Forever, With You Read online

  Emily felt herself blush. It wasn’t that she was hiding the truth from her friends so much as not really wanting to get into any difficult conversations with them. She knew they would disapprove of how quickly she’d let Daniel back into her life, how readily she’d assumed the role of mother to his secret child with another woman.

  “Emily,” Amy said, almost as though she were scolding her. “Don’t you think you’re moving a little quickly?”

  Emily raised a withering eyebrow. “Let’s not even get into moving quickly, shall we?” she said, dryly.

  Jayne laughed. She always loved a bit of conflict. She looked at Chantelle. “She never tells us anything,” she said. “So I suppose your dad lives here too, right?”

  Chantelle seemed to be holding her own despite the situation that was quite anxiety provoking for Emily. “Yes, of course he does. It would be a bit weird if I lived here alone, wouldn’t it?”

  Jayne’s eyebrows shot up into her forehead. “Wow,” she said. “This girl has some spunk.”

  Emily sighed loudly. “Jayne, please, she’s only six. Can you not—”

  “—poison her with my foul mouth?” Jayne finished haughtily.

  Before Emily had a chance to speak, Chantelle butted in. “I know all the swear words. There’s nothing I haven’t heard.”

  Emily took her by the shoulders quickly. “I think I heard Daddy’s truck come up the driveway. You should go check.”

  Chantelle weaved her way out through the crowd. As soon as she was gone, Emily shot a glare at Jayne.

  “Can you please talk to her like she’s a child rather than someone you’ve met at a bar or a nightclub? Chantelle’s had a tough life. She needs to be around gentle, caring people.”

  Jayne just shook her head. “Well, maybe if you’d told us about what was going on we wouldn’t need to probe your kid.”

  Emily didn’t want to talk about it. Now wasn’t the time or the place. But she knew that she would have to deal with Jayne’s and Amy’s questions later.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  The guests began to settle into their rooms and explore the grounds. Emily could feel every one of their judgmental stares as keenly as the victim of a bully notices their tormentor’s every move. This was clearly not what they were expecting, this house, this area. Emily felt herself grow hot with resentment.

  Amy suddenly appeared beside Emily at the window. “Full house,” she said. “It’s a little bit overwhelming, isn’t it?”

  Emily turned and let the curtain drop from her hand. “Are you nervous?”

  Amy smirked. “Is it that obvious?”

  Emily nudged her friend gently. “I can’t believe you’re getting married.”

  “I know, right?” Amy said. Emily noted the twinkle in her eye again, the look on her face that she got whenever she thought about the wedding. Emily couldn’t help but feel envious of it.

  Suddenly Jayne appeared and slung her arms over both of them. “What ya talking about?” she said.

  “The fact that Amy is getting married,” Emily said. “And how crazy it is.”

  “Tell me about it!” Jayne joked. “I mean who am I going to hit the clubs with now? You’re here in boringsville and Amy’s about to becoming Mrs. Housewife.”

  “Hey!” Amy and Emily both said in unison. Then the three of them dissolved into laughter.

  “You know,” Amy said, “I kind of wish it was just the three of us.”

  “You and me both,” Jayne said. “I thought I was going to meet some eligible bachelors but Fraser’s friends are just jerks.”

  Emily was glad it had been Jayne to say it and not her.

  “They’re a bit of a handful,” Amy admitted. “But honestly, they’re all quite nice. One at a time.”

  The three of them began to laugh again.

  “Hey,” Emily said. “Why don’t we go for a walk down to the beach? It looks like a lot of the guests are dispersing anyway, exploring the town and that sort of thing. I’m sure no one would mind if we grab an hour or two to ourselves.”

  Amy looked immediately relieved. “Yes. Yes, please. I would love that.” Then in a hushed voice she added, “Anything to get away from Fraser’s mom.”

  Emily went off to find Serena and ask her to keep an eye on everything, then the three old friends walked off down the hidden path that led to the ocean.

  “This is nice,” Jayne said.

  Emily raised an eyebrow. “You mean there’s something you actually like about Sunset Harbor?”

