women.
They raised their eyebrows at me, not bothering to finish the sentence, and I laughed.
"Fair enough. Probably wasn't too hard to find."
"He wasn't wrong about you, though. Even if the square were full, you would've stood out."
I had no idea what to say to that, so instead, I shifted the topic. "Thank you for coming to get me. I felt ridiculous, but I didn't want to go home."
"Is he dangerous?" they asked, a calculating look on their face.
"No, no, nothing like that. Just a jerk that I don't have the time or energy to deal with."
"Preach. Let's get you out of here then. Our place is at the train yard, but we don't have to head straight there if you have anything else you need or want to do."
"Like what?"
"We could grab some apps and a drink if you want? Sounds like today was rough. You can dish all about this messy breakup of yours, or if you’d prefer a distraction, I've been told I'm obnoxiously talkative."
I laughed at that, asking, "Who told you that?"
"Our other roommate, Rosie. She's scary beautiful, drop-dead gorgeous in a ‘make your heart stop’ sort of way, and domineering—but she's not wrong."
"So, you are two...?" I trailed off, not knowing what label to use.
"Fucking? Every chance I get."
I burst out laughing at that. "Wasn't quite what I was going to ask."
"But was definitely what you were wondering."
I could feel my cheeks flush. "I have a feeling if we keep talking, I'm gonna need that drink."
They laughed at that, looping their arm through mine and directing me away from my ex and the square.
"Now you're talking. Gauge will love that we're bonding.
" Their face had a dazzlingly impish grin which implied they were trouble.
Another person would've probably declined their invitation, but I was me, and I didn't shy away from a little trouble.