Chapter 1
Emily
I bet you’ve had bad days before, right? I mean, we all have. Well, I think my day might take the cake. Don’t believe me? Okay, try this on for size. My day started with having my job terminated by my sixty year old boss who claims I was making inappropriate advances when he had me stay late at work yesterday. Now, don’t get your panties in a bunch, sit back and let me explain. The only inappropriate thing that happened yesterday was said boss grabbing my ass and telling me he’d be happy to help me with the promotion he knows I’ve been after if I, and I quote, “show him just how bad I want it”. I know, how cringe!
So, today I walked in to be handed a pink slip and my final check, complete with the pay out for my vacation time. As if that wasn’t bad enough, all I wanted to do was go home to complain to my boyfriend, Scott, and drown my anger and frustration in copious amounts of ice cream. Shall we add to the clichés that life likes to throw my way? I’m sure you can guess what I saw, but just in case…let me paint you a picture. First thing I caught when I walked in the door to my apartment was the familiar grunting and groaning, but because I was blinded by love, or maybe it was anger from the way my day started, I assumed he must be watching porn. I was wrong…he was creating it.
From the entry to the living room, I had a perfect view of just how wrong I was. A blonde bent over the back of my couch, two sweaty bodies, my boyfriend plowing into said blonde from behind with reckless abandon…like I said, pretty damn cliché. I probably could’ve made a quiet exit, let them finish while I go find a new place to drown my emotions…but I didn’t…because this is my apartment!
“I hope you know you’re paying to get that couch professionally cleaned…oh, and I expect you and your shit to be gone before nightfall.” Yeah, that was my thoughtful response, but I still didn’t leave. Instead, I went to the kitchen, grabbed a spoon and a pint of fudge swirl ice cream then went out on my balcony to enjoy it in peace. Don’t worry, he tried to apologize. “It was just once” “It was a mistake” “I don’t know how it happened” “But I love you” and my personal favorite, “It didn’t mean anything…she means nothing to me”. Do those lines really work? Seriously, I want to know! Should I feel better knowing he threw me away for someone who he claims meant nothing to him?
Anyways, his shit was gone by nightfall, but only because I threatened to call his mother and tell her what he did…I know, how pathetic, right? For the record, I did call and tell his mother, but only because we were supposed to be having dinner with them tomorrow and, well, that obviously won’t be happening now.
Without a job and a little emotionally wrecked from my entire day, I realized there was only one real option for me and it’s one I really didn’t want to consider…it’s time to go home. Oh, my dad was thrilled, my brother, Nate, was entertained and as for me, I’m just determined to not end up living with either of them. That’s what led me on the journey of finding someone with a room for rent. I could afford the deposit and first month on my own place, but who knows how long it’ll be before I can find a new job?
My journey led me to an unexpected place, or rather an unexpected person, Colton Weston, a name that sounds strangely familiar, but I can’t figure out why. I emailed about a post he made on my hometown’s social media page stating he had a room for rent and after a few private messages back and forth, we arranged for me to meet him tomorrow at noon. It’s a four hour drive to get home, so I have time to get some packing done tonight before I have to make the trip tomorrow.
Okay, so my life is pretty depressing, and not just for the reasons I’ve already laid out for you either. Remember me mentioning packing? Well, I had everything in my apartment packed into boxes and labeled, ready for the movers to pick up…in only three hours. I’ve lived here for four and a half years, yet only accumulated enough possessions to warrant the use of a small U-Haul rather than a full on moving van. Oh well, too late now I guess. I loaded up the one box with breakables like picture frames and glass knickknacks as well as the two boxes with my clothes last night, so all I have left is loading up my overnight bag which contains the last of my toiletries that I left out for my morning shower.
I may not know for sure if I’ll be moving in with Colton Weston, but I know I can’t come back here. I suppose I can always get a room for a few days if I need to once I get there if this meeting to view the room doesn’t work out. At six thirty, I get into my SUV and start the four hour drive, hoping I allotted myself enough time to make up for any possible delays I may encounter, but when I pull into Landry at a quarter till eleven, I’m glad to be early enough to drive around and see what’s changed. In case you were wondering, nothing has.
I pull up in front of the house at the address Colton gave me at five minutes till noon and give myself a moment to take it all in. It’s a single-story home with a well-manicured lawn, a wraparound porch and a very nice BMW parked in front of the garage…yes, in front of, not in. The house is much bigger than I expected and, if I’m being completely honest here, much nicer. It looks like a proper family home, not a place you would expect to find a room for rent. I get out of my car with two minutes to spare and make my way to the door, my stomach twisting into knots with each step. Just as I raise my hand to knock, the door opens and there stands a ridiculously large wall of a man.
