K. Robinson - Twisted Ties

“And if you get in a fight, I’ll hit you.” Emma scowled at him.

He laughed. “You’ve hit me before. It doesn’t hurt.”

“Whatever,” she huffed as she stood up. “We’ll leave you alone, so you can get ready for work.”

I stood and started to follow her, but Andy called my name.

“Jesse, hang on a minute.” He waited until Emma was out in the hallway before he continued. “Look, I know you’re butt-hurt over Emma and me, but you need to let it go. It was a long time ago, and I’m not going to come between you two. Stop trying to make me see that she’s yours. I already know it.”

I nodded, feeling like an idiot. “You’re right. It’s just…I just got her back, and I don’t want to lose her.”

“I’ve been her friend for a long time now. Trust me when I say that she isn’t going anywhere.”

“Jesse, are you coming?” Emma asked as she opened the door to look for me.

“Yeah.” I glanced at Andy. “I’ll see you later.”

“Later.”

Emma refused to take the elevator back down to the main floor. She said something about not trusting me. I had no idea why she would think that. Okay, maybe I did see her point.

The skies had darkened while we were inside Andy’s place. I could hear thunder in the distance. From the way it looked, we were in for a nasty storm.

On the way back to my house, we stopped at a fast-food restaurant to grab something to eat. It was nice to just sit there and chill like a normal couple. I relaxed back into the booth as I realized that there was no crazy bitch hanging over our heads. I wasn’t about to let my guard down just in case Ally showed up again, but that didn’t mean that I’d let her ruin my happiness.

Emma was mine again, and I planned to keep it that way. I didn’t care what I had to do. I would make sure that she was always mine.

“What are you thinking about?” Emma asked as she stared at me from across the table.

“You,” I said simply.

“What about me?”

“Just that I’m the luckiest guy ever to have you back in my life. It doesn’t matter, but I have to ask you something. What’s the situation with your mom now? Is she as bad as she was before?”

“Nah, she’s worse. She took my car and kicked me out when I told her I was coming to West Virginia for college. That was in May, and I haven’t heard a word from her since. My dad let me stay at his place over the summer.”

“She kicked you out? How can a parent do that to her kid?”

Emma shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. I’m glad that I’m finally free. All she did was make my life hell.”

“Did you ever tell her about me?”

She shook her head. “No, I didn’t see the point. You were gone.”

“I thought I’d lose you because of her.”

“And I was afraid that she’d keep me away from you. Obviously, that isn’t a problem now. It’s not like she can disown me twice if she did find out.”

“That’s true. You know, I still have the same fears as before. I’ll never be rich, Emma, and I hope you can accept that.”

She frowned. “I told you before that money doesn’t matter to me. The only thing I ever wanted when I was growing up was to be happy. My family had all the money in the world, and we were miserable. Money doesn’t buy happiness. Happiness is something that comes from within. I learned a long time ago that my mother could never be happy. She just doesn’t have it in her.”

“But you do. You’re the happiest person I’ve ever met.”

“You haven’t seen me on a bad day,” she teased.

“No, I haven’t—well, except for that day in your room, but that doesn’t count. I can’t wait to see it. I bet you’re even hotter when you’re in a pissy mood.”

She laughed. “You’re an idiot. So, tell me, what have you been up to since you moved?”

“Not much. We moved here, and I started a new school. I made a few friends but none worth mentioning. I kept my nose out of trouble and graduated at the top of my class. Mom married Mark a year ago, and they’re both blissfully happy. It made me want to vomit when I lived there.”

“Do you like Mark now?”

“I do. When I met him, I convinced myself that he was going to break her. Instead, he made her happy. I’ve never seen her the way she is now. Once I got over myself, I actually talked to him, and I realized that he isn’t such a bad guy. Before he met my mom, he was married, but his wife died four years ago. I think it really messed him up for a long time.”

“I can’t even imagine.”

“Neither can I. But I think my mom helped him as much as he helped her. They’re both really happy together.”

“I’m glad. Your mom was always so nice to me.”

“She liked you. She never asked why I’d left, but she knows it had to do with you.”

“I bet she hates me now.”

