I was pretty sure his name was Henry.
He was the guy that fixed the sink after I made it worse that day at the bakery.
I still hadn’t wrapped my head around the idea that Emily gave up the bakery. I knew somewhere in her heart, she wanted to open another one. Or maybe she would just play guitar and sing songs. Whatever it was she wanted, I was going to be there for her to make sure it happened.
Ernie made sure we all had drinks.
Carla, Faye, and Robin were next to me.
Robin on the far end, sporting a small baby bump that she kept touching.
Faye talked to Robin.
Carla set her sights on me.
“What?” I asked.
“How hard are you right now?”
“Excuse me?”
“Come on. Your girl is going to be up there singing. Every guy in this place is going to want to fuck her. And she’s going to fuck you. That’s got to make you hard, right? All that power you have.”
I laughed. “You just say whatever you’re thinking, don’t you?”
“Yup,” Carla said.
“You’re a good friend to Emily,” I said.
“You’re good dick for her,” Carla said. “Don’t fuck it up.”
Carla patted my arm.
I looked straight ahead and saw Emily’s sister.
With her husband and their daughter.
Kids weren’t allowed in a place like this, but Ernie made an exception for Henley.
Dan had his arms tight around Henley.
I could tell he was nervous.
Henley wore large earmuffs.
Everyone was here for Emily.
These were the people that mattered in her life. The ones she affected.
I sat there with my back against the chair like some horny sap.
Which I was.
Fuck it.
I’d own it for the rest of my life.
I had waited so long to face the truth with Emily, I had no choice but to be a horny sap.
The lights began to dim and half the people there clapped.
I let out a loud whistle and slammed my hands together, which got more people cheering.
Then Emily came out on stage.
Wearing ripped jeans and a tight flannel. With her hair pulled back. Carrying the guitar I bought her.
Looking exactly like the kind of woman I wanted to spend forever with.
I didn’t need a fancy ring or a fancy promise to make that happen.
Not with Emily.
I just needed to keep showing up, telling her she was beautiful.
But… everything else would be nice too.
And it would happen in time.
Emily looked at me and smiled.
I smiled back.
Maybe Carla was right. Maybe every guy - and some women - were thinking wild thoughts about Emily. How could they not? Looking at her on stage was just… wow.
Tonight, I had to share her music and heart with everyone here.
But later, I got to be greedy with her body.
She played the first note or chord or whatever it was… and she started to sing…
I watched as Elise started to cry.
Ember smiled big.
Lucy was in shock.
Dan laughed with excitement.
Henley stood on the table and cheered.
Carla and Faye looked at me.
We all nodded at each other.
They all finally understood something I knew all along.
Emily was the most special person ever.
We held hands and walked along the streets as they began to quiet down.
Emily was still bouncing as she walked, feeling that adrenaline rush from the show.
She told me she didn’t want to talk about it…
“Ernie said I could play anytime I want,” she said. “And that he can call people. Other clubs and stuff. Even…”
“What?” I asked.
“I’m rambling still.”
“So?”
“I said I wasn’t going to do this.”
“You’re excited, babe,” I said. “Enjoy it.”
“It was so much fun, Liam.”
“You were a rock star,” I said.
Emily hugged me.
I kissed the top of her head.
From the corner of my eye I saw three kids on skateboards.
I let out a whistle. “Hey, man! Hold up!”
“Liam, what are you… no.”
I broke away from Emily.
The three kids stopped and stared at me.
“Can I borrow your board?” I asked one. “Just for a second. I want to impress my girl over there.”
“Uh…”
“Thanks,” I said.
I put my hand out and the kid gave me his board.
The last time I tried this, I almost broke my wrist.
My wrist was fine now.
“Liam, what are you doing?” Emily asked.
“Just watch,” I said.
I took the board into the street and got some speed. Kicking my foot, eyeing the edge of the curb.
I steadied my legs and told myself I could do it.
I sped toward the curb and for a second, I shut my eyes.
I kicked the skateboard the way I used to do as a kid.
As I jumped, the skateboard came with me.
I crouched and grabbed the board, holding it steady as I went back down.
The board hit the sidewalk, me still on it, and I cruised toward Emily.
I stepped off and stomped on the back of the board and caught it.
I put my arms out and Emily clapped.
“There,” I said. “I didn’t smash up my wrist.”
“That was hot, Liam,” she said.
I gave the skateboard back to the kid and took Emily’s hand again.
We kept walking until I noticed a big tree.
Another idea hit me.
“Follow me,” I said.
I pulled her as I broke out into a slow run.
“What are you doing now?” she cried out.
“You’ll see,” I said.
I stopped at the tree and made her stand against it.
“Okay, babe, stay there,” I said.
“Why?”
“That night… when the cops chased me around…”
Emily laughed. “Which one?”
“That night, Em. We were going to meet at that tree.”
“Oh.”
“Let’s pretend it’s that night again,” I said. “No cops this time.”
“Okay.” She touched her hair. “I’m waiting…”
I cleared my throat. “Hey.”
“Hey.”
“Uh, listen, I wanted to meet you here… I can’t wait around anymore.”
“For what?” Emily asked.
“For you. I like you. I like you a lot, Em. You, uh, you kind of drive me crazy and I want to be with you. I know that changes a lot between us, but I don’t care. I have to be with you.”
“I’m not really interested,” Emily said. “Sorry.”
She pushed from the tree.
I put my head back and laughed. “Wow. Thanks for that.”
I reached back and grabbed her arm.
I pulled her toward me. “You would have melted right on the spot if I said that to you back then.”
“I know,” she said. She smiled. “I just have to play hard to get right now.”
“You’re going to make me chase you for the rest of my life, aren’t you?”
“Yeah,” she said.