When Emma hung up the phone, she started to cry. Walking over to the couch, she plopped down and turned on the TV.
“Great, just what I wanted to see…a Backstreet Boy video,” she remarked sarcastically through her sobs.
It was the “morning after” and already she was having doubts about whether or not she should’ve done what she did. When Kevin woke up in the morning, he woke her up by placing a small kiss on her forehead. He had left early, very early that morning to head out for rehearsals. It was the last one before the tour and he told her that he’d be late getting home…he had ‘errands’ to run.
“Errands my ass.”
Emma had just gotten off the phone with Sarah who told her exactly what she dreaded most. Kevin had a girlfriend. Okay, so she didn’t know this for a fact, but with everything that Sarah had just told her, it was pretty evident, even for her.
Sarah was concerned and little upset over what AJ had been telling her and she finally decided to call Emma and see if she knew anything. She didn’t.
Apparently, Kristin had been calling Kevin everyday at rehearsals for the past week. Being that Kevin pretty much kept to himself, AJ wasn’t sure what was going on…but he didn’t think it looked good.
Every time that Kristin called, Kevin went outside to take the call. AJ was growing concerned about it and finally mentioned it to Sarah who was sworn to secrecy.
He was distraught over the idea of Kevin cheating on Emma…he liked Emma. Sarah liked Emma. Neither one wanted to see Emma hurt…so Sarah did the only thing she could think of…spilled the secret.
Unfortunately, Emma didn’t know what was going on either. Kevin didn’t mention anything about it to her…come to think of it, he didn’t mention much to her at all.
Sighing to herself, she realized that the worse had happened. She had fallen in love with Kevin. Was that even possible? To fall in love with someone after such short a time? She didn’t know; she only knew that it hurt like hell to hear what Sarah told her.
Sarah had concocted a plan though, if Emma was game.
She was.
**********
Emma stood silently in front of the mirror. She cocked her head to the side and really studied the outfit Sarah had put together for her. It was a black, sleeveless chiffon dress that fell to just above the knee. The neckline was low cut and outlined by a ruffle that in her opinion…did nothing for her. It just accentuated her breasts even more. Shaking her head, she turned around and glanced at the clock. “Where the hell are you Kevin?”
If he didn’t get home soon, the whole plan would backfire.
Pacing the halls, Emma jumped when she heard the door open. Shutting the bedroom door, she headed down the hall and to the front door.
Kevin walked in, set his duffel bag down and slowly eyed her up and down. “Wow.”
She blushed.
Walking towards her, Kevin planted a small kiss on her cheek, “You look incredible.”
Emma whispered, “Thank you.”
He backed up from her and rubbed his forehead, “Shit, did I forget about something important tonight?”
Think, think, think…
“Where we going and how much time do I have to get ready?” Kevin walked down the hall, yelling over his shoulder, “I’ll make it fast…pull something out of my closet for me to wear!”
Emma stood still. Shit, he thinks we’re going out.
Hearing the shower start, she decided there was no time like the present. When she walked into the bathroom, she heard him singing and cringed. Knowing his good mood would soon come crashing to a halt, she momentarily paused. “Ah, Kevin?”
He called out from behind the door, “Yeah honey?”
Honey, honey…
“Um, I hate to break it to you, but we’re not going anywhere tonight.”
Kevin opened the shower door slightly and poked his head out. “Oh, did you just get this dressed up for me?”
“Um, no…not exactly.”
He opened the door fully and stepped out, soaking wet. “Emma, what’s going on?”
She dropped her head, “I’m the only one going out tonight.”
It was obvious that Kevin didn’t understand what she was trying to get at by just the look on his face. She was finding if difficult to concentrate though with him standing before her naked and soaking wet. He was incredibly sexy, even when he was pissed. “Going where…to a ball?”
“No, out to dinner,” she lied. She wasn’t really going out to dinner; she was going over to Tony’s place and they would have dinner there. Even she knew that going out in public with another man was not exactly the thing to do at this particular time.
“With who?” Kevin questioned while eyeing her up and down again.
Emma paused and took a deep breath before speaking. Sarah had better be right about this or I’m gonna kill her. “Tony.”
Keeping his cool, Kevin replied calmly…“Who the fuck is Tony?”
