Page 39 of You Found Me (The Meadow Springs #1)

Spencer

Last night was incredible.

The feelings I thought I’d been shoving deep, deep down have resurfaced with a vengeance. I’m no saint—I’ve been with plenty of women. But getting Emmaline to come all over my tongue with my fingers deep inside her is something I’ll never get over.

Yet somehow, I wake up alone in bed. I’d hoped I could at least make sure she was okay with everything that happened between us before we left. Making my way downstairs, I hear laughter between my mom and Emmy which can only mean one thing.

The baby photos.

I swear my mother lives to embarrass me. Before I’m able to make my presence known, I hear my mom bring up the articles and pictures from the tabloids and I freeze.

“I saw an interesting picture or two of you in those gossip magazines. I wasn’t planning on saying anything since you were only going to be here a few hours. However, fate threw me a bone. So I have to ask, are you still seeing that football player while trying to date my son? ”

“June, I promise you, there’s nothing between Chance and me. Not since I walked into my own home to hear him with another woman. He hasn’t seemed to grasp that it’s been over between us for a while.”

I hear a sigh before Emmaline continues, “He was very controlling and now that he isn’t able to control me anymore, he’s been spiraling. Trying to save face in the press and making it seem like I’m the one who cheated. I completely understand if you don’t want me with your son because of every—”

“Please don’t think that. I see the way Spencer looks at you.

Not once has he looked at anyone like he does with you before.

He brought a college girlfriend home one weekend and I never caught him watching her the way he watches you.

As a mother, I really just wanted to make sure he wouldn’t get hurt. ”

I don’t give Emmaline a chance to answer. “Did you really have to pull out the photo albums?”

Emmaline looks up, her cheeks immediately heat. Shrugging, she clears her throat to say, “I warned you I was going to ask for them. And I believe Sebastian encouraged it.”

“She needs to see what you looked like as a baby so she can picture what your babies will look like,” my mom says matter of factly. “I’m not getting any younger.”

I groan while Emmaline snickers. “Don’t be such a spoilsport. You were a really cute baby. However, he was right about pre-teen years. Those were . . . interesting. ”

“When we get back home, you bet your cute little ass I’m going to find your mom and ask for your baby pictures.”

Instead of being horrified, she just smirks before turning back to my mom to ask if she wants more coffee.

When my mom nods, Emmy grabs their mugs, passing by me incredibly close.

I don’t know what comes over me, but I follow her and brace myself against the counter, effectively caging her in.

She’s slow to turn and when she does, I notice how shallow her breathing is.

“How are you feeling this morning?”

She looks me in the eye. “I’m okay. More than okay. But I still need more time to think about everything. Is that okay? ”

Hearing those words, it’s like I can finally take a full breath. She’s not upset about it. She’s okay. “Of course that’s okay. Take all the time you need.”

She nods, then turns back toward the coffee pot before going back to my mom.

Beckett comes down looking extremely hungover, so I fill a mug with coffee and pass it to him before grabbing some pain reliever out of the cabinet.

“Dude, you look like hell. Are you okay? You never drink that much.”

“I’m fine. Just a lot of personal stuff going on,” he shrugs.

I grab his shoulder and squeeze. “I know we don’t live in the same town anymore, but I’m here for you.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know. Really though, I’m good. I’m going to go shower since mine was cut short last night and then head out. Are you guys leaving soon?”

I trust that he’s being honest with me and nod. “Yeah. I read that they’ve been clearing roads since early this morning. I figure we’ll leave in about half an hour.”

“Cool. And just so you know, I really like Em for you. Try not to fuck it up.” With that he heads back upstairs, coffee mug in hand.

***

We say goodbye to my parents with the promise to bring her back soon.

She’s quiet on the way home, which is expected since she said she needed time to think. I have the volume on the radio turned up, that way she knows I’m not going to force her to talk.

Soon enough, we’re pulling into the parking lot for our apartment complex. I help her out of the truck and walk her to her door.

She turns back to me once it’s unlocked. “Thank you for this weekend. Even if your mother threatened you to bring me,” she says, but the twinkle in her eyes lets me know she’s not upset by that in the least .

“I appreciate you coming along. If I were you, I’d expect my mom to call or text you in the near future to set up a ‘girls day.’”

