“No, they didn’t do that.”
“Thank God.”
“They sent Steven instead.”
“Oh shit. That’s so much worse.”
“It was like a bad soap opera, Kate. Steven barged into Jason’s restaurant, insisted I leave with him, and before I could get him to leave, Jason came out and got in the middle of it.”
“I don’t get it. Why would Steven have come?”
Emma laughed, a mirthless sound. “Especially since we both know he doesn’t really want me back.”
“You know I didn’t mean it like that. He’s an idiot for not wanting to be with you, but you’re too good for him anyway. Are your parents holding something over his head?”
Emma forced herself to think clearly. “I’ll bet they are. He mentioned something about my clients calling him and my father getting wind of it. I’ll bet they’ve offered him a nice sum of money if he takes me back.” Her words sinking in, she nearly sobbed, “How could my own parents think I’m so worthless that they have to buy someone to be with me?”
“Oh honey, they don’t. They’re just confused about who the best man is. They think it’s Steven. We both know it isn’t.”
But Emma wasn’t sure she knew anything anymore. Steven didn’t really want her but would take her for the money. Jason acted like he wanted her one minute, and the next he was sending her away in another man’s car as if the last few days hadn’t meant anything to him at all.
“I take it Steven showing up didn’t help anything,” Kate said, breaking Emma’s pained silence.
She sank down on Jason’s bed, losing her tenuous hold on keeping it together. “He couldn’t have picked a worse time. Jason was just starting to get comfortable with me again. I thought he was letting himself care for me, Kate. He has to know I’d never go back with Steven in a million years, doesn’t he?”
“Have you told him?”
“Not exactly, but—”
“I don’t want this to come out the wrong way, honey, but you chose Steven once before. How could Jason be certain that you wouldn’t do it again?”
Emma hated how Kate was throwing her own fears back at her, making her actually look them in the eye.
“Because I’m different now. I’ve changed.”
“Are you sure?”
Emma shot up off the bed, her insides raging because she knew Kate was right. Four stolen days in Napa had barely made a dent in her life.
She hadn’t really changed anything, had she?
Emma sank down onto the carpet. “I thought I was being so tough turning my back on my business and my parents for a few days, but what if I wimp out? I don’t know if I’m strong enough to leave everything behind.”
“Why not? What have you got to lose?”
She had to think about that. “Everyone’s respect, I guess.”
“Respect versus true love. Hmm, sounds like a difficult choice.”
“Do you really think it could be that easy, Kate?”
She wanted Kate to say,True love is always easy, but wasn’t the least bit surprised to hear, “No. Probably not. It’ll probably hurt like a bitch and be the hardest thing you’ve ever done.”
“Great,” Emma mumbled, “that was just what I needed to hear.”
“Maybe I should take some time off work and join you for a few days. Would that help?”
Emma wanted nothing more than to hold on to her best friend like a lifeline. But what she said was, “I think I need to fix this mess all by myself.”
When the lunch rush slowed down, Rocco held out two beers and pushed open the door to the back alley.
“Your life has become a goddamned roller coaster,” he said to Jason. “I can’t take it. I need a drink.”
Rocco downed his beer in one long gulp, then tossed the empty bottle into the Dumpster. Jason passed his over. “I take it you spent the past couple of days with Blondie? Showing her the sights?”
Jason shook his head over his stupidity. He’d done more than show Emma the sights. He’d nearly given her his heart again.
“I don’t know what I was thinking.”
Rocco shrugged. “You were thinking that she’s hot and you were having a good time. Nothing wrong with that.”
“I wanted revenge, not a good time.”
“I remember.”
“And I’m still going to make sure I get it.”
“How so?”
“Her ex-husband wants her back.”
Rocco squinted in the afternoon sun. “Yeah, so I heard. Sounds like he’s a real prick.”
“He is.”
Rocco put down his second empty bottle. “So you’re going to convince her to leave him for you and then once she’s cut her ties you’ll cut her off?”
Jason nodded.
“Doesn’t sound like a very nice thing to do, boss.”
“Tell that to someone who gives a f**k.”
Jason wasn’t surprised to find Emma perched on the edge of his front porch swing. She’d fled his restaurant, but he had seriously doubted that she’d up and leave Napa so fast. Especially when he could tell she was only just settling in.
Her face was as pale as he’d ever seen it and her eyes were huge and frightened. But no matter how fragile she seemed to be, he refused to give in to the urge to comfort her, to feel sorry for her. After all, hadn’t it been feeling sorry for her all those years ago that had gotten him into this whole mess? And then he’d gone and done it again. Stupid f**k that he was.
Not again. Not ever again. It had taken him years to get over her. Hell, he still wasn’t over her. Given the way he’d behaved this week, he’d done nothing but dig a deeper hole for himself.
He’d taken the long way home to give himself time to pack his anger away, to manufacture a relaxed and friendly persona. In order for his plan to work, he needed her to think he was on her side. Moseying up the gravel pathway to his porch, he enjoyed watching her squirm, not knowing what he was going to say, how he was going to react.
Sitting down next to her on the porch swing, he said, “That was some unexpected visitor, wasn’t it?”
She started, clearly shocked by his easygoing manner. “I’m sorry about that, Jason. He shouldn’t have come here. Shouldn’t have barged into your restaurant like that.”
Jason shook his head, forcing himself to say the words he knew she needed to hear to make her stay. “I’m the one who should apologize.”