Page 11 of The Clover Chapel (Jamison Valley 2)
“I know you don’t go for redheads but she’s fucking hot,” Silas said. “I’d make an exception to your rule. Has all this auburn hair. Beaming smile. Petite, little body.”
“No can do. No redheads for me. If she’s so hot, you go for her.”
Silas scoffed and shook his head. My friend had some issues when it came to women, or one woman in particular, so I wasn’t surprised that he preferred to stay out of the dating pool.
After taking a long pull of my beer, I wandered into the living room. The entire place was covered in decorations, inside and out. Gigi lost her mind on Halloween but at least some of them were funny. When I’d arrived earlier, I had laughed at the tombstones in the front lawn. One said “Hugh Jass – A Well Rounded Man” and another read “Bea Yotch – A Nice Lady”.
Stepping into Jess’s huddle, I clapped him on the shoulder then shook his hand. “Where’s your wife, Brick? I need to talk to her about her language.”
“Fuck you, Slater. Mention that to her and I’m kicking your ass.”
“Fine,” I said, holding my hands up in surrender. “I’ll leave it alone. Where’s Roe? I need to give my princess a kiss.” If I wasn’t razzing Jess about riling up Gigi’s temper, I was teasing him about Roe, who had a little-girl crush on me.
When Jess’s jaw clenched tightly, I laughed and turned to the stairs, hearing Gigi and Rowen coming down.
“Nick!” Rowen yelled and dashed over.
Bending at the waist, I looked into her blue eyes. “Hey, princess. Love the costume. Who are you this year?”
Twirling around in a blue dress, she said, “Princess Elsa from Frozen.”
“Hey, Nick,” Gigi said.
I stood to give her a hug but froze solid. The second I recognized the woman next to Gigi, that beautiful face, my heart stopped beating. Was she really here?
When her eyes hit mine, she inhaled sharply, her face paling as she clutched a hand to her heart.
Silas had described a lot of Emmy’s good features in the kitchen. Her hair. Her figure. He hadn’t mentioned her flawless, porcelain skin or her full, pink lips. Most importantly, he’d neglected to mention her eyes. Her best feature.
Gray with a hint of green in the centers. The circles rimming the irises were so dark they were almost black. I’d memorized the colors when she had been locked in my arms and I’d been buried deep inside her. Just hours after she had become my wife.
“Nick, this is my teacher, Ms. Austin,” Rowen said, tugging on my arm.
It took a few seconds of staring to process that she was standing right here in front of me. She wasn’t an illusion I’d dreamed up like so many times before.
Emmy hadn’t changed much. She’d only become more beautiful with time. Her hair was slightly longer and her face a bit thinner. Years of fantasies, and none had ever come close to the beauty before me.
Not once had I given into the temptation to Google her or find her number. I had stayed true to my vow to set her free. That and I knew I’d risk my own sanity by checking in on her. Learning that she’d found that life I had wished for her, one with a husband and kids, would have blown my already broken heart to smithereens.
“Nick?” Gigi asked, but I didn’t speak or take my eyes off Emmy. She was frozen just like I was.
Finally, Emmy broke away. “Sorry. I have to go,” she mumbled before racing to the door.
“What was that? Do you know her?” Jess asked.
None of my friends had ever learned about Emmy and what I’d done to her. Marrying her had been something I’d always kept a secret. Partly because I’d wanted those memories as my own. Partly because I was a fucking asshole and had abandoned her, even if it had been for her safety.
Yeah. I knew her.
“She’s my wife,” I said and then sprinted out the door, ignoring the shocked faces and surprised gasps coming from my friends.
“Emmy, wait!” Nick shouted, but I didn’t stop jogging toward my Jeep.
Just as I reached for the door handle, his hand grabbed my elbow and spun me around.
“Don’t,” I said, jerking my arm free. The night was pitch black except for the lights coming from the house and garage. But even the dark couldn’t dim the light shining from his eyes.
“Sorry,” he said, holding up his hands. “What are you doing here, Emmy?”
