The Lucky Dress Page 7

  “What happened to you?” She looks at my sodden clothing and laughs.

  “I spilled my beer.”

  “How?”

  “By running right into Jack,” I glare at her, whilst trying to squeeze beer out of my top into the sink.

  “Oh no, did you get him too?”

  “Yup,” I nod. “Of course, I’d have preferred to have dumped it over his head, but he too, looks like he’s wet his pants.” I sigh, feeling more than defeated and lean against the counter behind me. “I can’t do this right now. I wasn’t ready to see him tonight and I’m definitely not ready to meet his girlfriend, May.” Even just saying her name out loud makes me sick.

  “You never will be ready. So, go change and get ready.” Lily glares at me with her motherly charm. “Now.”

  I take my sweet time changing, trying on just about everything I brought with me besides the one thing that I know would absolutely drive Jack wild. My lucky dress. I’m definitely not ready for that move yet. I don’t even know what I feel right now, so it’s way too soon.

  The smell of the food wafting up to my room eventually coaxes me back down to the crowd of people now lined up at the bar waiting to fill their plates.

  “Finally!” Evan smiles over at me. “I wasn’t sure you were coming back at all. Come grab a plate.”

  I make my way to the back of the line, smiling politely at the faces turned in my direction. One particular face though stops me in my tracks.

  “Greta?”

  She nods up at me with a fake grin. “Emi, long time no see.” Her perfectly made up face half glares at me.

  “Why are you here?” I know she’s not friends with Hannah or Evan so she can’t possibly be a part of the bridal party. I look over at Hannah, who looks back and forth between Greta and me with a stunned look on her face.

  “How do you two know each other?” Hannah asks us both.

  “I… uh”

  “Oh, we go way back, don’t we, Emi?” she slides her free hand down Jacks arm, entwining her fingers with his, stopping my heart dead in its tracks.

  My breathing gets heavy as I look at Jack who pulls his hand from Greta’s quickly and takes a step towards me.

  “You two are—” I swallow hard, trying not to choke on the feelings rushing through me. “You and Jack?” This cannot be happening. “You’re Jack’s—”

  “Girlfriend, yup. Just about two months now, right, babe?” she asks him with a grin that I’d like to slap right off her.

  I look at Hannah, Evan, and Lily, confused. “I thought you said her name was May?”

  “Oh, I go by May now, Greta is just so… old fashioned.” She rolls her eyes.

  “How could you?” I ask Jack as the tears well up in my eyes. “You knew how much I hated her. I can’t believe you chose her…”

  I set my plate back on the stack and turn to make my way into the house.

  “Emi, wait…” Jack and Evan both follow me to the sliding doors.

  “Ugh… she’s always been so over dramatic.” Greta rolls her eyes and goes back to filling up her plate while everyone else watches me try to escape the situation.

  “Please talk to me, Emi,” Jack asks as he reaches me before Evan can.

  “You,” I point right at him. “Are the last person I ever want to speak to again. I thought you loved me. I can’t believe I was such an idiot.” I turn to the front door.

  “Where are you going?” Evan asks.

  “I need to think or walk to clear my head, or something. I need to be alone…” I take one more quick look at Jack, who’s entire face has dropped towards the floor in shame.

  “Should I come with you?” Lily asks, standing just behind Evan.

  “Nope,” I shake my head. “I’ll be fine. I’m an adult and I just need to figure out what’s going on in my head. It was nice to meet you all.” I glare over at Greta, “most of you, that is.”

  I pull open the door, slamming it behind me and stand on the porch nearly unable to move. How can your heart break over the same thing so many times? I just don’t get it.

  Maybe if I start walking I will be able to somehow work the clouds out in my head. I’m sure I’ve heard somewhere that walking can clear your head. I’m not exactly a frequent flyer at that gym I mentioned previously. I even intentionally bought the apartment above my coffee shop so I wouldn’t have a commute to work. With hindsight, a short walk to work may have helped ward off this extra thirty pounds that found me.

