Page 63 of You Found Me (The Meadow Springs #1)

Emmaline

Minus a few hiccups in the form of Chance, the last two weeks have been incredible.

I’ve spent more time at Spencer’s apartment than my own.

So much so that he’s even cleared space in his closet and a couple of drawers in his dresser.

I feel like maybe I should be panicking over the fact that we’re basically living together, but I’m not.

I’m finally just trying to let things fall how they may.

When I got a few voicemails from an unknown number this week, I deleted them rather than listen.

I didn’t feel the need to torture myself when I knew it was Chance threatening or begging me to be at the Gala tonight.

He even sent me a gown and a pair of heels for the occasion—granted, the dress was hideous and two sizes too small.

Spencer asked if I wanted to go away for the weekend again, to get far away from Chance and the potential drama.

But I declined because of my plans with the girls.

Mia, Colette, Cori, and I are currently at dinner in the city.

It might not have been smart to be in the same place as my ex, but this is a new me, and I refuse to let Chance ruin anything else for me.

We’re waiting for our dessert when Cori asks, “So, things with that douche-face ex of yours are still tumultuous? ”

I nod. “I’m doing my best to ignore him, hoping that he’ll get tired of harassing me when he’s not getting the reaction he wants.”

“Please tell her that someone like him won’t let it go,” Colette begs of her twin.

“I’m not her mother, Lettie. She’s a grown woman and I’ve already given her my thoughts on the whole situation. Even my professional opinion.”

Our waiter sets our desserts on the table, along with the checks as Colette huffs, “Fine.”

“Why don’t you tell the girls about your Christmas plans,” Mia says, smiling around her forkful of tiramisu.

“Oooh,” Colette and Cori say in unison, causing us all to laugh.

“More holiday lingerie shenanigans in our favorite childhood hangout?” Cori asks with a smirk.

My mouth pops open before looking at Mia, who’s looking everywhere but at me. “You rat. See if I tell you anything juicy anymore.”

She swats away the cloth napkin I toss towards her. “ I’m sorry . It was just too good not to tell them about. I knew you were going to tell them anyway, but without my added flair .”

I chuckle because she’s right, I was going to tell them—definitely in a milder manner than I’m sure she told them. “While I’ll have the festive lingerie, I’ll keep it confined to his apartment. But we’re doing Christmas lunch with both sets of parents plus Beckett.”

“That’s a big deal,” Cori says. “Especially with how much you love Christmas.”

Smiling, I respond, “I know. Any special plans for you guys?”

“We’re spending Christmas Eve with Dad, Annie, and Piper. The usual tradition of watching Die Hard.”

“The only Christmas movie I like,” Cori adds.

Mia and I roll our eyes. “That is not a holiday movie. You’re only saying that to irk my nerves.”

Cori blows me a kiss. “Doesn’t sound like something I’d do.”

Colette clears her throat, looking to Mia. “What about the Callahans? Going away this year? ”

“Not this time. Since they went away during Thanksgiving, we decided to have dinner at Theo’s,” Mia smiles. “If you get bored, you should come over.”

At Colette’s wide eyes, Mia adds, “All three of you. You know my parents would love that.”

“Right. Thanks.”

***

We walk out to the valet stand, waiting for one of the men to bring Cori’s SUV around.

It never fails that she gets hit on—even by men. She politely turned them down, stating that she played for the other team. Despite their young age, they didn’t throw out any crude remarks at her revelation and turned their attention to the rest of us.

In the middle of laughing with Colette at Mia’s attempts to frazzle the guys, I hear what I think is someone shouting my name. But since no one else seems to have heard it, I shake it off. That is until I hear, “Emma, you ungrateful bitch. I know you hear me.”

Only one person calls me that. I turn to my right to see an enraged Chance coming my way with Grayson following quickly behind him—trying to stop him.

“Call the cops,” Mia says aloud.

As he gets closer, Mia steps in front of Chance, trying to slow him. But that doesn’t faze him. He pushes her out of the way—like physically shoves her. Luckily, one of the valets and Colette are able to catch her before she falls.

Something about Chance putting his hands on Mia, versus when he gripped me hard enough that I bruised, elicits two very different reactions from me.

Instead of retreating into myself, I metaphorically pull my big girl panties up and step up to him.

