I snickered at myself while unlocking my door. I’m walkin’ on sunshine, alright. Emmett’s, to be exact.
The second I shut my door, I shrieked and dropped my phone along with my keys. The high I was feeling was quickly wiped away as I looked into my mother’s wary face. She was standing right in the middle of my living room with her arms crossed over her fuchsia dress. Her eyes narrowed the second they landed on me.
“Jeez, Mom! You scared me to death!” I said breathlessly, walking cautiously into the room with my heart pounding violently in my ears.
“Where on earth have you been?!” Her shrill voice caused me to tremble. My mother didn’t give me a chance to answer. “Derek’s mom is almost to the bridal shop, and here you are, walking in with the stench of yesterday on your skin! You look a mess. Where have you been? We’re supposed to be looking at wedding gowns today! Don’t you remember? It should be in your planner! Goodness, you’d think it was my wedding with how you’re not even the slightest bit interested.”
My mouth gaped, and I racked my brain for where I’d placed my planner. I hadn’t looked at my planner in at least a week, which was a big no-no in our world. I wonder what else I’ve missed.
And wedding dress shopping? What?!
I took a deep breath before answering my mom who was still scowling. “Mom, Derek and I haven’t even set a date to get engaged! Why am I going to look at dresses?!
The eyebrow placed on my mother’s face rose so high it could have brushed the clouds. “Because according to Derek and his mother, this is happening when he gets back from Guam. Haven’t you and Derek talked lately? Please…” She closed her eyes briefly before driving them into my forehead. “Please tell me that you haven’t messed this up somehow. This is becoming exhausting. How many men have you ‘sampled,’ Fallon? Thirty? Forty? I thought Derek was the perfect match. In fact, you had told me that. I’m not sure what else to do with you.”
My stomach churned at her words. They were hurtful even if she didn’t mean for them to be. It was just another reminder that I was nothing like the daughter she had hoped for. I pushed back with all my might, playing it off that so-and-so wasn’t attractive, or smart enough, or boring, or… the list went on. When Derek rolled around, I was honestly out of excuses, and I was finally accepting it.
Until Emmett.
Until things became real.
But looking up at my mother’s weary face, the way her eyes searched all around the room, no doubt wondering where she’d gone wrong with me, I exhaled.
“I’m sorry I’m late. I’ve been busy lately… with helping Claire get ready for the spring fundraiser. I’ll hurry and change and be ready to go in ten.” My voice came out flat, and I tried with all my power to muster up some type of excitement, some form of enthusiasm for going wedding dress shopping.
I should have been excited.
Getting married should be one of the most exciting days in a woman’s life, and here I was, dreading it with every bone in my body.
I could feel myself slipping away from the person I’d tried to be all my life. I could feel barriers coming down. I could feel happiness slipping through my very fingers. I felt like I was standing on a tightrope, teetering back and forth. I was desperately holding on, balancing between right and wrong, hoping I could somehow save myself. But the more time I spent with Emmett and away from all of this, I knew I was seconds from falling right on my face.
Chapter Sixteen
Emmett
The soft knock on my door had my heart leaping through the roof. This would be the fourth time I’d seen Fallon since we’d had sex, and it just kept getting better.
There was something different about her. She seemed… airy. Light. Happy. It may have been the orgasms changing her demeanor, or maybe it was just me, but whatever it was, it only made her that much more attractive. I couldn’t get enough.
I thought about her constantly. I talked to her every night, and we texted throughout the day.
It was like we were in the puppy-love stage of a relationship, and we weren’t even technically in a relationship.
We were just… us.
I’d catch myself staring at her any time we were together, even if she was halfway across the room at Ships. I could feel the strain of my dick at the sight of her bent over a pool table, trying her very hardest to beat Dawson at pool. She was terrible, and the fact that she found it hilarious, made her that much cuter.
And don’t even get me started on the sex.
Actually… even just kissing her.
I couldn’t stop.
I’d never been so out of control with lust before.
It only perplexed me further.
Fallon and I were just… different.