Chapter 28 Get the Girl, Before You Lose The Girl!
"I really apologize for what happened earlier." Emma stepped aside to let him pass. Ezra scanned the house. "Please have a seat." Ezra took a seat on the couch and looked up at her. "Would you like some water?"
"No, thank you.” He gave her a little smile. “But why aren’t you at work today? You must have heard the news about getting the title."
Emma nodded. "Yes, I did. I honestly didn’t think I would win. How did you find my place?" She fixed her gaze on him, waiting for his answer.
"Oh, Scott gave me your address. I’ve only dropped you off at bus stops before, not right in front of your house, so I needed a bit of help. When did you move here?" He looked around again.
Right! He dropped her off at the other bus stop. Emma replied nervously, "I’ve always lived here, but there was a time when this place was being repaired. I had to stay with my aunt for a bit until now." She lied.
"Oh." He had never felt this shy before. He felt awkward about this new feeling. Was it because he found out she was the girl he fell for three years ago?
"So, what brings you here?" Emma chuckled a little.
When Ezra looked up at her again, he found it hard to look away. His heart was racing. "The media team will be at the office..." he checked the time to confirm. "...Soon. You’ll need to come for the ads and to be in front of the cameras…” The realization hit him again. “Why aren’t you at work? Was it because of what I said on Sunday morning?"
It was definitely because of what he said on Sunday morning.
And Zoe's involvement too.
"Oh, no, no." She shook her head. "Silly me. I should have let the office know that I was sick and couldn’t come in."
"Are you alright?" Ezra’s eyes started to wander. Looking for something. Someone. She noticed his eyes scanning the room.
"I’ll be fine," she said. "I’m really sorry, but can we postpone the media thing? I’m not feeling too great right now."
He got up from the couch. "Alright. I’ll call to reschedule if you’re not feeling well, but you should definitely see a doctor."
"I will, Mr. Queen." Emma wanted him to leave. But at the same time, she wanted him to stick around. There was this undeniable chemistry between them, and she could tell he felt it too. She kept reminding herself not to make any foolish moves, like kissing him or jumping into his arms for a hug or something.
Ezra moved away from her and headed for the door, but then he suddenly stopped. He turned back to her. "How about we talk when you’re feeling better? About..." He struggled to recall the child's name.
"Zoella?"
"Yeah. About her. We should talk about her and a few other things before we reach any conclusions." He then scoffed. "Scott told me to get a paternity test, but—"
"What? A paternity test?" Emma's heart raced as if it might drop to the floor, but before that could happen, she wanted Ezra Queen out of her house.
"I didn’t agree to it.” When he said that, her beating heart was relieved a bit. “Not right now,” he continued, and her heart began to race again. “I just want to have a straightforward conversation first. Is that alright?"
"Yes. Yes, that’s fine." Emma managed a weak smile.
"Great. See you at the office then." He nodded and left the house, shutting the door behind him. Emma hurried to lock it. Her back pressed against the door. She couldn’t let that happen.
She plopped down on the couch. She couldn’t allow him to get a paternity test. She shook her head. No way was she letting that happen. Frustrated, she ran her fingers through her hair. Why did Scott have to make her life so difficult? She had to keep pretending to be sick if she wanted to avoid seeing him. But for how long? A week? A month? Two months? A year? Emma was starting to lose her mind. Before it all came crashing down on her, she needed to figure out a way to solve this problem.
Ezra buckled his seatbelt while staring at the building where Emma lived. He took out his phone and called Milan. "Tell them not to come over anymore."
"I was just about to call you, sir. The media team is here."
"Then reschedule with them for next week."
"Sir? Next week? What about Miss Facer? Didn’t you go to pick her up?"
"She’s not an object, Milan."
"Sorry, sir. But we can't reschedule. That means you’ll lose money, and you know you don’t like that."
Ezra started his car. "I’m a billionaire, Milan. Losing a few bucks won’t affect me. Plus, Miss Facer is sick. She’ll handle the ads and meet with the media when she’s back in the office." He ended the call and sighed before driving off.
On his way back to the office, he tried not to dwell too much on Emma and the child. He passed by Milan at her desk without stopping, knowing she would ask why he always changed the rules for Miss Facer. Before she arrived, there was no such thing as a favorite designer, but now she had that title. Ezra didn’t understand why he always bent the rules for her. He opened his office door and was surprised to find someone comfortably seated on the couch with a cup of tea in hand.
"Mom!" Ezra said, still having a shocked look as he entered, slowly closing the door behind him. "What are you doing here?"
Josie gently placed her cup of tea on the table and looked up at him. "You know why I’m here."
"No, I don’t. But please find another place for your tea because I need the space to work."
"Ezra, I’m here to meet the company’s favorite designer, Miss Facer." Josie clasped her hands together.
He was interrupted from his walk to his chair. He turned to his mother with a puzzled expression. "Why?"
"Because..." Josie got up. "I need a designer to create my dress for the event this Friday." She approached him, rested her hand on the table, and looked up at him. "Please, I need your help."
"You already have a designer, mom."
Josie sighed dramatically. "Well, I let her go."
"She's level six." Ezra sat down. "Mom, if you came here to see Miss Facer, you’ve wasted your time."
"Why can’t I meet her? This is business. She helps me with my event dress, and then I invest more into the company by paying. It’s not going to be free."
"Hmm.” He sniffed. “Is that why you brought flapjack and scrambled eggs with sausage?"
"No, I didn’t."
He rolled his eyes. "I can smell them, mom."
"That’s because I had them for breakfast this morning."
Ezra squinted at the couch. "If you keep hiding food in that fancy bag, it’s going to get ruined."
Josie rolled her eyes and groaned, crossing her arms. "Okay, fine! You caught me."
"Why would you even think about cooking and bringing it to her? Miss Facer will think it’s more than just business."
"I like her, alright?" Josie confessed. They couldn’t let her visit the level one office without Ezra’s go-ahead.
"Or maybe you want something else. I know you too well, mom. You always have to be so cheesy to get what you want. What’s the plan this time? Want me to get to know her better? Bring her home as my girlfriend, then she becomes a fiancée, then a wife, and then she gives you your first grandkid?"
"I’m getting older, young man!" Josie exclaimed!
"And I’m not prepared for that," Ezra replied calmly. "I need to work and make money. And please…" He held his hands together. "Don’t even think about doing what you did with Heather because it’s not going to work. Did you really believe I wouldn’t notice you sending her to my house and inviting her for Sunday dinner?" He shook his head. "When I’m ready, which I’m not, you’ll get what you want."
"Hmm. You’re so dull. No one wants a man who is so absorbed in his job that he ignores them."
"Well, Mother, I like myself this way, so could you please just go and let me do my job?" Josie recognized the look on his face and she stepped away from him. She returned to the couch. She took out the food and set it on the table. "You can eat it since you won’t let me give it to her."
"I’m not trying to be cruel; I just don’t want you to get hurt," he looked at her and said calmly.
"You know, I saw how you looked at her at the party. If you just follow your heart, you’ll win the girl before you lose her. See you later, son." Josie left immediately.
Ezra watched his mother walk away and he grabbed his wavy hair. Then slide it back while groaning in frustration. He could sense she was upset with him.
How could he tell his mother that he had indeed looked at Emma with attraction and denied it, only to discover she was the same woman who had hurt him three years ago? And now she was with a child that turned out to be his? He closed his eyes.
His family would be so shocked if he shared this news with them.