Fifteen

Emery

I leaned back against the giant glasses sculpture outside of the Buddy Holly Center. They were iconic to the legend who had been born here and gone on to such fame. I’d worked here on and off throughout most of high school, and being back felt just as surreal as everything else that had been happening in my life. I felt like I was reliving high school, only with a different Wright brother.

Betty hit the curb in her old red Buick LaCrosse and then parked in front of the center. She waved at me from the driver’s side. I could only laugh. She had always been out there.

“Hi, Emery, dear. How are you?” Betty said. She hurried over to where I was standing and then gestured for me to follow her.

“Doing all right. How about yourself?” I asked.

Betty jingled the keys and then hit the door with her hip to let us inside. “I’m just fine. This way. Oh, you know the way.”

I did, but I didn’t say anything.

“I’m dreadfully sorry that we’re closed today. We had to do some maintenance and decided to shut down during the holidays.”

“Maintenance?” I asked.

“Replace the floors, new roof—that sort of thing. Wright Construction offered to do the whole thing at a discount since we’re a historic museum. Isn’t that wonderful?” Better asked. She finally reached her office and let me inside.

“Just wonderful,” I agreed, unable to escape the Wrights for even one day.

“That Jensen Wright came over to tell me himself.”

“That was nice of him,” I said through gritted teeth.

“Here we are,” Betty said. “Thank you for being able to meet with me today. I’m going to Florida to visit my grandbabies for Christmas, and I won’t be back until after the New Year. It would have delayed everything for you.”

“This is great. I appreciate you coming in early for me. Who is going to be here to let people in for the construction crew?” I took the stack of paperwork from Betty and hastily filled out the sections to get my job back and be on payroll.

“We have a few people who will be here for the holidays. They have keys and can alternate days. But we’re closed up from Christmas to New Years.”

“Well, if you need someone, let me know. I will be around.”

“I’m sure they would love to work you into the schedule. Let me get you a copy of the key while we’re at it,” she said.

A few minutes later, I had successfully filled out the paperwork, gotten ahold of the keys to the Center, and was on the schedule for the construction crew. That also meant I was going to be getting some money in for the holidays.

I left Betty, feeling more accomplished. Even though this wasn’t my dream job, it was at least a job. Something tangible to hold me in Lubbock that wasn’t just family and old memories.

When I hopped back into my Forester, I realized that had taken a lot longer than I’d thought. It had only felt like a few minutes, being inside there, but I was definitely going to be late for my shopping date with Heidi and Julia. They seemed intent on me going, and I did need a pick-me-up.

I had been trying not to think about Jensen and what had happened. But I was just so confused and upset, something I didn’t really like admitting. I hated him thinking that what we had done was a mistake. I wanted more of his kisses. I wanted more of the guy who had unapologetically sang Mariah Carey with me. And, even worse, I knew that he was right. I hadn’t thought this was a real thing to begin with. I’d wanted to get a piece of him without thinking about what would come next. I wanted to think it was better this way, but it didn’t feel like that. I was hoping retail therapy would help.

Malouf’s was swamped for the holidays, and it wouldn’t have been my first choice. Mostly because I couldn’t afford anything in the store. Everything was designer and custom-made. Kate Spade, Kendra Scott, Tom Ford. Oh, my! But Heidi and Julia each had well-paying Wright Construction jobs, and I was sure I could find something. Maybe on the sale rack.

I hurried across the parking lot to get out of the frigid, windy weather. Screw Lubbock and its freezing air the day after it was seventy. I barreled through the front door and found Heidi talking animatedly to Julia, who was holding up a black dress with a plunging neckline.

“I’m here. I made it. Sorry I’m late,” I said to the girls.

“Em! Just in time,” Heidi said. “Tell Julia that she would look smoking hot in this dress.”

“It’s black. I like it.” That had been my motto since junior high. My closet was filled up with black jeans, black sweaters, black tank tops, and black sneakers. All black everything.

“I knew you would say that,” Heidi said with a grin.

Contemplatively, Julia held the dress at arm’s length. Black was a good choice with her hair that had all the burgundy undertones that she’d highlighted. Plus, it was slimming, which was good for everyone, except for Heidi, who was built like a Barbie doll. And, while Heidi had the enviable prom-queen looks, Julia just had something about her. Between her mahogany hair and studded ears and tattoos peeking out from under her edgy leather-detailed dress, she was the mysterious girl you didn’t bring home to Mom. I liked her for that. Kind of felt like she and I could gang up on Heidi together…and maybe even win. But probably not.

“It’s so not me, but I’ll try it on.”

“Nothing in this store is ever me either,” I told Julia. “But, if you don’t try on everything Heidi wants you to wear, then you won’t make it out of here alive.”

“Damn straight,” Heidi said with a sharp nod of her head. “Now, let me play dress-up!”

We wandered around the store together with Heidi randomly throwing things into our arms. Julia and I exchanged looks full of sympathy for each other. I had something hot pink in my pile. Julia had a pastel. Heidi herself had all the best pieces that only worked on someone who was five foot nine or above.

The manager came over and procured dressing rooms for all of us, offering us assistance if we needed different sizes. I shimmied into the hot-pink dress first just to get it over with, and Heidi hysterically laughed at me until I went back into the dressing room for something else.

“Okay, I know it’s a touchy subject,” Heidi called over the dressing room wall, “but can we talk about Jensen?”

I stepped out of the dressing room and crossed my arms until she came out of her room. “No.”

“What about Jensen?” Julia asked.

She appeared in a stunning olive-green dress that complemented her style perfectly. I was sure it would be a winner.

“Can I tell?” Heidi asked.

“Fine, but I’m not trying on that weird patterned thing you gave me,” I told her.

“Ugh! Fine! I’m just trying to brighten up your wardrobe.”

