Scornfully Yours (Torn Series) (19 page)

“When you get to the end of your rope. Tie a knot and hang on.”

- Franklin D. Roosevelt

     “Wake up, Emma!” Lindsey shook my bed. God, how many times does this woman wake me up on a weekly basis?

     “Go pester other people, Linds,” I grumbled against my pillow as I tried to shut her giddy tone out of my mind.

     Sleep….please
come back to me….I pleaded.

     “You’re such a grump! I need a favor and you have no means but to say YES.” Lindsey Mason demanded, in her own cute way.

     I ducked under my pillow and yelled in a muffled tone, “You want to borrow my car, go ahead. You need to borrow something from my closet, I don’t care. Honestly, do whatever you like as long as you leave me alone so I can sleep!”

     “Sorry, doll face. But my favor will take up your entire long weekend in Lake Tahoe.”

     “Lindsey! Look at me!” I sat up with my eyes barely cracked open as I pointed at my sleepy face. “Do I look like want to go on a road trip?
No?
Good because I don’t want to be bothered. Lake Tahoe is like an eight-hour drive. Nothing you could say
or
do would make me change my mind otherwise—well, unless it’s a ‘do or die’ situation, then I just might reconsider.” I flopped back on the bed and sighed as I closed my eyes.

Finally! Sleep! I rejoiced, but it was short-lived.

     “I’ve been sleeping with Cooper—for the last six months. But I accidentally slept with Brody last night. And all of us are all going to Lake Tahoe, as we’ve been planning for like, the last three months. I need your help
like
so badly!” She rambled.

    
Like
…she really loves using that word…
wait!
Cooper Haze and Brody Thompson? Whoa! Talk about double hotness overkill!

     “Like, holy shit, Lindsey Mason! What?
What!!!
Cooper? Cooper is like even worse than your own brother! Does Carter know? He’s going to murder him. And my God! You slept with Brody? What the hell are you going to do now?” My mind ran through a few scenarios, none of them any good.

     “I know! This is something I wasn’t expecting, Em. I mean—Cooper was just a good lay but lately he’s been wanting to make it official. He’s even willing to talk to Carter about it. I think that happened because Brody spoke to Carter about wanting to date me and Carter gave Brody his seal of approval and now Cooper is, like, jealous about it.”

     What a holy mess.

     “Wow—just wow. I knew there was some inner prowess in there—but I wasn’t prepared for Lady Godiva. Wow—I am in a state of shock babe.” I really was shocked, beyond comprehension. Lindsey Mason and Cooper Haze? Hold up.

     “Hey, weren’t you the one who said Cooper Haze was ‘triple ew’ factor?” She rolled her eyes and smacked me with a pillow.

     “God, Emma! Come on—let’s admit that Cooper
is
hot? I was a little tipsy and he just looked way too delicious to refuse and from then on, it just kept going, you know?” Uhuh…of course it did.

     “Are you in love with Cooper?” Lindsey shook her head. That was a good sign, right?

     “Okay…who do you like best then?” I asked as she chewed on her nail. I lightly smacked her hand away from her teeth.

     I hate the sight of chewed up nails, my total pet peeve.

     “I don’t know. I’ve always had a crush on Brody, you know. I don’t even remember how old I was exactly when I realized that I loved the man, so I guess I’ve always loved him.
I mean always
—to the point where I threw myself naked at him—but he refused me and told me I was a ‘little girl’. Now, that Cooper wants to see where this is all going, Brody wants to date me. But the whole Cece thing kind of kills it for me. It’s really confusing, Em. I don’t know what to do.” Freakin’ Cece!

     “I guess, I should say, may the best man win! Oooh, how juicy is this? Your life is officially a soap opera.” Lindsey just rolled her eyes at me. If I knew better, I bet she’s feeling like she really was in a soap opera. Two hard-headed males vying for her, pulling her in all sorts of directions–how hot and frustrating would that be to watch?

     Uh…
sort of sounds like your life too
, right? Shit. I forgot for a second. Ha!

     “You’re going with me right?” Lindsey looked at me, wide-eyed and pouty. Her big brown eyes looked all doe eyed. All pleading and begging me to say yes.

     Damn. Those eyes were quite convincing.

     “Sure, what are friends for?” I undoubtedly said.

      A very long weekend with Carter, how taxing could that be on my sanity?

     “All set, doll?” Amber asked as she took a peek in my room.

     “Almost, give me a sec,” I called without looking back to Amber as I folded my clothes and placed them in my small getaway bag.

     She threw something and it landed on my bed. “Bass has called, like, twice now. Go pick it up. We’ll be waiting downstairs when you’re ready. Don’t be long though—and
oooh
, tell him I said hi.” Amber winked and left me to get the call.

     Picking it up, I spoke. “Hello?”

     “All packed and ready?” Bass asked.

I smiled at the sound of his voice. “Yes, you could say that. Are you all packed for Vancouver?” I can’t believe he’ll be gone for six months. I am saddened to know that I won’t be seeing him for quite some time.

     “I’m not leaving until Wednesday, Em. I still have a few days to pack and stuff. Anyways, I just called to say have a safe trip and I will see you before I leave for Vancouver.”

