Chapter 32
Emmeline was acting weird on Monday evening, but Luke couldn’t understand why. He didn’t think it had anything to do with them sleeping together because she seemed perfectly content in that department, but there was something.
He felt it had to do with the proposal, because she didn’t do any work on Monday evening and left for the Baby Dragon Book Club meeting a whole half-hour early. Before then, her focus had been frayed, as if she was anxious about something.
Then, on Tuesday, she didn’t come to the bookshop. When he called her to ask, she said she was visiting her parents, that she would see him soon.
He thought it was strange. Their meeting was on Friday, and he expected her to be going over every last detail.
He knew how clever she was, and he was certain her proposal was going to be an absolute knock-out.
Even he was looking forward to seeing all her ideas, and he was sure Anh was just as eager.
While he’d worked hard on his own proposal, he was already kind of resigned to not winning, not when he was up against Emmeline—and that was okay. It was a bit disappointing and regrettable, but it wasn’t the end of the world. Just the end of an era.
He could sell Tempest, then get another job working for a company rather than running his own business.
It wasn’t ideal, but he found nothing bothered him too much, these days.
Not when he had Emmeline. He didn’t care if all of his good luck had been used up in getting her.
He could manage anything else, as long as he had her.
But then, on Wednesday, as he was heading to the bookshop, he received a call from Anh.
“Anh, hello,” he said. “Is everything alright?”
“You tell me,” she replied curtly. “Emmeline has called me again to insist there is no need for our meeting on Friday.”
He stopped in the middle of Elderberry Lane, confusion washing over him. “I don’t understand,” he managed to say. Why would she say such a thing?
“Neither do I,” Anh said. “She has gotten it into her mind that there’s no need for the meeting—not when the investment should go to you, anyway.”
He blinked, thinking he’d heard incorrectly. “I’m sorry, what?” His stomach twisted as the words sunk in. Emmeline wanted Anh to give him the investment?
Just like that?
Anh released a breath. “She’s asked me to give you the investment, but I’ve told her the meeting will go forward as planned,” she said, her voice carrying an edge. “But I do hope this idea hasn’t somehow come from you. I would be deeply disappointed if so.”
“No, of course not,” he replied immediately, anger going through him at the accusation. “Absolutely not.”
“Good,” Anh said, voice softening slightly. “Still, I don’t understand. It’s out of character for Emmeline not to see something through until its end.”
“I’ll speak with her,” Luke said. “We will both see you on Friday.”
“Good,” Anh said, then hung up.
It was freezing out, but his blood ran hot through his veins. Emmeline had asked Anh to simply give the investment to him? And it sounded like she hadn’t only made this request once.
His thoughts raced as understanding dawned upon him.
And that only made him angrier. Anh was wrong; it wasn’t out of character, what Emmeline was trying to do.
It was what she always did: thought of others before she thought of herself. She was going to let him win because she loved him, even if it meant she lost.
He stalked to the bookshop, utterly exasperated. When he entered, he spotted her browsing the bookshelves. No notebook, no notes, nothing.
The sight only further increased his ire. So that was why it had seemed like she hadn’t done any work on Monday, why she hadn’t shown up yesterday. She had already decided to give up—for him.
He stalked over to her. “Sterling,” he snapped, and she glanced up, surprised by his tone. “Come with me.”
Taking her hand, he walked her to the office. He shut the door behind them, trying to catch his breath, but he could hardly think straight.
“Luke, what is it?” she asked, eyes concerned. “Is everything okay?”
“No,” he said, voice hard. “Everything is not okay.” He broke off, clenching his jaw, and Emmeline reached for him, but he held up a hand, stopping her.
“Luke—” she started.
“Why?” he asked, finally finding his voice again. “Why would you tell Anh to give me the investment?”
Her expression softened, the worry fading away. Stepping toward him, she touched a gentle hand to his cheek, but he shook his head.
“Because I want you to win,” she said. Frustration beat through him. She was impossible.
“Even if it means you’ll lose?”
“I can find another investor,” she said. Of course she had an explanation; she would have gone through the entire reasoning to make it seem okay. She always thought she was so clever, the cleverest person in the room, but she wasn’t always right.
He made an irritated sound, his temper flaring. “And I can’t?”
Her brows wrinkled. “That’s not what I’m saying—I’m just trying . . .” She broke off, sighing. “Please, let me do this for you. I want to.”
“What about what I want?” He ran an agitated hand through his hair. “Em, how could you possibly think I would be okay with a situation like this? That I would just let you throw away all your hard work for my sake?”
Her eyes widened. He shook his head, chest burning. “You really think I’m that selfish—that self-centered? That I would just accept this?”
“No, that’s not what . . .” She made a frustrated sound, stepping toward him. He stepped back, too upset with her. Hurt crossed her face. “I just want to help.”
“I don’t want your pity!” he cried. It wasn’t fair, or right.
He knew she was coming from a good place, but he hated the thought of her giving up something she wanted for anyone, let alone for him. He couldn’t bear it.
He didn’t want her to do this, to give up something she wanted just for his sake. If he tried to say that, she would say it was fine—she was used to it.
But he didn’t want that. Not between them.
He wanted them to be partners—equals.
“It’s humiliating,” he said through gritted teeth. Her eyes widened with despair. “And insulting. Anh thought that I had put the idea in your head.”
“Luke, I’m sorry,” she said. “I never meant for it to come across that way. I only wanted—”
Even though it killed him to do so, he needed her to understand he wouldn’t let her sacrifice her happiness or success for him. He cared about her more than any stupid investment. And he wouldn’t let her set this precedent in their relationship.
“I need some space,” he said, holding up his hands. She shrank back, lip trembling. Every part of him wanted to reach for her, to hold her in his arms, but he knew that if she thought he was angry with her, then maybe she wouldn’t do this.
He headed for the office door, barely looking at her. As he opened the door, he turned back, where she was standing completely still, watching him.
“I’m not going to speak to you until the meeting on Friday,” he said, voice stern. “I’ll see you there.”
With that, he stalked away.
He left the bookshop, the frigid evening air helping to cool some of his anger. He wouldn’t let Emmeline do this—he couldn’t.
But he knew she was stubborn, more stubborn than he was.
If she really wanted to, she would still go through with it, hoping he would just forgive her, afterwards.
And she was right; a part of him knew that he would forgive her anything, no matter how much it hurt him—but he hated what she was doing, and he would try to stop her if he could.
He didn’t want her selflessness. He wanted her to be selfish, to do whatever it took to guarantee her own happiness. That would make him happy.
But she would never think of herself first. Maybe it was him who needed to.
He pulled out his phone, dialing Anh as he paced down the street.
“Did you speak with Emmeline?” Anh asked, picking up.
“Yes,” he said, out of breath. “And I agree that there’s no need for the meeting. The investment should go to her. She—”
Just as he was about to put forth his case, Anh released a short breath. “You’re both irritating me now,” she said, sounding the closest to irked that he’d ever heard her. “I’ll see the pair of you on Friday. We will discuss matters then.”
She hung up before he could argue.