Noah #2
“There we are,” she said as she stopped and extended her hand toward our name plates. The table we were seated at was right next to the stage.
Emery sighed as she gave me an exasperated smile. I reached out and grabbed the back of her chair at the same time Emery did. Our fingers brushed, but I didn’t pull away. I gripped the chair and began to pull it back.
“Let me,” I said, my voice lower than intended.
Emery was studying me, but I couldn’t bring myself to look. We’d already been more intimate tonight than I thought we were ever going to get, and the last thing I needed was to meet her gaze. I feared what I was—or wasn’t—going to see there.
“Thanks,” she whispered as she sat down.
I helped guide her chair under the table as she scooted it in. Once she was settled, I grabbed the back of my chair and sat down. No one else had arrived, so we had the table to ourselves.
Now alone, I wondered if our little get-to-know-you conversation was going to continue. Emery didn’t seem to be in the mood to talk. Instead, she just sipped her ice water and studied the floral centerpiece in front of us.
It made me a tad sad that we were done talking. I enjoyed getting to know Emery on a more intimate level. Her favorite color was pink and she liked bears. I filed that information away. I had no intention of using it tonight, but at some point in the next three years it might prove useful.
“I love the smell of roses,” she said as she sighed. Her voice came out soft and melodic.
I glanced over at her to see that her eyes were closed and she had a dreamy expression on her face.
When she didn’t open her eyes, I shifted my attention to where she had been looking and took note of the red, white, and cream roses in the center of the table.
I took in a deep breath, and the sweet floral fragrance hit my senses.
I wasn’t sure if she wanted me to respond, but I also didn’t want to leave her hanging, so I smiled and nodded. “They are beautiful.”
She glanced over at me. Her eyes were wide like she hadn’t expected me to respond.
I wasn’t sure if that meant she hadn’t realized she’d spoken out loud, or if it was just a statement that didn’t require my input.
Not knowing what to do, I reached out and grabbed a flute of ice water and took a sip.
We didn’t have time to continue the conversation.
A waitress had approached the table and asked us which plate we wanted for the night.
The options were an herb-encrusted filet mignon or a pan-seared branzino.
Since I had no idea what a branzino was, I went with the filet mignon, and Emery got the same.
The waitress nodded as she jotted down our orders on our name tags and then hurried away.
Alone once more, I peeked over at Emery to see how she was doing.
Did she need me to talk? If she did, what did she want me to say?
Was I doing a good job at pretending to be her fiancé?
Was she happy? Upset? There was nothing in her countenance that told me she wasn’t pleased, but that didn’t mean much.
I wasn’t the best at picking up on small cues.
I normally needed people to spell out for me how they felt.
My biggest fear was that I was going to disappoint her and not even realize it.
People started to file into the room, and slowly the tables began to fill up.
By the time we got our plates, the other chairs around our table were occupied.
I didn’t know any of the guests who were sitting with us, but Emery did.
She engaged a few in light conversation between bites of her food.
I decided to keep my head down and focus on my dinner.
Plates were still being delivered when Charles stepped up to the microphone on stage. The room erupted into thunderous applause. I hesitated at first, but then finally joined in. He raised his hands and the crowd grew quiet. He then proceeded to welcome everyone.
Our waitress came back and collected my empty plate. I thanked her and then leaned back against my chair with my arms folded. I was only half listening to the man speak. In all honesty, I didn’t like him. I hated what he was forcing Emery to do.
His speech continued as I completely tuned him out.
My thoughts turned to Monday and what it was going to mean for Emery and me.
I’d never filed for a marriage license before today, and never in my life did I think I was going to do that with Emery Torres.
I’d tried to remain calm during the process because I could tell that Emery was uncomfortable—no doubt she was thinking about obtaining her marriage license with Carson—so even though I was freaking out inside, I bottled it up for her sake.
And then to jump into going as a couple to a public event with Emery’s peers and cameras everywhere, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed.
I was getting as much social interaction in one night as I normally got in six months.
I didn’t know how Emery did it. I had no interest in making small talk with people I didn’t really care about.
My circle consisted of a few people, Chris, Emery, and Timothy making up the bulk of it.
My dad had passed away when I was fifteen, and my mom passed when I was twenty-two.
I made it a point to avoid relationships.
“I have some very exciting news. Where is Emery, our fearless CEO?”
At the mention of Emery’s name, my gaze snapped to Charles, who was shifting his weight from side to side and rubbing his hands together. There was a darkness in his gaze that I didn’t appreciate. I glanced over to Emery to see that her skin had paled as she sat there, frozen in her seat.
“Emery Torres? Are you out there?” Charles used his hand as a visor and squinted out at the audience.
The woman sitting on Emery’s other side was sneaking glances at her as if she were waiting for Emery to acknowledge that Charles was looking for her.
“Um, she’s…” The woman’s hand was halfway up, but she still seemed hesitant.
“What’s that?” Charles asked, turning his attention in our direction.
That seemed to be what the woman was waiting for. She fully raised her hand and then pointed to Emery. “She’s here.”
There was no way Emery was going to get out of this now, but she seemed paralyzed. I wrapped my hand around her arm and leaned in.
“You need to stand up,” I whispered as I moved to help her.
She gripped my hand and slowly rose up from her chair. “Come with me,” she whispered.
“Of course,” I said, my voice low.
I slipped my hand into hers and began to lead her to the stage.
Charles was grinning at us as we climbed the stairs and then walked over to stand next to him.
I kept her on my left side and Charles on my right.
I wasn’t sure what he had in mind with calling Emery up here, and I was going to be the shield that kept her safe.
“Our very own CEO just announced to me this morning that she’s to be married!”
The room erupted in applause once more, and Charles tipped his body toward us while keeping his lips close to the microphone so he, too, could clap along.
“And she brought her betrothed up here with her.” His smile turned wicked as he glanced back at the audience.
“The tabloids don’t even know about this relationship, it’s that new.
” He paused as he glanced down at her left hand, to which Emery and I followed suit.
Emery’s thumb went to her ring finger, which only emphasized how naked it was.
I swallowed, hating that I hadn’t fulfilled that simple tradition.
Even though this relationship was fake, I could have at least gotten her a ring.
Charles’s gaze was on both of us now, and his smile was mocking, like he knew that our engagement was a ruse. One he was determined to reveal. Before I could give him a glare, daring him to keep messing with Emery, he turned his attention back to the audience.
“How about a kiss for the crowd?” He glanced back at us.
The audience seemed to love that idea. When we didn’t move to comply, they began to chant, “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” Charles’s smile was even wider as he flicked his gaze from Emery to me.