CHapter13
798 Words
Ethan Clark was sitting at the bar, casually sipping his drink when Emma Thomas noticed him. He had a charming smile plastered across his face as he chatted with a girl in a sleek, off-the-shoulder dress. Emma couldn't quite pinpoint why, but it made her a bit annoyed.
Feeling a bit rebellious, she ordered herself a drink. Just as she was about to take a sip, a guy with glasses approached her. "Mind if I sit here?" he asked.
"Sorry, I'm waiting for a friend," Emma replied.
The guy seemed unfazed. "When your friend arrives, I'll move," he said, plopping down beside her.
Emma shrugged. "Suit yourself," she said, and attempted to down her drink, only to be stopped by the guy.
"Hi, I'm Joy. Nice to meet you," he introduced himself, extending a hand.
Emma put down her glass and shook his hand. "I'm Emma."
"You don't seem like a drinker. Why push it?" Joy asked, taking her drink and setting it back on the table.
"Who says I can't drink?" Emma replied, avoiding eye contact.
Joy chuckled. "No one drinks like they're solving a math problem."
He flagged down a server and ordered a coconut milk for Emma, then casually sipped his own drink. "Rough day?" he probed.
Emma remained silent, staring into the distance.
"Bad breakup?" Joy guessed.
Emma was taken aback. "No, just stressing over finals," she confessed. "But I'll get through it. Thanks for the coconut milk." She took a grateful sip.
Just then, William Jones returned to the booth, looking puzzled at Joy. "Hey Emma, who's this?"
Emma introduced them. "This is Joy, a new friend. And this is my friend William."
"Nice to meet you. I'll be on my way then," Joy said, standing up to leave.
William sat down. "New friend, huh?"
"Yeah, just met him," Emma replied, sipping her drink.
"By the way, where are the guys?" Emma asked, noticing Ethan and Henry were still missing.
"Henry wanted me to grab Ethan's jacket," William explained, picking it up.
Emma glanced back to where Ethan was, seeing him still engaged in conversation with the girl, who was now cozily leaning into him. Feeling a pang of something she didn't want to acknowledge, she turned away and gulped down her coconut milk, then poured herself a hefty glass of wine.
She was well on her way to being tipsy when a familiar face appeared. "Emma Thomas, what are you doing here?" James Campbell asked, crouching beside her.
"James? Is that you?" Emma slurred, squinting at him.
"Yeah, it's me," James replied, steadying her gently. "I ran into a friend. Emma, that guy Ethan Clark, what's he to you?"
Emma waved her hand dismissively. "Ethan? He's nothing to me."
James's eyes lit up. "I knew it! He's just chasing you, right?"
Meanwhile, Ethan, finished with his business talk, noticed Emma's booth and headed over. "Who's that with Emma?" Henry asked William as they approached.
"Mr. Campbell, thanks for watching over my wife," Ethan said, placing his jacket down and moving to Emma's side, gently wiping her mouth with a napkin.
"She told me you're nothing to her," James said, jealousy tinging his words.
Ethan chuckled. "We got married last spring," he said, scooping Emma up into his arms.
Emma, in her drunken haze, protested. "Who are you? Let go of me," she mumbled, fists weakly pounding against Ethan's chest, only to accidentally spew a bit on his shoulder.
"It's your husband," Ethan whispered in her ear.
"More... I want more..." Emma mumbled sleepily.
Ethan smirked. "William, take the jacket," he instructed, preparing to leave the bar.
"Come on, let me have another drink," Emma pleaded softly.
James watched as Ethan carried her away, confused and a bit wounded by the term "husband" she used.
Outside, Ethan gently placed Emma in the back seat of his car. "I'll call a driver to take us home. I'll get the car back tomorrow," he announced, taking the keys from William and calling for a driver.
"What about us?" Henry asked, perplexed.
"Let them have their night. We'll catch a cab," William said, dragging Henry along.
Ethan settled beside Emma, noticing her flushed cheeks. He cradled her gently, soothing her back.
Emma, feeling the comfort of Ethan's embrace, drifted off. "Mom, don't go," she murmured in her sleep.
"Mom? Dreaming of her again?" Ethan thought, brushing a stray hair from her face.
Emma stirred, slightly waking. "Thirsty," she mumbled.
Ethan quickly opened a bottle of water, helping her drink. As he watched her lips, he felt his heart skip a beat, but he kept himself in check.
Once she'd had enough, she fell back asleep. Ethan softly wiped her mouth, his fingers grazing her lips and feeling their softness. A small smile played on his lips.
- Writer
