Chapter 25
The sun was bright as Emma smoothed her hair back into a low ponytail, wrapping a hair tie around to secure it. She tried stifling a yawn but it did her no good. She bent down to pull her phone from the side pouch of her bag, sitting on a bench outside the cafe she and Lauren stopped at.
There was a new message and her heart danced at the sight of Cam’s name on her screen. Who knew when they exchanged numbers back in Dallas after he got blindsided with this trip that he’d be texting her nothing but a smiley face? She thought it was silly, ridiculous, and absolutely adorable, especially since it caused the cheek-aching smile she was currently wearing.
“What is it?” Lauren asked, coming outside. They’d been taking photos all morning, finding places for her to do outfit changes and showcase different brands she had partnered with, from tops and shoes to purses and jewelry. They ended with some aesthetic outdoor cafe shots, then decided to sit and catch up, getting to drink the coffee while it was still hot versus using the latte art for visual interest.
“Nothing.” Emma sent back an emoji with the tongue sticking out before sliding her phone back. She couldn’t stop smiling, though.
“It’s Cam, isn’t it?” Lauren headed for a small outdoor table under the shade and Emma followed her.
“Thanks for the coffee,” she said, looking at the cup Lauren placed in front of her.
“I also snagged us this panini and chips to split.” She held up the little baggie. “It looked too good to pass up.”
Emma groaned. “I don’t know if I can handle any more food.” They both laughed. They’d been eating all morning as they checked out different restaurants and shops while they worked. Emma even picked up a couple of souvenirs.
“That’s why I only got one for us to share,” Lauren offered with a smile.
“Alright, alright. You know I’m not going to turn down good food.”
Lauren grinned. “It looks so good.” She slid out the sandwich and unwrapped it, handing half to Emma, then opened the chips and sat them where they could both reach.
They began eating, appreciation for the taste spreading across their faces.
“Yes. This was a good choice,” Emma declared, sneaking a few chips.
“Back to you though. Was it Cam putting that smile on your face a second ago? I feel like you’re always smiling and happy when he’s around.”
Emma ducked her head, having hoped she’d avoid the earlier question. At least she’d tried. “It’s silly, really.”
“What was it?”
“Just a text.”
“Of?” Lauren prodded.
Emma laughed. “It was nothing. Literally a smiley face, that was it.”
At first, Lauren stared at her like she was processing it, then she burst out laughing.
“What’s so funny?”
“That’s the cutest thing I’ve ever heard,” she exclaimed.
Emma’s face scrunched up. “What? No, it isn’t. There’s nothing even cute about it.” But Lauren was still laughing. “I don’t get what’s so funny.”
The other woman finally pulled herself together and took a sip of her coffee before responding, all the while Emma found herself thinking how only coffee was worth drinking hot during the summer.
“I think it’s adorable is all,” Lauren finally replied. “You’ve never been so smitten with anyone before. By the smile on your face, I had thought maybe he was texting you sweet nothings or something and it turned out he was legit sending you a sweet nothing.” She started to laugh again, but this time Emma joined her, more so because Lauren’s was contagious.
Then Emma took another bite of her sandwich as she thought. “You really think I”m that smitten?” It’s not like Lauren knew the truth, and although most of what she’d seen had been their acting, Emma couldn’t help but feel like her friend was maybe witnessing more than they’d meant for her to. Based on last night, it was clear she and Cam had a lot more going on beneath the surface than a fake dating scheme to protect her pride.
Lauren was giving her a look to suggest that was the most absurd question she’d ever heard. “Absolutely. It’s written all over both of your faces.”
“Really?” She found that curious. Did Henry think that too? Could they be that good of actors or were they only fooling themselves? Emma picked up her coffee to take a drink.
“Oh gosh yeah,” Lauren replied. “Have you two said ‘I love you’ yet? Because he looks like he could drop those three little words on you any second.”
Emma choked on the liquid, feeling part of it seep down her chin as she began coughing and trying to clear her throat. Lauren looked at her with alarm, handing her napkins from across the table.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m good,” she managed. “All good.” She coughed a couple more times, now aware of the brown stains on her light shorts. That was the last thing she was worried about though as Lauren’s words still rang in her ears. I love you. Why would she think they would be saying the L-word to each other? They just met. Not that Lauren knew that.
“That’s the worst when that happens,” Lauren said, assuming her drink went down the wrong pipe.
“No kidding. Quite unexpected,” she monotoned, then corrected herself. “But no, we’ve not said that to each other yet.”
Her friend wiggled her brows at her. “I think he does, you know. Love you. It’s written all over his face.”
Emma decided to forgo the rest of her drink until they were off this subject.
“Do you feel that way?” she asked Emma.
“Do I love him?”
“Yeah.”
