Chapter 14

Emi

I’m going to kill Nina, right after I get myself out of this mess. Then I’ll ask for forgiveness in church tomorrow.

That only seems fair.

Technically, I can’t blame it all on her, but it’s a lot easier.

I toss my shoes in my bag and pick up my phone, preparing for the call I’ve been dreading. How does a twenty-seven year old woman tell her boyfriend that she’s been summoned to her parents’ house for the rest of the weekend? I press send and try to think of exactly how to explain.

“Emerson?” There’s an intensity to his tone I’ve only heard a few times before.

“I’m sorry to bother you. I know you’re busy.”

“You’re never a bother.”

“Well, I have some bad news.”

“Hold on.” There’s a muffled sound and then footsteps. “What’s wrong?” His voice is now on alert.

“Nina is wrong, but it’s too late now.”

“What?”

“Nina told her mom about us, then she forwarded the picture from the other night at the bar.”

“So?”

“It set off a chain reaction. My mom saw it and called this morning after you left for work. I’ve been given the largest guilt trip known to man, and now, I’m going to my parents’ house for the rest of the weekend.”

“I’m not following.”

“My mom saw the picture and was very inquisitive. Then she recognized your name from the paper and the gambling bust, so she knows you’re a detective. Instead of letting me explain over the phone, I’ve been summoned over to my parents’ house.”

“Is this a bad thing?”

“Depends on your definition of bad. I’ll get there, then she and Dad will hem-haw around the subject of us for about a Nano-second until they have your entire life history. Then Mom will have her friends over for drinks, each of them wanting to know all about us. I’ll be in the hot seat. Before the end of the night, the conversation of my prayer circle will be mentioned at least ten times. Since you’re a detective, they’ll ponder over my life history and bad decisions, wondering if you’ll stick around. After a night of that excitement, we’ll go to church in the morning, so Mom can make a spectacle of praying for me in front of everyone.”

He starts laughing, the deep rumble calming me a little. “Babe, are you being dramatic?”

“No! Seriously, you just wait.”

“So, you’re not going to be at my place when I get home?”

“That’s what you’re asking? Did you hear the part about these ladies wondering if you’ll stick around?”

“They don’t even know me. That’s a huge assumption on their part.”

“They know me; that’s why it’s so much worse.”

“Calm down. It’ll be fine.”

“Can I come down to the station with you? Maybe you can arrest me, so I have a valid excuse.”

“Getting arrested is better than telling your parents about us?”

Him saying it out loud makes it sound ridiculous. “You have a point.”

“When are you leaving?”

“In a few minutes.”

“I hate to say it, but maybe tonight’s a good night for you to be gone. I’m working most of the night.”

“Is everything okay?”

“We have a tip to follow up on. Kelly and I will be observing some activity down at the docks.”

“Lucky him,” I mutter, wishing I could be on a stakeout with Walker.

“Dammit, Emi.”

“What?”

“That right there is one of the reasons you aren’t going to run me off. Call me tonight when everyone leaves and let me know how it goes. Then, tomorrow, I’ll remind you of all the other reasons I’m not going anywhere.” He hangs up, leaving me with a warm buzzing inside.

I lock up and get in my car, setting up the hands-free to call Maren on the drive.

“Don’t fret, I’ll be at your parents’ house by five,” she informs me before I can even say hello.

“You will?”

“Yes, your mom’s been busy. She’s having all the girls over for drinks tonight. My mom is making lasagna, and the rest of the ladies are bringing dishes to add for dinner.”

I knew it!

“Ugh, great.”

“I’m not leaving you to the wolves alone. Besides, my mom was worried about me, saying she hasn’t seen me much since the break-up, so it’s perfect.”

“I guess, but there’s a reason we moved across town away from our parents.”

“We’ll get through it, and when they’re satisfied with all their questions, we have some work to do. I spent last night and this morning going over notes and researching in to Bailey’s request. On the surface, Justin is clean, but I did find a few oddities in his bank accounts.”

“You hacked into his accounts?”

“Well, she gave me some information. It wasn’t very hard.”

“What did you find?

“A transfer into a private account. Looks like some sort of membership to a club. But all the research has led me to nothing. I think we need to actually follow him a little, see where he leads us. If I have an address, we’ll find out a lot more.”

“Where would we start?”

“I’ll tell you more tonight. I have a few ideas.”

“Sounds good.”

