The Heartbreak Club

Ever Aftermath

When I came to I was in my dressing room lying on the couch. Voices and faces became clear. He was leaning over me, stroking my hair. I felt sick.

"Everyone out," I whispered. He ushered them through the door and closed it. "How could you?" I asked.

"Huh? Emma, I thought that's what you wanted."

"My private life on blast? I told you I loved our secrets. The only part of my life not over exposed."

"Really? You put The Heartbreak Club on the T network. You're doing New Years with Byron Hillcrest, talking about your life and your show. You didn't want this?"

"I wanted you, Tony. Just you." I struggled to sit up. "I need this off." I tugged at my dress. It was suffocating. He helped with the zipper. I stood. "My bag!" I was screaming. I needed my change of clothes.

"Here. Emma, calm down."

"I want to change."

"You're hysterical."

"Then leave me alone."

I'd managed to get my dress to my knees before throwing myself back on the couch.

"Is that what you want? All that," he gestured to the event, "and not what we had?"

"I want what we had without all that."

I was face down, I could feel air on my back. His hand slid up my side.

"Tape?" he asked, touching the wardrobe tape I wore in place of a bra.

"Don't act like you haven't heard of it before." I looked back at him, we smiled. Finally.

"I haven't seen this before."

He turned me over and helped me put on the pants and shirt I'd brought. We sat up together, I leaned into him hard. I wanted to disappear.

"I just wanted us to be like we were. You're all I have that is mine. It's sacred." I looked at him before the water works began. What the dress had constrained flowed freely now.

"Sorry, Emma," he whispered.

His hands were gentle on me, his breath was warm in my ear. It felt...good. I'd missed him...badly.

"Did I say yes?" I looked at the rock on my hand.

"You didn't say no and you're wearing the ring which is implied agreement. Legally speaking."

I wrapped my arms around him and laughed. He squeezed me tightly.

"I miss you."

"I love you."

We were tearing at each other furiously. My hands were up his shirt, the material stretched over my forearms as I pushed it over his head.

A hard knock on the door and Caden's voice, "Emma?"

"Oh, no," I whispered. Our clothes quickly slid back into place. Tony stood to answer. "What are you going to do?"

"Tell him we don't want any."

"You'll get in a fight, Tony. Please don't." I was standing in front of him.

"I'm not standing behind you, Emma. That's not the man I am."

I can't deal with these two egos colliding.

"I have to be kind, Tony. Can you be patient?"

He closed his eyes and turned away. I opened the door just enough to slip outside. We stood face to face. His eyebrows scrunched together.

"I'm sorry, Caden. I can't."

"Can't?"

"You dumped me. Brutally I might add. I had to move on and it is what it is now. There's no going back."

"If I never..." his breathing increased. "She'd still be with ME," he said so Tony could hear.

"Don't." I heard steps coming. I held the door handle, but it was useless.

"You have something to say?" Tony emerged from the dressing room behind me.

"Please, you two, don't. Let's go," I turned to Tony. I just wanted to get away.

Caden was backing down the hall, deflating with every step. I knew the look on his face, he was officially in The Club. Just then, I got it. He's heartbroken but he'll be okay, he'll live just like I did. Just like we all did.

The guilt left my heart and I waved to him before he turned. I was sad for him but it was different. It wasn't hopeless anymore.

Tony and I settled back in my room for a moment. We hugged, both sinking into one another. We were exhausted.

"Take me home?" I asked.

We stood, he kept his arm around me. It was possessive, protective and safe. It's what I needed. We avoided the remnants of the crowd and escaped back to his house outside the city.

He led me to the bedroom, rose petals were scattered at my feet. Flowers in the shape of a heart on the comforter.

"What's this?"

"I wanted one just between us," he was on one knee again. "I was mesmerized when I first saw you. You were in a day dream in your head, but holding your coffee cup dramatically. I saw your name on it, Emma. I wanted to know you, then you spilled the coffee on me, but I didn't mind," he smiled. I covered my face. "When I got the call to help a young lady named Emma with a contract, I knew it was you. I just knew."

I dropped to my knees in front of him, kissing him as hard as I could.

"You remember the boat?"

"Mmhmm," I barely stopped to answer.

"That's when I knew I wanted to marry you."

I stopped and looked at him.

"I went to surprise you at your apartment. I wanted to whisk you away, back to the boat at night, just us and ask you." He closed his eyes. "I had to go back by myself and clean up the roses and champagne I'd set out."

"I'm sorry."

"I may have been too sensitive that night."

He picked me up and lay me on his bed. I agonized from side to side until he was on top of me.

"Emma, will you marry me?"

"Yes!"

In the morning, we had coffee at the table. The embarrassment of the night before was weighing on me.

"What will they say at T News?" I lay my head in my hands.

"Whatever you tell them to, it's in your contract."

"What?"

"You can dictate what they say about it. You have control of your footage on that network. The Heartbreak Club or any other program."

"Oh my gosh."

I watched the video of the live show online. It wasn't so bad. We were doing great, the proposal happened right before the ball dropped so as I began to swoon it cut away. Later, Byron and the crew were back on saying how happy they were for me. It was actually good. And I could decide the follow up.

"I'm meant to take care of you," he held me so sweetly, I choked up. "I don't know what I get back. Can you even cook?"

I hit his arm and he laughed.

"I can fill your coffee up." I took both cups to the kitchen for refills.