Page 22 of Reckless Chances
Chapter 8 – Emma
Emma winced as shebent to pull a paint can from the bottom shelf in the storage room. She was tired and sore from her ‘breakfast’ at Charlie’s. Having mind-blowing sex three times in the past twenty-four hours left her feeling the good kind of sore. She heard hammers banging on the other side of the wall and even the imagery of Charlie’s strong biceps wielding a hammer made her want to rush next door to make it four. She banged on their shared wall. “Keep it down.”
The hammer on the other side knocked out ‘the shave and a haircut’ rhythm and Emma sat down on the floor and smiled. Six months ago, everything had fallen apart, and if she knew the joy and excitement that was waiting for her in Chance Rapids, she would’ve gone through the heartache of losing her fiancé and best friend ten times over. She was starting her own business, doing something she loved, and had met the most amazing man. She had grown closer to Serena and already felt like she was a truer friend than Alison had ever been.
Alison had only denied the affair for about thirty seconds until Emma tossed the sock she had found in her bed at her ‘best friend’.
“We’re in love,” Alison had said calmly.
“For how long?” Emma had stammered.
“Em.” Her eyes looked sad at first, and then Emma realized that it was only pity she was seeing, not regret, or shame, or sadness.
“How long?” she repeated through gritted teeth.
“A year.” She hadn’t apologized, she just set the sock down on her kitchen counter. The words hit Emma like a sucker punch to the gut. That meant that Adam had been sleeping with her best friend when he proposed. Emma had been too in shock to do anything. She had run from Alison’s apartment and packed her bags that day. As the ice storm battered the windows of her townhome, Emma took one last look around the cookie-cutter room and wondered why the two people who were supposed to love her the most, had betrayed her. She rolled the velvet ring box around in her hand and then set it on the dresser.
She rolled her suitcase out of the bedroom, flicking the framed photos off the wall as she walked by. The photo of the day Adam proposed cracked as it hit the carpeted floor and she crunched the glass with her shoe. Adam was going to have a fit when he saw the dirty boot prints throughout the pristine home. In the photo, she was staring adoringly at him while he held his arm out to take their picture. She stamped on the photo and ground her heel on his face, tearing the paper. “Fuck you, Adam.” She rushed into the bedroom and stuffed the ring box in her pocket. It represented a lie. Fraud. But he had given it to her. She wasn’t doing anything wrong. It was hers.
As Emma looked around the flower shop that the diamond had bought, she didn’t feel bad at all. He had defrauded her – that ring, that proposal had meant nothing to him.
She heard a knock from the front of the building, banged on the wall one more time, picked up the paint can and tray, and made her way through her bright freshly drywalled store. Charlotte and someone she didn’t know was peering through the gaps in the butcher paper she had taped to the window.
“Hi, Charlotte,” Emma unlocked the door and stepped aside, gesturing for the duo to come in.
“Emma, this is Jennifer, the wedding planner I was telling you about.”
“Hi, Jennifer.” Emma set down the tray, brushed her hands off on her paint-stained jeans, and shook her hand.
“It’s Jenni,” the girl smiled. Next to Charlotte’s leather leggings and expertly tailored blazer Jenni’s boho vibe was amplified. She was wearing high waisted jean shorts and a floral blouse, her sandy blond hair cascading down from beneath her camel-colored Brixton hat.
“It’s coming along nicely.” Charlotte’s gaze traveled around the room. “And the floor looks amazing.” Charlotte had been the one to suggest pulling up the dingy carpet, discovering a gorgeous, well-worn maple hardwood floor.
“It took a while to refinish, but I love the look.” Emma kicked at the floor with the toe of her Converse. Underneath their feet, the floor gleamed with a satin finish varathane stain. “The flooring guy told me that it will be bulletproof now.”
“When do you expect to open?” Jenni asked.
“I’ve got my first order of flowers coming the day after tomorrow.” Even as she said the words, she felt panic rising. Instead of spending the morning in Charlie’s loft, she should’ve been painting and prepping. “I’m going to have a soft opening on Saturday, and then a grand opening a week later.”
“Sounds like a good plan,” Charlotte smiled. “Looks like you’ve got your work cut out for you.”
“I know,” Emma inhaled, the enormity of what she had to achieve this week hitting hard. “I’ll get it done,” she said it as much to assure Charlotte and Jenni as herself.
Jenni handed Emma a stack of business cards. “I know we haven’t worked together yet, but I have the feeling we’re going to know each other well by the end of the season.”
“Season?” Emma asked.
“Wedding season. Jenni is the only wedding planner in Chance Rapids,” Charlotte said.
“Thanks,” Emma took the stack of cards. “I’ll also order some business cards today.” She had forgotten about the business cards. Just when she felt like she was getting on top of the to-do list, it seemed to grow jaws and devour her.
“It looks like you’ve got a lot on your plate right now, but I’ve had a bit of an emergency come up,” Jenni said.
“Oh? What’s that?” Emma didn’t have the time to take on anything else, but she also couldn’t afford to give up any business that was falling right into her lap. Having a good relationship with Jenni was going to be mutually advantageous for both of them.
“There’s a wedding coming up, and the florist in Windswan has had a death in the family. She’s not going to be able to do the flowers. Would you be able to help?”
“Of course,” Emma said. “I’d love to help. Wait... when is it?” she laughed.
