Something About Emmett (Billionaire Romance) [COMPLETED]

Chapter 4 - Something Dangerous

I was done with classes at four in the afternoon today and decided to stay at the university an extra hour to study for an upcoming test. I sat under the shade and had a small coffee in hand, my rented textbook, and my laptop. Everything I needed to help me prepare.

I was set. All I had to do was open the book and actually read it, while of course, retaining the information.

But the task of reading and retaining was exceedingly difficult at the moment, and I found my mind heavy. My thoughts would wander off into nothing so that I would have to go back and read the passage again, and again. And it wasn't for lack of interest. The science of mental disorders and psychotherapy was intriguing; I wanted to learn.

Yet a pair of green eyes would sneakily slither into my consciousness when I was least aware of it, and I would catch myself remembering him for minutes at a time.

Taking a sip of coffee, I let myself stop trying. I put the book to a side and let my thoughts run. They were forceful and overwhelming, taking up every ounce of attention in me.

I wondered how long he was back in South Florida for. I knew that his family had two very prominent quarters, one located here and the other in New York City. They did most of their work and managing from those two offices, even though their hotels, agencies, and restaurant chains were spread throughout the country.

I knew our families still kept in touch. My parents and his still remained great friends, keeping in easy contact through their phones and social media. And whenever the Reyeses decided to come to Miami, which they often did, our families became as inseparable as they had been before the expansion to New York. But Emmett had not returned to Miami since he had left two years ago, and his sister Gianna came for a few weeks at most. She had already built a small family up north.

Whenever she did come, she and I didn't leave each other alone, joining with my friends to take on the city together. It was light, fun, and reminiscing of the time when Gianna used to live here. We had always been great friends.

But not quite like Emmett and I had been.

I drank another bit, and looked around me. Students were chatting, moving to the places they needed to be. It was a sunny day in autumn and the season, though still very much like summer, was at least a bit breezy.

I closed the laptop and packed my things away into the shoulder bag I carried. The textbook I took into my free arm.

I knew then and there, when I had put a stop to my thoughts, that I wouldn't be able to concentrate on my studies for at least a couple of hours. Tomorrow would be fine, but right now, anything was pointless.

Carefully I drove away from the parking garage and headed for the highway, managing, out of necessity, to keep my mind on the road.

***

The house was quiet when I got home. My mother was still at work, and my brother had been tucked away in his room since returning from school, but my dad was taking a break on the sofa. As soon as I greeted him I walked upstairs to start getting ready for work.

It was soothing to shower and take care of my hair, and I found that I was happy for the distraction.

Yesterday the lounge owners had requested that we sing another set of jazz songs, since they had been exceptionally well received last night, and so the band and I had decided on a few songs that we thought would be perfect.

I was incredibly excited, which blended in with my nerves to create a sort of adrenaline sensation in my body.

I went on to dress myself in a dark gray cocktail dress and white heels, doing my makeup as elegantly and boldly as I had done yesterday. My hair, on the other hand, was ironed for an extra polished effect, even though it was naturally on the straighter side.