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“Thank you.” She smiles again and I lose all train of thought. I’ve always been attracted to sleek, sophisticated women—or at least that is what I told myself. When I left for college I dated women that were so far from what Emily was like, trying to burn her out of my brain with other women.
Turns out it didn’t work because she has more class in that sweater dress than any of my previous dates did in Dolce & Gabbana or Balenciaga.
“Would it really be so bad?” I blurt out as I turn onto the road leading us back into town.
“Would what be so bad?” She even looks cute with her forehead scrunched up like that. I need to get this out of my system. I can’t date my best friend’s sister. She’s been off limits for my entire life.
“If people thought we were dating?” I let the sentence hang in the air between us.
“No one would think that. I’m hardly your type,” she says looking out the window, but I see the faint blush across her cheeks.
“What is that supposed to mean?” I ask her as I turn onto the street with the restaurant. She rolls her eyes.
“Come on Mason, guys like you date girls who look like Julia, not the girl next door.”
I pull into a parking spot and shut off the engine waiting for her to look over at me. When she finally does, there is something in her eyes I can’t identify.
“Anyone would be lucky to be with you, Emily. You’re smart, funny and most importantly you're real. What you see is what you get and I for one think that is the best trait a woman can have.Plus, you look gorgeous in your dresses.”
I leave her with her mouth hanging open as I slip around the car and open her door. She looks up at me as she gets out of the car as if she is seeing a stranger.
I put my hand on her back, escorting her into the restaurant.
“I like being with you,” I say looking directly into her eyes. “That’s why I asked you to come to dinner tonight. Mike and Lily will love you,” I lean in and whisper. I feel her shiver as my breath caresses her ear.
This attraction I’m feeling isn’t one sided. The question is what do I do about it, if anything. Do I risk a lifelong friendship to possibly get the woman of my dreams? Is that woman Emily?
“Do you remember that fifty-nine yard field goal against the Jags? That was something to see, my friend.” Mike grins at me and Lily rolls her eyes at Emily who giggles and takes a sip of her drink.
I was right, they love Emily and the dinner so far has been a pleasure. Every time we went out with Julia it was stilted silence with Mike and I trying to carry the conversation. This has been natural and fun. Lily and Emily hit it off right away and when Lily found out that Emily owned the local bookstore and coffee shop they made a date for the next morning to have Lily come and check it out.
“It was a great kick but I prefer the game against the Bills when he kicked the forty-eight yard field goal with the wind gusts at thirty miles per hour to win the game. That was a nail biter.” Emily says. I swear she’s trying to pretend that she doesn’t see me staring at her.
“Did you watch my games on ESPN?” I ask her, my throat suddenly tight.
She shrugs. “Jack and I watched a lot of them but those two games I was lucky enough to see in person.”
I stare at her with wide eyes and her now famous blush stains her cheeks.
“Why are you staring at me?” She turns to me with a raised brow.
“Why didn’t you ever tell me? If you had let me know you were coming I would have gotten you VIP passes and the works. You could’ve sat in the owner’s box with Julia.”
I don’t miss the tightening of her lips when my ex is mentioned. No one from Cottage Grove liked her. I convinced myself everyone was jealous but now I know it was because Julia was cruel to people she believed beneath her.
“I was in town for a book expo both times. I didn’t want to bother you and Julia. I just wanted to watch you play.” Her last words are soft. All of the sudden I feel like she and I are the only people in the room. My heart starts to race as her words wash over me, and my gaze moves from her eyes to her lips and back again. Her blush deepens.
Mike clears his throat. He and Lily give each other knowing glances. “I thought the two of you were just friends?”
“We are,” Emily and I say at the same time.
“Sure you are.” Mike says drawing out the word sure as he grins at me and then Emily before changing the subject.
I’m grateful for the subject change. Allowing this years-long attraction I’ve had for Emily to the surface is overwhelming. My reactions to her are starting to make me wonder how long I’m going to be able to hold out before kissing her.
“Emily, tell me a little about your store.” Lily asks and I sit back and grin as Emily tells her about going to college to get a business degree and coming home to open the coffee shop and bookstore with money from a trust left to her by her grandmother.
My heart fills with pride and a smile crosses my lips. I am so proud of her.
