Chasing Ivy (Oak Hill 1)

I gasped with surprise when my gaze landed on another familiar face: Emmett.

Emmett and Dawson didn’t really look alike, although they both had dark hair and jaws made of steel. They both resembled male models, like the type you see in cologne ads, but they were also extremely different. Dawson would be featured in a more sophisticated cologne ad, like Calvin Klein, but Emmett would be seen in something similar to Gucci with his mysterious vibe and sexy, unshaven face.

“Wow, Emmett looks…” I started, looking at Becca and then back to Emmett.

He finally caught my stare and his eyes widened at the same time his mouth did. He formed a cunning smile and started to make his way over to me.

“Yeah, he’s fucking hot in that dangerous, might-fuck-you-in-a-dressing-room kind of way.”

I laughed, watching him stumble over to our booth.

“Is he drunk?” I whispered.

“Looks like it…”

I could smell the tequila on his breath as he reached for me, pulling me to my feet and draping an arm over my shoulder. He squeezed slightly and slurred, “Wow, I can’t believe my brother’s girl is home.”

My breath caught but before I could say anything, he lightly shoved me back into the booth and then climbed in beside me, causing me to squish Becca against the wall. She was hiding a smile behind her hand and I gave her a “help me” look, but she only chuckled.

“I think Breanna would disagree that I was your brother’s girl, Emmett.” I tried desperately to change the direction of the conversation. “How are you? It’s been a really long time since I’ve seen you in person.”

He leaned back, placing his arm around the top of the booth behind my head. “Me? I’m just fucking dandy.”

I couldn’t tell if he was being sarcastic or not. I didn’t know Emmett very well when I was younger. He’d been absent for most of my friendship with Dawson, since he’d been sent to a military school for his bad-boy behavior. And now, he was more like a complete stranger to me. He didn’t seem to think I was a stranger, though. He brought his arm back down, resting it slightly on my shoulders again.

“Better not let Dawson see you with your arm around her like that, Emmett,” Max warned as he came back to the table and handed Becca and I our drinks – a beer for Becca and a whisky sour for me.

“What, think he’ll get his panties in a wad? Good.”

Max looked uneasy as he observed Emmett slurring his words and swaying back and forth in his seat. His dark eyes were red and glossy, and he could barely keep them open.

He was drunk as a skunk.

Apparently bad-boy Emmett hadn’t changed all that much.

Before I could even sip on my drink, Emmett snatched it out of my hand and threw his head back, gulping the entire thing in one single swallow.

My mouth dropped as he slammed it back down on the table.

“Thanks, babe,” he said and I literally laughed out loud.

“Thank him.” I ushered to Max who was all but glaring at Emmett. “He bought it.”

A huge smile covered Emmett’s face and then he rested his heavy head on my shoulder.

The entire situation was weird. I kind of felt like I was in the middle of some wicked acid trip. Emmett was acting like he and I were the best of friends, and the full weight of his head was so heavy on my shoulder that it was starting to ache.

“You’re all grown up, Ivy,” he slurred, his alcohol-laden breath almost stunning me into a daze.

I breathed out a small sigh, suddenly feeling a little sad for him. He was truly drunk off his ass and I was pretty sure people didn’t get this shit-faced this early in the night just for the fun of it.

Okay, maybe they did, but I had a serious hunch that Emmett was troubled and that was why he was so inebriated.

I leaned my head over on top of his and patted his arm a few times to make sure he wasn’t about to pass out on me, and then I heard the bar door slam shut. I peeped my eyes upward and I was met with the coldest stare that I’d ever seen.

Dawson’s narrowed gaze was trained on his brother’s head, resting on my shoulder, and even from a distance I could see the rage swimming in his icy blue hues. It seemed that Dawson did not like seeing his brother with me…and that sent a shock of excitement down my limbs.

Chapter Sixteen