Unbreakable(2)

Even though Sully's my best friend, he's never really been good with the heavy stuff. He tried to be there for me, but I'm not sure he knew what to do. Emmy stepped in and helped me deal with the loss. She kept me focused on hockey and my goals, as well as on living my life in a way that would make my parents proud. Though grief counseling helped, I think Emmy was the one responsible for pulling me out of that awful, dark time.

The third anniversary of the plane crash has come and gone this year, and I made it through. I spent most of the day on the phone with Em, and she got me through it like she always does.

When she left to go to university in New York City two years ago, a part of me died inside. We still text all the time, but it’s not the same as having her here in Toronto.

“So why didn’t you bring Aidan?” I ask.

Aidan is Emmy’s uppity, lawyer-to-be, douchebag boyfriend. He’s one of those guys who enjoys looking down his nose at people who aren’t high society.

Despite the fact that both Emmy and I come from very wealthy families, we’re not snobs. Aidan’s not only a snob, but he’s also a total f*cking phony.

She can’t see it, though. Em always tries to see the best in everyone—it’s her one big flaw. She gives people too many chances, and they end up treating her like shit.

“That’s over now,” she says, adjusting one of the silver rings on her fingers. “We broke up a few months ago.”

Thank you, Jesus.

I do an elaborate mental victory dance but still manage to give her a sympathetic look.

“I’m sorry, Em. You should have told me.”

I know why she didn’t, though. I don’t like how Aidan treats her, especially after some of the crappy things he’s done over the course of their relationship. She knows exactly what I think of him and rarely brings him up in our conversations.

Emmy shoots me an amused look. “You’re not sorry. You couldn’t stand him.”

“He made you feel like you weren’t good enough for him when it was completely the opposite.” I glance over at her. “Anyway, what happened?”

“We drifted apart,” she says, shrugging. “Aidan’s just not who I see myself with. He didn’t know how to have fun. I mean, yes—studying is important, but I study all the time. Sometimes, I just want to hang out with my friends. He acted like we were forty years old instead of twenty, you know? When I’d suggest getting together with people, he always had something more important to do,” she says, rolling her eyes. “But hanging out with friends is important. Just like we’re doing by getting together at the cottage. God, I really need this vacation, Will. I’m so excited!”

My stomach does a happy little barrel roll as I take in her big, happy smile and sparkling green eyes. She’s incredible, this girl sitting next to me. The total, complete package: smart, fun, compassionate, and beautiful.

And I want her.

I want her so f*cking badly that sometimes I can’t even think straight.

Wanting my best friend’s sister isn’t something I’m proud of. Sully would kill me twice if he knew how I felt about Emmy.

And if I acted on those feelings? Let’s just say they’d be finding my body parts around Toronto for years to come.

Despite being only three minutes older than Em, Sully takes his role of big brother very seriously. Em battled leukemia when she was five years old, and since then, he’s been absurdly overprotective.

When Sully met Aidan during Christmas dinner at the Sullinger’s last year, he’d pulled him into one of the guest bedrooms and shut the door. Ten minutes later Aidan came out, trembling and pale, while Sully emerged looking triumphant. God only knows what form of death Sully promised Aidan if he ever mistreated his sister.

Emmy’s phone buzzes with a text, and she digs around for it in her oversized purse.

“Oh, shit,” she mutters a moment later.

That sounds bad. “What’s up?”

“No one else can make it to the cottage until the middle of the week.” She sighs and taps the screen. “Violet and Peyton can’t get time off from the pizza shop until then, and they need a ride because Peyton’s car broke down. Sully’s going to stay in town and wait for them, and Axel and Dylan will catch a ride up with him then.”

Oh shit is right. That means I’ll be alone with Emmy at the cottage. Touchy-feely, happy, sweet Emmy.

Images of her in a sexy bikini, splashing around the lake flash through my mind, and I white-knuckle the steering wheel.

I thought being alone with her in the truck for a few hours during the drive to the cottage would be the hardest part of the trip for me.

But this? Jesus.

I’m so f*cking screwed.





Chapter Two





EMMY




Will swings the truck into the driveway of the cottage, and I scramble out before he comes to a full stop. Stretching my arms up in the air, I tilt my face toward the warm sun and spin around.

“Yesssss! Vacation, I’m so ready for you!”

I hear Will chuckling behind me. I turn and see him leaning against the truck bed with his arms crossed, smiling.

My heart gives a little leap when I see that smile. I’ve been so lonely in New York City, but being with Will these past few hours has dialed my happiness meter up to ten.