Page 7 of Emeric

“Emeric.”

“The fuck?” he said, clearly shocked. “You can’t be serious. None of the guards have been able to get him to look their way, and he agreed to sleep with you?”

“Thank you for the vote of confidence,” I deadpanned. “It’s just what I needed to hear on the drive to his place.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.”

Turning left, I pulled into the parking garage between the hotel Emeric owned and the building he lived in. “I’m here, gotta go.”

“Wear a condom!” he rushed to say, knowing damn well I was about to hang up on him.

I ended the call before anything else came out of his mouth. There was no telling what he would say. Being friends with him for as long as I had, he could still be unpredictable at times. I knew he’d say something, just not what.

It was easy to find a parking spot, given it was a Monday night. The only people probably staying here were on business. Emeric’s hotel was high-end, drawing the wealthy to East Dremest. This wasn’t the kind of place people went to for an hourly rate.

Families stayed here too, the well-off ones. I’d seen them come and go as I’d driven past before. East Dremest was as safe as a city could get, even more so, thanks to Jordan. I still wouldn’t let a child wander the streets, but it didn’t deter people from visiting unless they feared Jordan, which some did, of course.

Kids were starting to get out for summer break now. It was June, and the temperature was rising. Would their parents bring them here for vacation? There wasn’t much for them to do within walking distance, but the city had plenty to offer on both sides.

Would I have brought my daughter to a place like Emeric’s hotel? The question popped into my head before I could stop it. With it, my breath froze. My daughter would have been in elementary school this year. How many vacations would we have gone on by now? How many places would I have taken her to? Got to experience with her?

My head dropped back on the seat, and my eyes closed. This wasn’t what I should be thinking about. I was supposed to go up to Emeric’s place and do something for myself. Now, there was no chance of that. Once Avery entered my head, it took a while for me to bring myself back from the ache I felt at her absence.

Five minutes later, I stepped out of my car. Emeric didn’t deserve my not showing up without a word. I had his number. We all did, just in case. This wasn’t the kind of thing I wanted to do over the phone.

Oh, hey, I’m not coming tonight because I let my mind drift, and the past caught up with me.

Shaking my head, I walked to the front of the apartment building. The doorman nodded as I strode toward him. He held the door open. Given I was dressed in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt with my hair down and scruff on my jaw, I was surprised he didn’t question me. When the man at the desk welcomed me by name and pointed toward the elevators, it was obvious Emeric had told them to expect me. I wasn’t exactly smooth around the edges. That helped in my line of work. Meeting new people, not so much.

Thoughts ran through my head on the ride up. It wasn’t just Avery, but how I managed to sabotage myself. Like, there was something inside me that wouldn’t let me be happy. Maybe it was me thinking I didn’t deserve to be. How did I get to continue living when I wasn’t able to help my daughter?

Emeric’s door was easy to find. It was the only one in the hallway after I exited the elevator. Lifting my hand, I was about to knock when the door opened. My breath was stolen for the second time tonight, although for a very different reason.

Emeric Saylor stood before me in a plain white T-shirt, dark gray lounge pants, and bare feet. There was something about his feet that drew me in. It was strange considering I’d never cared about anyone’s feet before. It could have been how relaxed he was, how comfortable he was in his own skin. His light auburn hair wasn’t as neat as usual. The facial hair he’d grown gave him an edge that drew me in along with the freckles on his nose.

“You’re late,” he said. When I lifted my gaze, there was no anger in his blue eyes.

“Can I come in?”

He stepped aside and held the door open.

My gaze bounced from one spot to another in his home. It was one giant room, each area flowing seamlessly into the next. The entryway to the living room, with the kitchen to the right and the dining area just past it. There was a hallway at the far end that I assumed led to the bedrooms.

“Did Jordan hold you up?” he asked.

“No, I didn’t need help with that tonight. Can we talk?”

He watched me, cocked his head slightly. I fought not to squirm under his gaze, which wasn’t me. I’d had tough-as-nails people stare me down and didn’t even flinch. Something about Emeric made me feel like I couldn’t hide.

“You don’t owe me an explanation. We don’t have to do anything.”

“I know, but…” I rubbed the back of my neck, debating how much to reveal. “I just want to talk to someone who doesn’t know my entire life story.” There was nothing wrong with Sheldon understanding me on a level no one else did. That came from many years of friendship. I needed more than him, especially now that he had Forest.

“Would you like a glass of wine?”

“No, I don’t drink.” I always wanted to be sharp and ready to go if needed.

He nodded and swept out his arm, directing me toward the living room.