“Whatever issues you have with me, you do not take them out on the people I care about. I’ve told you countless times to leave me alone.

You need to go back to wherever you came from. ”

“Let’s talk about where I came from since you were supposed to be there.

Your ungrateful ass cost me the deal of my career at the Gala, all because you got your feelings hurt then also chose to open your whore legs for someone else.

I tried to spin it in a way that garnered me sympathy, but no, Kari fucked me over too. ”

I give a humorless laugh. “First, who I choose to open my legs for is none of your business. You lost that right. Second, it’s not surprising Kari screwed you over considering you were trying to win me back but still sleeping with her.”

“My ex, Kari?” I hear Grayson ask. And while I feel awful this is how he found out, I can’t focus on him right now.

“Kari isn’t what broke us apart, Emma. She was just there. You’re damaged goods and couldn’t satisfy me in any way. That’s why I started screwing her.”

“You can’t be serious. Who was the one who had to fake orgasms?

” I ask laughing. “Because I know for a fact it wasn’t you.

If you cared even a fraction about me as much as you care for yourself, maybe I wouldn’t have had to do that for the almost seven years we were together.

But nope. You only cared about yourself and your career.

Now, I’m with someone who loves me as a whole and satisfies me completely. ”

I take a step closer to get my next point across. “In case you’re not picking up what I’m putting down, Spencer gets me off. Every. Single. Time. ”

His hand moves so fast that none of us are able to stop him.

Crack.

Three things happen at once: the girls crowd me, asking if I’m okay, Grayson yanks Chance back by the collar of his suit jacket, and the cops pull up.

The female cop comes up to me, while her partner goes to Chance, with Cori following behind. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” I say, fighting tears.

“Do you want to press charges?”

For the first time, I don’t immediately want to brush it off and protect him. He’s never going to change if he keeps catching breaks. Taking a deep breath, I nod, “I do. He’s also drunk or high or both. I smell alcohol on his breath and his eyes are bloodshot while his pupils are blown wide.”

After they get all of our statements, we’re free to go except for Chance.

He wouldn’t talk calmly with the officers and became belligerent, going as far as actually taking a swing at them.

Which is why he’s handcuffed in the back of their car.

We drew a crowd, with many people recording and taking photos.

Cori walked up to a few to ask for copies in case Chance tried pulling anything funny.

Grayson, who’d been on the phone for a bit, comes over to me and apologizes.

“When he walked out, I had this feeling I needed to follow him. I’m sorry that I couldn’t stop him before he hit you. I was on the phone with our coach to let him know what happened. He’s furious. I actually think my eardrum is busted from how loud he yelled.”

That makes me chuckle a little. “I appreciate the apology, but Chance is a grown man. He made his bed and now he’ll have to lie in it.

It’s no one’s fault but his own. I should be the one to apologize because I knew about the affair with Kari and didn’t say anything to you.

I was just in a really bad place after finding out. ”

“Don’t worry about that. She and I weren’t a good match, and I think she wanted to date me to gain connections.”

“I’m still sorry.”

He waves me off. “Already forgiven. Are you okay to get back home? Or to wherever you’re going? I feel like I should make sure you’re okay after everything.”

“That’s sweet of you, seriously. But you don’t have to feel guilty for this.”

“I know. You just remind me of someone that I used to know,” he chuckles. “Although, you and I got on a lot better than she and I ever did.”

I smile. “Sounds like there’s a story there.”

“Definitely, but we don’t have the time to get into that though. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call.”

“Thanks, Grayson.”

** *

When we get back to Cori’s, instead of staying the night like we all planned, I decide I want to go home. I need to process all of tonight on my own.

When Colette insists on coming back with me, I try to convince her to stay. But she points out that she drove us to her sister’s. Mia decides to stay after I assure her I’ll be fine alone.

Except, as I zone out on the drive, I decide I don’t want to be alone. I want to be with Spencer. No, I need to be with him. He understands me better than anyone ever has, and at this moment I’m craving his comfort.

I don’t realize we’ve pulled into the parking lot until I feel Colette pat my leg. “Ems, we’re here.”

“Oh. I’m sorry. Thanks for bringing me home. I know how much you’ve been missing Cori with her work schedule.”

