Emmalee (21 page)

           
“I-I am?” 
For Pete’s sake!  Can I
act like a bigger loser?  Of course, I know that I’m
beautiful.  Sheez.  Now it sounds like I’m fishing.
 
I winced and closed my eyes so I wouldn’t have to see Ethan
smile at the blush I could feel rising to my cheeks.

           
I felt his warmth as he moved in closer to me.  His mouth seemed
to be just millimeters from my mine.  My eyes flew open. 
His mouth was millimeters from mine!
 
Oh my gosh! 
Is he going to kiss me?

           
“Emma, stop me.  Please,” his lips whispered a
fraction above mine.  “I don’t know what’s
happened to me.  But I can’t—I can’t kiss
you.  Please—?”

           
I had heard enough.
 
With a shove to his chest I sent
him backwards.  If I would’ve thought about it I may have
stayed long enough to hear his reasoning, but I didn’t. 
Instead, I barged through my front door and slammed it shut behind
me. 
The nerve!  Urgh!  What moron puts a girl
through that psychological meltdown without kissing her?
 
With a disgusted sigh, I stomped up the stairs to my room and to
Clementine—determined to forget all about the very annoying
Ethan Franklin. 

Chapter 20

“How was Heaven when you left
it?"

           
It didn’t help that Chase and Georgia were super cute and very
friendly later that afternoon when they came into my room to visit
the puppy.  For some reason I just wasn’t in the mood to
be entertained by them.  It took every bit of effort I had to be
charming back and even that attempt failed.

           
“You’re a grumpy-grouch today,” Chase annoyingly
observed as he handed Clementine back toGeorgia. They were both
sitting on the floor. “What happened to make you all, ornery?”

           
Ugh.
  “Ornery?” I arched a brow and sat up
on the bed.  “Like I’m some old grandpa? 
That’s the best adjective you could come up with?”

           
Chase raised his hands in mock-surrender and leaned his back against
the wall.  “Hey, I just call it like I see it.” 
He had the gall to chuckle at my expression.

           
The dork. 

           
“So what happened?” he persisted.

           
Everything.
  “Nothing,”  I tucked my
feet up underneath me.  “Why are you so positive something
has happened?  Can’t I have a bad day, just like everyone
else?”

           
Chase searched my face for a moment and then lowered his gaze
watching Georgia ruffle Clem’s ears.  I thought I would be
lucky enough to have him drop the subject, but, as usual, I wasn’t
lucky.  His blue eyes practically pierced me with their
intensity when he looked back up.  “No.  You don’t
have bad days.”

           
I smirked back at him until I realized he was serious.  “Come
on, Chase, I have bad days just like everyone else.  You know? 
Waking up on the wrong side of the bed—”

           
“Not without a reason.”  He brought his knee up and
wrapped his arms around it.  “Are you trying to tell me
you had a bad dream last night?”

           
What?
  “No.”

           
“Then something happened on your date.”

           
Yeah, your brother started hitting on Cassidy and Ethan’s
a
—  “Nothing happened.”

           
“You’re sure Ethan didn’t try anything?  He
didn’t kiss you, did he?”

           
“Ugh!”  I threw a pillow at him and he deftly caught
it with one hand.  “What is it with you and your paranoia
about Ethan kissing me?  Sheez!  Give me a break, okay? 
He didn’t kiss me.  He wouldn’t kiss me.  He
doesn’t want to kiss me!  You got that?  I’m
sure no matter how many dates the guy takes me on, it’ll still
be the same.  So stop worrying.  For some reason, I’m
some random freak of nature to the guy anyway.  He got like a
centimeter away from my mouth and then panicked and totally begged
for me to shove him away.  Gee.  Imagine that?  The
first guy—ever—who doesn’t want to maul me. 
You should be praising the guy for his ability to withstand
my
temptation!”  I threw the other pillow at him for good
measure.  He caught that one too—and for a second just
stared at me.

           
Good!  I’ve acted like such a weirdo I’ve made
him speechless.

           
“Emma?”  Georgia’s worried tone snapped me out
of my tirade.

Great.  I forgot she was
here.
  I tried to make my voice sound calm.  Instead
it came out strained and forced.  “What, sweetie?” 

           
“Don’t be so sad, cuz that boy didn’t wanna kiss
ya.  I bet lots of other boys’ll want to.”