  Jayne grinned mischievously.

  “How are you feeling?” Emily asked Amy. “A bit more relaxed?”

  “Yes,” Amy said with a big exhalation. “Not that I’m a ball of nerves usually. It’s just a little overwhelming to have all these people together. I mean Fraser and I haven’t been together that long so I’m only getting to know some of them myself.”

  “But you’re happy?” Emily asked.

  “Oh gosh, I’m so unbelievably happy,” Amy gushed. “I had no idea I could feel this much happiness. Fraser is almost too good to be true. I still don’t understand what he sees in me.”

  “Excuse me?” Jayne scoffed. “You’re super hot for one, you own your own business which you built from scratch straight after college, and you’re one of the most decent humans that ever graced the earth.”

  “Wow,” Amy said, widening her eyes. “I hope Fraser’s wedding speech is as complimentary as that!”

  The three friends laughed.

  “So, what about you and Daniel?” Jayne asked. She always had a way of getting right to the touchy topics, of not holding back. “You’re raising his kid for him, is he going to do you the courtesy of making it official?”

  Emily squirmed. “It’s not like that with me and Daniel.”

  “You mean that you’ve managed to find yourself another commitment-a-phobe?”

  Emily rolled her eyes. She really didn’t want to get into it. Especially when Amy’s perfect life and overwhelming happiness was being rammed down her throat. She was content with her life really, it was just when it was compared to someone else’s that she began to question things. She loved Daniel fully and completely, but he wasn’t the most romantic man in the world, and he held a lot of things close to his chest. She was much the same. They’d both been damaged by their experiences in life. Amy and Fraser had none of that to worry about. No kid from a previous relationship to worry about. No back story. And that wasn’t even mentioning the money. Amy and Fraser were set up for life. Amy had her business, and he had his job in investment banking, not to mention all his Ivy League buddies he could get favors from and his wealthy parents. They had a beautiful apartment in New York and when the time came for them to move into a family home, they’d be able to do so with no worry. It would be like shopping for a new hat or something. Money would be no object.

  Emily had a sudden moment of doubt. Was Daniel right for her? Was this life what she wanted? Everything was so complicated between them. But hadn’t she come to Sunset Harbor in the first place to work out what she needed from life? Had she managed to let herself get swept along with something she didn’t really want, as defenseless as driftwood floating in the ocean?

  *

  By the time they returned to the inn, Daniel and Chantelle had finished their boating trip. Emily found them in the kitchen eating sandwiches, both ruddy-cheeked from the wind. They looked so strikingly similar, so much like father and daughter, that it almost hurt Emily to know she wasn’t really a part of their family.

  “How’s everyone settling in?” Daniel asked.

  Emily just shrugged. “They’re loud,” she said, walking over to the fridge and getting out some water. “Not my kind of people,” she added.

  “Oh?” Daniel asked, probing her to reveal more.

  Emily really wasn’t in the mood to speak. Amy and Jayne had put a bug in her ear and she couldn’t help but view Daniel now through a suspicious lens. She’d made everything so easy for him. She’d accepted hi
m back into her life without question. She’d let him move in, live rent free, bring his daughter. What had Jayne’s phrase been? He hadn’t had “the courtesy” to marry her, to commit to her, despite everything she’d given him.

  “They’re just New York City jerks,” Emily said gruffly. “You know, the type you hate.”

  There was so much animosity in her voice even Chantelle picked up on it. The little girl looked up at her with frightened eyes. But it was Daniel’s expression that displeased Emily the most. He was frowning at her and she knew why—he didn’t think she should lose her cool like that in front of Chantelle. But why shouldn’t she? Chantelle wasn’t her daughter, after all. Not even close.

  “Chantelle, go and play in your room,” Daniel said. He sounded more stern than Emily had ever heard him, and Chantelle rushed away without question. As soon as she was gone, he turned to Emily. “What’s going on?”

  Emily shook her head. “Nothing. I’m just swamped. Working. You know?”

