Waiting For Love (Wild Creek Ranch Book 2)

Chapter Eleven

"What happened? You didn't change?" Asked Adelaide, just as she emerged from
Rex's room. 

"No, I'm fine this way, " she told her with a sigh. Adelaide caught her wrist and rushed towards Rhett's room. 

"Now change," she ordered. Ember changed into a pair of jeans and a simple tee shirt. She pulled her long hair into a bun and they left the room. Coming to the living room, they found the whole family already ready and waiting. Ember refused to meet Rex's eyes as he stared at her fixedly. They all left for Helena for the first fitting. Rhett drove with Adelaide sitting beside him while Rihanna, Renée and Ember sat at the back discussing the design and color of the dresses. Ember quietly listened to them but her mind was far away. She hated weddings. They brought back bad memories of the wedding of her cousin which changed her life forever. If she could, she would have avoided Adelaide's wedding but she loved Adelaide and wanted to be there for her on her special day. She didn't have any friends. She stayed away from everyone. It was a small town and after her hospitalization, everyone knew and gossiped about her. For months she was traumatized and didn't come out of the house. It took her two years to finally get the courage to start a fresh. She sighed as she looked out of the car window. This was the last wedding that she would ever attend. 

Rex drove his aunts feeling jealous of Rhett, who got his emerald-eyed dream girl with him. His dad drove his uncles in his own car while Ryder drove the rest.They reached Helena and Rex drove right into the parking area of the shopping center that specialized in wedding stuff. Rhett and the girls were waiting for them, giggling away at some joke. Rex's gaze was fixed upon the woman of his dreams. She was the only one who wasn't laughing at all. She seemed to look around with apprehension as if she didn't want to be there. 

"There they are," said his mom, as they talked and laughed and approached Rhett's group. Amidst all the laughter and constant chattering, Rex felt drawn towards the mysterious girl. He walked beside her watching her with interest. 

"You didn't tell me your name?" He asked, leaning towards her. Ember blushed at his attention. The truth was that she was acutely aware of his hot gaze following her everywhere. His intense, burning eyes never left hers once since the moment they met. Ember's heart skipped a beat at his nearness, seeing the way his eyes deliriously ran over her as if he was having difficulty believing his luck. 

"Ember, bro, " whisper shouted Rihanna from behind them and the whole lot of girls, Adelaide, Renée and Raine burst into uncontrollable giggles. Ember's cheeks flushed with color. She looked at her shoes which suddenly caught her interest, refusing to look up at Rex whose interest was too piqued by now. So her name was Ember. It suited her. The Ember specks in her eyes were like the fire burning inside him. He had been waiting for so long for her, for love! 

"Wow, look at that emerald dress!" Gasped Raine, clasping her hands. Rex looked up and saw the dress that she'd been pointing at. He needed to buy that for Ember. It matched her eyes. 

"Girls are you buying your dresses or not? C'mon, " said aunt Helen as they walked into a huge boutique that sold exclusive wedding dresses. The girls excitedly rushed in while, Rhett and the boys went towards the men's section for their tuxedos, discussing the color. His uncles and dad also followed them inside. Rex rushed towards the shop to buy that emerald dress totally unknown to Ember. Later they all met outside after finishing their shopping. Rex looked at Ember who'd been avoiding him. A look of determination flashed on his face. He  wanted her to go with him in his car. But how? 

Luckily, Ember went to the washroom to freshen up. Rhett and Adelaide went away for a date. Ryder left driving his sister and cousins. 

"Can you wait for Ember and drop her home, bro?" Asked Rihanna before leaving. 

"Okay, " said Rex with a grin. His parents and uncles and aunts left too leaving him standing outside the washroom waiting for Ember. 

"Where's Rihanna?" She asked, surprised to see Rex of all people waiting for her.  In fact no one was around when she checked. Where had everyone disappeared to? 

"They've all left. I'll be dropping you, Ember," he said, walking away. Ember nodded and followed him, her heart beats increasing at the prospect of driving alone with him. But strangely, he led her into a cafe in the shopping mall. Ember looked at him with surprise. 

"Aren't we going home?" She asked, feeling the butterflies jump in her stomach. 

"Later, " he said, leading her to a corner seat. "Let's have dinner first. It's a treat from my side to celebrate a special occasion," he said, watching her like a hawk. 

"Oh, is it your birthday?" She asked, shyly. Rex shook his head.

"No, one more guess," said Rex and Ember started thinking. 

"Umm, maybe it's your girlfriend's birthday, " she said, her cheeks flushing with color at her pathetic statement. He of course would understand what she was wanting to know. Rex chuckled and Ember looked away. Why did she have to still crush over him? Didn't she learn her lesson?

"No," he told her, his eyes staring at her. Even from a distance she could feel the intensity of his gaze. However, to her disappointment, he didn't once mention whether he had a girlfriend or not. Bad idea Ember! She thought to herself. A man as handsome as him couldn't be single at twenty-eight. If he was, there had to be a story behind it, maybe a story where she could never fit in. Rex noticed her downcast eyes, her sad eyes as she played with the bracelet on her hand. 

His eyes traveled to her soft pink lips which were slightly parted as she sat there deep in her thought.  He couldn't look away from her. She was everything that he wanted in a woman and only he knew how many years he had spent dreaming about her. "I'm celebrating the fulfillment of my dream," he said softly. Her eyes flew up to his face. She couldn't comprehend what he meant by that. Maybe he had a breakthrough at his work or maybe got a good chance with his game. 

"Oh, congratulations," said Ember, looking up at him. Rex wanted to hold her gaze. He wanted to drown in those emerald orbs but to his frustration she kept looking down after making a slight eye contact with him. 

"Do you know my name, Ember? We haven't been introduced, after all," said Rex, wondering why she didn't call him by his name yet.

"Yes," she whispered. So he didn't recognize her at all. He had no idea how she had loved him since she was fourteen. 

"How? You overheard someone calling me?" He asked her curiously as their food arrived. Juicy fajitas, tacos, and a delicious pie layered with custard, chocolate and ehipped cream over a pecan crust. Ember's mouth watered seeing the pie. She could really die to eat all of it! The waiter left and Ember remembered that he had asked her a question which she didn't wish to answer. She didn't want to remind him of the fourteen year old lost girl whom he had dropped home. So instead she gave all her attention to the pie, dividing it into equal halves. The bigger half fell into Rex's share and she concentrated on slicing a smaller strip from his share, adding it to hers to make it even. Rex watched her with amusement. She was so adorable that he wanted to kiss the lower lip which she sucked into her pink mouth, giving the pie all her attention. 

"There, done, " she said at last, looking up at him with a dazzling smile. Rex's heart somersaulted seeing the beautiful smile on her face. This was the first time that he'd seen her smile and it was too pure, too enchanting, too innocent. Her eyes sparkled more and her lips? He looked away as her heartbeats increased seeing the red, wet, swollen and plump lips that she had been biting for so long. 

"You can eat all of it, " said Rex, watching her eyes light up like a child's. 

"No, no, I'll share some with you. Start eating, Rex. I've to reach home before granny gets worried about me," she gasped excitedly. Rex sat dumbfounded. She had called him by his name. How did she know his name? Who told her? Maybe he was overreacting. His cousins and family might have told her or called him by his name in front of her. Yet, he had the feeling that he'd met her long before. He felt his heart knew her already.