Hot Coffee (The Hollens Book 1)

All Falls Down

Emma's POV

I was afraid of falling over if I stood up. I was so light-headed and dizzy; but, then, Mr. Hollen asked me to dance. I looked at him, trying to show him that I was now a dizzy light weight, but didn't want to be rude in front of his grandmother. I recalled, looking at her closer, that she was the same woman I'd seen at the park who left the newspaper behind.

Mr. Hollen held out his hand and I took it. He led me to a dance floor where over a hundred couples were dancing as well. He wrapped his arm around my lower back and pulled me closer to him as we began swaying slowly to the music. I'd never danced like that before so I stepped on his shoes a couple of times, and the alcohol wasn't helping. I laid my head on his hard chest, saving my balance. His manly scent tingled in my nostrils as I inhaled deeply. I was so comfortable in his strong arms; I instantly felt like no one else existed around us. It was just us and the music.

I hugged him tightly.

"Excuse me, may I have this dance with my son?" Mrs. Hollen interrupted.

I pulled away from him. "Of course," I answered, a bit shortly, and allowed her to take my place.

I began to make my way back to the table through the crowd. I passed a couple who were dancing, and, as I saw my table with Halley and Mr. Hollen's grandmother in sight, I tripped over someone's long gown and fell to my face. There was laughter mixed with concerned exclamation from the crowd. I tried to quickly pick myself up but two men rushed over to me and helped me on my feet. Everyone stared. You could touch my embarrassment with a finger; I felt terrible.

"Emma, are you alright?" Mr. Hollen asked; he was one of the men who picked me up.

"She's with you?" the other man asked him.

"Yeah."

Mr. Hollen took my hand, led me directly to the table and sat me down in a chair. 

I buried my face in the palms of my hands as the tears fell. The one thing I didn't want to  happen happened. I'd embarrassed him.

"We're leaving in five," he said then went over and spoke to the other gentleman who'd assisted me.

Halley came over and patted me on my back. "Emma, are you okay?"

My hands didn't leave my face.

"My dear, you're too beautiful to hide your face in this place. Put your hands down," Mr. Hollen's grandmother said, and she leaned in and removed them.

She smiled at me as I looked over to her.

"Lets get you cleaned up," Halley said and led me to a bathroom. "She likes you," she said to me when we were inside, "but you had too much wine, Emma; you're wasted."

I leaned against a sink as she wiped my face and retouched my makeup. 

She led me back to the table, where Mr. Hollen was waiting. I saw his mother making her way over to him as we approached.

"Honey, Martin said you're leaving," she said to him.

"Yes, mother."

"But the auction hadn't even started as yet. Why so soon?"

"I'm already exhausted, and I need to take them home."

"You're leaving because of a couple of maids? It's not your fault this one can't handle a glass of wine!" Her eyes shot to me making me more uncomfortable than I already was.

"Mother, not right now, okay?"

"Well, at least stay for your auction, sweetie. My driver could take them home."