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“Saturday’s fine.”
Their friendship was too important to let things fester. At the same time, the thought didn’t make her feel better. The little chit-chat with Finn cost her more than she wanted to pay.
18
Dean
The next week crawled by. Every day, Dean wanted to stop by Emilie’s house. Yet on his way over, he remembered the way she had looked at Finn, and then he would sober up and go home.
He consumed himself in work, leaving and coming when it was too dark to see a glimpse of Emilie’s house from his window.
The boys razzed him at work, commenting on his lack of focus and change of attitude. He was usually more easygoing, but he angered at the slightest issue. Every day, he rehearsed what he’d say to Emilie, but it never sounded right, so he practiced it differently the following day.
On Saturday, he called to make sure she remembered their platonic date.
“I’ll meet you at the restaurant,” she said when he called to confirm a time. “Can’t wait to see you.”
He pushed back in his Laz-E-Boy chair and sighed. Unfortunately, hearing her voice softened him. It’d been a long week without talking, something he had done on purpose. With the need to talk to her also came frustration. He wanted to be with her, wanted to hear about her day, but at the same time he was angry. Why was he so susceptible to her? Would he be able to express his disappointment without ruining what might be developing between them?
“I’ll pick you up instead. See you later.” He hung up before he said anything stupid like “I miss you” or “Can’t wait to see you.” How pathetic was he?
It shocked him to see her flirting with Finn. Emilie dated plenty throughout their friendship, but to see her chase after someone else’s fiancé made him question whether he really knew her.
When it came down to it, he was angry. Angry he’d said they were fake engaged, angry he’d given her so much of his time, and angry he’d gotten swept up in Finn’s wedding.
Regardless of how he felt, he couldn’t throw in the towel. Emilie was worth the wait, but that didn’t mean he would stand by and watch her destroy herself.
That evening, he dressed in a nicer outfit: navy slacks and a button-up shirt, but quickly swapped his slacks for jeans in case he’d send the wrong message.
When she answered the door, his resolve to be aloof melted like butter in the sun. She was beautiful in a blue sundress and brown strappy sandals that wrapped her ankles. Her hair was curled and pulled halfway up. It made her eyes stand out more.
“Ready to go?” he said, already turning back to the truck. He needed to remain strong. To withstand her enchantments.
“Mmm, hmm.” She linked her arm through his before he could escape. He froze as she locked the door. Unwanted tingles erupted up his arm, and when he gently pulled his elbow back, her grip tightened. Touching was not helping. If she didn’t let go of him soon, it was all over. He’d be putty in her hands.
“You look nice tonight.” Her melodic voice played with his heart.
Her fingers touched his skin lightly as she pulled him toward the truck. He gritted his teeth and stared straight ahead. No time for weakness.
He needed to make sure his voice didn’t sound too eager. “Thanks. You too.”
He opened her door. Before she got in, she held his gaze for one long second.
“It’s been forever since I’ve seen you. I’ve missed you.”
Warmth spread through Dean as she studied him, but all he allowed was a nod. Lay down the facts. Tell her what she did wrong and stick it to her. The task was not for the faint of heart.
Emilie started the conversation before he could turn the key. “All my ducks are in a row for the dance studio. Over one hundred students are enrolled for classes, and I haven’t even reached the end of my list.”
Other than a few nods, he didn’t interrupt. He wanted to hear about her week. Well, mostly he did. Knowing some made him want more.
“I hired another teacher, but that’s great news, right? Some of the students are enrolled for multiple classes, so if I can double my numbers, I think we’ll have a good year.”
Did she even know she was getting the silent treatment? He wanted more than anything to encourage her, but all it took was the memory of her with Finn to kindle the ember of anger inside him. How could she flirt with Finn? She continued talking, unaware of the internal battle in his mind.
“The instructor I hired came by a couple of times, and we divvied up the classes. I’m excited.”
Dean stared straight ahead. The happiness in her voice was both torture and kept the fire burning. Keeping his mind firm and steady was not working.
