Emmalee (17 page)
Chapter 16
“Excuse me, but I think I
dropped something! MY JAW!”
Shocked I froze in place and whipped my head up to meet his blue
eyes. “Are you—are you—? Did you and
Chloe—?”
“What? No!” Taylor laughed out loud, causing a few
heads to turn in our direction. He pulled me back into an
alcove and quietly assured, “It’s a purity ring.
Chloe got it for me on our anniversary back in April. She has
one too, but I’m hoping to update it.”
“Purity ring?”
What in the--?
“Come on! You know, the Jonas Brothers? Everyone
knows what a purity ring is.” I stared at him in
confusion until he sighed and whispered, “It’s a pledge
not to you know—do it, until you’re married.”
“Oh.”
I’m such a dork.
My face
turned bright red. Thank goodnessTaylor had the decency to
ignore it.
Anyway, I want to get her something special. Something to let
her know I mean business.”
“Oh.”
O-oh!
“Right now, I think both of our parents would freak if we
announced an engagement, but I think a pretty necklace or earings
would be really cool.”
Eeeh.
I could only focus on one thing. “An
engagement!?”
“Not now!” hushed Taylor. And then I watched his
face transform into the happiest and most content I’d ever seen
him. “But one day, yeah, that’s the plan. I
would love to ask Chloe to marry me.”
I knew it.
“Well, for what it’s worth.
I think you’re perfect for each other.”
Taylor chuckled. “I just can’t believe she puts up with
me. I swear I’m the luckiest guy on the planet.”
His smile was so bright it almost blinded me.
“Hey,Taylor!” Chase good-naturedly hollered, “Stop
hiding and help.”
Taylor winked and was gone. For a moment I stood back from the
group and wandered into another room to think. It had been
almost two years since Taylor had gone with me to the Morp dance his
senior year. And two years since the reality of Taylor’s
crush on Chloe was something he couldn’t hide anymore. It
was at that dance I saw he couldn’t take his eyes off of her.
It was also when I mentally and emotionally pushed him out of my
heart and let him go. Someone who looked at a girl the way
Taylor had looked at Chloe, needed to feel guilt-free in pursuing
her. Besides, after that gaze, I realized I wanted someone to
stare at me like that.
My fingers trailed lightly over the Anderson’s console table in
the empty entertaining room I was in.
What would it be like
to have someone so in love with me I’d feel safe and protected
forever?
Chase was right. I used to have a crush on
Taylor—okay, so it was a huge crush. But, now, looking
back I see how much I was just bowled over with him being Taylor
Anderson, and I didn’t dig deeper into the person that Chloe
saw. He was just the one guy every other girl was in love with,
so it was really easy for me to imagine myself in love too.
I want to be in
love.
That thought stunned me a moment and I froze,
thinking it over.
I do want to be in love. I want to
have someone see me, the real me and love me anyway.
With
a groan, I sat down on the nearest sofa.
Why does everyone
think I’m such a snob?
There was no way I was going
to find the guy of my dreams if I couldn’t attract him.
What guy—besides shallow losers like Elton—would want
someone who thought they were conceited, anyway?
Which
brought me to a much more contemplative thought—
Am I
conceited?
“Emmalee! There you are.”
I turned my head and tried not to sigh when I saw Claire making her
way toward me.
Can’t a girl get any privacy?
“Hi, Clair—”
“I was wondering where you were! I’ve been trying
to find you this whole—Wow! What a pretty fireplace! Can
you believe the size of this house—we love this house! It
always makes me so happy to come—Chloe is just so lucky.
None of us could believe it when my big sister captured Taylor’s
heart. I mean
the
Taylor Anderson—he, he, he!
I giggled for three days straight when I heard they were going out!
He’s so nice too—don’t you think he’s--?
Oh! Look at this couch! Wow! It’s so
comfortable! You have to try this one—oh, never mind I
see yours and mine are the same—but aren’t they so--?
Cassidy! Come in! You have to try these cushions out.
See, sit here by me. Now aren’t they—this reminds
me of when Ethan came over earlier. Doesn’t it remind you
of when he came over, Cass? He sat on our couch and we all
talked about the coziness of the cushions—he ate a lot for
dinner! Emma, have you ever seen Ethan eat?” She
stopped and looked up at me expectantly.
Oh, is it my turn to talk?
“Uh, no. I
haven’t.” And then before Claire could break in
again, I quickly added, “I’m sorry, did you say Ethan
Franklin was at your house for dinner today?”
“Yep!” Claire was all smiles. “Not only did
we have Ethan, but we had all the Franklin’s over! Even
Madison, Chloe’s friend was there and her dad, and then of
courseTaylor.”
Ethan went to their house for Thanksgiving dinner? Holy
cow! The Hart’s had better guests than we did! Good
grief!
“So, um—”
How to say this
delicately?
“Why are you—?”
Why
are you here?
And then all at once I knew the answer,
before Claire could confirm it. The Hart’s came because
of Taylor. Even though, they had already had a full slew of
guests, they obviously ended their evening early so they could come
for dessert here.
“Emma, can you help me clear off the rest of the plates?”
My mother’s look reminded me that in no uncertain terms was I
allowed to disagree.
I smiled. “Sure.” Reaching around Mrs. Hart’s
arm, I collected her used plate while she chatted away to Chase’s
mom. Chloe’s dad was quick to pass me his plate along
with Chloe’s and Taylor’s. “Thanks,” I
muttered. Turning to head into the adjoining kitchen, I reached
down to fetch another plate to add to the pile when the dishes in my
arms began to slip.
“Whoa!” Chase was at my side in an instant.
