Emma bit her lips, wondering if the night had been less special for Marc than it was for her. If he slept with strangers on a regular basis. She pushed the thought away as soon as it popped into her head, not wanting to diminish the importance of what had happened.
“So you don’t think I’m weird?”
“Going home with a man you’ve never met? Weird for you, maybe. My God, when you do it you really do it.” Annie bit into a chip, crunching on it thoughtfully. “But I do know this. From everything I read he’s not a big player. Doesn’t get into the groupie thing.”
Relief swept through Emma. “So then you don’t think I made a big mistake?”
Annie laughed and shook her head. “It’s not like I’m promoting indiscriminate sex, but I think it’s about time you did something a little on the naughty side. But I have to say I’m amazed.” Humor sparkled in her eyes. “You are probably the last person I’d expect to do this, but I say good for you.”
For a moment Annie’s words stung. Then she realized apparently she’d kept the real Emma bottled up so tightly even her best friend didn’t see her.
What a bore I must have been. I should thank Annie for liking me in spite of myself.
“You make it sound like I’ve been living in a closet.” Annoyance crept in again.
“Honey, in a way you have. But there’s definitely hope for you now. Just don’t let yourself get consumed with regrets and run back to that closet. Let yourself live.”
I’m trying to.
Annie leaned a little closer across the small tabletop. “Tell me, Emma. Was it good? Are musicians as good as they’re cracked up to be?”
Heat rose in her cheeks as she remembered details of the night—her incredible and caring lover, the things they’d done together. “This one was. He’s spectacular.” She bit her bottom lip. “Annie, I swear. I never thought sex could be half so good.”
Her friend grinned. “Now you know why I always have a smile on my face after a sleepover.” She sobered. “I bet Andrew had a shit fit.”
“You have no idea.” Emma picked another chip out of the baskets, feeling a surge of anger at Andrew’s overbearing and demanding attitude. Yes, she had to admit she’d hurt him. And yes, she expected some sort of reaction. But not the one she’d gotten. Not from Andrew. She crumbled the chip onto her little napkin. “And of course, he ran to my folks and complained about it.”
“Honey, don’t take offense at this but I think Andrew’s closer to your folks than you are.”
“I think you’re probably right.” The knowledge made her sad.
Annie studied her. “So tell me. Did the Ice Queen want to give you a time out for bad behavior?”
“My mother’s not as bad as you make her out to be.” The past couple of days had been a real eye opener for her. One thing became clear to her. She didn’t know her parents as well as she thought or was nearly as close to them as she thought. Still, Emma felt a need to defend her mother, even though Annie was probably right. “She’s just…comfortable with rules.”
But she wasn’t sure she believed that herself. The unpleasant conversation they’d had wouldn’t leave her brain.
“Which is the way she’s always wanted you to live your life, sweet cheeks. I bet she went into shock when she found out what you’ve done.”
Emma ducked her head. “She doesn’t know.”
Annie choked on her drink. “She doesn’t know? You didn’t tell her?”
“How could I? Or Andrew, either.” She squirmed on her high stool. “After the way they all reacted to my walking out and breaking up with him, they’d probably have me committed. The worst part is I feel like a teenager afraid to confess she’s sneaked out of the house.”
“Holy shit, Emma. What excuse did you give them?”
“I said I’m going to be thirty, and I can’t stand my life any more.” Emma waved at the waitress for another.
“You’d better slow down there,” Annie warned. “One is usually your limit, and we’re not even halfway through Happy Hour.”
“Maybe my limits need changing. I feel as if everything in my life needs a do-over so why not my drinking habits?”
“Wow. Pinch me. Where is Emma Blake and what have you done with her?”
“Turning her into someone different. I hope. Anyway I’m good. I’ll eat a lot of chips.”
“Yeah? You seem to be pulverizing more than you’re eating.” She shifted on her stool. “So want happens now?”
Emma shrugged. “I don’t know. Probably nothing.”
The thought ate at her. She carried a lot of guilt at the way she’d reacted in the grocery store, especially after the fantastic night together and the tenderness he’d shown her. Painfully aware she’d been more than a quick fuck for him, she never felt so stupid. Why hadn’t she apologized as soon as she realized her mistake?
Because I’m a scared idiot.
Now she needed to find a way to correct the situation. Hopefully, Annie could give her good advice.
She could always just walk into the club again, but did she have the courage? She wanted to see him again so badly.
“Nothing? You meet this great guy at a rock club, have off-the-charts sex with him, and it’s already over? I don’t get it. Did he blow you off in the morning? He may be Mr. Dark and Smoldering but from what I’ve read he doesn’t have the rep as that type of guy.”
Okay, that made her feel better.
Emma took a long swallow of her third drink. “No, it’s worse.” Staring down at her hands Emma spilled out what happened at the grocery store.
She expected Annie to be shocked, but instead her friend burst out laughing again.
“Hell, Emma. Only you could fail to recognize a guy you slept with because he cleaned himself up.”
“What? Why? I don’t understand what you mean.”
“You compartmentalize things, honey. And you had this Marc stuck in