“Emily?” Oh…my…god! I know that voice…but…this isn’t happening…can’t be happening! Freeze frame for a moment and let me give you a little backstory here.
Five Years Ago…
It’s been a hot, long and, let’s face it, uneventful summer. True, it’s only the third week in, but it still holds true. All of my friends are out of town for the summer, either on exciting adventures with family or even more exciting adventures with friends. Then there’s me, sitting at home, nothing to do besides work for my dad and no one to pass time with while I wait for my brother to come down and visit now that his college classes are over for the semester. I know, how sad is it when seeing my annoying big brother is the highlight of my summer?
I see his car pull into the driveway, but he isn’t the one my eyes are locked onto. There’s someone in the car with him and when I see them both exit the car, my heart skips a beat and my breath catches in my throat. Let me tell you, this friend is tall, muscular, has a tousled mess of dark blonde hair and what look like honey brown eyes…freaking delicious! I don’t believe in love at first sight, but crush at first sight? Yeah, my body’s reaction to seeing this god of a man tells me that’s a real thing. I try so hard to make myself look busy, running to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee and see what I can make for dinner, anything to not look like I was gawking at Nate’s friend through the living room window.
“So, this is it. I know it’s not anything fancy, but it’s a hell of a lot better than spending the next four weeks in the dorms.” Nate’s voice is heavy with exhaustion, no doubt from running on minimal sleep since I know my brother loves the party scene and probably didn’t skip out on one last night, even knowing he’d be making the five hour drive home today.
“It’s definitely better than hanging at the dorms.” Oh lordy, his friend’s voice is the perfect mix of deep and gravely!
“My sister’s around here somewhere. Em?!” Looks like my plan to hide a little longer has gone up in metaphorical smoke.
“In the kitchen!” I pull out some boneless, skinless chicken breasts, not entirely sure what I’ll make with them, but I’m not wanting to look like I was hiding in here. I hear their footsteps coming closer then suddenly, arms are wrapped around my waist and I’m being spun around like a damn rag doll.
“Hey, little sis!” Nate has always been an obnoxious twit, but I can’t even lie…I missed the hell out of him.
“Good god, you heathen! Put me down!” My attempt to use a scolding tone fails miserably, thanks to the laughter that bubbles out of me.
“Let me get introductions over with. Cole, this is my sister, Emily. Emily, this is my dormmate and close friend, Cole. So, what’s for dinner?” I toss what I hope is a casual wave toward Cole while Nate’s looking over my head (yeah, he’s that much taller than me, but it’s not hard to be taller when I topped out at five foot four and a half), staring at the chicken breasts sitting on the counter.
“I’m thinking maybe chicken parm.” I shrug, hoping it’s something Cole will like. I mean, I literally just threw out the first dish that came to mind!
“Damn, that’s one of my favorites.” Cole’s voice is warm, probably as warm as my flushed cheeks.
“Perfect! Why don’t you both get your stuff up to your rooms while I get to work? Oh! Dad won’t be home until Monday, so he asked me to have you run and check out things at the office on Friday. I think he wants you to make sure Joe doesn’t fuck everything up while he’s gone.” Nate’s eyebrows shoot to his hairline and his eyes are comically wide as he stares down at me.
“Did…did you just say fuck?!” I roll my eyes then turn and grab a coffee cup, filling it with the freshly brewed coffee.
“For the love…I’m eighteen, Nate. Dad said that I’ve earned my right to use profanity, or how he so eloquently put it, ‘you act and work like an adult, so might as well let you talk like one’.” It’s one of the most amusing conversations our dad and I had and it all started because the afore mentioned Joe managed to double book clients which left me to handle the fallout when we had to reschedule one of them. Needless to say, the client I had to reschedule was not happy and my colorful language when I finally ended our call was more than a little unladylike.
“I guess he has a point. How’s everything at the office been?” Nate knows I’ve been filling in and helping our dad with a lot of the office side of his company. Our dad may be an amazing contractor, but he sucks at the paperwork side of things.
“If Joe would just stop trying to be helpful, things would be so much easier. Between double bookings, lost invoices, incorrect pricing on estimates…I feel like I’m cleaning up after a damn toddler.” Nate pulls me in for a tight, brotherly hug then steps back, his hands on my shoulders and his head lowered so he can look me in the eye.
“You’ve done a hell of a job, Em. I’m proud of you.” I know, it sounds like such a simple compliment, but his words are everything I need to hear.
“Thanks.” My voice is barely a whisper, but I know he hears me, his smile tells me that much.