     “Great, I’ll see you then. Be safe and have a great weekend.” He would be hitting the Hollywood party circuit, no doubt. Bass gets invited everywhere and he’ll probably hit it a little hard this weekend before he leaves for Canada.

     “I want to say the same but I honestly don’t want you to have way
too
much fun along with your ex. Just be safe, alright? Do take care, my sweet, Emma. Bye.”

     “Bye,” I whispered, feeling a little deflated.

     I know it’s crazy, I’ve known him barely a week—but he seems to have grown on me. Bass’s approach in life was different and I found it invigorating. The man himself was unique and unforgettable.

     I grabbed my things and headed out the door. There were twenty people going out to Tahoe in separate cars. I was riding with Carter and Lindsey and her boytoys.

     When I got outside, I noticed that Amber and the girls were in a white SUV behind Carter’s Escalade right up front. The man himself was in the driver’s seat and the seat next to him was empty. Brody, Lindsey and Cooper sat in the back—all three were silent and broody. Ha. In all honesty, I’d like for Brody to be with Lindsey, but that’s up to her.

     I guess I will be taking the front seat then? Sigh. Some things don’t ever change. Don’t the guys know I’m not Carter’s woman anymore? Maybe, but old habits die hard.

     “Sorry I ran a little longer.” I apologized as I opened the door. Carter immediately got out of the car and took my bag. “Thank you,” I kindly thanked him as he strode to the trunk and shove it somewhere.

     After four hours of a completely silent ride, I knew some serious stuff was brewing in the back. Carter tried to engage Brody or Cooper to talk but none of them were conversing. Instead, Carter cranked the music up. It was better that way I suppose. He himself barely gave me a glance.

     Still mad, is he? Well, tough.

     I could ignore him all the same. Although his nearness was almost killing me, I could pretend that he didn’t bother me one bit.

     When my phone vibrated, I was relieved to have something to do. It was Bass, a picture with a silly caption under it. It was actually the same photo on the covers of the gossip magazine–the one I am looking up at him with a huge smile pasted on my face…the one where I looked happy.

     Bass: I guess someone is finally ‘star-struck’?

     Ha. Sure.

    
Me: wishful thinking, aren’t we, Mr. Bass?

     My smile was so broad as I typed the message. I love the playful Bass.

    
Bass: Indeed, Ms. Emma. Indeed, Iam…can’t get your smile out of my mind. Did you cast a spell on me? For there is no other alternative to this raging delirium.

     I bit my lip as try to conjure a response. Did I cast a spell on him? Ha.

     Me: No witchcraft involved, sorry to disappoint. Indeed, it is all the crafty me, the one and very same. Maybe it’s been awhile? Suppose you need to get laid or something?

     Yeah, I’m hella fishing for information, but I can’t help it. I was curious.

    
Bass: Why, Emma? Do you want me to stop?

     Stop, what? From him having sex?

     Shit, who has he been sleeping with?

    
Me: No, Bass. Your life is your own. That’s all solely up to you.

     I searched for him the other night on Google and there hadn’t been any news of him hooking up with anyone. Who has he been sleeping with? I guess he could get laid without having it splashed online. I mean he could easily hook-up with another pretty actress without getting caught.

     My phone vibrated.

     Out of nowhere, Carter snatched the phone out of my hands and shoved it in his pocket, “Give it back!” I furiously demanded at the man next to me.

     “No.” His lips pressed together in a straight line, clearly determined and not budging an inch.

      Dick wad!

     “Give Emma her phone back, Carter! Stop being such a tool!” Lindsey chimed in. But her brother was unbending.

     “Do you honestly think I’m going to sit here idly while you talk to another guy, Emma? Try to be a little sensitive here. I’m trying to drive but I can’t help but be distracted when you smile stupidly at his messages. I fucking hate it!”

    Okay, maybe I was a little insensitive? I wasn’t thinking, but confiscating my phone was going overboard.

     “I apologize, that was rude of me. But can I have my phone back now?”

     “No.” Carter’s eyes were stuck on the road, not even bothering to glance at me.

     “What the fuck Carter!” I screeched at him, but he was unmoving.

     What the fuck!

FML!

     Oh, he is definitely going to hear my wrath once we got to his uncle’s cabin in Tahoe.

     My anger was brewing so badly and once we were out of the car it was going to erupt like Mount St. Helen!

“Do you want me to tell you something really subversive? Love is everything it’s cracked up to be. That’s why people are so cynical about it. It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for. And the trouble is, if you don’t risk anything, you risk even more.”

-
Erica Jong

     “Finally! My butt is killing me! I hate long car rides! They’re the most uncomfortable things, like, ever!” Lindsey declared as Carter finally parked right outside the Cabin McMansion that was big enough to hold all twenty guests for the weekend.  It was beautiful. I’d seen pictures of it before, but they didn’t even do it justice.

     I remember Carter promised to take me here—but again—that never happened amongst other things.

     It was almost eight at night and the long drive was beyond exhausting. I was ready to unpack and unwind.

     “Hey, Lindsey! I need to talk to you for a minute,” Carter yelled out to his little sister. She was on her way to the other parked cars on the driveway.

     She halted. “Sure, what’s up?” Lindsey asked as Carter pulled her off to the side to talk.