“Why do you look like that when you say his name? I thought you and Reece talked.”
“It’s just.” She takes a deep breath and looks out her patio window before turning back. “He came by one day when Trinity wasn’t home. I was about to take a bath and water ran over the side of the tub. When I went to go turn the water off he followed me into the bathroom.”
I don’t understand. “Was he trying to help?”
She shakes her head slowly. “No. He just watched me, in only my towel, and then all of a sudden he asked why I said yes to going out with Ian in high school and not him.”
I feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Why would he even care about that? Why would he accost her in her bathroom? When she was alone? “Did he try anything?”
“I kicked him out.” She looks down into her lap. “I made him leave. I just didn’t understand why he would ask. That was so long ago. It was like it still bothered him that I went out with Ian and not him. Was he that upset he lost the bet?”
I inwardly cringe. Listening to Embyr talk about what happened to her, what we all did to her, so casually, is weird to me. “How can you be so relaxed talking about the bet?”
A knock comes at the door. I get up and pay the delivery man for our dinner. Embyr pulls out some plates and we take our places across from each other at the dining room table.
“What you asked? How can I talk about it?” She takes a bite of her orange chicken. “I’ve been seeing someone.”
Irritation rises from the bottom of my toes to my face. She’s seeing someone? Is it her boss? How can I even be mad? It’s not like I expected her to wait for me. Hell, I didn’t even know that I wanted her to. Up until I spoke with my mom, I didn’t know how badly I wanted to be with her, and now it may be too late.
“What’s his name?” I force a bite down my throat. I don’t care what his name is.
“It’s a woman.”
I stop mid-chew. “A woman? You’re seeing a woman.” She nods. “Well, that’s some new information.”
“Yeah, Dr. Navan has been helping me through a lot lately. It’s nice to talk to someone with an outside opinion. She was recommended to me by a friend at work.” She takes a swig of beer. “I knew that if I wanted to start over and live a life I could be proud of I had to seek some counseling.”
I feel like an ass. I thought she was seeing someone else, and it’s her therapist. I could fucking kiss her right now for scaring me.
So I do.
I push my chair out and get up. Walking to her side of the table, she cranes her neck back to look at me. “Casen?”
I kiss her. It’s not romantic or passionate. It’s not even quick. It’s just a nice slow kiss, and it feels electric. I pull away and take my place back in my seat.
“What was that for?” she asks, once she catches her breath. Her lips are swollen and that looks beautiful on her.
“Just because.” I comment, but then ask, “Are you dating anyone?”
Embyr smiles. “I’m not. You?”
“Nope.”
“Good.” She asserts. “Can I say what I need to say now?”
I set down my chopsticks. “Please.”
She pushes her plate away and rests her elbows on the table, hands clasped.
“I’m going to talk and I don’t want you to interrupt. I’m going to say a lot because I have been thinking of all the things I’ve wanted to say to you for a long time, had I gotten the chance.”
I mimic my mother and zip my lips shut, earning me a laugh.
“I had the biggest crush on you, Casen, and to say I never thought you would reciprocate is an understatement. In a million years I wouldn’t have believed you wanted me. When they all started asking me out I didn’t understand it but I was so flattered. My best friend, Mindy, thought I was lying when I told her what they were doing. When Ian asked, you had been standing ten feet away. I thought if I said yes, he would tell you, and that maybe you’d ask me then. Step up to the plate if you liked me too. I didn’t think going out with him would hurt anything. Then all that shit happened and my world fell out from underneath me. I lost my friends. I lost my crush, and I lost my parents. I just needed to get away. When I went to college, I just couldn’t get over what had happened, so I started my plan. If I could change my looks, I could come back and make all your lives hell. I was young and dumb. I should have seen a therapist sooner. I was in a dark place. Much darker than I could have ever imagined. I know that now. I set off on this plan almost just winging it. I used what I had to mess up their lives as I went but I think with you, I always knew I wanted to go after your heart.”
She starts to sob. I hold back tears of my own. Getting up, I get her out of her chair and walk us back to the couch. This time I pull her into my lap and lay her head on my shoulder.
“I’m sorry,” she said behind her hair. “I just want to be able to explain.”