“Here.” He settled the plates in my arms.
“You take those into your mom, and I’ll follow you with
the rest.”
“Thanks.” My smile was wasted. Chase had
already turned and begun collecting the rest of the Anderson’s
china. I wandered into the kitchen and gently set the mass of
dishes on the counter next to my mom. She had filled the sink
with hot soapy water.
“
And before
you say anything, young lady—” she thought it informative
to remind me, “Yes. We are going to wash all of these
dishes ourselves—and no, the Anderson’s maid is not here
today. She got the day off to spend with her family.”
Great. Just
my luck.
“Did I say anything?” I asked innocently.
“
You didn’t
have to,” Mom mumbled. “I know you well.”
“
So is there a
reason why we do this every time we’re over here?” I
complained as I scraped excess pie crusts and filling into the sink
with the disposal. “I never see theAnderson’s help
us with our dishes.”
My
mother gave me ‘the look’ and took the first plate from
my hand. As she rinsed it she reminded me, “No matter how
many blessings you have been accustomed to, I hope you will always
remember the times before I married Adrian Bradford, and you were
just Emmalee Glumm. We didn’t have a dishwasher or
anything. To wash someone’s dishes is a sign of respect.
It’s a way of saying thank you. And no matter
what—whether they return the favor or not—we love our
friends and will wash their dishes for them.” She dunked
the plate into the soapy water and I watched her gloved hands use the
sponge to clean them.
Chase was so close
to us, it made both my mom and I jump when he spoke. “Here
are the rest of the plates. If you’ll scoot over Em, I’ll
set them down right next to you.”
My
face flamed and I wondered if he had heard my ungraciousness.
Whether he did or not, I couldn’t gauge anything from him,
because he kept his head turned toward my mom.
“
Thank you,
Chase.” She flashed her smile up at him. “You are
so nice.”
“
No problem.”
He shrugged and the turning to me asked, “Need help drying?”
“
Uh, sure.”
“
Great.”
He turned around and made a full circle before he sheepishly asked,
“Do you know where the dish towels are? I think I know
your kitchen better than my own.”
My
mom laughed. “Third drawer down on your right.”
“
Where?”
“
Here.”
I walked over to the towel drawer and handed him one. “You
do know how to dry dishes, don’t you?” I raised an
eyebrow up at him.
“
Again, I did
work for that toughest manager in all of New Mexico, remember?”
He flipped his towel expertly in the air and rested it on his
shoulder.
“
So. I
thought you couldn’t hand dry dishes in restaurants?”
“
Dang.
You know that?” Chase grinned impishly at me.
I
laughed and rolled my eyes. “Are you ready for your first
lesson?” I leaned over and collected one of the growing
pile of plates my mom had stacked on the counter. Just as I was
about to dry it my cell rang. “Oops! Hang on.”
I handed the plate over to Chase and fumbled with the phone in my
pocket.
Top of Form
“Hello?”
“Hey, Emma. This is Ethan Franklin.”
“Ethan?”
Oh my gosh! He called me!
Eeeh.
I beamed up at Chase and then over at my mom.
Neither looked overly thrilled. “Uh, hang on.”
I switched the phone to my other ear and walked over to the back of
the kitchen by the Anderson’s breakfast table. “What’s
up?”
“It’s all set for us to go to the movie tomorrow
afternoon. There’s a whole group of us going. You
want to come?”
“Sure! That’d be awesome. I’d love to
go to the movies.” I glanced up at my mom and she jerked
her head slightly in Chase’s direction. Thank goodness
his back was to me.
Fine.
“Can Chase come
too?”
At the mention of his name he looked over at me. I smiled and
listened to Ethan as he said, “Okay, that’ll be great.
He’s cool. Oh and hey, you promise you’ll sit next
to me, right?”
“Sit next to you?” I giggled. “What if I
don’t want to sit next to you?”
Ethan’s whispered voice tickled my ear. “Oh, you
will. I promise.”
I lowered my voice teasingly. “So, is it a date then? I
mean, I think you can only claim a seat next to me if you’re
paying my way.”
A utensil clattered loudly to the floor. I glanced up to see
Chase duck down behind the counter to pick it up.
“Why else do you think I’d go to all this trouble—getting
this group together—if it wasn’t to ask you out? Of
course it’s a date.”
I giggled again. “Really?” I couldn’t help asking.
“You went to all this trouble just for me?”
Chase interrupted from across the room, “What time are
we supposed to be there?”
“Oh, Chase wants to know when we need to be there?”
“And tell him I’ll be taking you,” said Chase.
“There’s no reason for him to come out here and pick you
up if I’m going too.”
“Uh—?” Chase looked determined.
Good
grief!
“Ethan? Chase says he’ll give me
a ride to the movie too.”
“Are you kidding me?” Ethan laughed. “What if
I wanted to pick you up?”
“Then you’ll live and settle by buying me popcorn
instead.”
“And Milk Duds?” he joked.
“Hmm… How about you get me Junior Mints and we’ll
call it good.”
“So, I buy you movie tickets, I buy you popcorn,
and
I
buy you Junior Mints, but I can’t pick you up and drive you
home?”
“Nope.” I smiled at his groan.
“That’s a tough break for a guy, you know?”
“Why?” I didn’t think my grin could get any
bigger.
“Don’t you know?”
his voice got a bit deeper. “It’s the only time a
guy can really get to know a girl. Outside on her front porch
as he kiss—”
“So, when are we meeting? What time?” interrupted
Chase
again.
Can’t the guy see I’m on the phone? Urgh.
Speaking of timing, he has the worst.