  Daniel’s frown deepened. “Is that some kind of dig? You think I don’t work?”

  “Well, you don’t,” Emily snapped. “You tend the garden.”

  “For free,” Daniel added, his tone sharpening.

  “Well, it’s your way of paying for food and board for you and your kid, isn’t it?” Emily shot back.

  Daniel looked beyond confused and Emily couldn’t fault him. She was being mean and she knew it but she couldn’t help herself.

  “We can always move back into the carriage house if you’re not happy with us being here.”

  “You don’t pay rent on that either!” Emily exclaimed.

  She couldn’t help herself. Thanks to Jayne and Amy she could only view Daniel suspiciously, through the eyes of an outsider. Was he just taking her for a ride? Living comfortably off of her hard work?

  Daniel stood then. “Look,” he said. “I don’t know what your problem suddenly is, but I think we’d better end this conversation now before we both say something we regret.”

  Emily glared at him. But she kept her mouth shut. He was right. She was already regretting everything she’d said thus far. “Fine,” she muttered.

  Daniel nodded, but his anger was still palpable. “You’ve obviously got a lot on your plate here this weekend. It might be best if Chantelle and I move to the carriage house to free up some rooms.”

  Now Emily really regretted starting this fight. She’d pushed Daniel out? He was running away at the first sign of trouble?

  “You don’t need to do that,” Emily said.

  “I’d prefer to not have Chantelle around the drunken guests.”

  Emily sighed loudly. “You always knew there might be drunk guests when you moved her in. Now suddenly you’re getting cold feet?”

  “I just think it would be best,” Daniel replied.

  Then he left the kitchen and headed for the upstairs bedroom. A moment later, Emily watched as he appeared with Chantelle in his arms. They headed down the stairs and out the front door.

  Emily watched them as Daniel strode across the driveway to his carriage house, not knowing for the umpteenth time in their relationship where she really stood with Daniel.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Her fight with Daniel echoed in Emily’s mind throughout the entire day. She couldn’t help but feel preoccupied by it, by her regret at having started it, and her upset at the reasons it had happened. Pushing Daniel away had not been her intention. Now she had to get through the entire evening dwelling on their fight and worrying about their future.

  As the sky darkened over the inn, Owen the piano player arrived with his sheet music. Emily welcomed him inside and watched as Serena greeted him with a shy hug. Then he went into the ballroom where the piano had been relocated to practice. Emily wasn’t too sure how the engagement party guests would take to the evening’s entertainment of elegant baroque piano pieces, but it was part of the formal engagement party service Amy had paid for and she’d insisted on it.

  “They bought so much alcohol,” Serena said as she and Emily finished preparing the ballroom.

  “I know,” Emily said nervously. “We should try and limit the amount they drink. I don’t want them to get too rowdy.”

  Serena gave her a look. “You can’t do that,” she said, plainly. “They paid for the liquor. It’s a formal engagement party. They can drink as much of it as they like.”

  Emily sighed. Serena was right. They weren’t in a pub or club, they were in a B&B. Different rules applied. As long as the guests didn’t damage any of her property or become rude or aggressive they had every right to get drunk on the liquor Amy and Fraser had supplied.

  The first guests began to file in. At least the ballroom impressed them. There were many gasps of amazement at the beautiful Tiffany glass, and even Fraser’s mom seemed impressed by the decor.

  Everyone began taking their seats. Then Amy and Fraser entered to applause. Both were dressed impeccably, Amy’s honey-colored hair looking glossy and perfectly coiffed, Fraser in a dapper gray suit. Emily felt the sting of envy again.

  The liquor was laid out on each of the tables for the guests to help themselves to. Immediately they began to drink. One table of Fraser’s friends started doing shots almost straightaway. Emily cringed. This was going to be worse than she anticipated. Even Owen seemed shocked. He sat patiently at the piano, his eyes widening a little as he took in the sight of the bachelors downing their drinks.

  “Right,” Fraser said, standing and holding up his glass. “If you would all fill a glass and share a toast with me, for my beautiful fiancée, Amy.”