“See you in a few hours.”

I drive the rest of the way, thinking about exactly how much to tell my parents about my relationship. The part I left out with Walker is that if I don’t spin this exactly right, my mom will get encouraged, which means her mind will automatically switch to wedding watch.

She’s never held back her concern over my lackadaisical love life. The longest relationship, if you’d call it that, lasted a whole month in college. He never made it home to meet the parents, much to her dismay. I had to explain that I wasn’t ready to settle down, and school was getting harder, so it was best I concentrate. What I left out is that the guy I was dating was boring. The two times we had sex was less than impressive, which was the killer. I couldn’t date someone who considered foreplay unnecessary, especially when I got no pleasure either time. So, we ended our tryst.

I was fine with that. Over the years, I’ve dated, hooked-up, and even had sex. But being in a relatively small town, I’ve been selective and discreet. The last guy I had sex with before Walker was over a year ago, and he was a co-worker. He was pretty fun, but when he was transferred, neither of us made the effort to keep in contact.

Maren told me that my mom was secretly working in cahoots with Oliver’s mom to get us together. But it was never going to happen. I knew too much about Oliver, and he too much about me. We would never be compatible.

When Maren got engaged, my mom then tried to encourage me to date any of Carlton’s single friends. Then she met them at the engagement party and apologized. That was a funny conversation.

For a long time, she has laid off, only mentioning my dating life once in a while. This morning that came to a screeching halt.

As I drive up to my childhood home, my parents are on the front porch waiting. Dad walks down to greet me, helping me with my bag while draping an arm over my shoulder in a sideways hug. Mom is a lot more affectionate, wrapping her arms around me so tightly I cough for air.

“It’s been too long,” she complains.

“I saw you less than two months ago, and we talk once a week.”

“Well, apparently, talking to you isn’t working because you’ve left out some of the crucial details of your life.”

“Not really, Mom,” I lie. Since I’ve seen her, I’ve become part owner in an underground business, provided information to decimate one engagement and three marriages, and fallen madly in love.

She pulls back from the embrace and studies me closely. Then she looks at my dad, giving him a small nod and some sort of non-verbal communication.

Together, they usher me inside, my dad taking my bag to my old room and my mom dragging me to the kitchen.

“Sit,” she orders, taking three bottles of beer out of the refrigerator. I gratefully take the one that’s offered and do as she says.

My dad joins us, hopping on the opposite counter so he’s directly in my line of sight. “Your mom tells me you have a new boyfriend.”

“Yeah,” I confirm. “His name is Walker. He’s a detective for the Charleston Police department. We met about a month ago.”

There, that’s a good opening. Covered the bases.

“Spill,” Mom commands. “And don’t think you’re skimming over this. I’ve been waiting weeks.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Ollie’s mom told me about Walker the day after you met. Then Sylvia Caine mentioned him several times. I’ve waited and waited for you to bring him up, and I’m done waiting.”

“Sylvia Caine? Maren’s mom knows?”

“Of course, she knows. Maren doesn’t keep anything from her mother.”

I bite my tongue to keep from spewing ‘bullshit’, and she goes on.

“Sylvia was worried about you going into a relationship right as Maren was getting out of one. But she said Maren likes Walker.”

My dad clears his throat, calling my attention to him. “Maren likes Walker, but what about Emi? What exactly does my little girl think of him?”

“Thomas, you can take one look at her and know she likes him. Don’t act blind.” Mom jumps in, not giving me a chance to answer.

“Dawn, let her talk.” His eyes stay trained on me.

“Yes, Daddy, Emi likes Walker, a lot,” I admit, not skipping a beat. “And you’re going to like him, too. You have things in common. He’s a man’s man—hunts, fishes, loves sports.”

“That’s good enough for me. Look forward to meeting him.” He hops off the counter and comes to kiss me on the forehead, then leaves me alone with my mom.

“You’ve known about him for a while and today decided to ambush me?”

“I was respecting your privacy but couldn’t put it off any longer. When Nina’s mom forwarded me the picture, I had to intervene.”

“Had to?” I raise an eyebrow.

“Yes, Emi. You’re crazy about him. It’s plain to see, so tell me more before the crew gets here.”

Obviously, my method of spinning my relationship is useless; my mom is already encouraged. Her expression says it all. It’s filled with hope, excitement, and joy.

All the nervousness and anxiety from this morning fade away as those same emotions swirl inside.

