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Ana replies immediately, and while Meghan’s tiny profile picture moves over the messages indicating what she’s read, she doesn’t reply.
I also send a picture of the cake to make them jealous, then close my phone. As much as I try to ignore Meghan’s words, they still sit on the edge of my mind. The words themselves don’t hurt as much as the fact that she was the one who said them. She’d always been more uptight and prude compared to me and Ana, but we’ve never judged her for it.
Not like this.
“Fuck,” I whisper into the low light of the kitchen. I need some time away. Spending the weekend up in the mountains at the family cabin is growing more appealing by the second. I won’t even care that my family will be there because I can stroll in the woods and take time for myself to work everything out.
Because, as much as I try to focus on the good, like Finn and the others, I can’t shake this sensation of a shadow lingering over me. It’s like something is standing behind me, and it vanishes every time I turn around. The break-in of my car is mingling with the situation at the club, my missing phone being perfectly placed on my pillow, and even the rise in nasty comments online; it’s all boiling together. Not to mention I’ve found my bedroom window open more than once this past week.
Maybe I really am sleepwalking again, and all of that is the stress.
I need a break.
Another door in the kitchen suddenly opens and in walks a staff member who flashes me a polite smile. I wave at her, then hurry back out into the party, where the light and noise effectively stun me.
“Berry!” Dad excuses himself from whoever he’s talking to as soon as our eyes meet and he hurries toward me.
“I’m not telling you anything about the cake,” I warn him as soon as he’s close enough. “Not a thing.”
A slight smile causes his mustache to rise. “That’s not what I want you for. There’s someone I want you to meet.”
I take his elbow and let him lead me through the party, preparing myself for what is surely about to be a long and dull conversation with someone who has been friends with my father for so long they probably saw me in diapers.
Those conversations are always the same, and they will never retain anything about me so we can repeat that song and dance the next year.
“You might remember him,” Dad says as we weave through the crowd. “He’s one of my old college friends who used to visit when you were quite tiny. I haven’t seen him in a good few years now, but I’m sure he’ll remember you.”
We stop and Dad touches the shoulder of a man that’s facing away from us.
I breathe in, preparing the same polite speech of Oh yes I remember you, it has been a long time hasn’t it? Then a familiar citrus scent tickles my nose. The man turns around with a wide smile and our eyes meet.
My heart plummets like a rock.
“Asher,” Dad says. “You remember Little Berry, right?”
16
EMMA
“Little Berry?” The open surprise on Asher’s face matches the influx of tightness swooping through my chest. It’s like my heart has been knocked out of place and is beating all over the inside of my body.
“Little Berry,” Asher repeats. “Your daughter, Little Berry, is Emma…”
My father’s old college friend is Asher?!
Oh my God.
Oh my fucking God.
I’ve been fucking my father’s friend.
To make things worse, I spot Caspian and Finn just over Asher’s shoulder. They’re talking and laughing together as if they know each other. As if they all know each other. I can’t think. My mind can’t process beyond Asher’s presence and words fail me even as my father looks at me expectantly.
Asher is friends with my dad.
Oh my God.
“Emma.” Asher jerkily holds out one hand. “It’s nice to see you again. It’s been years.”