  Where am I walking to? Who knows, but if I keep at it maybe I’ll get lucky and end up all the way back in Texas, avoiding everything that this shit show might be this week.

  I glance up at the sign on the building Old Tex. It’s no Texas but it’ll have to do. I push open the giant, heavy front door with a porthole window just at head height.

  The room is in semi darkness with small lights hanging over each table. TVs on the walls play CNN News, and the patrons are few and far between. Mostly older men, a few with a friend, a man behind the bar and another one sitting at the bar corner.

  Drinking is probably the worst idea I’ve had yet but it’s not like I’ve got better plans.

  “Can I get a shot of vodka?” I ask, as I catch my breath from the quarter mile walk that only reminded me that I’m definitely not ready for any kind of marathon. Maybe food is a better option. “Do you maybe have a menu?”

  “A menu?” the bartender asks me with a tilt of his head.

  “Yeah, like for food?”

  “Nope. There’s a vending machine in the back.”

  It’s not exactly the burgers and gourmet appetizers Evan made, but it’ll have to do. Most of the time vending machines have all my favorite foods anyway. Salty and sweet. Perfect for my possible impending hangover whether it be of the emotional or physical kind.

  “Can I also get a water?” Vodka isn’t exactly thirst quenching, and considering I feel like I’ve just done a set of five hundred jumping jacks, I should probably help myself to not have a stroke in a strange place.

  The bartender nods his head, unenthusiastically, sitting both drinks on the bar in front of me. “Eight bucks.”

  Oh no. I reach into all my pockets, hoping I accidentally shoved some cash into them the last time I wore them. No such luck.

  “I…uh…” I stumble over my words. “I’m so sorry, I just had the worst afternoon of my life and I stormed out of my brother’s house without my purse, or cash, or anything. Is it possible to bring it by later?”

  Bartender stares at me, no emotion on his face. His head is bald, he has a tattoo showing out of the neck of his shirt, and he’s more than a bit intimidating in this environment.

  “You have no money?” he asks with a grunt.

  “No,” I shake my head, quietly hoping I sound as apologetic as I am. “I mean… I do, just not on me. Like I said, I’m here staying with my brother who’s getting married this weekend and he decided to have a barbecue for the entire wedding party tonight without even so much as warning me and he invited my ex, who brought his new girlfriend, who is a girl I know… knew… and, well… I just needed to get away quickly to clear my head and think straight before I go—”

  “I got it,” the man sitting at the corner of the bar a few stools away from me says to the bartender, who nods before walking away from me without further questioning.

  “You don’t have to do that. I’m good for it, I swear.”

  “It’s not a problem,” he says with a quick glance in my direction.

  “Are you sure? Because I promise I can bring it into you later, tomorrow even. I just can’t really go back there and face them all tonight and if I was to call my best friend to bring me the money I guarantee they’d all just show up here.”

  He laughs as he turns in my direction.

  As I catch the full view of him my jaw nearly drops open in surprise. I just assumed from the atmosphere of this place that all the men in here were old alcoholics who use this place as a second home away from nagging wiv
es and irritating children. But this guy is not old. His sandy blond hair is a bit unruly, and the five o’clock shadow across his jaw looks almost intentional.

  “Don’t worry about it,” he shakes his head with a small smile. “We all have bad days, and yours sounds…” He stops speaking and looks me over. “Sounds brutal.” His southern accent could make any normal woman’s heart swoon, but all it does for me is remind me of home and how I wish I was there right now.

  “It was brutal, that’s a good word for it. Thank you.” I smile before turning back to the drinks now sitting in front of me, downing the vodka in hopes it will relax all the emotions flooding through me, and taking a sip of water while trying to keep my face from showing just how bad the shot really was, since cute barfly next to me seems to be watching. “You have an accent, where are you from?”

  “Does clearing your head always consist of this much talking?” he asks.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I’ll let you get back to your… uh…” I glance around him looking for whatever it is I’m interrupting, but all he has sitting on the bar in front of him is a bottle of water, during happy hour. “Water drinking.”