I smile into the rim of the bottle, taking a slow sip before I begin. “We’ll start with how he handled Carlton, and then I’ll tell you about my yoga mishap…”

“Emerson Leigh! If you don’t hurry up, we’re going to be late. Everyone’s expecting us, and walking in tardy is tacky,” Mom yells from the kitchen.

Of course, everyone is expecting us, because last night, it wasn’t only my mom’s circle of friends that showed up for dinner, it was also her ladies’ luncheon crew and the self-appointed church welcome wagon—twenty women in all, plus Maren and me.

They came in droves, everyone with a dish or dessert until my mom’s kitchen looked like a Golden Corral Buffet. Dad even had a few friends over, but mostly, the men hid in the den or the back yard. Even the early March chill was better than hanging in a house with gaggling women.

As soon as Maren arrived, I shoved her back to my room, ready to give her a piece of my mind, but it never happened. Once she explained she had been dropping tidbits of information about me in order to keep her mom off her back, I understood. She used me for self-preservation. Then I realized this was the first time she was seeing these women as well since her break-up, so we banned together, held our heads high, and dealt with all questions thrown at us while secretly sneaking to my room to sling back wine.

It turned out to be awesome. Mom and Sylvia weren’t fooled, but as the night wore on, the questions became more bearable and a lot more humorous. When the last guest left, and it was only the four of us, Mom poured us all a hot toddy, with her own tipsy glow.

Maren and I didn’t get any work done, but we stole a few minutes during the night to plan our next moves with Justin.

I never got to actually speak to Walker, having to leave a message to say goodnight. This morning, I woke up and automatically reached for him, then remembered where I was. I tried calling him again with no luck.

It was the first time since I was in Myrtle Beach that I hadn’t seen him in twenty-four hours. Ridiculous and pathetic, but I missed him like crazy.

“Be right there,” I call to my mom and grab my phone to send a quick message.

Me- Sorry I missed you last night. Hope it was a success. We’re going to church so I’ll call you later.

There’s a response almost immediately.

Walker- Don’t be late for church.

My heart drops at the short message.

I adjust my necklace and think about messaging him again, but what if he’s still on a stakeout. Clingy is not my style, so I take one last glimpse in the mirror and head to the kitchen.

The instant I step into the living room, I freeze. My feet are planted in place as I search the area. Nothing is out of place, but it feels off. Mom’s back is to me as she cleans out the coffee pot, and Dad is nowhere to be seen.

Then I hear it, the low chuckle, the husky murmur, the cool gravelly voice as it gets louder.

My dad walks into the room, with Walker behind him, both men smiling as they chat. I can’t hear what they’re saying because my heart is thundering in my chest and roaring in my ears.

I stare, watching him talk casually with my dad. He’s dressed in black slacks and a grey button down that molds to his frame. His hair has been recently cut, shaved on the sides with the top still long enough for my fingers to run though.

He stops mid-step, his eyes doing a quick sweep of my body before meeting mine. I hold my breath, feeling the air crack between us.

Walker is here, in my childhood home, with my family. And he’s telling me something with just his eyes.

I take off, rushing to him, until I’m in his arms. “Walker.” The breath I was holding comes out in a whoosh.

“Morning, gorgeous.” He kisses my temple. “Surprise.”

I nod into his neck, unable to speak as I inhale deeply, smelling the mixture of his body wash, shaving cream, and cologne. My lips skim across the skin lightly.

“Emerson, your parents are a few feet away,” he says low enough for only me to hear, jarring me out of my Walker Scott trance.

I step into his side and turn to see my parents watching with approving smiles. “I take it you two met Walker.”

“Yes, seems so,” my dad responds.

“What are you doing here?” I tilt my face up to his.

“Going to church.”

“How’d you know where to find me?”

“I’m a detective, Emi. I know how to find people.”

“I can’t believe you’re here.”

“Babe, where else would I be?” His statement holds a lot more meaning. He knew I was nervous and jittery, and he came to make a point. This is him proving to me I’m not going to run him off. He sees the minute it clicks in my head, and a smile slowly spreads across his face.

“I can’t believe you’re going to church with us.”

“I’ve been to church before, Emi. I’m from Summerville, not space.”

“This is a big deal.”

“That’s why I’m here.”

There’s a sigh from my mom, bringing my attention back to her and my dad. Her face is lit up, and I know Walker has just won her over with a thousand percent approval rating.

