Emmalee (16 page)

           
My night of “errors” didn’t end there,
either.  Nope.  Just when I thought things couldn’t
get worse, Chase came over.  I’m not a person who usually
whines about the injustices of life, but honestly, Chase Anderson? 
Were the Fates determined to see me crack?  Like, my mom
freaking out and embarrassing Ethan wasn’t bad enough. 
Then the whole Hannah-Elton blunder right afterwards, but having to
deal with Chase the same night really was not fair.

           
 
“Hey, can I come in?”

           
Sure.  Why not?  Might as well join the party.
 
“Yeah, I’m helping my mom in the kitchen, is there
something you need?” I asked as I stepped back and let Chase
walk into the house.  He had a sheepish grin on his face.

           
“Actually, I need to see you.”

           
Me?
  “I thought you didn’t want to be in
the same room as me?”

           
At least he had the decency to wince.  “Look.  Can we
talk?”

           
“You’re sure you want to hear what I have to say?” 
I walked into the front room that Hannah had just vacated. 
“This room isn’t too confining for you is it?”

           
“Emma, stop.  This isn’t like you.”

           
“What isn’t like me?”  I smiled myBradford
smile.

           
Chase stared wearily a moment at it, before nodding his head. 
“I deserved that.”

           
Ooh!  Why does he irritate me so much? 

           
“I came here to apologize—I would’ve been here
before now, but I’ve been away helping my dad with his offices
in Durango.”

           
“Y-you’ve been away?”  Concerned, I took a
couple of steps toward Chase, before I realized what I was doing and
stopped. 

           
Instead he came up to me.  “Yeah, and I’ve
felt—I’ve—look, I didn’t mean it, okay? 
What I said at Cassidy’s party was uncalled for.  There
were many different ways I could’ve got my point across, but I
didn’t and I’m sorry.  I definitely didn’t
mean for you to leave the party.” 

           
His eyes gently tugged at mine and I felt my unease begin to melt. 
After a few seconds of silence, I lowered my lashes and admitted,
“You were right though.  I did think I was better than
everyone else.  And I definitely didn’t go to the party to
be entertained and to have a good time.  But I was surprised
once I got there.”  I looked up at him.  “Really
surprised.  And I know I didn’t act exactly like I
should’ve, but I—uh, was okay with being there.”

  “Then why did you go?” 
The confusion in Chase’s face as he searched my features caused
me to lower my head again.  “Em?”  He softly
tucked one hand under my chin and slowly raised it.  “Did
you leave because of me?”

           
I couldn’t look at him.  Quickly I turned my head away. 
In the next instant I felt his arms wrap themselves around me and I
was crushed against his hard form.  My cheek rubbed up against
his sports jacket and I could make out the faintest smell of his Hugo
Boss cologne. 

           
It was the cologne that freaked me out a bit.  That and the fact
I could identify it.  All of the sudden Chase seemed different. 
My senses were in such a muddle, I couldn’t put my finger on
what was wrong.

           
“Sorry, Em.  I’m really sorry.”

           
His deep voice above my head shocked a shiver of sparks down my
spine.  And after another moment I became aware of his faint
heartbeat thudding beneath my ear. 
This is so weird. 
Ever so gently—to not hurt his feelings—I pulled
away and straightened up my clothing.  “No worries. 
I’m fine.”  I tried to laugh and pass it off as if
nothing had happened.  But something had happened and I was
definitely not comfortable. 

           
“Are you sure?”  Chase brought his arm up to hold my
shoulder and I stepped back away from him.

           
“Yeah, I-I’m positive everything is fine.” 
Everything is
not
fine.

           
“Okay, well if you say so.”  He looked just as
uncomfortable as I felt, and for a minute I took pity on him.

           
Snap out of it.  It’s Chase.  You’ve known
Chase your whole life.  So why are you acting like he’s a
stranger or something?
  “Are you coming over tomorrow
for dinner with your family?”

           
“Uh—yeah, it’s your mom’s turn to host it,
isn’t it?  I should be there.”

           
“She’s really excited.  She’s been cooking up
a storm.” 

           
“Just like every time, I’ll bet.”

           
Why are we talking about my mom?
  “So, I guess I
better go in and help her.”

