Chapter Twenty-Five
Luke
I heard her truck when it came rumbling down the driveway. I had talked to her briefly last night, but both of us were exhausted and honestly every time I spoke to her Chris came up. I was trying not to be a jealous asshole. I knew she had to work with the guy, but he’d laid down the gauntlet, and I wasn't playing his game.
I watched as she parked the car and opened the door. I didn't want to be that guy, but I pushed open my screen door and waited. I smiled when she looked up and smiled back. She rolled her eyes and pointed toward the phone. I grabbed her bags and carried them in the house.
“Mom, I'm home. Can we talk later? Luke is here, and I haven't seen him for a week.” She took the phone from her ear putting it on speaker. Her mom was talking about everything and nothing at the same time. She walked toward me, wrapped her arms around me, and kissed me softly. I pulled her against my chest and kissed her again.
“I missed you,” I whispered.
“I missed you more.”
“What did you say?” her mom's voice echoed through the room.
“Mom, I really need to go.”
“Oh, I meant to ask how your dinner with Chris went last night?” I felt her stiffen in my arms and then look up at me. She had dinner with him last night. I stepped out of her arms and walked toward the door.
“Luke, wait!” she said as I pushed open the screen door. “Mom, I have to go. We’ll discuss the mess you created later.” She hit the end button and came after me.
“You didn’t tell me you had dinner with Chris last night? I thought you were going with your mom,” I barked. I wasn't going to do this again.
“I was supposed to have dinner with my mom, and she didn't show. She sent Chris in her place, and I didn't want to be rude.” She stood there, hands on her hips.
“You had dinner with another man...” I walked away and into my house. She followed me.
“Luke, are you being serious right now?”
“Yeah, I guess I am. What if it was me? What if I went to dinner with some chick?”
“Chris and I have known each other forever. It isn't like that and never has been. He's a nice guy, and we work together.”
“If you want to believe he's a nice guy then you’re a better person than I am.”
“What do you mean if I believe? He's never been anything but nice to me. He's worked for my grandfather for years and does a good job, so I don't understand what you mean. You want me to just not to talk to him? Do you want me to be rude to him because you have some competition grudge? I don't understand what you want me to do.”
“I just want you to think about my feelings.”
“Luke, seriously. I like you. Only you. I don't know why you would think otherwise.”
I could see where this was heading. He made a ton more money than me, he was close to where she would live one day, and this was turning into a competition I didn't want. I wasn't going to be cheated on again, and I wasn't going to stand there and let her downplay what had happened.
“I don't think this is a good idea.” I turned toward her. “I think you need to leave.”
I watched her expression fall. And as much as I wanted to go to her, kiss her, make it all go away... I knew I couldn't. I knew I was being an ass, but this was about self-preservation. I was already more invested than I should have been, and there were so many reasons why this never should have started and so many reasons why it would never work. I had no intentions of ever moving to Portland, and she was going to be there sooner or later. Hell, she was there more than half the time now. I missed seeing her every day. I missed having lunch and dinner with her at random times. That would only get worse if I didn’t stop it.
“Luke, please.” A tear trickled down her cheek, but I just looked at the floor and then she walked away. I heard the sound of my screen door slam and then hers echoed. I punched my wall and yelled in frustration, leaving a hole I’d have to repair later. I knew she probably heard me, but I didn't care. I was so angry that she didn't think dinner with him was a bad idea. As far as I knew, she’d been with Chris all week. I understood that he worked there, but when she started meeting him for dinner and lunch, that was getting a little too much for me.
***
I watched her through my front window as she had left that morning after being home for two days, but when we saw each other, I would ignore her smile and grunt and walk away. The last thing I was going to do was put myself through another heartache when I could clearly see it coming. And when Ryan asked me what the deal was, I told him just that.
“You are an idiot,” Ryan said as he sprawled out on my couch.
“Why? Because I don't like the fact that my girlfriend was having dinner with another man and just forgot to tell me about it?”
“He works with her. Besides, I doubt seriously she is interested in that Neanderthal. She has better sense than that.” Ryan was always so sure of himself. “She isn't Bimbo Barbie, and she isn't cheating. Grow a set and apologize,” he demanded.
I wanted to, but I was mad and hurt more than anything. She felt she couldn't be honest with me, and even after we spoke that night, she hadn't said anything about having dinner with him.
“She lied,” I stated.
“She didn't feel the need to elaborate,” Ryan said.
“She omitted, same difference.”
“I don't think she did it on purpose.”
“Well, good for you. You date her then.”
“Don’t tempt me,” he gave me the look. “Seriously, dude. Don’t lose the best thing that could happen to you because you’re being stupid and stubborn.”
I was still angry, but deep down, I knew Ryan had a point. I wanted to talk to her, but she was gone to Portland. It wasn’t really a conversation I wanted to have over the phone. This was an apology I needed to make in person.
I was an adult, not a twenty-year-old kid, and even though everything pointed in one direction, I knew that Chris just trying his damndest to get under my skin. Chris had made promises and threats to me personally, and while Emmy was an amazing woman, I didn’t doubt he would do whatever to whomever—including Emmy—just to piss me off. I knew I should have acted accordingly, but even the idea of his hands on her broke something deep inside of me, and I wasn't sure that could be fixed.
“So, you done being a dick?” Ryan asked.
“No, are you?”
“I am not the dick in this relationship.” He motioned between us.
“Thank you, Captain Obvious, for the information.” I rolled my eyes, walked into the kitchen, and poured me a glass of water.
“Have you even talked to Emmy?” Ryan asked.
“Nope, have you?”
“I think maybe her phone is off. She texted me last night, but I haven’t been able to get in touch with her today.”
I sat the glass down, put my hands on the counter, and dropped my head between my arms.
“Did you talk to her while she was home?” he questioned.
“What was I supposed to say? How’s Chris?”
“You know it is all a show on his end. You cannot be that stupid.”
“It isn't about me being stupid. It’s about the fact that she wasn’t upfront with me.”
“You are seriously mad because her mom flaked on her? The same mom that made it a point to ask how Chris was so you would hear it over the phone? The same one who kind of did the same thing to your face at dinner that night?”
“It's just happening all over again,” I muttered.
“Emmy is not the same person who screwed you over, and you have got to stop acting like a chick over this.” Ryan walked over and slammed his hands down on the counter. “You need to get your head out of your ass. I'm just telling you how I see it. I see you living in the past and jumping to conclusions because of it. Emmy has been through some pretty shitty relationships, and I seriously doubt she would actively try to hurt you.”
“And how the fuck do you know that?”
“I talked to her for months before she moved here. And we’ve talked since she arrived. We’ve talked about a lot of things.”
“I just don't know what to do.”
“Then I guess you had better figure it out.” He looked down at his watch and grinned. “The day is young. You can make it there before she leaves the office if you get your ass in the truck now.”