CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
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EMMA
I’d never been punched in the stomach, but I can say for a fact that being introduced to Jane, James’s girlfriend, hurt like crazy. I couldn’t truly describe it, but I was left without air while my insides felt as if they were melting away, and my heart threatened to almost give up on me.
I was unsure how I even thought it would be possible, how I was convinced I had a chance, that he would look at me and have the same feelings he’d had when we were teenagers.
How could I have been so delusional?
This was Jane Saunders. As soon as I laid my eyes on her, I knew I would stay in the friend zone forever. She was gorgeous, glamorous, and everything that I wasn’t.
Struggling, I bit my tongue and forbade my tears to fall. Instead, I smiled.
“Hello,” I said, extending my hand for what would be the most uncomfortable handshake in history.
“Oh, you must be Emma. I’ve heard so much about you,” she said, then looked at James and smiled.
Fuck, this is hurting!
I thrust my hand forward, once again. “All good, I hope.”
She didn’t take my hand; instead, she pulled me into a hug and giggled. “Don’t be silly. James’s friends can also be my friends.”
Amanda must have seen what happened as she came to my rescue with the excuse of not finding the toilets.
With a wave, I apologised, “Sorry, but I have to go. It was lovely to meet you.”
Once we were away from them, she directed me straight to the bar where she ordered a line of shots.
“Don’t let it bother you, Emma. Like I always say, there’re plenty more fish in the sea, and tonight we’re in a freaking ocean.”
I downed each shot, one by one, not wanting a damn ocean. But still, when we were done, the warmth of the booze enveloped me in a fluffy hug helping me to relax and pretend that everything was as it should be.
Amanda held my hand and pulled me into the dance floor. “Time to boogie.”
It wasn’t long before Hugh came to whisk Amanda away, leaving me dancing on my own. It didn’t bother me; I was drunk enough not to care.
“Did it hurt?” a voice asked from behind me. I turned around, my gaze meeting that of a delectable man. With a strong jaw, floppy hair, and a killer smile, he was a welcome distraction. Though with just that thought, I made the mistake of looking for him. All too quickly I found him. He stood beside Jane at the bar. His arms wrapped around her.
My stomach dropped, my eyes landing once more on the guy in front of me. I just had to keep pretending. “Did what hurt?” My voice was surprisingly smooth, not holding any of the tension that sat heavily in my chest.
He smiled. “When you fell from heaven? Because you’re the hottest angel I’ve seen tonight.”
Genuine, ridiculous laughter erupted from me, a welcome relief. “That’s the cheesiest line I’ve heard.”
He brushed a hair off my face and placed the other hand on my hip. His face crept closer to my ear and he whispered, “I don’t usually need a chat-up line.”
I snorted. Cocky would be an understatement to describe this guy.
He wrapped his arms around my waist, and I allowed him to pull me closer to him. He’d made me laugh and distracted me from my heavy heart, if only for a moment, so I happily fell into the easy rhythm as we danced together.
It was before the next song finished that he held my hand and beckoned me to follow.
“Where are we going?”
He threw me a wink. “You’ll see.” His smile was self-assured. Assuming we were going to head outside for some fresh air, which would have been a relief, I frowned when he stopped in a corridor in front of a door. Once more, he threw a wink over his shoulder at me, seemingly completely at ease. He opened the door and my gaze landed on a bed.
My heels dug into the carpet. Heck no. Who did this guy think he was? Seriously? Yeah, the dude was incredibly hot, probably a model or something, but there was no chance he was getting into my panties.
For Christ’s sake, I didn’t even know his name.
Feeling suddenly sober and just a wee bit pissed off at his audacity, I shook my head in disbelief and pulled my hand away from his.
He turned and looked at me, his eyebrows furrowed in what seemed to be genuine confusion.
“Erm, no,” I told him. With no further explanation, I spun around and walked away without looking back.
I knew unequivocally that I was doing the right thing by not falling into bed with the hot guy—that was a no-brainer. Though I reluctantly gave into the errant thought that maybe everything could have been so easy if I didn’t think so much, feel so much, if I didn’t ponder on my feelings for James. And admittedly, if I didn’t have so much self-respect for myself. I sighed as I slowed my pace. I wasn’t sorry about most of those things though, but I had to get over my stupid crush, or it would be the end for me.
Making my way to the upstairs lounge to collect my jacket and purse, I bumped into Jane.
“Hey, Emma.” She smiled. “Are you okay?” She looked blissfully tipsy.
“Yeah,” I answered, needing to get out of there as quick as possible. “I drank a little too much, and I need to go home.” I smiled back, trying to reassure her. The last thing I needed was for her to call James. He would beg me to stay.
“Do you want me to call James?” she asked, looking concerned. It made it worse that she was being nice. I thought it would make it easier if I could hate her. If only she were a bitch.
“No, it’s okay. I’ll call a taxi.”
She placed her manicured hand on my arm and said, “Don’t be silly. We’ll get someone to drive you home.”
With a quick wave, a young woman approached. Jane whispered in her ear and the woman walked away. In a matter of seconds, Ralph came over.
“I heard you need someone to drive you home?”
I nodded. “I was going to call a taxi, but Jane said it would be best not to.”
“You can stay here if you want. There’s plenty of space.”
“Nah, I need my bed. I’ve had a little too much to drink.” The way I was feeling, I couldn’t stay the night knowing James was under the same roof. Seeing him with Jane, and the reality of our nonfuture and my idiotic dreams coming to a crashing collision, was too much.
“Let’s go then. Let me text James that I’ll be back soon.”