Chapter Ten
Emerson
I laid in bed and thought about Luke, wondering why I couldn’t seem to stop myself from being so hard on him. I picked up my phone to call Rachel; if anyone could figure me out and make me stop being ridiculous over something, it was her. I tapped on the phone until it was ringing on the other end.
“Ummm, it’s Tuesday morning at...” she paused. “Seven thirty your time. Everything okay? You’re not exactly a morning person,” her chipper voice sang through the phone.
“Well, that depends on how ya look at it. And good morning to you too,” I laughed.
“Okay, you’re laughing. It’s much too early for you to be laughing. Are you drunk?”
“I’ve only had a few hours of sleep. Does that count?” I asked.
“In your case, kind of. So, what’s up buttercup? I can hear it in your voice. Something’s on your mind.”
I sometimes hated that she knew me so well. “I’d try to say it’s nothing, but you’d just call me on my bullshit. So... it’s my neighbor,” I admitted.
“Oh! You mean the one you’ve got a thing for but won’t admit to yourself? Or anyone else for that matter?” she said matter-of-factly.
“What?” I said, a little surprised at her statement. “I don’t have a thing for my neighbor.”
She chuckled in that way she always did when she was about to humor me even though she didn’t agree with me. “Right. You don’t have a thing for the stupid hot guy next door who keeps trying to be nice to you and moves your furniture then makes your stomach go all butterfly central when he’s near you. Of course you don’t.”
Okay, maybe she wasn’t going to humor me.
“Admit it. That’s what you’re calling me about, isn’t it?” she demanded.
“No.”
“You’re a liar liar pants on fire, Emerson Myers,” she pointed out. I could almost hear the smirk on her face through the phone.
“Am not,” I shot back.
“Okay then. Why’d you call at this time of the morning? Hmmm?”
I huffed in defeat.
She laughed. “That’s what I thought. Now spill, what’s going on?”
I proceeded to tell her everything I had been holding back. She’d heard about how infuriated he’d made me causing me to stomp out to the shop the first night and his endless noise in the backyard, but this time, I found myself admitting to the attraction, the strange energy when he was near me, how I kept giving him such a hard time, and so much more.
When I was finished spilling my guts, she just said, “Hmmm.”
“Really? Hmmm? That’s all you’ve got?” I asked.
“Well, it’s like I said before. Only you just confirmed it. You’ve got a thing for the guy next door. That’s why you keep being so nasty to him. You’re pushing him away. I just don’t know why,” she said.
“Because he’s so... so...”
“So under your skin?” she finished the sentence.
I blew out a hard breath. “I don’t know.”
“I do. Em, you have realized that this guy isn’t like every other guy you’ve been exposed to, right? I’m about to tell you something, and I say this with love: you’re being stupid. I’ve watched you steer clear of men for the past two years. Ever since what happened with Assface—”
“He has a name, you know,” I interjected.
“Yeah, his name is Assface. He doesn’t deserve a Christian name.”
“Touché.”
“So, ever since then, you haven’t even considered dating. You just threw yourself into your work and never looked back. You can deny it all you want, but if you’re honest with yourself, you know I’m right. You’re scared. Scared to let anyone get too close and break your heart like that again. But every guy isn’t like that, Em. And it sounds to me like Luke is nothing like that. Everything you’ve told me says he’s exactly the opposite of Assface. And the sooner you admit to yourself you’re pushing him away, maybe that’s the sooner you’ll be able to stop being so stupid.”
“Geez, why don’t ya tell me how ya really feel, Rach?” I joked.
“You know I’m right.”
I stood and moved over to the window, looking down at the ridiculously handsome, shirtless man swinging an ax. “Fine. You might be a little right,” I admitted. “But what am I supposed to do now? I’ve kinda been a bit of a bitch to him.”
“Oh, I don’t know. Here’s a novel idea: just be nice,” she mocked.
I laughed. “Yeah. I guess I can do that.”
“Of course you can. You’re a sweetheart. Ya know... after a couple cups of coffee and eight hours of sleep,” she teased.
“I hear ya. Ya got jokes.”
She laughed louder. “It’s so cute you think I’m joking.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m going to take a nap now. You know... so I can be nice later.”
“You do that.”
“Thanks, Rach. I appreciate you setting me straight.”
“Anytime. That’s what I’m here for,” she beamed.
“Give Charlie a hug for me. I’ll call ya later,” I said.
“Please do. I’m going to want to hear how you being nice to the hottie beside you works out.”
“We’ll see. Talk to ya later.”
“Sweet dreams,” she chided and hung up.
I knew she was right. I didn’t want to admit it, but I knew it.
I reached over to the table by my bed, grabbed my book, and started reading, trying my best to get out of my head and into someone else’s. Apparently, I dozed off because I woke a while later, jerking up from the bed thinking I’d overslept.
There were no noises coming from outside. I looked over at the clock, and it was almost eleven. I brushed my teeth, pulled on some clothes, and made my way down to make coffee. I poured my coffee into a travel mug and grabbed my backpack, walking outside into the sunshine and followed the trail that led to the meadow.
The cool air of late afternoon crawled over my skin before I realized it was getting late. When I arrived back at the house, it was eerily quiet, and Luke’s truck was gone.
I made a sandwich and settled into a chair on the porch with my laptop on my legs. When the moon began to make an appearance, headlights from Luke’s truck emerged at the end of the driveway. I watched as they bounced with the bumps of the path until he parked in front of the house.
He gave me a simple wave and walked into his side of the house without a word. I was disappointed even though I had no right to be. It was the first time he hadn't said a word to me. Maybe I had pushed him too far with my selfishness. I stood and started to walk over but changed my mind and went inside instead.
***
The next morning, I awoke to silence. I looked at the time. Twenty minutes after nine. It took a moment for me to remember it was Wednesday, and Luke had said they’d be leaving for the weekend. I assumed they were gone, even though he hadn’t said what time they’d be leaving out. It dawned on me that I was truly alone in the place for the first time.
I set about my morning routine of a run, then breakfast and coffee. Then I started some research on my laptop that would be useful for my study. I’d been at it a few hours when my phone rang. When I saw it was my grandmother, I wondered why she was calling when I’d just spoken with her and Granddad on Sunday when they’d returned from their trip.
“Hey Mimi.” I smiled into the phone. “How are you?”
“I am good, my sweet girl, but I’m afraid I have some bad news. Your grandfather has been taken to the hospital. I think it may be a good idea for you to make your way to Portland.”
“Is he okay?”
“We aren't sure, honey. He’s had a heart attack.”
“Oh my goodness.” My hand flew to my chest. “I'll be right on my way.”
“Thank you, dear. Please drive safe. See you in a hour or so.”
“Yes ma’am. Love you, tell him I love him.”
“I will as soon as I see him. Love you too, dear.”
I hung up the phone and ran up the stairs to change and pack a few things before I started the drive to Portland.