  “That’s not what I meant,” he laughs to himself with a shake of his head. When he stands up from the barstool, I can clearly see that he really should be an underwear model on the side of a giant billboard. Not a guy hiding out at the bar from whatever problems he’s running from. My heart jumps into my throat as he takes a seat on the stool right next to me.

  “I’m Liam Jaxson. I own the bar. And I didn’t mean that to sound as rude as it did. I apologize.”

  I reach out and shake his now outstretched hand. His touch makes my skin feel like it’s on fire and I pull it away quickly, not wanting my face to relay what this stranger is doing to me internally. I’m not normally the sort of girl who’s attracted to men she’s only just met.

  “It’s totally alright. I’m Emi.”

  “Nice to meet ya, Emi. Can I get you another drink?”

  “Oh no… I’m not a drinker and this is my second so if I don’t slow down, you’ll be carrying me home.” I hear it as it comes out of my mouth and realize how it could be taken. “I mean – not carry me home… but you know, take me—” I take a sudden horrified breath, “Oh my God… I didn’t mean you’d take me as in take me…”

  Sweet Jesus, Emi, shut up.

  His laugh is intoxicating, luckily because otherwise I’d be more than mortified at how this clearing my head is going.

  “No worries. I got it.”

  “Good.” I sigh and take a sip of my water, glancing around the bar in front of me. I’m not sure if the situation I’m in now is any better than the situation back at Evan’s. The silence between Liam and me is awkward as I slowly sip my water and inspect the room.

  Mirrors line the wall in front of me, and all kind of liquor bottles and glasses sit on the floor to ceiling shelves. You can tell the place wasn’t recently, or ever, remodeled. Southwestern objects are occasionally placed around the room, making me feel a tiny bit like I’m back in Texas.

  “So, besides this ex and his new girlfriend, tell me something about Emi.” Liam finally breaks the silence, an awkward smile hesitating just at the corner of his lips.

  “I thought I was talking too much?” I ask ironically.

  He shrugs, “I changed my mind.”

  “About me, huh?” I guess considering that he’s paid for my drinks I at least owe him a conversation, even if it’s forced.

  “Sure.”

  “Hmm… I own my own coffee shop in Dallas.” I’d much rather talk about work than about Jack. I own a successful, albeit, new, business. That makes me look a bit better than broken hearted, frazzled, forgot-all-my-money Emi.

  “Dallas, Texas?”

  “The one and only.”

  I’ll be the first to admit that moving to a state I’d never even visited was nerve wracking. Had Josh and Lily not been with me I’m not sure I could have done it. I kind of stumbled upon a coffee shop that had recently shut down, and in order to quit thinking about everything I’d just lost with Jack, I put my heart and soul into opening it. It helped more than I could even explain. I wasn’t sure I’d ever consider Dallas home, but I’ve come to love it.

  “What a coincidence, I grew up in Fort Worth.”

  “That’s the accent, then.” I smile at him, relieved to find someone who isn’t a part of this wedding or my past. “Oregon is a long way from Texas. What brought you here?”

  “A woman,” he winks at me with a shy smile. “Isn’t it always a woman that drags a man across the country?”

  “I wouldn’t know. I don’t have a lot of exper—” I stop before I can announce how few men I’ve dated. “I mean… wow. So, you’re married to a girl from Portland?” I glance down at his hand but see no ring.

  “Nope. Not anything actually.” Liam shrugs his shoulders with a sad smile.

  “Why not?”

  “Why not what?”

  “You said you moved here for a woman and now you’re not anything, what happened?” I ask him, being far too nosey. If we’re gonna talk, though, why not talk about anything but me?

  “Hmm…” Liam is taking some time pondering his answer, which makes me worry that I’ve asked a question far too personal for someone I’ve just met. “She broke my heart, actually. It sounds like we have that in common.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry.” I frown as I stare down at my drink. “Wait,” I look over at him, “Why do you think I’m broken hearted?”

