Chapter 31
EMMA
The hot water beats against my skin, steam curling around me as I press my forehead against the tile.
I close my eyes, replaying the events from last night and this morning: the way Alex lost himself in me and the way he groaned my name like it was the only word he knew.
My fingers skim over my stomach, trailing lower.
I already know exactly how this will end, but before I can lose myself completely, I force my hands to stop.
No time.
Focus, Emiliana.
I shut off the water with a frustrated sigh and step onto the bath mat, grabbing a towel and wrapping it tightly around my body.
My reflection in the mirror is wild—flushed cheeks, damp, tangled hair, and swollen lips that still tingle from biting my lip as he fucked me.
I look… happy. It scares the hell out of me.
I have way more to lose now than I did months ago.
As I wander into the bedroom, I eye the outfit I set out earlier. My first birthday back in Windhaven, and I’m going all out by showing up to dinner with Alex.
I swallow as my stomach twists, all of a sudden feeling nauseous from the nerves.
Thanksgiving used to be one of my favorite days of the year, mainly because it’s so close to mine and Frankie’s birthday and sometimes overlapped.
Every year it was loud, chaotic, and spent elbowing my brothers out of the way for food while mom laughed at us from the kitchen.
It hasn’t been the same since she’s been gone. Now, with everything happening with my health, and Alex, and the fact that my brothers are about to see us actually together for the first time… tonight feels bigger than merely a celebratory dinner.
I try to shake off the nerves and start getting dressed.
I pull on a maroon knit sweater dress that hangs perfectly off one shoulder.
I tug on a pair of black tights before finishing the look with my knee-high black leather boots.
It’s casual but cute. Comfortable but intentional.
Probably a lot like my entire relationship with Alex right now.
I’m adjusting the sleeves on the sweater when my phone buzzes on the nightstand.
I smile, unlocking it to find a text from Dallas:
Dallas
Happy Birthday and Thanksgiving, babe! so glad your parents fucked 29 years ago and you were born! How’s it going?
I type back.
First, ew.
Secondly…
As soon as I type “It’s been a wild month,” my brain short-circuits trying to explain the Alex of it all. My messages start piling up before I even hit send.
So. I’m with Alex now. Like, dating him (I guess).
Don’t scream. I can feel it through the phone already.
It’s a long story.
And we have been having sex and holy shit.
My phone starts ringing before I can finish. I smile before hitting accept. “I was getting to the end.”
“You were taking too long,” Dallas says, voice already at full volume. “WHAT THE FUCK, EMMA?”
I pull the phone away from my ear, but it keeps buzzing for a couple seconds. “Ow.”
“No! No complaining, bitch! You disappear into small-town oblivion and then just casually drop ‘I’m dating Alex now’ like that’s normal? I knew something was going on with you two after what he did at the festival.”
I flop onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. “Yeah, well, turns out he’s been pining over me this whole time, while letting me hate him. Which, honestly? Rude.”
Dallas lets out a high-pitched squeal. “He’s been pining for you. Oh my god. That’s so much better than I could’ve imagined.”
“I hate that you’re enjoying this.”
“I love that I’m enjoying this. And you love that you’re enjoying this.”
I grin because she’s right. I do love it. “Okay, maybe. But it’s also so complicated, D. We’ve spent a decade apart. Our history seemed to vanish and we moved on with our lives. Well at least I did. And now, he’s sleeping next to me every night, and it—”
“Wait, wait, wait.” She cuts me off. “Did you say sleeping next to you?”
I hesitate, knowing that she’s going to keep making it a big deal. “Possibly.”
“I NEED DETAILS.” Dallas demands.
“No, you don’t”
“Yes, I DO.”
I rub my temples. “It’s been good having him over. And it turns out, I’ve been deeply, deeply deprived of orgasms.”
Dallas actually howls on the other end. “God bless. About time.”
I roll onto my stomach, kicking my feet up behind me. “He also, uh… has one of my paintings above his bed. He bought it at the Arcadia Gallery show”
“Oh my god, I remember that show. Which one?”
“The big one.”
Silence fills the air for a bit before she whispers, “Emma…”
“I know.”
“No, like, Em. That is some soulmate shit.”
I chew on my lip, fidgeting with the edge of the blanket between my fingers. “It’s been a lot. Especially knowing about all the time we wasted.”
“And knowing he’s been in love with you the whole time,” she corrects.
I freeze at the words. “I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to.”
I sit up abruptly, glancing at myself in the mirror on the far side of the room. “We’re not talking about love, okay? We just got into this. Let me marinate in the chaos first.”
“Whatever you say, babe. But remember, I always see it first.”
I shake my head. “I don’t have time for this existential crisis. I have to get through dinner first.”
“Oh, god, the brothers,” she snickers. “Do they know yet?”
I sigh dramatically, thinking about being in a room with all my brothers staring at me and Alex. “They will when I walk in with him.”
“Cam is gonna combust.”
“I know.” I push up from the bed.
“You doing ok? Have you heard about a donor yet?” She changes the subject so fast that it catches me off guard.
“I’m fine, and no. Nothing heard, yet.” I respond dryly.
“Any day now, Em.”
“I need to finish getting ready,” I deflect, desperate for the topic to disappear.
“Fine,” Dallas huffs. “Call me after dinner. If you need an emergency extraction, text me the code word.”
“What’s the code word?”
“Mamoncillo.”
I burst out laughing. “Why the hell would I randomly say mamoncillo?”
“That’s the point. It’s so out of place, I’ll know it’s an emergency.”
I roll my eyes, smiling. “You’re ridiculous.”
“And you’re in love with Alex. Byeeee.”
She hangs up before I can protest. I stare at the phone, shaking my head before slipping it into my purse.
God help me.
Between my family, Alex, my failing heart, and whatever the hell my feelings are doing, I pray tonight isn’t eventful and that I survive without any major fires.