Fifteen Weekends (27 page)

  She heard her gym bag hit the garage floor as she felt Ethan’s hands gliding down her thigh. Emily felt her knees go weak as she encircled her arms around Ethan’s neck. He ran his index finger over her thigh making figure eights and zig zags, like he was drawing designs in the sand. Emily moaned softly. She became hot and cold all at once, her body ached for Ethan. She felt just how much he wanted her, too, as Ethan positioned his hips into her and hitched Emily’s leg up around his waist while cupping her bottom. Ethan continued to kiss her neck, and Emily looked around to make sure no prying eyes were staring at them. She would die of embarrassment if her sweet neighbor, Mrs. Crenshaw caught Emily making out with her boyfriend in the garage like two horny teenagers. 

  Thunder rumbled in the distance. Emily took that as an opportunity to distract Ethan and suggest they go inside.

  “Ethan, as much as I would love nothing more than to continue kissing you, I think we should take this inside away from such a
public
setting.”

  “Fine,” he growled in her ear. “Besides, I have some news about the Cadillac that nearly ran me over,” Ethan said as he scooped up her bag.

  “Oh yeah?” her eyes widened and gleamed with hopefulness. “Did Alex find the owner?”

  “They found the white Cadillac matching the description you gave down by the abandoned railway station on the southeast side near Wealthy Street. Alex said he and his team searched inside the vehicle and found nothing. It had been completely wiped clean. The license plate had been removed and the VIN number was stripped from the car”

  A chill shot up Emily’s spine upon hearing the news. “Seriously, nothing?” Emily scoffed as she dumped her bag by the stairs. 

  “I’m sorry Em,” Ethan said while taking a bottle of water out of the fridge. “It looks like we’ve hit a dead end at the moment.”

  “We cannot catch a goddamn break,” Emily said, her voice thick with anger and frustration.

  “Alex isn’t giving up, Em,” he reassured her. Ethan slung his arms around her waist and hugged her tightly. “Okay, now don’t you have to get your hair and nails done or something for tonight?”

  “Yes, my appointment is in an hour.”

  “I have to go back to the office, but I’ll meet you at my house to change. Then can we go to the gala together?” Ethan asked.

  Shaking her head, Emily huffed, “I cannot believe Clark is making you come back to work on a Saturday afternoon, and before the fucking gala no less. Has he lost his damn mind?”

  “Play nice, Em,” Ethan joked and kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll see you later, I love you.”

  Emily loved hearing those three little words pour from Ethan’s perfect lips. She was on cloud nine. Everything seemed to be falling into place, well, except that she had a stalker.

  “I love you, too,” she said while walking him to the door.

  Emily rushed to Ethan’s house after her salon appointment to start getting ready for the gala at The Plaza de Grand. She was feeling a bit stressed, Ethan was at the office wrapping up a last minute meeting with Clark. Emily knew whatever they were working on had to important. She suspected it was something to do with LA Business Design and the store opening in Hong Kong next month.

  Emily heard her phone vibrating in her bag. A text from Ethan read: CLARK
PUSHED
THE
MEETING
BACK
ANOTHER
TWENTY
MINUTES
.

 
Emily sighed and returned Ethan’s text: THAT
’
S
OKAY
,
WE
STILL
HAVE
PLENTY
OF
TIME
BEFORE
TONIGHT
’
S
EVENT
.
I
WILL
SEE
YOU
IN
A
BIT
.
I
’
M
GETTING
IN
THE
BATH
.

  After pouring a glass of red wine she walked upstairs and turned on the radio in the bathroom. A severe weather alert came across saying high gusts of wind were taking down trees, and there was a power outage in East Grand Rapids. A possible funnel cloud was spotted near Kentwood.
Wow, we’re in for a rocky ride tonight.

 
Emily began to run the water in the tub, poured in some bubble bath and lit some candles just in case the power went out. Slipping out of her clothes Emily stepped into the tub and closed her eyes. Just then the power did go out, and Emily heard a rattling outside. She pulled up the Tune In app on her phone to find her favorite radio station and sat back in the tub. The wind was really picking up, and the lighting was intense, steadily streaking through the sky. Closing her eyes she took a sip of wine allowing her mind to relax.

