Page 26 of A New Chapter

Chapter 14

On the drive home, Emma leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Her body was completely relaxed, but her head was spinning, and she was afraid to move. Now she understood why Zack had hurried her out of the reception hall. One more drink would have probably sent her right over the edge, and she wasn’t keen on throwing up with an audience. Hopefully, she would be able to keep the contents of her stomach down until Zack got her home.

“What made you drink so much tonight?” Zack asked softly.

“I’m not sure,” she lied. “Someone kept bringing me drinks, and I lost count.”

“Hmm,” Zack replied thoughtfully.

Emma peeked through her eyelashes at him. “That’s the only reason, Zack,” she insisted.

“Ok, I believe you. I just wondered if being at a wedding made you feel sad. To be honest, that’s how I felt when I saw Justin and Trish together.”

Emma shut her eyes again. “Is this confession time?”

“Just forget I said anything,” he said dismissively.

Zack hit an unexpected bump in the road, and Emma grabbed her stomach with both hands.

“Sorry. Do you need me to stop?”

“No, I’ve got this,” she said as the sloshing in her stomach ceased.

“Zack?”

“Yes?”

“I did feel sad tonight. It just brought everything back, ya know?”

Zack reached over and squeezed her hand. “For me too,” he said.

“Well, aren’t we a couple of sad sacks?” Emma said.

“Yeah, let’s talk about something else.”

“Like what?”

“Like how I enjoyed dancing with you tonight.”

Uh-oh. “It was kind of nice,” Emma admitted while keeping her eyes tightly shut. Maybe if I don’t look at him it will be easier.

“Emma?”

“Yes?”

“Since we’re confessing, will you answer a question for me?”

And this is why I don’t drink that often! People tend to do and say things that they wouldn’t normally do or say. “I don’t know, Zack. It depends on the question.”

Never one to back down from a challenge, Zack forged ahead. “Were you attracted to me at Phil’s wedding? Even the tiniest little bit?”

Thank God that it was too dark for Zack to see that her cheeks were flushed. “Um…”

“Whatever your answer is, we never have to speak of it again. I promise. It’s just something that I’ve wanted to know.”

Emma blinked her eyes a couple of times and realized that they were now sitting in her driveway. “Um, Zack… “

“Sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”