Emmaline grins. “Oh, she’s already mentioned one of those. She just needs to check her schedule first.”

“She means business then.”

“I really like her. I might even keep her.”

I cock my head. “To keep her, you gotta keep me. Is that what you want?”

“Spence, I didn—”

“I’m messing with you. You said you needed time to think about everything, and I respect that. I’d like to tell you where I stand with all of this first, if that’s okay?”

I wait for what feels like hours for her answer, when really it’s just seconds. When she gently nods, I take a deep breath to calm the nerves I feel bubbling up.

“Emmy, when I agreed to this whole arrangement, I wasn’t completely honest with you.

Yes, I wanted to get my mom and the other women in town off my case, but I need you to know that I’ve had a thing for you from the moment I met you.

I even told Theo after we left the party that night that I’d found someone who spoke to my soul.

I didn’t tell him anything more because I wanted to keep you to myself for a little bit.

I’d planned to wait a few days to text you and when I did, you’d given me the wrong number. ”

“Spence, no. I gave you the right number. I went back to campus and Chance was there waiting for me, asking if I had fun and met anyone before saying how much he missed me. That’s when he decided he wanted to be my boyfriend.

I was honest with him about getting your number.

He seemed fine and then asked me out on a date.

I never received a text . . . he must’ve blocked your number when I was in the shower. ”

Rage fills me once again at that pathetic excuse of a man. But I tamp it down because it’s not her fault. He didn’t want her until he thought he’d lose control over her, so he swooped in to take her.

“It’s okay. I promise. A couple months later, Theo was showing me photos Mia had taken on a trip and there you were. My Buttercup.” At that her eyes widen a bit, but I continue on. “I asked him who you were and that’s when he told me your name along with having known you since you were kids.

“He must have seen my interest in you because he shut it down quickly. He said you got with Chance right after that Halloween party. I’ll be honest, the hope I felt was squashed.

That’s when I decided wanting to find a partner would only cause me grief.

Which is why I put everything into school and work. ”

Her face drops and I know what she’s going to say. “Don’t even think about apologizing. My reaction to the situation was not your fault, nor was it an appropriate response.

“When Theo offered me a job here in town, I was worried you’d be in town with your boyfriend. I asked him about Mia, hoping he’d bring you up in some way. And he did. Theo said she was visiting you in Atlanta. After I heard that, I took the job since the chances of seeing you were slim.

“Then we met again in the diner, and I told myself we could be friends. That with you in Charleston, you’d probably come visit and I’d get to be around you from time to time. Then suddenly you were moving back to town, single, and I kept finding myself in your orbit.

“After I saw the marks on your wrist the night of Mia’s dinner .

. .” I have to take a minute before continuing on and she grabs my bicep, giving it a squeeze.

“I have never been in a fight with someone who wasn’t Beckett and in that moment I wanted to hurt him like he hurt you.

Then your cute, tipsy brain came up with the fake dating scheme to get him off your back first and god help me, I jumped at the opportunity to date you—even if it wasn’t real.

Because it’d allow me to get to know you better while spending time with you. ”

I close my eyes for a second before continuing, knowing this might ruin everything, “Being with you last night was more than I ever imagined would actually happen between us. And before you think this is all about sex, it’s not.

It’s because you’re an amazing woman and you bring out the best in everyone around you, including me.

Emmaline, I want to be with you, to give this a chance to become something more.

If you go in and decide you don’t want more than this arrangement or if you want it to end, I’ll respect that.

You won’t lose me as a friend, and I’m old enough to be able to handle that, because I want you in my life. ”

Through my whole speech, her eyes have gotten progressively redder in an effort not to cry but when I deliver the last line, one tear slips free. I raise my hand to her face, wipe away the tear, and lean down to kiss her forehead.

“Take as much time as you need. You know where to find me.” And with that, I turn towards my apartment.

“Spencer, wait!”

I turn around at her command. “Will you go out to dinner with me Thursday? I do need to think about everything—I just want to give myself and you a deadline. I have a trip to the city planned Wednesday night with Piper to visit Cori and see a show. Though . . . it might be for the best if you don’t drive me to work tomorrow and Tuesday. ”

“If that’s what you want. I’d love to go out to dinner with you on Thursday. See you then, Buttercup.”