Chapter Thirty-Four

  Sparkling metallic stemware and sterling silver-rimmed place settings sat carefully atop pressed white linens that were surrounded by plush velvet chairs in the ballroom. Amanda stood with her arms crossed, very pleased at the sight of her surroundings. She drummed her freshly painted fingernails against her smooth skin and hummed to the soft music pouring through the sound system. George Michael was right in the middle of singing the chorus to “Kissing a Fool” when the intense rumbling of thunder that shook outside rudely interrupted him. The lights flickered a bit, causing the ornate chandeliers that hung above to jiggle slightly. Emma Sterling shot Amanda a worried look.

  Amanda shrugged and said, “I don’t recall inviting this thunderstorm to the event.”

  Emma giggled, “I definitely didn’t put her on the guest list.”

  Amanda turned on her heel, moved out of Emma’s line of sight and sighed with relief. She was glad this day had finally arrived. The Phillip Cooper Foundation was the biggest charity event of the summer season. Nearly three hundred prominent people would be in attendance for the glamorous evening—schmoozing and boozing. The silent auction items had all been delivered, and the hotel staff was currently setting up the banquet tables. Amanda’s favorite florist, Anne Stephens, had just called and said she would be delivering the centerpieces for the tables and the rest of the decorations any minute.

  “It’s going to be a wonderful event, Amanda. I cannot thank you enough for pulling all this together,” Emma gleefully hummed. “I’m very impressed with you, Amanda. You have quite the flare for event planning.”
   Her heart skipped a beat when she heard the thunder explode. It sounded like a bomb went off directly over their heads.

  “Thank you for the lovely compliment. I think so too, Emma. Anything that could have gone wrong did, and we solved those issues. I’m sure tonight will be smooth sailing,” she replied feeling a bit nervous. But she didn’t let Emma see she was sweating bullets.

  Ashleigh greeted Liam when he arrived at the Plaza de Grand.

  “This weather is insane,” Liam said as he kissed Ashleigh on both cheeks. “Hello my darling.”

  Ashleigh smiled warmly as Liam took her hand in his. “Hi handsome, how was your flight?”
  “It was good. The flight from Detroit to here was a little bumpy. Luckily the strong weather didn’t hit until after we landed. I am just glad to be here with you.”

  “I’m so glad you could make it here. Our suite is ready, and I have already checked in.”

  Ashleigh led Liam across the lobby to the elevator corridor. She jumped a bit when the thunder boomed again. Liam clutched her hand tighter and gave her a warm smile.

  “This is quite a lovely hotel. Is this where you want to be married?” Liam asked smoothly while rubbing the pad of his thumb over Ashleigh’s engagement ring.

  Ashleigh had been thinking a lot about the wedding over the last few weeks. She could hardly believe how excited she was to begin planning all the details, she had already asked Emily to be her Maid of Honor. Her list of wedding invites was minute by modern wedding standards, consisting of a few close friends and her small family.  Something intimate would be the perfect way to celebrate spending the rest of their lives together.

   Ashleigh would be moving to London soon, her beloved penthouse was going on the market next week, and it she felt that it would be easier to plan a wedding in the country where she was currently living.

  “Actually Liam, I think I want a small wedding. What do you think about getting married at Frost Castle?” Ashleigh heard the irony in her voice. Such an event at a castle doesn’t exactly scream small wedding, but she had connections that could help make the event an intimate one.

  A smile crossed Liam’s luscious lips, “Of course, anything you want. I think it’s a delightful idea. Have I told you how much I love you and how incredibly happy I am that you agreed to marry me?” He pulled Ashleigh in tight, delivering a long kiss to her full lips. 

  She knew, because she was happy, too. Finally, she let go of the past. In her mind Ashleigh had said goodbye to Nick and their baby, setting her free. Neither fear nor stubbornness would keep her from living her life to the fullest. The guilt finally escaped her mind, and for the first time in what seemed like years Ashleigh breathed again.

  Taking a sip of scotch Alex peered at his notes then glanced out the window of the jet. Resting his head on the back of the seat, he closed his eyes, and his mind drifted to the enlightening conversation. As he replayed the exchange over and over, he realized there was nothing he could do that would prepare Amanda for the shocking news he was about to give her. Alex couldn’t believe what he had discovered—it was all so devious and underhanded. Summer was coming to an end, and along with it, Amanda’s world was about to be blown apart. Alex let out a deep sigh. “At least I can be there to help her pick up the pieces,” he muttered to himself.