“Daddy, can you stop at the store? I need something.”
Making a left turn instead of right that would have taken us to the hotel, Daddy crossed the highway and pulled into a gas station. My mother was still going on about the dinner.
“What do you need sweetheart?” Daddy asked.
I opened the door and jumped out as I said, “I’ll get it. Be right back.”
Less than two minutes later, I was back in the truck and drinking my Diet Coke like it was a drug I needed to keep breathing.
Leaning back, I closed my eyes as my mother continued on about the dinner and how lovely it would be for me to be there. Clapping her hands, she said, “It’s blue. Your favorite color, Adaline.”
I looked between my parents with a confused expression. “What’s blue?”
My mother turned to me and gave me a funny look as my father pulled up and stopped in front of the Marriott. “Why, your gown, of course.”
I gave my mother a stupefied look. I asked, “Are you both crazy? Seriously, have you lost your minds? You didn’t even tell me about a dinner! All you said was you wanted to take me out to celebrate me graduating nursing school.”
My father got out of the truck and grabbed my suitcase from the back of the truck bed as he opened my door and helped me out. “We’ll be back in two hours to pick you up, Adaline.”
Oh. My. God. Was he seriously ignoring me right now?
I scrubbed my hands over my face as I said, “Fine. Fine. You want me to be the dotting daughter for one evening, I’m more than happy to do it. If you can pretend Emmit isn’t pissed off I’m here, I guess I can pretend too.”
I grabbed my suitcase and stomped off like a five-year-old girl. “Two hours, sweetheart!” my mother called out as I lifted my hand and waved her off.
After finding out my parents had already checked in for me, I made my way to the elevator as I pulled up my voice messages on my phone.
I had two voice mails. One from a guy named Kurt who my best friend Elle set me up with. The guy was a class-act asshole.
“Hey, Adaline. I enjoyed dinner the other night. How about you come on over to my place tonight and I make you something to eat. I already know what will be for dessert.”
“Ohmygod. He didn’t just say that!” I said as I hit delete. The only reason I went out with him was because he was Elle’s cousin and she begged me.
The second message was from Clark, another nursing student who had been in a study group with me most of the year. He was nice, but I got the feeling he wanted more than a friendship with me.
“Hey. It’s me, um, Clark. Just seeing if you were going to be free next Wednesday. I have tickets to that art museum you mentioned you wanted to check out. Got a great deal and would love for you to join me.”
Hitting save, I chewed on my lip as I pressed the elevators up button. Clark. Could I see myself dating him?
I closed my eyes and tried to picture Clark and me, but all I could picture was Emmit’s gray eyes looking into mine as he made love to me.
With a sigh, I tossed my phone into my precious purse, the only thing left in this world that loved me as much as I loved it. My purse.
How sad is my life? Pulling my phone out, I quickly sent Clark a text message.
Me: Awe thanks so much, Clark, but I’ll have to pass.
Yep. My life is sad indeed.
The elevator doors opened directly in front of me as I kept my eyes fixed on the floor and walked into the elevator, only to hit head-on with another person.
“Oh! I’m so very s—sorry.”
Gray eyes captured my blue as I sucked in a breath. “Emmit?”
I quickly noticed the blonde standing next to him.
Emmit walked around me as I stood there like a fool. Giving me a weak smile, the blonde whispered, “Excuse me,” as she made her way around me.
As I got my wits about me, I turned around. My shaking hand lifted as I pushed the number seven.
My eyes landed on the back of Emmit’s head as I heard him talking to the front desk agent. “Miss Elliot will be needing to extend her stay for another day.”
The doors shut, and I fell back against the wall as I whispered, “Holy shit, Emmit.”
“I know. He’s dreamy isn’t he?”
I turned to my left only to see a girl my age was standing there wearing a goofy smile. “Excuse me?”
“Emmit Lewis. He’s dreamy as hell. Believe me, I had the same reaction when I saw him get on the elevator. I mean look at me. I was supposed to get off on the lobby floor and here I am riding it back up because I was so taken by him I couldn’t think straight! He totally had me wetting my panties!”