Emma hesitated. “It’s still really new.”
Lauren frowned. “It’s not that new. Besides, sometimes when you know you know.”
She shrugged. “I guess, but still…”
“Is that a no then?”
“I mean, it’s just,” Emma started then sighed. “I really like him. A lot.” She realized how true that was as she was saying it. “We have a lot in common and he makes me feel things I’ve never felt before.”
Lauren was beaming at her, hanging on every word.
Emma bit her lip as she chewed on her next words. It wasn’t that she was scared to say them, especially since someone who thought she was dating would expect a girlfriend to say something of the sort, but it made her nervous to acknowledge it out loud.
“But no, I don’t love him. I’m still getting to know him and I’m enjoying that. However, I think the more time we spend together the bigger risk I take of feeling like he could be the one. And I have no doubt I’d fall in love with him.”
Lauren’s smile was wide and true. “I don’t think that’s a bad risk to take.”
Emma smiled too. If only it were that easy. As far as she saw it, they’d been together long enough and handled the long-distance aspect fine so far. When instead, Emma hadn’t been in a long-distance relationship before and wasn’t sure if she wanted one. Nor did this turn of events leave them with much time together to decide what would come next. But that was something they could discuss while they were still here, if they both wanted to.
And last night was definitely a turn of events. She yawned as if remembering how many times they’d had sex and how late they were up triggered the exhaustion she’d felt this morning. However, that didn’t stop her from trailing her finger down Cam’s chest and whispering for him to meet her in the shower before she had to meet up with Lauren.
“If anyone’s worth the risk, I think it would be Cam,” Emma admitted.
Lauren let out what could only be described as an excited squeal before she reached across the table, taking Emma’s hands into her own and giving them a big squeeze. “I’m so happy for you,” she said.
They returned to their almost devoured food, Emma unable to stop smiling at that. Who would’ve thought she’d start falling for the man who should have ran from her hotel door but instead decided to invite her to dinner? A small chuckle escaped her.
“Thanks for letting me do this,” Emma ended up saying at the same time as Lauren said, “I’ve been wanting to talk to you.”
They both stopped and looked at each other. “Oh, sorry, you go first,” Emma said.
“No, no. You go,” Lauren insisted.
“I just wanted to say thanks for trusting me to take your photos. I always have fun doing this kind of stuff, especially with you because it’s nice getting to hang out.”
“I agree, and I hope you’re joking though. I’m so thankful you were willing to do it, and I hope you know I’m still willing to pay. I know others pay big money to hire you on.”
Emma looked appalled as she waved her hand in the air to dismiss that notion. “I would never take your money. Besides, you bought snacks.” She gave her a wink. “We’re even.”
Lauren laughed and shook her head. “Well, I really am thankful. I know your schedule stays full and you’ve built a name for yourself, so to not forget me means a lot.”
“Please,” she practically shouted. “You’ve built just as big of a name for yourself, too.” Emma raised her cup. “Here’s to us going out there and carving a place for ourselves in this world.”
Lauren followed suit, gently tapping their coffees together as they shared a smile.
“What were you saying though? You wanted to talk to me?” Emma asked. She noticed Lauren’s smile falter.
The woman set her drink down after taking a sip and moved her hands to her lap as she sat up straight. “Well,” she began. “I know we’ve not talked as much lately, and I guess I was hoping to clear the air or address anything if we needed to.” She looked up to Emma, her face contorting into an uncomfortableness. “I don’t know. I was just hoping to see if we’re all good because I don’t like the idea of there being any tension between us.”
Emma took a moment. She knew Lauren was referencing her and Asher’s relationship and the women’s less-than-usual communication these past six months. However, she was slightly surprised that she felt the need to bring it up after how much fun they’d been having this week. Then again, she had been dreading coming here, so it wasn’t an entirely misplaced idea to bring it up.
“I’ll be frank,” Emma said, her tone light, yet she still saw Lauren tense. “I know we’ve not seen each other since you came to visit me in North Carolina.” Which was after she and Asher had broken up and Lauren insisted on coming to drag her out of the apartment for something besides work and grocery shopping. She hadn’t been moping about, but from an outsider’s perspective, it probably had looked that way.
“I know,” Lauren said quietly.
“But the lack of usual communication has been a mix of a busy schedule on my end and just not knowing how or wanting to bring up yours and Asher’s relationship.” She went on before Lauren could say anything. “It’s not because I care or am bothered by it, but I was shocked at first. At the same time, I could probably understand not knowing how to tell me you two started dating either. I don’t know. It’s messy and complicated, but at the same time, it’s not, because I’m happy for the two of you if you’re happy. I wasn’t ready to be around everyone, or at least you two, because I had this irrational fear that everyone might treat me differently or something.” The word outsider came to her mind. She hadn’t wanted to feel that way.
