Thank God I wore my best black spanx-like underwear. I can’t afford the real kind so generic will do.
As fast as I can, I try to work my dress back down over my thighs, but his voice gives me pause. “Emma?”
I don’t bother responding because, well, my dress. Working it down until I’m sort of covered, I then reach back and touch my head. It’s wet. “Am I bleeding?” Pulling my hand forward, I hold my breath, expecting the worst but all I see is clear wetness.
“Probably beer,” Cody mutters. “It’s all over the place.”
When I feel wetness seep through my dress into the back of my underwear, I realize he’s right. “Gross,” I mutter.
“Emma?” Eli asks again. “What are you doing here?”
He doesn’t sound pleased to see me.
“Isn’t it obvious, bro?” Cody slaps Eli’s back.
“She came back for the Bax special.” Even though Cody’s words sound humorous, the glare he’s giving me says otherwise. He’s warned me away enough times.
Eli extends his hand to me and I take it. The feeling when our hands touch doesn’t surprise me. The guy makes me feel charged, alive.
When I’m on my feet, Eli reaches back to touch my head. “You hit your head?”
“Yeah. I’m okay, though.”
Eli merely nods. “Is Cody right? Did you come here to see if I was here?”
I shrug. “Maybe.”
“Why would you bother?” Eli’s face looks tired. And irritated. His brows are pushed tightly together making one.
“Why would I bother? I’ve been trying to talk to you for two weeks. I’ve talked to Cody on the phone and at your front door. He said you didn’t want to talk to me.Ever.”
I don’t know what I expected Eli to do. No. That’s false. What I expected, or maybe fantasized is a better word. I fantasized he would wrap me up in his arms and kiss the crud out of me. That he’d tell me he was sorry he blew me off without an explanation. But that’s not what I get. Instead of that, I get the opposite.
“Why the fuck would I want to seeyou?”
I blink a few times. Which turns into more of a flutter of my lashes as I do my damn best to keep the tears from falling. It’s not working, though. “B-because I’m your g-girlfriend.”
Eli stares at me. Hard. I watch as his lips draw into a thin line on his handsome face. His nostrils flare. When his eyes get all squinty, I know he’s going to say something that’s gonna hurt.
“You fucking cheated on me. Why the hell would you think you’re my girlfriend?”
“I––” The words aren’t coming. I mean. He thinks I cheated on him? “I didn’t cheat on you.” I didn’t.
“Are you fucking serious right now?” He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out his phone. I watch him click around a little bit, then he pushes it in my face. It’s so close, I have to work to get the thing into focus. When I do, I see it. The text.
Emma:Thank you so much for tonight. I’ve never felt such passion. Your touch burned my skin. I can’t wait to see you again. Just name the time and the place.
I’m speechless. I lean in a little closer to his screen just to make sure I’m reading it correctly. “I don’t understand.”
“You’re a smart girl. What don’t you get? You sent me a text intended for whoever you were fucking while we were together.” He looks around the party then back at me. “Is he here now?”
“He who?” I’m so confused. “I didn’t send that text message.”
“Yeah. You did.” He clicks around on his phone and shows me:
Emma:Golly, Eli. I didn’t mean to send that to you.
I reach for his phone because I’ve got questions. He quickly pulls it out of reach. So, I ask, “Golly?” I would never say “golly.” “When was this sent?”