  Liam raises a single eyebrow with a smile. “Seems kind of obvious, you see him again, meet his girlfriend and you run away. It kinda screams broken heart, don’t you think?”

  “I guess maybe…” I force a shoulder shrug as I reluctantly agree with him. I don’t want him to be right but he is making complete sense.

  “Ah. And this ex, he’s moved on before you have?”

  “I’m not still in love with Jack if that’s what you’re getting at. I have moved on; he just has a girlfriend before I found a boyfriend, that’s all.”

  “Why run then? If you’ve moved on, shouldn’t you be OK with seeing him?”

  I sigh and drop my head in shame. “I’m starting to not like you,” I laugh. It would figure I would meet someone who could read me better than I can read myself.

  “Can I get another shot?” I ask the bartender before turning on my stool to face Liam. “Fine, I’m not exactly moved on, per se. I don’t want him back or anything… He just… He’s dating a girl who made my life miserable.”

  The bartender hands me my shot and I swallow it as quickly as humanly possible. “I’ll tell you the story but only because I don’t know you and because of that you won’t tell my family and friends.”

  “Fair enough,” Liam says, his dark eyes almost sparkle with intrigue as he sets down his water and gives me his full attention.

  It’s far easier to explain your devastating past to someone who knows nothing about you and can’t judge you based on anything but the actual story. Maybe, since he seems to be able to read me as well as he has so far, he can give me some insight as to why I’m acting like a complete loon. After all, he too, is suffering a broken heart. He said so himself.

  Six

  The Mayfairs

  One year, seven months ago.

  Downtown Portland, Oregon

  “Tonight is the Christmas party, so please tell me you’ve made sure you can be home by five to get ready?” I ask Jack who’s standing near the kitchen counter waiting for his coffee to brew.

  “Yes,” he nods. “I’ll be home by six at the latest and ready to go by seven. I promise, babe.”

  “Good, `cause I hate work functions alone.”

  “You hate work functions at all,” Jack laughs.

  He’s right. I’m not the biggest fan of work functions. I do all the PR and advertising for Mayfair Homes, so I should probably go and show my face and pretend that I love spending my evening with the people I already spend
eight hours a day with.

  “I know. How about we go out for drinks afterwards?” Jack suggests. “We haven’t been out just the two of us in a while and I would love nothing more than to just have a romantic night, just you and me.” He wraps his arms around me, softly kissing my neck. Which is pretty much a move guaranteeing that I won’t say no to anything he requests.

  “Perfect! Maybe we can just make a quick appearance and leave early”

  “Maybe, but then how would you mingle with all the contacts you’ve brought the business? You’re good at your job, Emi. You should put on a smile and be proud of that. I know I am.”

  “Why do you always have to be so good at making me feel better about myself? Perhaps I wanted to pretend I’m always irritated, instead of proud of what I’ve done.” I can’t help but laugh because even though I put on a serious face at work and around the clients, Jack knows I love what I do. I may not love the furniture business, but I love that I’ve helped grow this company into one of the top home stores in the area.

  “You’re good at everything you do, sweetheart, and it shows. I’m so proud.” He pecks a kiss on my lips before he heads to the front door.

  Never once has Jack made me feel like his job is superior to mine. In his mind we’re equals and I could never thank him enough for putting me on that platform, level with him.

  He loves his job and he says he went into it because his dad was in the business and he wanted to please his father. I know that’s a part of it but I also know there is much more to it. He’s such a hard worker, he cares about people, and well, he’s really good at what he does. I’m the luckiest girl alive to be with a man who treats me the way Jack does.

  “I’ll see you tonight, babe.”

  *

  As I get to my desk, my boss, Aron Mayfair, is waiting for me, perched on the edge of it.

  “Emi, I have an idea that I wanted to run past you.”

  “Shoot…” I click on my computer, as I put my things away in the bottom drawer.

  “Have you seen those commercials from businesses in town wishing their clients a Merry Christmas?”