  Everyone filled their glasses and held them in the air.

  “Amy,” Fraser began, looking down at his stunning fiancée, “it’s been incredible getting to know you. I was beginning to think my soul mate didn’t really exist. But you changed everything. I’m so, so happy you’re going to be my wife.”

  A chorus of “awww” rang out, met by an equally loud “ewwww.” Emily rolled her eyes. These guys were like children.

  “To Amy!” Fraser finished, and everyone clinked their glasses.

  Emily leaned in to Serena. “That’s like the fourth drink some of them have had already.” She looked at her watch. “It’s only been ten minutes.”

  Serena pulled a face.

  Next it was Amy’s turn to stand up. “And may we all now fill our glasses so I can toast my wonderful fiancé.” Everyone readily obliged and Emily tensed. “To Fraser,” Amy said, turning to face him. “You have quite literally swept me off of my feet. You have reinvented the term love for me. I never knew I could feel happiness quite like this. I’m so grateful that I’ll get to feel it forever.”

  Clearly moved by her speech, Fraser leaned in for a kiss. As Amy and Fraser locked lips, his tipsy friends began barking and making wolf howling noises.

  “To Fraser!” Amy cried as soon as they pulled apart.

  Once again, people clinked their glasses and downed their drinks.

  Fraser’s mother had clearly had enough of the whole thing. She stood up and went over to her son, kissing him on the cheek. Emily watched as she then turned her attention to Amy and politely shook her hand. Then she sauntered toward the exit.

  “Are you leaving us now?” Emily asked in her most professional, pleasant voice ever, though she secretly despised the woman.

  To her surprise, Fraser’s mom squeezed her arm affectionately. “Good luck,” she said, a wry smile appearing across her lips. And then she was gone.

  “I think she knows something we don’t,” Serena said.

  Emily dreaded to think what that might be.

  Now that Amy and Fraser’s declarations of love were over with, it was time for the main groomsman to speak. Emily groaned as she realized that this honor had gone to Simon, the blond man who’d been vulgar when he’d arrived. She couldn’t begin to imagine what kind of speech a jerk like that would come up with.

  When Simon stood, he swayed slightly, and the other guys on his table be
gan to bray and holler. They were growing red-faced from all the drinking they’d done. Emily felt like she was watching a college frat house.

  “I’ve known Fraser since he was a virgin,” Simon began.

  A great opening gambit, Emily thought sarcastically to herself.

  “And I’m sure all the guys here would agree, virgin is the last way you could describe Fraser now.”

  There was more hooting. Emily looked over at Amy. She appeared to be uncomfortable, looking at the tablecloth. She was probably just hoping it would all be over soon.

  “So, you get where I’m going with this, right?” Simon said. “Fraser is the biggest player I’ve ever known. It’s his teeth, I think. And that lush hair. Women just threw themselves at him.”

  Unlike Amy, Fraser seemed to be enjoying the speech. He was laughing along, his gaze fully on his friend. Emily wondered why he couldn’t see how uncomfortable it was making Amy.

  “When he said he was settling down,” Simon added with a hiccup, “I think we were all shocked. And all relieved that he was no longer going to win the most notches on the bedpost competition! Although I think we’ve still got quite a way to go before we even reach your record. It’s probably more than all of us combined, right, guys?”

  Everyone roared with laughter, including Fraser. Emily could see the red seeping into Amy’s cheeks. She wondered whether she knew any of this at all, whether it was all coming as a horrible surprise to her. It was like Amy herself hadn’t had many previous partners, but having it rubbed in her face just how many Fraser had had was clearly unpleasant, especially at their engagement party. It was a good thing Fraser’s mom had left when she had.

  “Anyway,” Simon said. “Let’s raise our glasses to Amy. The girl who finally tamed Fraser. I think we’re all glad he chose you instead of whatshername.”

  For the first time since Simon had begun speaking, Fraser didn’t laugh. In fact, his face paled completely. Amy looked at him sharply, and Emily saw her mouth form the words, “What’s he talking about?”