The Marriage Bargain - ENGLOT

Chapter 40: I'll always take you back

Cadence's POV:

The morning after was a bit of a struggle. Emory and I were both a bit sore from our actions the previous night, but we managed to drag ourselves out of bed and get ready for the day. I woke up to find Emory already awake, scrolling through her phone with a small smile on her lips.

"Good morning," she said, setting her phone down.

"Morning," I replied softly, feeling a little shy all of a sudden. I couldn't believe what had happened last night. I can't believe I gave in to her antics when we should have talked.

As we walked into the kitchen, we were greeted by the usual morning chatter from our friends. They were already seated at the table, and they couldn't help but eye us suspiciously. I knew they had heard us last night, and despite my embarrassment, I couldn't help but feel a little proud.

"Did you guys have a good sleep? I bet it was extra cozy with you two in the same bed!" Quinn teased, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

I felt my face burning with embarrassment, and Emory looked equally uncomfortable. We didn't deny or confirm anything, not even to each other, since we hadn't really talked about what happened.

"It's none of your business," I muttered, feeling a little defensive.

Quinn just laughed and exchanged looks with our other friends, who were all smirking knowingly.

"But really, are you guys together again or?" Amaya asked, looking pointedly at Emory.

Emory shrugged. "What I can say is that we're both adults who can handle our own problems," she said, trying to brush off the situation.

But we both knew that wasn't entirely true. Yes, we had connected on a deeper level last night, but we still hadn't talked about what that meant for our relationship. We were in a strange limbo, not quite together but not quite apart.

"Adults? sureee," Nevaeh teased, to which I rolled my eyes at her and said, "shut up and eat Nev."

Despite their teasing, breakfast was surprisingly pleasant. We talked about our plans for the day and made jokes at each other's expense.

After breakfast, Emory suggested we go for a hike on the trail. It was a beautiful day outside, and I couldn't resist the opportunity to spend some one-on-one time with her.

As we walked, I couldn't help but feel a little nervous. We still hadn't talked about what had happened between us, and I wasn't sure if we were back together or not. If we're still waiting until the 30th day. But as we talked and laughed, I felt the tension between us slowly dissipating.

"I just want to say...I—," Emory said suddenly, interrupting my thoughts.

But before she could finish her sentence, her phone rang. Emory glanced at the caller ID and her brows furrowed. "It's nonna's nurse," she said.

"Is everything okay?" I asked, placing a hand on her arm.

"I don't know," Emory said. "She rarely calls. I have to take this."

She answered the phone and listened quietly for a few moments before pressing her hand to her forehead. "Okay, I'm coming right now," she said, her voice unsteady.

"What happened?" I asked, feeling worried.

"It's nonna," Emory said, her voice shaking. "She collapsed."

I felt my heart drop. Emory's nonna was her whole world, and I knew how much she meant to her.

"Let's go," I said, grabbing Emory's hand. "We'll drive to the villa right now."