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I resist the urge to laugh, especially because she still has no idea who Ashton Rivers is, and if she did, I bet she’d be smiling even more.
“Touche!” He grins as Marcy pops a bottle of champagne from the bar and all the guys cheer.
He looks at me while I wonder if Taylor must still be showering.
“So, you’re Emma?” he asks me, doing a one eyebrow raise thing. I’ve no idea how he does that.
“Emmerson.” I nod. It’s obvious by the way he’s saying it that he sort of knows who I am. “You can call me Em.”
He nods knowingly, and I’ve no idea what that means.
“There’s Taylor,” Susie whispers to me as Marcy brings over a glass of champagne for us all. Cindy gives us a wink and sidles straight on over to Tyler who’s talking with a few guys.
I follow Susie’s glance and see him at the end of the hallway talking on his cell phone. Running a hand through his hair, he shakes his head.
I study him from behind. His profile alone is enough to make a girl weak at the knees. His body is so familiar to me, but a distant memory at the same time. I used to know every contour of it. I used to know every look and every smile.
Now, sadly, I don’t know much at all.
Jay follows our gazes and grins. “The man of the hour, always on work time!” He hollers for Taylor through cupped hands, although he’s quite far away. Taylor turns around and indicates with his fingers he’ll be two minutes as he’s talking on his cell. Then turns away again.
I thank Marcy for the champagne and take a sip.
It’s then I notice a girl walk up behind him and snake her arms around his waist. She’s a tiny little blonde with huge breasts.
Oh God. Is this his girlfriend?
I take another sip as he turns around, but I don’t see the rest because I look away. It’s stupid of me, but I don’t want to stand here and see him with a buxom blonde fawn all over him. I know I have absolutely no claim over him whatsoever. I don’t even know how I feel, but the air around me suddenly feels uncomfortable.
“I think I need to get some air,” I whisper to Susie. Maddie is still happily chattering away to Jay. He’s trying to establish where Ashton is, but all I overhear is that he had to leave early.
“I’ll come with you,” Susie says to me.
“It’s okay.” I shake my head. “I’m fine. I just need a minute.”
Though something tells me I’m going to need more than that.
I walk back the way we came as I half remember we passed a ladies’ room. Maybe I just need to decompress for a moment. It’s as though I’m only just registering what a big deal it is tonight in seeing him again.
Then I hear an all too familiar voice calling me. “Emmerson!”
I turn around and see Taylor standing at the other end of the long hall. He folds his arms across his chest and leans against the archway.
Seemingly, he’s ended his phone call and the blonde has left.
He’s oh-so casual, but his eyes are intense. “Where are you going?”
He tilts his head on the side, and I take a deep breath.
CHAPTER8
Taylor
Even from down the other end of the hallway, I see her tense up, then she flounders as she opens her mouth to speak.
“Looking for the ladies’,” she says quietly, tucking a long strand of hair behind her ear.
“I thought you were running out on me.” As soon as I say it, I want to punch myself.
