Page 74 of Student Seduction

22

Emersyn

3Months Later

“Emersyn,” Deb called up the stairs of the beach house she shared with my dad. “You have a visitor.”

Glancing out my window, I saw that the sun was setting. I hadn’t been awake long. I’d taken a nap after dinner because I’d stayed up half the night working on the piece I’d begun sculpting when I’d first moved here. I was calling itHomesick.

Rubbing my eyes, I ambled down the stairs. “How can I have a visitor? I don’t even know anyone he—”

Aiden stood in the doorway.

My breath caught in my throat. I was wearing a blue flannel shirt that I still had of his. Only because his lucky hockey jersey was in the wash.

“You’re here,” was all I could say because my brain wasn’t fully functional yet.

He nodded. “I tried to call a few times.”

I knew this. I hadn’t answered because I was still heartbroken that he’d told me to leave, that he hadn’t even come to say goodbye.

I was wounded and angry and dealing with so much sudden change.

“I take it you know this guy,” Deb said.

I didn’t take my eyes off him, wondering if he was a figment of my imagination. “I do.”

“Okay, then.” She left us alone and I moved to where she’d been standing at the door.

“Deb has never met you before but my dad knows you were my teacher,” I said quietly. “Coming here was either really brave or really stupid.” My dad was out of town, but he had no way of knowing that.

“Depending on?”

I shrugged. “What you’re here for, I guess.”

“Take a walk with me?”

I started to step outside into the sunshine when I realized I was missing something vital. “Uh, I need to change or at least put on some pants.”

He nodded, glancing appreciatively at my bare legs. “I’ll wait.”

I ran up the stairs with my heart pounding. My mind went wild.What was he doing here?

What could he possibly want?

I’d given him my heart already. Was he coming for my soul now?

If this were a movie, he’d be here to propose, to tell me he couldn’t live another day without me. But that wasn’t my life. I didn’t get magical movie fairytale moments. I knew that. I mentally berated my heart and my mind for even allowing such ridiculous thoughts.

I pulled on some cutoff jean shorts under his flannel and tucked the front corner of the shirt in so I didn’t look like a pants-less wonder. I slid on the new white Converse Dad had bought me while trying to figure out how I’d explain Aiden’s visit to him.

My ex-history teacher just wanted to check and make sure I was settling in okay.

Right.

Deb gave me a curious look as I made my way down the stairs.

“He’s a friend from back home. He happened to be in town, so, uh, he stopped by. We’re just going to take a walk and catch up a bit.”