“It’s no problem. You needed me more than I needed time with my pain in the ass sister. But I’m absolutely walking you in. You were in a complete daze the whole way here.”

I shake my head. “You don’t have to do that. I’m actually going to go to Spence’s.”

“Be that as it may, I’m still walking with you. So let’s go.”

She walks ahead of me, getting to his door before me. Colette is just about to knock when the door opens. I take a breath, expecting it to be Spencer. But I hear a small gasp from her, and I know it’s not him.

“Starlight, what are you doing here? I thought you were in the city with the girls.”

“Why I’m here isn’t your concern, Theodore. I assume Spencer is here?”

I hear his frustrated sigh. “Yeah. I was just leaving. Yo, Spencer. You got a visitor.”

When he steps around Colette to leave, he notices me standing behind her. Theo gives me a once-over before coming back to my face. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m okay. I just need him,” I sniffle .

Theo pulls me into a quick hug. “If I need to kick someone’s ass, let me know. Or if I need to bail your boyfriend out of jail.”

“Thanks, Theo. Seriously.”

“Call me if you need anything, ‘kay?” Colette says, hugging me.

I turn and when I see Spencer standing against the doorway, I crumble. I knew the adrenaline crash would be rough, but I didn’t think it would hit the moment I saw him.

“Buttercup, what happened? And why is the side of your face red?”

I try taking a few deep breaths and then tell him what happened.

***

Spencer

Theo came over tonight as a way to distract me, but to also hear a proposal I have for the location of the co-op he’s wanting to build.

As I told him my ideas, his smile grew wider and wider.

He was on board and said he’d start getting everything with the town and permits all figured out.

Theo said we might have to have a few meetings to reiterate the fact that we don’t want to change the area, just enhance what it already has to offer.

We had just squared everything away when Theo shouted that someone was at the door.

I’m not sure who I was expecting, but it definitely wasn’t Colette and Emmy.

Not when they were supposed to be in the city until tomorrow.

When I saw her face—saw how red and swollen it was—I knew Chance had done something.

It wasn’t until she started talking that I realized her face didn’t look like that from crying. He fucking hit her.

Now is not the time for me to have feelings. I can deal with my anger once I know she’s okay.

“I should’ve stayed home tonight. I knew he was going to be in the city, and I knew he had been keeping tabs on me. It wasn’t smart. I got too cocky and look where it got me. I just really wanted to go out and not worry. Pretend he didn’t exist.”

“Emmaline, you will not take the blame for what happened. He’s a grown man—albeit, he’s a fucking idiot—who made the decision to be drunk and high, and to lay a hand on you.

You didn’t want to let him have control over your life anymore and I supported that—I still support it.

I hate that he hurt you again. The only thing keeping me from going to Charleston is the fact that he’s royally fucked his life beyond repair. ”

“There were just so many people around who saw it. Which means it’ll be in that stupid gossip column and probably everywhere else by Monday.”

“Have you given any more thought on giving a statement or even an interview?” I ask her. “I think it would be helpful for you to get your story out there.”

“Yeah. It was one of the things I was thinking about, to the point where I started to zone out, on the way here. I don’t know who to go with. You said that woman your mom set you up with was a sports photographer, right? Maybe she knows someone?”

“Shiloh? Yeah, she’d probably know of someone. I can shoot her a text tomorrow.”

“Thank you,” she says as she raises up a little to place a kiss on my cheek. “I’m not sure I could’ve gotten through all of this without you.”

“Emmy, I know that you would’ve been okay in your own time. Especially with your crazy bunch of friends.”

“You’re being too sweet. Besides, I think you’re too biased. Since you love me and all,” she jokes.

“I do love you. I love you more than I ever thought I could. More than I ever thought I’d get to feel with someone. And I’m going to love you this much for as long as you’ll let me. Because you’re it for me, Buttercup.”

She sniffles, a tear slipping down her cheek. “I love you, too, Daredevil. And you’re it for me too.”

“That’s good to know. Come on, let’s go grab a pint of ice cream from the freezer and eat it in bed while we watch trashy TV.”

“You know how to treat a girl, huh?” she says, smiling .

I look down at this brave woman, her bright eyes and watery smile, and all I can think is: she’s my whole future.