           
“Oh, yep—uh, I’ll see myself out.  Thanks for
listening.”  Chase ducked his head and grinned up at me. 

           
“No problem.”  I smiled.  “Ditto.”

           
His smile fell as he focused on my mouth.  Slowly Chase raised
his head and then cleared his throat.  “Well, I’ll
see you tomorrow.”

           
“Bye.”

           
He was out the front door before I had a chance to walk out of the
room. 

           
Thanksgiving Dinner was much better than I expected.  The unease
and silliness I had felt around Chase the night before had all but
vanished. 
Thank goodness!
  He came early and
helped my dad set up the table and chairs creating a formal dining
room, while my mom and I were peeling the potatoes.  I was
impressed when Chase asked if he could lay out the tablecloth and
silverware too.  Of course, I was more impressed when I saw his
finished product about thirty minutes later.  The table looked
amazing!  He had even at some point brought over flowers for a
beautiful centerpiece.

   “Let me guess. 
You took a few culinary arts classes inSpain.”

           
Chase laughed. “What?  No.”  He pointed to the
elegant table.  “Dad made me work in his restaurant for a
year.  They were real sticklers when it came to everything being
just right.  I have never known such a finicky manager as the
one Dad employs for that restaurant.”

           
“Really?”  I walked around the table and touched one
of the dessert spoons—there were two.  “You really
know how to set all of these in order like that?  That’s
really cool.”  My fingers glided over my mother’s
white and gold china plates and then lingered onto the rows of
beautifully crafted silverware next to the setting.  “Mom’s
had this silverware for years and we’ve never used the whole
set before.”  I laughed as I read my name on one of mom’s
regency place cards.  “Now I know why, she was probably
terrified in case your parents saw that she didn’t know what
everything was used for, or where to place it.”

           
“It’s not hard.  Once you get the hang of it.” 
Chase shrugged his shoulders and leaned over to me.  “Just
between you and me, my dad’s never worked in his restaurant
before.  Neither of my parents know how to lay the silverware
either.  That’s why they used to make me do it.” 
He straightened a knife that was a bit off kilter.  “I bet
they would’ve never known the difference, honestly.  It’s
much easier if you’re using something, than if you’re
setting it out.”

           
“So how do I know that these forks aren’t meant to be
here then?” I teased as I pointed to a set of forks on the side
of the plate.  “Since you’re technically the only
one who knows where they go, then how do we know you’re not
just making it up anyway?”

           
Chase straightened up and folded his arms.  “Well, you’re
going to have to trust me.”

           
I flipped my hair out of my face and turned around to head back into
the kitchen.  “Trust Chase Anderson?  Ha!  I’d
rather trust a—”

           
Chase clutched my elbow, causing me to stop.  “Would you
rather trust a knight?” he asked; his deep voice near my ear.

           
 “A-a knight?”  All of the sudden that weird
feeling was back.  In confusion my heart began to race. 

           
“Could you ever learn to trust a knight?”  He
stepped closer behind me and released his hold on my elbow, but I
didn’t move.  I couldn’t.  I was completely
frozen.

           
“Chase?” 
Why am I having such a hard time
breathing?

           
“Always?”

           
Always?
  Okay, now I was lost.  The echo of that
word vibrated down to the small of my back and up again.  My
brain was in such a soft warm muddle, I couldn’t think
properly.  Chase took another step closer and I felt his hands
rest lightly on my shoulders.  Hugo Boss tickled my senses. 
I felt if I didn’t move away soon I was going to become a
massive pile of putty.  Everything was off kilter.  I did
the only thing I could command myself to do at the moment.

           
“Mom,” I called.  “L-look at what Chase has
done to the table.”  He stepped back.  Thankfully. 
His cologne slowly left my airways as my mom came in.

   “What, honey?”

           
I took a deep breath of clean Thanksgiving Dinner smelling air. 
“L-look at the table.  What do you think?” I managed
to sputter out.  I quickly, stepped farther away from the table
and willed myself to not run into Chase’s arms and beg to let
me smell him again.  For some reason his cologne seemed to have
the wildest hold over my senses.  Never before had I felt the
need to be as far away as possible from something, or crave to be so
near. 
I swear if I didn’t know better, I’d say
Hugo Boss was my kryptonite.

