I turned to see Emerson putting on her coat. I was waiting at Drew and Emerson’s loft for Molly to arrive. Drew was at practice, and Emerson was about to leave me alone to wait.
Because that’s what we’d decided.
During our afternoon drinking session.
Where we’d come up with the monumentally stupid idea for me to trap Molly in a room after we’d lured her here under false pretenses.
Why did it seem like such a good idea at the time?
Oh yes, whiskey. And pain meds. And the trauma of being stuck in the bath.
But as she kept running away, escaping before we had the chance to talk about what was happening between us, it seemed like the only logical thing to do.
I pressed my palms to the tension building in my temples. “This is a bad idea, isn’t it?”
Emerson raised her eyebrow. She hadn’t exactly been a fan of this plan, but Drew was very persuasive when he wanted to be, especially when he kept banging on about shit like love and happiness and fate and things that were meant to be.
“Don’t ask me, this is all Drew. I just hope she doesn’t hate me for conning her into coming to a fake get-to-know-me lunch.” She started waving her hands in the air, dramatically. “‘Hey get to know me, I’m a big fat liar and we’re not actually having lunch, but I’ve kidnapped you to talk to the guy you’re avoiding.’I just hope she forgives me, because I do actually want to get to know her and be her friend.”
I wasn’t really listening to her, except for the part where we’ll just blame Drew.
Because that was genius and accurate.
“You know, it’s surprisingly hard to say no when three lovesick drunk boys gang up on you. I thought I’d be better at it,” she grumbled, picking up her bag, one hand on the doorhandle ready to leave. “Anyway, I have to go and meet Murray about a business plan.”
“Wait, Emerson. Do you think she’ll like these?” I hopped over with one crutch and picked up a shoe box I’d left by the door, handing it to her.
She opened it up, unfolding the tissue and pulled out one sneaker.
To lessen the blow of forcing her to have a conversation she really didn’t want to have, I’d had some custom Air Maxmade for Molly to wear at work, and as Nike was one of my sponsors, I’d been able to pull some strings and have them rushed through. Emerson turned them around in her hands, looking at the detailing, golden lightning bolts shot up each side, representing how fast she’d become, with little bones graffitied around the sole edging, and her name, Dr. Molly Marks, was stitched into the back rim.
I thought they were cute, and more so because she was mad at me, I just wanted to see her smile.
“Felix, they’re gorgeous.”
I tried not to be insulted at the surprise in her eyes as she looked up at me. “Really?”
She put the shoe back in the box, then handed it to me. “Yeah. I want some.”
I laughed. “Speak to your boyfriend, he’ll get you some.”
“I will.” She leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. “You’ll be fine, Felix. You’re a good guy and she knows that. Don’t be nervous.”
“Yeah.”
“Okay, see you later. Just buzz her up when she gets here.”
She rushed out and closed the door behind her, leaving me in silence. Or it would be silent if my thoughts would shut the fuck up. I carried the box over to the enormous sectional in the corner of the loft and sat down, then stood up again. I’d need to buzz her in.
Fuck’s sake.
If I could actually walk properly I’d be pacing up and down.
The intercom went off just as I reached it, and I buzzed her up without responding before taking my place again on the edge of the couch, propping myself up on the back. It was just far enough out of the eye-line of the entrance that I wouldn’t be the first thing she saw when she walked in, because I was pretty sure she’d run out again if that happened.
And this time, she wasn’t getting anywhere until we’d had a fucking conversation.
“Emerson?”