Lauren took a drink of her coffee again, a nervous habit that Emma knew she had.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before posting that picture.”
Emma smiled and shook her head. “Thanks, but it’s all water under the bridge. I’m sorry I didn’t reach out to you about it either.” She let out a laugh. “I don’t know what I was so worried about, honestly. This has been the best week ever.”
Lauren gave her a radiant smile, her nerves having seemed to leave her. “It really has been. I was so nervous to come at first,” she admitted. “But when Lulu said you decided to come after all, I thought it had to be a sign that you weren’t bothered or mad or anything. Besides, I just couldn’t imagine missing a family vacation.”
Emma frowned at the word choice. “Like I said, I was shocked at the news but I’m not bothered by you two dating. Some people aren’t meant to be, but I do believe everyone deserves their happy ending.”
“I know, I know,” Lauren said. “But I still think I would’ve had a hard time getting over it if it’d been my friend running into my ex when they were visiting me. I don’t think I could’ve moved on as easily from it, but I’m so thankful you did. I couldn’t forgive myself if I let a man be the cause of an ended friendship.”
The world was still going on as it had been, yet Emma felt frozen in place. The betrayal hit her like a heat wave. When Lauren finally looked at her again, her face fell. Neither of them said anything.
Finally, Emma reached for her coffee to buy herself another moment. Not bothered, she silently chanted to herself. Not bothered. Not bothered.
Oh, but she was very bothered. By the fact that Lauren and Asher’s dating had sparked from her visiting Emma to bring her out of the slump Lauren had insisted she was in. Which conveniently she must’ve forgotten about as whatever transpired between her and Asher happened. By the fact that she was just now learning this and not by an intentional admittance. Also because it sparked that insecurity of wondering what was being said when she wasn’t around.
She clenched her jaw after swallowing the coffee, fully aware that Lauren hadn’t said a peep. She was waiting for Emma, letting her decide how to react. She could see the alarm and worry on her friend’s face. Lauren had probably thought all was finally settled and in the open air between them, happy to see their friendship go back to normal. All of which Emma had been feeling too, but now a giant bombshell had dropped between them and the ball was in Emma’s court on how to handle it.
She sat the cup back down and crossed her hands on the table. “Okay,” she said.
Lauren’s head tilted. “Okay?” she asked hesitantly.
Emma sighed. “Okay, so now it’s all out there. Asher and I broke up. You came to visit me and somehow ran into him–”
“It wasn’t on purpose,” Lauren interjected sincerely. “It was when I was meeting my friend for dinner.” Emma vaguely remembered Lauren having made friends with another influencer who lived near her and was supposed to meet up before she flew back home. “Of all the people to be there that night, Asher had spotted me and came to say hello. She’d told him and his friends to join us and we’d all taken it back to their place for drinks.” She squinted like she was in pain. “One thing led to another and we just kind of hit it off. But we didn’t sleep together,” she quickly added. “That wasn’t until way later.”
Emma only widened her eyes and nodded. She hadn’t planned on asking for the details and would have rather not known. Just like she didn’t know the details behind Asher moving to Dallas. It’d been obvious enough it was either for or likely to do with him dating Lauren, but she hadn’t cared to know the rest. It wasn’t her business.
“Anyways,” she said, not knowing what else to say. “It’s all in the open. You and Asher started dating. You’re still dating. All is good,” she said with finality. “We are good.”
Lauren looked like she’d been holding her breath. “You mean it?”
Emma nodded. “Yeah.” And she did. Because at the end of the day, she didn’t care how they ended up together or even that they were together. She was glad to see Lauren was happy and even though she felt betrayed, it’d do her no good to dwell on that emotion.
It also wouldn’t change the fact that she was forsaking Lauren’s trust by lying about her relationship with Cam. The thought struck her hard and she found herself wanting to tell the truth in that regard. If there was ever a time to do it, now was the moment.
“Good,” Lauren exclaimed, hand to her heart. “You have no idea how scared I just was. I never want to lose your friendship. You, me, and Lulu are a pack. We are family through and through.” Emma couldn’t help but smile at that. “Besides, it all worked out in the end, and I’d be the biggest liar if I didn’t admit how much better we felt whenever we met Cam and saw how happy you two are. I know that’s ridiculous, but the guilt was eating me up over what I did to you, but knowing you had someone who made you just as happy made me feel better. Sometimes it takes finding that person to make you understand why people do crazy and stupid things.” Lauren let out a laugh.
Emma cringed. It wasn’t her responsibility to make them not feel guilty or whatever, but damn if that window of time for the truth didn’t just slam shut on her. She huffed out her best laugh. “Crazy and stupid things, indeed,” was all she could reply.