“A guy I met.”
“A guy you met?” Kevin shook his head and flared his nose, “Met where?”
“At the spa with Sarah.”
Okay, that was a total lie. Emma didn’t even know who Tony was…only that he was a friend of Sarah’s and that he was called on to be part of this plan. Sarah concluded that the only way to get even with Kevin for talking to his “friend”, whom he insistently referred to her as to AJ, was for Emma to go out with “a friend.” Fight fire with fire, so to speak.
“Okay, let me get this straight then. My wife, that’s you Emma Richardson, is going on a fucking date, out to dinner in a public place, with a guy named Tony. My wife, that’s you again Emma Richardson, met this Tony at a spa with a girl that just so happens to be the girlfriend and I’m sure soon-to-be wife of one of my very best friends.” Kevin took a deep breath before continuing, “Is it safe to say that that pretty much sums it up?”
Emma wouldn’t even look at Kevin when she spoke, she was mortified and already kicking herself for agreeing to this in the first place. “Yes…but he’s just a friend.”
“A friend huh?” He walked out of the bathroom and slammed the door, leaving Emma standing there. “Have fun.”
She was just about to run out and spill her guts when she heard the doorbell ring. Opening the bathroom door, she was blocked by Kevin’s arm across the doorway. “Gave him the password to get through the gate already huh?” He threw on a pair of jeans, “I’ll get the door.”
When Kevin opened the door, Emma stood back in the hall and quietly starting banging her head against the wall.
“You must be Tony right?” Kevin couldn’t help but stare…he was looking at a carbon copy of himself…only with short hair.
Tony held out his hand to shake, but Kevin simply ignored the gesture. “Right and you are Kevin I presume?”
Kevin just kept staring…his thoughts were running amuck.
Who the hell are you?
You got my old hairstyle…
You got my goatee…
You got my…no fucking way…green eyes…
You got my facial hair…
You got my clothes…
You are NOT getting my wife!
He closed his eyes and shook his head…Charade Kevin…charade… “Yeah, Kevin…Emma’s husband.”
Kevin emphasized the last word a little too much in Emma’s opinion, so she decided she’d better step in. “I see you two have met, now if you’ll excuse us…we’re gonna head out.”
Emma held her hand out to Tony and gasped when she got a good look at him.
What the hell?
You look like my husband…
You have my husband’s eyes…
You have my husband’s goatee…
You have my husband’s facial hair…
You have my husband’s clothes…
You don’t hold a candle to my husband…
She closed her eyes and shook her head…Charade Emma…charade…
Kevin’s voice interrupted Emma’s thoughts. “Where you taking my wife Tony?”
“Back to my place, I’m making dinner.”
“Back to your place?” Kevin turned to Emma, “Wait a minute here, Emma you told me you were going out for dinner.”
Emma fidgeted, “I am…I’m going out to Tony’s place.”
Kevin leaned over to whisper in her ear; “Don’t play that game with me Emma…I mastered it years ago and you’ll lose.” He was referring; of course, to the way she avoided the whole truth when telling him where she was going.
“What time you gonna have my wife back Tony?”
Emma shot Kevin a dirty look and raised her voice slightly, “Late.”
“How late is late Emma?”
“What? Do I have a curfew I didn’t know about?” Emma dropped Tony’s hand and excused herself. “Kevin, can I speak to you in private please.”
Walking into the kitchen, Emma whispered. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Does Sarah know you’re going on a date Emma?” He stared her down, “Because that’ll only feed the fire you know…she’ll figure this whole thing out before you know it and then what?”
“Figure what out? I don’t even know what’s going on Kevin…you haven’t even filled me in on it yet.”
“Answer me…does Sarah know?”
She lowered her head, “No, of course not.” Another lie. She was starting to get pretty good at this and it was scaring the hell out of her. She didn’t like lying. Even though no words were ever actually exchanged with Sarah about what was going on with Kevin and Emma…she wasn’t a dummy. “I thought you told me on my first day here that you didn’t except me to go without for the next two years.”
Kevin leaned over and whispered in her ear, “I did, but well…things kinda changed for me after last night Emma, but evidently not for you.”
Kevin walked out while Emma tried to catch her breath.
