Page 3 of Awaken My Heart

chapter

two

Emma

I make my way over to my newest and closest friend in town, Luna Coleman. She’s a fellow teacher at Saddle Creek Middle School and we’ve hit it off pretty great. Everyone has been nice, but Luna has the stuff for lasting ride or die material.

I sit at the table and she’s already laughing.

I frown at her. “What?”

“I see you met Doc West and Bram.”

“I met ‘em alright.” A strange growling noise comes out of my throat. “Only crap like this would happen to me. Because I have the world’s worst luck. Bluest eyes I’ve ever seen, so of course they belong to a giant asshole.” I toss my hands up. “And by giant, I obviously mean that figuratively and literally. He’s a beast of a man, thick and broad, with a barrel chest and thighs the size of tree trunks.” I lick my lips, knowing that I’m probably salivating and not having enough sense to stop my tirade.

“They’re hot as fuck,” Luna says conspiratorially.

I whimper. “The silver threading through his temples and his closely trimmed beard are like specially designed catnip for me.” I look up at my friend, and then drop my head on my crossed arms on the table. “Emma loves a big man. Emma especially loves an older, big man.”

She laughs. “Does Emma also speak in the third person when she’s in a certain mood?”

I wince, then peek at my friend. “She does. Doc was very friendly, but Bram—like that’s a real name—what is he, Dracula? Anyways, he’s a jerk and clearly hates me, which makes no sense since I don’t even know him. And everyone likes me. I mean why wouldn’t he like me? We just met.”

“I doubt he hates you. Bram is a big teddy bear. The nickname is short for Abraham.”

“Teddy bear.” I snort. I shove away the mental image that springs to mind—that of me curled up against his broad chest, those massive arms wrapped around my body. A man like that can make a chunky girl like me feel petite and small.

She laughs again. “Clearly you find him attractive.”

“Looks only.” I wave my hands as if to clear away all the negative energy. “Whatever. Can we talk about something else? Grumpy bear is not part of this girls’ night.”

Her smile widens. “Sure. Of course. How’s the play going? Do you need help with anything? Mason won’t be back from California for another week, so I’ve got time on my hands.”

Luna just got engaged to an honest to God rockstar. Mason Ball from Soul Obsession, the biggest boy band of my youth. He’s moving here to be with her so he’s packing his house in Malibu. She’s living a legitimate fairy tale, especially considering they met and fell in love online first.

“No, it’s good,” I say. “I’m used to doing things on my own. I’ve already got a handle on the costumes. I found the mother lode of stuff at Madison’s Mercantile and I’m already busy making the necessary adjustments. With all the sequins and feathers I’m adding, I’ll probably need a new sewing machine when this is all over.”

“I’m glad it’s you and not me. I can’t even sew a button on,” Luna says.

“The only other thing is set design, which I did most of at my old school. Though one of my students offered to have her grandfather help me.”

“Oh, that was sweet. Which student?”

“Taylor Whitmore.”

Luna chokes on her drink, then proceeds to fall into a coughing fit.

“Are you okay?” I ask.

She nods, her eyes watering. “Fine,” she croaks. “Must have gone down the wrong pipe.”

I nod. “I mean, I’m not sure how much help an old man is going to be. Maybe I should send him a message and tell him not to worry about it. That I don’t need his help.”

“No,” Luna says with a shake of her head. “You should at least meet with him.”

“Really? Because I don’t want to waste anyone’s time.”

Luna nods earnestly. “I get that, but you have to remember that you’re not in the big city anymore.”