“Well, let’s get this show on the road. There’s sure to be tons of whispering and phone calls after today’s service,” Dad mumbles.

“Let me get my things.” Mom heads back to the kitchen and Dad follows, leaving us partially alone.

As soon as they’re out of view, Walker’s hand slinks down to cup my ass.

“I like this dress, baby.” His lips trail along my earlobe, nipping lightly at the skin underneath. “The pearl necklace is going to taunt me all day. I look forward to seeing you in that necklace and nothing else.”

A surge of heat rushes through me at his demand. “Stop, you can’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Make me want to jump your bones and strip you naked while my parents are in the kitchen.”

“It’s only fair since I’ve wanted to strip you since the moment I stepped into the room. Although, stripping you is just the first of many things I want to do.”

My knees start to wobble, and I grip his waist for support. His voice and words send my hormones into overdrive. I lift on my toes and graze my mouth across his. I love you is on the tip of my tongue, but I hold it in, not wanting to freak him out. He leans back and searches my face, his eyes boring into mine.

He doesn’t say anything, but we hear my parents at the same time, the moment broken. His hand drops from my butt and finds mine, linking our fingers together.

My dad insists on driving, telling Walker to sit in the front with him. My mom chooses the seat behind Walker and gives me googly eyes the whole ride. I try to ignore her but finally give in, giggling.

When we arrive, Walker opens the door for my mom, and Dad does the same for me. But instead of linking my arm in his and leading me into the church as he’s always done, he takes me only as far as Walker and then holds out his hand for Mom.

I feel the eyes on us, but it’s all I can do to concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other. Walker holds steady, and as soon as we’re seated, he places my hand on his lap and drapes his arm around my shoulders.

“I’m dying to know about this morning. What happened when you showed up?”

“I knocked on the door, and when Thomas answered, I introduced myself. Asked him if I could join you for church.”

“Why didn’t Mom tell me?”

“She offered to hurry you up, but I asked her not to. Wanted to surprise you.”

“It certainly was a surprise.”

“Dawn made me a cup of coffee, and we talked for a bit, then Thomas took me to his den to show me his ten-point.”

There’s a relaxed and comfortable vibe to his story. He talks as if this morning was a usual Sunday morning.

“I can’t believe you met my parents and I wasn’t even there.”

“You’re here now.”

“I guess it’s better I didn’t know. I’d have been a nervous wreck.”

“That’s one reason I kept it from you.”

“Why, were you nervous, too?”

He looks at me with a playful grin. “I don’t get nervous.”

The service starts, and I try my best to stay focused and concentrate, but it’s a lost cause with Walker holding me close and the gawking coming my way. By the time we say our last Amen, I’m on my feet.

Outside, we are swarmed with my parents’ friends as Mom introduces Walker. He remains at my side, patiently shaking hands and allowing her to tell the story of his arrival this morning. I give my dad a pleading glance, and he steers mom toward the car.

“Did you enjoy the service, Walker?” There’s a melody to her tone that makes me uneasy.

“It was nice.”

I know what’s coming, but before I can reach over and stop her, the words spill out of her mouth. “You know, Emerson has always wanted to get married in that church. She loves the natural light coming through the stained glass. It makes for beautiful wedding pictures.”

“Mom!” I cry in humiliation. That’s not true. My mom loves the natural light coming through the stained glass. She wants those pictures.

“Dawn, that’s not true. Emi wants to get married outdoors, preferably near the hunting camp,” Dad disagrees with her.

“Dad!” Heat flames up my face.

I start to rattle off numbers in my head, ticking off my fingers.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m figuring out the speed and our rate of velocity. When I jump out of this car, I need to be prepared for the impact, the tuck and roll, and the possibility of brain damage if I hit my head.”

The locks click, and I see Walker’s hand on the auto lock.

“You’ve always been theatrical. I thought maybe you’d grow out of it.” Mom waves me off.

“Gotta tell you, Walker, we’d almost given up on Emi. Twenty-seven years and she never showed interest in anyone after Shane.” Dad chuckles.

Walker’s head snaps to the side. His eyes find mine, and a frown etches on his face.

“Shane? Dad, really? You’re laying it on thick now.”

“It’s the truth. We were worried we’d never see another guy in your life.”

Walker’s jaw grows tight, the vein in his forehead bulging.

