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“Look, I’m going to say what I need to say, and then we’re going to enjoy our massage. How does that sound?”
Emilie nodded. “Fine. Is this about you and Dean arguing outside?” A hard knot formed in the pit of her stomach as she waited for Ava’s answer.
Ava smirked. “You saw that, huh?”
“I’m pretty sure all of us saw it. Aren’t you worried about Finn’s family and what they’re saying about you?”
Ava lifted her head when Sharon passed them then moved over to Emilie’s massage bed and sat down. “First of all, Finn’s family has never liked me. You weren’t the only one mad at him for dumping you. It hasn’t helped that I’ve relied on him for... support since high school.” Her friend shifted before standing and pacing next to the table. “But that’s something for me to worry about. You need to know the truth about Dean.”
Emilie waited on the edge of the table, her legs shivering from the cool air.
“Dean’s not who or what you think he is. You’re marrying him, but do you really know him?”
All Emilie could do was stare at Ava. “Good joke. What are you even talking about?” Ava’s sympathetic expression made Emilie even more anxious.
“Let’s just say Dean’s been keeping secrets from you. Big ones. Why would Dean and I talk to each other in the first place, much less argue? We barely tolerate each other.”
She stilled her breathing, not wanting to miss a single word. A sudden thought made her sick to her stomach. Was he dating someone else? Did he have some dark past she didn’t know about? If he did, did she even want to know?
Finally, she forced the words out of her mouth. “What secrets are you talking about?”
Ava shrugged. “It’s not my place to tell you, but that’s what we were arguing about. I was trying to convince him to tell you himself. I told him I’d give him a day and if he didn’t come out with it, I was going to tell you. I would want to know if I were you.”
Emilie’s heart pounded in her ears. It was more serious than she could’ve imagined. She ignored her growing suspicion and glanced around the room. Sharon was glaring at Ava a few stations away. “Finn’s mother is really out to get you.”
“Humph.” Ava picked at a piece of lint on her shirt. “Same old bat. Such a gossip. I’ve landed on hard times. They have plenty of money. This isn’t even a drop in the ocean for them. Finn is happy to do anything I want, and yet, they’re making a stink about it.”
No matter how horrible Ava had been, she was still a person with feelings; rumors hurt, and Emilie wouldn’t wish them on her worst enemy. She patted Ava’s arm. “If you’re using Finn, why don’t you stop? Finn is a… decent guy.” She bit her lip. Fire burned behind Ava’s eyes. Emilie had said too much.
Ava narrowed her eyes. “What are you talking about? Of course I love Finn. We’ve been together for a long time. I’m going to ignore what you said. I need a massage.”
She’d given it a shot. If Ava wouldn’t listen, it wasn’t her fault. Emilie sighed and laid on her stomach, signaling to her attendant she was ready.
Emilie tried, but couldn’t enjoy the massage. Her thoughts returned to Dean and everything Ava said. He was hiding something. Since moving home, they had only focused on her. All along Dean had his own secrets.
* * *
Emilie rehearsed what to say to Dean all the way back to the room. She had a strong urge to run, but didn’t. She wanted to hear the truth, and not from Ava’s mouth.
When she opened the door, the room was dark. She turned on one light, in case he was sleeping, but the room was empty. Relief and disappointment warred inside her.
Since he wasn’t there yet, she showered and changed into one of her fancier dresses, which Ava had advised her to wear for the occasion. It was a cross between a sundress and a sailor dress, with white and blue stripes across it and tiny brown sandalwood buttons lining the sides of her hip. She matched it with a pair of brown sandals. For her final touch, she tied a blue ribbon around her hair. Her look was girly and classy, and she loved it.
Right when she was about to sit and start her makeup, the room’s door swung open.
Dean checked her out in the mirror and whistled. “You look beautiful.” He came up behind her. Warmth crept up her back when he put a hand on her waist. “How was the spa?”
It wouldn’t do any good to get too upset without knowing the facts. She had no reason to trust Ava. “It was relaxing and then… weird. Ava said something about you that’s been going through my mind ever since.”
Dean turned her so they faced each other. He was frowning when she met his eyes. “What did she say?”
“Nothing. She said you had something to say to me.”
A muscle in Dean’s cheek flexed. “Did she? There’s nothing much to say. She has her own issues she needs to work out instead of focusing on mine.”
“So there is something to say?” Emilie asked.
Dean dropped his hands. He was suddenly interested in the stray thread peeking out of the bottom of his shirt. “Honestly, I don’t know what she’s talking about. Besides, I’m not sure Ava is capable of telling the truth after all the lies she spread about you.”