“You’ve been trying for twenty years. It’s not going to work.”

She laughed and flipped me off. “Anyway, Emery went on a date with Jensen.”

“Oh, wow! Was it hot?” Julia asked.

“So hot,” Heidi said.

“Heidi, can you not?” I demanded.

“Sorry!” she squeaked. “Anyway, he was a total ass to her afterward, and then he was an even bigger ass by asking her to coffee to tell her the whole thing was a mistake.”

“That sucks. Sorry, Emery,” Julia said.

“It’s fine,” I told them. “Really, it was one date. And then…another kiss that meant nothing. He kissed me after telling me how much of a mistake our date was because he doesn’t date in town and how it never should have happened because I moved back home. Oh! And he fucking told Morgan. Now, Landon is totally going to find out.”

“And Landon doesn’t know you went on a date with his brother?” Julia asked.

I shook my head. “I’d like to keep it that way.”

Okay, so I wasn’t fine. I was still frustrated. Even more so because Jensen hadn’t left me alone. He’d messaged me a handful of times to try to talk to me again. I couldn’t figure out why he thought I would see him again. After our last conversation and how it had ended, I didn’t think that was a good idea.

“Yeah, but he’s still messaging you,” Heidi said.

“Then, he must like you,” Julia said. “Maybe he’s just…bad at communication.”

“Just what I want in a guy. A bad communicator.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Julia said. “I mean, what if he is scared of how he feels for you? You said he didn’t date in town. Maybe it freaked him out when he realized that you were going to live here, and he said things all wrong.”

I slid my gaze over to Julia. “Jensen Wright does not say things wrong. He is a businessman. He says what he means and takes what he wants. I feel that I have to take him at face value.”

“That seems fair,” Julia said. “But the real question is it worth always having that what-if with him?”

I shrugged. That I didn’t know. It was too much to think about.

“Just go into it with your eyes wide open,” Heidi said. “You know he has baggage and shit. He’s a Wright. He’s filthy rich and sleeps with supermodels and all that. You know his deal. If you can live with him flying to New York every holiday, then who am I to stop you from having some fun? I just want you to be happy.”

“Also, that dress is fucking hot,” Julia said to change the subject.

I glanced at my dress in the trifold mirror and smiled. It did look fucking hot. Actually, it was perfect. It was a skintight black dress with a lace front neckline that went down to almost my navel and had an open back. Paired with some stiletto heels out of Kimber’s closet, and I could even pass for a girlie girl.

“You need it,” Heidi said at once. “I mean, you really, really need it.”

I checked the price tag, and my eyes doubled in size. “It’s three hundred dollars. I don’t need it that bad.”

“Oh, but you do! And…I haven’t gotten you a Christmas present yet. So, that can be my present!” Heidi said.

“Psht! Are you insane? I’m not letting you get me a three-hundred-dollar dress for Christmas.”

“Why not?”

“Because I could never repay you for a present like that. Anyway, where would I even wear this? I live in jeans and T-shirts. I would get no use out of it.”

“Actually,” Heidi said with innocent eyes.

“Oh no,” I said with a sigh. “You’re about to tell me the real reason we’re shopping, aren’t you?”

“There’s a Christmas party I want you to come to with me and Julia on Friday night. And I thought we could all get our dresses for the party here!”

My eyes slid to Julia. “Where’s the party? I know she won’t tell me.”

“Uh…”

“Come on, Em. It’s just one party.”

“Yeah, and it was just one wedding. Look how well that worked out for me,” I told her.

“I think it worked out pretty well. You’re not thinking about Professor McJerkface, and you had a lot of sex.”

Julia snort-laughed and then covered her mouth. “Professor McJerkface?”

“It’s a long story,” I told her.

“Okay, picture this,” Heidi said. “You wear that dress. I do your hair and makeup. You borrow Kimber’s stilettos, the really fancy Louboutins that crush your pinkie toes. But how can you resist the red-lacquered bottoms?” It was as if she were reading my mind. “You walk into the party. All eyes fall on you. You’re like fucking Cinderella for a moment. And then, poof, your Prince Charming shows up, and voilà, the night has endless possibilities.”

“Oh God,” I said in horror. “You’re talking about your office Christmas party.”

Heidi bit her bottom lip. “Um…yes.”

“And, when you say endless possibilities, you mean, I trip over my feet in front of Jensen, and he’s the same jerk he was and laughs at me or something.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Yeah, really, I don’t think Jensen would ever laugh at someone like that,” Julia added. “Plus, it won’t suck because, it’s open bar, and we can all get wasted on champagne.”

“Oh, I like you,” I told her.

“See, Em?! Please, please, please,” Heidi said.

“I’ll think about it.”

“Yes!” Heidi said, as if I had relented.

“While we’re at it,” Julia said, her cheeks turning a soft shade of pink, “want to find me something that sexy? There’s a Wright brother I wouldn’t mind looking at me twice in something like that.”

“Landon?” Heidi asked at the same time as I said, “Austin?”

I glanced over at Heidi with an arched eyebrow. “Landon doesn’t even work for Wright Construction.”

“Process of elimination,” she said quickly. “So, Austin?”

“I think he’s scared of me because I work in HR. But he’s not technically my boss; Jensen is. I don’t think we could get in trouble. And I’m head of HR anyway.”

“Oh, I can find you something,” Heidi said. “Each of my girls with a Wright brother will be my New Year’s resolution.”

“You kill me,” I said with a shake of my head. “I’m not letting you buy the dress.”

I changed out of the dress and shimmied into a few of the other outfits. But none of them came close to the other one. I hung the dress back up, and Heidi snatched it back. We went back and forth until I finally gave up. In the end, I got the dress. And, secretly…I couldn’t wait to see Jensen’s face when he saw me in it.