“Nah. My mom doesn’t have it in her to hate anyone, even my dad. She’ll be excited to see you again.”

“I hope so.”

“Why don’t we go visit her tomorrow? I could use a day away from here and all the drama.”

“If you’re sure that she doesn’t hate me…” Emma said, obviously nervous.

“I promise, she doesn’t. She’ll probably bake cookies for you or something.”

Emma laughed. “I’d like that. The only person who has ever made me cookies was the chef my mom hired.”

I frowned when I noticed how something as simple as cookies could upset her. It was obvious that her mother had never taken a second to actually be there for her daughter.

“I’m sorry that you had to grow up alone.”

“It’s fine. I’m over it. I’m putting the past behind me and moving on to bigger and better things.”

“Like the poor kid from the trailer park?”

“Like the boy who stole my heart and taught me how to surf.”

“I miss surfing. It’s been a long time since I was on a board.”

“I kept surfing after you left. I went to that spot you had taken me to, and I surfed there. Andy and I found a good spot, too.”

“You surfed with Andy?” I hated the fact that he’d been there for her when I wasn’t.

“Yeah, we surfed a lot this summer.”

“I thought you said you moved to your dad’s place in L.A.”

“I did. Andy came with me.”

I sighed. “This really blows.”

“What do you mean?”

“I hate the fact that you’ve spent so much time with him. I know you two are just friends, but it still bothers me.”

“Jesse, you have to understand the relationship I have with Andy. He was there for me when I had no one. He’s my best friend. Well, he was. Since you are back with us, I think I’ve been bumped down to just a regular friend. You stole my spot.”

“I doubt that. Andy is the kind of guy who will always be loyal once you break down his wall. Once you’re in, you’re in.”

“Good. I don’t want to lose him.”

“I’ll try to work on my jealous side when it comes to him, I promise. Just give me some time. When I left, you two barely knew each other. Now, you’re as close to him as I used to be.”

“Thank you. And I promise you that you have nothing to worry about when it comes to him. He’s nothing more than a friend.”

“Good.” I glanced outside to see that the storm was getting closer. “I think we should probably get back to my house before that storm hits.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

I stood and followed Emma back to her car. I couldn’t wait to get her alone.

I hurried back to Jesse’s house, trying to beat the storm. Just as I pulled into his driveway, rain started to splatter against my windshield. It was nothing more than a shower, but I knew more was coming. I smiled as I realized that I might be stuck at Jesse’s for a while.

We ran up to his house as the rain started to grow heavier. Jesse unlocked the door and held it open for me. Once we were inside, I pulled my jacket off and hung it on one of the hooks by the door. I looked around his house. I’d been in such a hurry to escape the last time that I’d been here that I hadn’t paid any attention to it.

His house was small but nice. I could see myself spending a lot of time here. For some reason, it already felt like home.

“Do you want something to drink? I won’t be an ass like Andy and not ask,” Jesse said as he walked to the kitchen.

I laughed as I followed him. “Nah, I’m good.”

He opened the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water. I leaned against the island as I watched him. I would never get tired of looking at him. Every little detail about him amazed me. He set the bottle down on the counter and walked over to me.

“I think we have some unfinished business.”

“What?”

“We never got to finish what we started in the elevator earlier.”

“Oh.”

Heat engulfed me as he stared at me. A hunger was in his eyes that couldn’t be denied. Thunder rumbled outside, causing me to jump. I’d been so distracted by his gaze that I’d forgotten about the storm that was upon us. He raised his hand and cupped my cheek. I closed my eyes as I felt his skin against mine.

God, I’ve waited so long for his touch.

I couldn’t wait anymore, and the look in his eyes told me that I didn’t have to. His other hand went to my waist to pull me closer. I stumbled, but I caught myself by grabbing his shirt.

He leaned down and pressed his lips against mine. I fisted my hands in his shirt as I clung to him. I never wanted to let go. I released his shirt long enough to grab the bottom of it and pull it over his head. His chest and stomach were hard as I ran my hands across him. I couldn’t believe how much he’d changed over the past two years. He’d always been in shape, but I could see that he was no longer the boy I’d met. In his place was a man.