I couldn’t get enough of his mouth, his body. The feel of him through the layers of clothing. The taste of him. He was everywhere.
Slowly, my brain came back to my body, and I shoved him away from me.
“How dare you!” I spat. “You cannot send me mixed signals like this, Jensen. Either you want more or you don’t. I won’t play games with you. I’m tired of being jerked around by men who think that they can do whatever they want.”
“Emery, that’s not—”
“Save it,” I said, raising my hand to silence him. “I’ve heard enough.”
Fifteen
Emery
I leaned back against the giant glasses sculpture outside of the Buddy Holly Center. They were iconic to the legend who had been born here and gone on to such fame. I’d worked here on and off throughout most of high school, and being back felt just as surreal as everything else that had been happening in my life. I felt like I was reliving high school, only with a different Wright brother.
Betty hit the curb in her old red Buick LaCrosse and then parked in front of the center. She waved at me from the driver’s side. I could only laugh. She had always been out there.
“Hi, Emery, dear. How are you?” Betty said. She hurried over to where I was standing and then gestured for me to follow her.
“Doing all right. How about yourself?” I asked.
Betty jingled the keys and then hit the door with her hip to let us inside. “I’m just fine. This way. Oh, you know the way.”
I did, but I didn’t say anything.
“I’m dreadfully sorry that we’re closed today. We had to do some maintenance and decided to shut down during the holidays.”
“Maintenance?” I asked.
“Replace the floors, new roof—that sort of thing. Wright Construction offered to do the whole thing at a discount since we’re a historic museum. Isn’t that wonderful?” Better asked. She finally reached her office and let me inside.
“Just wonderful,” I agreed, unable to escape the Wrights for even one day.
“That Jensen Wright came over to tell me himself.”
“That was nice of him,” I said through gritted teeth.
“Here we are,” Betty said. “Thank you for being able to meet with me today. I’m going to Florida to visit my grandbabies for Christmas, and I won’t be back until after the New Year. It would have delayed everything for you.”
“This is great. I appreciate you coming in early for me. Who is going to be here to let people in for the construction crew?” I took the stack of paperwork from Betty and hastily filled out the sections to get my job back and be on payroll.
“We have a few people who will be here for the holidays. They have keys and can alternate days. But we’re closed up from Christmas to New Years.”
“Well, if you need someone, let me know. I will be around.”
“I’m sure they would love to work you into the schedule. Let me get you a copy of the key while we’re at it,” she said.
A few minutes later, I had successfully filled out the paperwork, gotten ahold of the keys to the Center, and was on the schedule for the construction crew. That also meant I was going to be getting some money in for the holidays.
I left Betty, feeling more accomplished. Even though this wasn’t my dream job, it was at least a job. Something tangible to hold me in Lubbock that wasn’t just family and old memories.
When I hopped back into my Forester, I realized that had taken a lot longer than I’d thought. It had only felt like a few minutes, being inside there, but I was definitely going to be late for my shopping date with Heidi and Julia. They seemed intent on me going, and I did need a pick-me-up.
I had been trying not to think about Jensen and what had happened. But I was just so confused and upset, something I didn’t really like admitting. I hated him thinking that what we had done was a mistake. I wanted more of his kisses. I wanted more of the guy who had unapologetically sang Mariah Carey with me. And, even worse, I knew that he was right. I hadn’t thought this was a real thing to begin with. I’d wanted to get a piece of him without thinking about what would come next. I wanted to think it was better this way, but it didn’t feel like that. I was hoping retail therapy would help.
Malouf’s was swamped for the holidays, and it wouldn’t have been my first choice. Mostly because I couldn’t afford anything in the store. Everything was designer and custom-made. Kate Spade, Kendra Scott, Tom Ford. Oh, my! But Heidi and Julia each had well-paying Wright Construction jobs, and I was sure I could find something. Maybe on the sale rack.
I hurried across the parking lot to get out of the frigid, windy weather. Screw Lubbock and its freezing air the day after it was seventy. I barreled through the front door and found Heidi talking animatedly to Julia, who was holding up a black dress with a plunging neckline.