“You bring up my third-grade boyfriend, from eighteen years ago, who wasn’t even my boyfriend but the only boy on the street?”

“It’s been a while, Emi Leigh.”

Walker’s face relaxes, and the dimple pops as he catches on to my parents’ teasing.

“I agree. What’s a mom have to do to get grandchildren? I’ve been waiting a long time,” Mom adds with a serious face.

I drop my face to my hands and shake my head in effort to drown out their voices. They banter back and forth, using the closed confines of the car to mortify me.

“…then there was the time she tried to kiss that poor boy and he fled the backyard.”

“Mom, I didn’t try to kiss him!”

“… Maren finally told the truth. It was Emi who mixed the Kool-Aid to dye their hair purple…”

“We were trying to make a video to send to Prince!”

“…her high school science teacher threatened to fail her because she led a riot.”

“It wasn’t a riot. I didn’t want to dissect a pig!”

We pull into the driveway, and my dad cuts off the car, spinning to face me with a wide smile.

“You guys wonder why I’ve never brought anyone home before?”

“We’re having a little fun.”

“Who’s having fun?”

“We are,” they say at the same time Walker laughs.

“Is the fun over now?”

“Don’t be a poor sport.” Mom pats the top of my hand before getting out.

We all do the same, me pouting the whole way inside the house. My parents announce they’re going to change before they disappear down the hall. I drop my purse on the dining table and start to yank off my shoes.

“Come here.” Walker opens his arms.

I step forward, and in a flash, he’s hauled me into his body, clasping my wrists, with my arms pinned behind my back. His eyes have turned a deep shade of blue I’ve never seen before, piercing into my own. He drops his mouth to hover over mine. “You are so fucking beautiful. Shane was an idiot, even at nine years old. I’d have jumped on the chance to be your boyfriend. I’d never run away if you tried to kiss me. You’d look just as gorgeous with purple hair, and dissecting pigs isn’t fun.”

The words dissolve most of my embarrassment from earlier.

I forget all about my parents and melt into him, sweeping my tongue over his lips. “I love you,” slips out with no hesitancy.

His blazing eyes hold mine for a split second before he crashes his mouth down.

This is unlike any kiss we’ve ever shared. His mouth moves frantically against mine, his tongue sliding along the curve of the roof of my mouth, then delves deeper. My wrists are freed as he frames my face and holds me gently in place. He slowly retreats, scraping my bottom lip with his teeth and allowing me a breath before his tongue finds mine again.

Shamelessly, I clutch his shirt, my knees threatening to buckle. A moan bubbles up from my throat, followed by his own groan of approval. Every thrust and swirl of his tongue against mine sends a shooting sensation through my body. I try my best to keep up, but finally relent, giving him all control.

He kisses me with urgency, then slows, slanting my head to the right and taking his time to run his lips and tongue along the outline of my mouth. I grow dizzy with lust, clenching tighter until my nails dig into his skin through the soft material. My whole body hums with desire, heat scorching through my veins. His hips hit mine, the hardened length of his erection sliding against my stomach.

“Say it again,” he says in the voice he knows drives me insane.

“I love you,” I mutter into his mouth, barely understandable.

He withdraws, holding me in place and pinning me with his eyes. No words are spoken as he lays his forehead against mine.

We stay like this, neither of us breaking the gaze. My heart is speeding in my chest, waiting for him to say something.

When he doesn’t, a knot forms in my stomach.

What have I done?

“Whatever you’re thinking, stop.”

“I’m—” I don’t get to finish before his phone rings.

“Shit.” He reaches in his pocket, keeping our faces close.

“Scott,” he barks, and I hear a mumbling on the line.

“I’ll be there,” he tells whoever is on the other end and hangs up.

I let go of my death grip and try to step back, but he still has one hand framing my face and neck.

“Baby, I have to go.”

“I heard.”

“We’re not done with this conversation.”

“We’re having a conversation?”

“We were about to. You’ve given me a gift I’ve been waiting for since you marched your sweet little ass into my station shooting fire about your car. I didn’t know it until the words came out of your mouth, but I’ve been waiting.”

“You have?”

“Oh, yeah, Emi.”

My parents choose this exact moment to come back into the room, chatting about lunch. Walker kisses the tip of my nose and steps back, leaving me on still shaky legs.

I only catch a few words as he explains to my parents he has been called back to work. A thousand thoughts run through my head, but the one thing that sticks out is that he didn’t say it back.