           
“Uh—”  I was floored.  Talk about feeling
like an idiot. 
I can’t believe I lost it in front of
her. 
“Georgia, don’t worry—”

           
“Huh, Chase?  Lot’s of boys’ll wanna kiss her,
huh?”

           
His eyes flew to mine.  “Yeah, I’m sure.”

           
“Even you wanna kiss her, don’tcha?” 
Georgia’s pretty eyes blinked innocently up at her older
brother. 

           
Oh my gosh!
  I wished I could escape, and I could see I
wasn’t the only one.  I had never seen Chase so
uncomfortable before.  I decided to save him.  “Of
course, Chase wants to kiss me.  Just like he wants to kiss
you.” I smiled at his raised eyebrows.  “I’m
his sister too, didn’t you know that?”

           
“You are?”  Georgia’s mouth dropped wide
open.  “Nuh-uh, You’re teasin’ me, aren’t
ya?”

           
Chase leaned over and tousled her blonde curls.  “Yep,
Em’s teasin’ you.  She’s not your sister and
she’s wrong anyway, I’d never think of kissing her like
that.”

           
Sure.  Just plunge the knife in deeper. 
It’s
a good thing I wasn’t in love with the guy, or that would’ve
really hurt. 

For the rest of their visit, I opted
to keep my grumpiness to myself.  Instead, focused completely on
helping Georgia teach Clem some new tricks—which wasn’t
easy, but kept the awkwardness of Chase at bay.  I’ve
never felt relief like I did when they finally left.  Except
then, it kept the rest of my day wide open to worry about Ethan
Franklin…

           
So okay, I know I’m selfish sometimes but Ethan’s odd
behavior really got to me.  It wasn’t that I was madly in
love with him or something.  Far from it.  But he didn’t
have to treat me like I had the plague, or something! 
What’s
the big deal about a stupid little kiss anyway?  Did he go on
some spiritual-cleansing Tibetan Retreat and pledge himself to be
some Monk?  Like, what gives?  Seriously.

           
So honestly, you know what it really was? 
Honestly?
 
It was me.  I was used to calling the shots.  Yep. 
Me.  I was used to being the one who kicked guys to the curb—if
you catch my drift.  Like, why do you think I’d perfected
my left hook anyway?  Duh, to keep rejects like Elton off of
me.  So that’s what I don’t get. 
Why isn’t
Ethan crawling all over me?  Am I supposed to run after him and
feel challenged now?  Like is this some stupid reverse
psychology thing?  Because if it is, he can take his monkish
psychology major and shove it!”

           
“Emma?  Your cell’s ringing.  Are you gonna
answer it?”

           
“Huh?” I stared blankly up at my mom a moment and then
over at my purse as it chirpped merrily at me.  “Oh,
thanks.”  I climbed off my bed and walked over to the
purse.  By the time I had it answered my mom had already left
the doorway.  It was Hannah.

           
“Hey, Emma!  I was wondering what you’re up to later
tonight?”

   “Anything, if
you’re involved.”  Relieved, I smiled into my phone.

           
“Well, my mom and dad are heading down to Albuquerque for a
get-a-way.  I was wondering if you wanted company.”

           
“Yes!  That would be awesome.  Oh, and bring your
skirt, Mom promised Dad we’ll be headin’ back to church
again.”

           
“Really?  You guys haven’t gone for, like, a while
now.  What’s with the sudden change of heart?”

           
“No, change of heart really.  We’ve always meant to
go, just haven’t gotten around to it.  You know Zack’s
games and all.  But, now that he’s gone and Dad totally
got all into his ‘thankful for God’ speech at
Thanksgiving dinner—mom became guilt-crazed—and low and
behold the heathens are headin’ back to church.”

           
“Wow!” she whispered.  “That’s actually
kind of cool.”

           
“So did you survive last night?” I decided to lighten the
mood a bit.  “I mean, was the movie totally horrible?”

           
“Are you kidding?  With Chase paying for everything? 
No way!  He’s an awesome date, seriously.  I’m
surprised you’ve never thought to go out with him.”

           
“Me?” 
Why is everyone suddenly wondering if
Chase and I like each other
?  “Not likely.  I
don’t think I could stand being on a date with him.”

           
 She laughed and I was irritated to hear Hannah agree with me.

           
Why would that bug me?
           
“So what time do you want me to come over?”