           
After dinner we all went over to the Anderson home for dessert. 
Every year our families swap who would host the dinner and who would
host dessert.  This year it was the Anderson’s turn for
dessert.  They had invited a few other families as well.  I
was really surprised—but shouldn’t have been—to see
the Hart family come in the door.  But, it was when a sheepish
Taylor and Chloe followed shortly after, that I freaked!

           
“Taylor?  Chloe?  How long have you guys been in
town?  Why don’t I ever know anything anymore?”

           
Chloe laughed and enveloped me in a warm hug.  “We just
got here this morning.  We’ve been over at my parent’s
house eating dinner.”

           
Taylor had his hands full of pumpkin pie.  “I would hug
you too,” he shrugged, “but my—”

           
“Hands are a bit full,” I finished for him, as I
collected a pie.  “There now, you can one-arm hug me.” 
I giggled when he squeezed my shoulders and then I scooped the other
pie out of his hand and quickly set them on the sideboard when Chase
yelled,

           
“Taylor!  Get over here and give me a hug.”  

           
“Thanks.” Taylor smiled at me, before he jogged up to his
brother. 

           
Chase grabbed him and lightly pounded him on the back.  “I
see how it is.  Go hang out with your girlfriend’s family,
before you see me.  I know how loved I really am.” 
He good-naturedly reached up and ruffledTaylor’s hair.

           
Taylor ducked and chuckled and then asked, “So how have you
been?  What’s it like back in America, missing Spain yet? 
Hey, Chloe, come here.  You’ve gotta meet Chase.”

           
“Oops, I’ve been summoned.” She grinned.  “Wanna
join me?”

           
“Sure.”  I happily followed.

           
“Okay, Chase,” Taylor said loud enough for anyone in
their house could hear. “I know Chloe’s really hot, but
you’ve gotta promise me that you’ll remember that she’s
mine.”

           
“Whatever!” Chloe rolled her eyes as Chase swooped her up
in a large bear hug.

           
I could tell she was a little shocked by the attention and a burst of
laughter bubbled out of her.  “Um, thanks.” She
gasped as he set her down.  “Now I know whereTaylor gets
his boisterous hugs from.”

           
Chase chuckled. “Yep.  And he got them from our
great-grandpa Darcy Taylor.  That man could squeeze you to
death.” 

           
“Well, at least you’d die happy,” Taylor added. 
He grinned over at me.  “You met Grandpa Darcy before he
died, didn’t you?”

I smiled at the memory. 
“Yeah.  He gave me a ton of candy bars too!  My mom
almost freaked out.  I was only like what?  Seven?
 Eight?”  I turned toward Chloe. “My mom is a
stickler about kids and candy.  Their grandpa drove her nuts
when he was visiting that time—he was always sneaking us
candy.”

           
“That’s why he’d hug us so hard, so he could sneak
it in our pockets when no one was looking,” Taylor grinned. 
“Like I said, you’d die happy.”

           
“Grandpa Darcy’s hugs were the best.”

           
“So where’s my candy?” Chloe smirked impishly at us
all.  I mean, come on if I have to survive anAnderson hug, I
should get something for it, right?”

           
Taylor laughed.  “Want some pie?”

           
“Ha. Ha.”  She shook her head and headed toward the
kitchen.  “I’m going in to help your mom. 
Anybody else coming?”

           
“Sure,” Taylor added and then turned to me as we walked
through the archway leading to the back of the house.  “So
did Zack make it back this time?”

           
I shook my head.  I figured Taylor would be sad when my
stepbrother couldn’t make it. “Nope.  That’s
two Thanksgivings in a row.  My stepdad was a bit depressed. 
But he’ll be here for Christmas.”

           
“Christmas is the best part!  That’s when your
parents spoil you rotten anyway.”

           
“Are you coming back for Christmas?”

           
Taylor looked ahead at Chloe who was just giving a hug to his mom. 
“Actually, I’m hoping to surprise Chloe for Christmas. 
He wiggled his eyebrows, held out his left hand and pointed to a very
important ring on his finger.