Page 26

EMMA
Iwoke up with a gasp, my heart beating relentlessly in my chest. Carter was asleep behind me, his arm wrapped securely around my waist, holding me close. I never should’ve let things go so far, but I couldn’t resist. I missed Carter’s touch, the way he smelled, and how he’d hold me protectively in his arms. But sadly, morning had finally come, and a decision had to be made.
Do I stay, or do I go?
Life would be so much easier if I left. Staying put my heart at risk, and I couldn’t open myself up to that again. Hell, I was already screwed because I knew my heart would split right through the middle once I left.
Carefully, I slid out of Carter’s arms and quickly fumbled through my bag for the jeans and tank top I wore yesterday. When I glanced down at my phone, there was a gazillion missed calls and texts from Aleah. But as I scrolled through her messages, she knew exactly what her brother and I were doing. She just asked that I call her before heading back to Los Angeles.
Carter shifted in the bed, and I held my breath as I got dressed. If he were to wake up, there was no way he’d let me leave. My heart wouldn’t let me either because I knew I'd give in when I looked into his eyes. It killed me to walk out now.
It was still dark outside, which worked to my advantage. The only light in the room came from the alarm clock on the dresser. Grabbing my bag, I tiptoed to the door and gently opened it. My heart went into full gear, pumping so hard it made me lightheaded. I stepped out into the hallway and shut the door; the only sound was a slight click. Once I was safely out, and in the elevator, I breathed a sigh of relief. I didn’t know what I would do when I got back to Los Angeles. Carter wasn’t going to just give up on me. Do I really want him to? My traitorous heart said no. He let me go before without so much as a fight to keep me. With that being said, I didn’t help matters when I told him to let me go. He only did what I wished. Guess I couldn’t entirely blame him for that.
The elevator dinged, and I hurried into the lobby to the attendant at the front desk, a middle-aged woman with short blonde hair and skin that had seen too much sun. She had a friendly smile and kind brown eyes, eyes that tried their hardest not to focus on the tangled rat’s nest on top of my head.
“Hi,” I greeted her. “Is there any way you could call a cab for me, please?”
The lady nodded. “Of course.” While she busied herself with that, I kept my focus on the elevator, wondering if Carter would burst through at any moment. “Ma’am?”
I jerked my attention to her. “Yes?”
She smiled again. “One will be here shortly. Have a lovely day.”
“You too,” I said, rushing out the door and pulling out my phone to call Aleah. The sky was still dark, but there was a hint of royal blue in the distance. The sun would be up soon, but it was still early. Aleah most likely wasn’t awake.
The line rang a few times, but Aleah’s groggy voice answered. “Did you and my brother have fun last night?”
Groaning, I paced along the walkway. “No comment. I’m on my way to your condo to get my stuff. I need to get back to Los Angeles.”
“Emma, it’s six in the morning,” she said, her voice dry. “Please tell me you didn’t sneak out of my brother’s bed without his knowledge?”
I froze mid-step. “Maybe.”
“Emma!” she scolded.
“What? I’m not ready to face him after last night. I don’t know what to do.”
Aleah huffed with annoyance. “It’s simple. You tell him how you feel, and he’ll do the same. Then, voila. You can stop fighting against what you want and give in.”
“It’s not that easy,” I fired back.
“Actually, it is. You’re the one making it difficult.”
“The cab’s here,” I said quickly, not wanting to hear anymore. “I’ll be there soon.”
I hung up and threw my phone in the bag before opening the cab door. The driver smiled and glanced at me in the rearview mirror. “Where to?”
I gave him the address, and a few minutes later, we arrived at Aleah’s building. I didn’t expect to find her in the lobby, dressed in pink pajamas with her dark hair in a messy bun and my suitcase at her feet.
Sheepishly, I walked toward her, knowing she was angry. “I love you, Emma, but I’m not happy with you right now. Carter’s going to come after you. I may not know the whole story with you two, but I saw his face yesterday when he watched you on that roof. I’ve never seen him look at another woman like that.”
I reached for my suitcase handle and slid it over to my side. “It doesn’t matter. My life is in New York, and he is here in California.”
Aleah twitched a shoulder. “If it’s meant to be, that shouldn’t stop you.” She held out the keys to the SUV I borrowed from my dad. “I know you’ll figure this out, Emma.”
After I took the keys, I hugged her hard. “I will. Right now, I just need to think.”
Aleah returned the embrace. “I understand. Go. Maybe you’ll have the answers after your six-hour drive.”
I let her go and said thank you before racing outside to the car. I had to get a head start before Carter noticed I was gone.