           
“Uh…” I flipped my hair out of my face and
shrugged.  “Whenever, really.  I’m totally
going crazy at the moment, so if you’re free head over now.”

           
“I can’t.  I’m finishing laundry.  My mom
would kill me if I left this load in the washing machine.  But
I’ll be over a-sap.”

           
“Okay.  See ya then.”

           
The phone went dead in my ear and I sighed for like the hundredth
time that day.  Falling back on my pillows, I wondered again
what was wrong with me.  I just didn’t get it. 
Why
was I more worried about Ethan being a dork, than me losing my heart
over him?  Wasn’t he supposed to be my perfect match?
 
Why didn’t I see guys like everyone else did?  Was I
never, ever going to fall in love?
  The image of me as an
old maid with dozens of cats flit across my mind again, and I groaned
and buried myself in pillows so I could stamp it out.

           
Much later when Hannah made it over and she was going on and on with
the wonderfulness of Chase’s movie date, it totally clicked. 
Oh.  My.  Gosh.  Why didn’t I think of it
before?  It’s perfect!  Ethan Franklin and Hannah
Smith!  Eeeh.  Okay, I’m gonna die happy now! 
It explains everything.  Why I haven’t been attracted to
him, his awkwardness about kissing—he’s totally shy. 
Like Hannah is. Oh, and Hannah fallin for older guys—he’s
older too.  See?  It’s perfect.  They were so
meant to be together.  Ahhh! 

Sometimes there were moments in your
life when everything seemed to click into place.  You know, when
all of the good Karma sprinkles flowed your way and the planets,
moon, and the stars all aligned in perfect harmony to create one of
those memorable moments of extreme clarity? 
I am so having
one of those moments!
  *Sigh* 
I’m a
genius.  Pure and simple.  A matchmaking genius!  I
knew it.  I knew all along I was destined to be something
great.  I mean, even my horoscope this month talked of my
ability to move mountains and to bend will to my way.  Well,
this is will bending my way.
  I sighed again, and just when
I was ready to throw myself back onto my bed in the act of supreme
happiness—

           
“You haven’t been listening to a word I’ve said,
have you?” Hannah laughingly accused.

           
“What?” I caught myself from falling just in time. 
“Of course, I have.  Chase was wonderfully sweet at the
movie last night.  Is there something else I’ve
missed?”   

           
“Ugh!”  Hannah shook her head at me and buried her
face into one of my pillows.  “I knew it,” came her
muffled reply.  “I knew you weren’t listening to me
for one minute!”  She snapped her head back up and grinned
slyly at me.  “So what is it that has put that ridiculous
smile on your face anyway?” 

           
Whatever.
  “I do not have ridiculous smiles.” 
I smiled even more ridiculously at her.

           
She leaned forward.  “Egad, Batman!  You’ve
thought of something, haven’t you?” She snorted out a
giggle. 

           
I nodded my head and giggled back.

           
“Out with it!” Her eyes danced playfully and then her jaw
dropped.  “I know what it is!”  Hannah gasped.

           
“You do?” 
Better and better.

           
“You think it’s Chase who bought that camera for Cassidy,
don’t you?”

           
What?
  I blinked.  “No!”

           
“Come on. Are you kidding me?”  She sat back up. 
“Of course, it’s Chase.  Who else would it be?”

           
I felt like I had been slapped across the face. 
As if Chase
would EVER look at Cassidy.  Taylor noticing her was bad enough,
but Chase?  No.  Way. 
I had to get her mind off
of that bizarre notion immediately.  I said the only thing I
knew that would distract her enough. “Puh-lease, sometimes you
scare me with the things you think about.” I chuckled to sound
more convincing.  “Anyway, that wasn’t what made me
smile.  What made me smile was the thought of linking your name
with Ethan’s.”

           
Now it was Hannah who looked like she’d been slapped. 
“What in the world put that thought into your head?  Have
you totally lost your mind?  Me and Ethan?  Ethan and
me
? 
Yeah, right!  If he likes anyone, it’s you.”

           
“Really?”  I smiled back, glad to see she was very
distracted.  “I don’t think so.  I think he
likes me—yes…”  I put my hand up to thwart
off her attack.  “But I know he doesn’t like, like
me.  We’re just friends.  And more than likely, that
is all we’ll ever be.  I’m thinking his heart is
much more open to new possibilities than you’d think.”