Yes, Sirs (Book 1 of Desire's Den)

Chapter 146 - Mateo

For all of summer, I'd looked forward to classes starting again, but when I walked into corporate finance class earlier, I didn't feel the same spark I'd felt on Monday before everything had happened. I wasn't as focused as I should've been, and the usual passion I had for teaching just wasn't there. My mind was too cluttered—too chaotic—to steer my attention towards my work. There was someone much more important to me than my job on my mind, and she was hurt—by us.

Emma had every reason to be mad at all of us. While I hadn't known she was a student at my school, I did know about Callan hiring a PI. Truth be told, when he'd assured us he would find her, I'd suspected he would use a private investigator, and I hadn't done anything to stop him. So, while he might've been the one to actually do it, we'd been the ones encouraging him because we were just as desperate to find the one who'd caught our attention.

As I finished up preparing some course material after class, I once again checked my phone, like I'd been doing much more frequently these past few days. A jolt went through me when I saw I'd gotten a couple of notifications, but I didn't let myself hope too much. Callan and Gideon both had been peppering my phone with messages, trying to get me to talk to them. I knew I couldn't stay mad at them forever, but they'd let me down, and it wasn't something I could forget easily.

One of the notifications was, in fact, a message from Gideon, but my eyes zeroed in on the one from Emma.

She'd texted, I thought, with a healthy mix of apprehension and relief. Whatever she had to say, good or bad, I would take it as long as she talked to me.

My heart thundered as I clicked in on her message.

We need to talk. Meet me at Kissena Park at five.

She told me where at the park I would find her, but that was it. Still, she wanted to meet; that had to be good, right? Right. At least, she wasn't blocking our numbers and never talking to us again. This was a great start. It had to be.

Seeing the time, I noted that I had an hour before I had to be there. Not wanting to risk being late, I decided to pack my things and leave now.

Since Monday, I'd hoped for the opportunity to talk to her, but now that I was going to, I was suddenly nervous. This might be the only chance I would get, and I couldn't fuck it up.

No pressure.

Forty minutes later, and I found myself at the entrance Emma had been talking about. Following her instructions, I turned left and walked down the trail. The sun made the suit I was wearing uncomfortably hot, even after I'd abandoned both the jacket and tie in the car.

I walked by a family, with their kids running ahead, chasing each other. They made such a beautiful picture of a future I longed for. I'd never had the traditional family, with two loving, present parents, but I craved for the time I could give my kids what I never had. I didn't need the traditional, though, just the loving part.

I was so lost in the imaginary future that it took a second before I saw her standing just a few feet away. My breath hitched, and my feet stopped moving. At that moment, it felt like I hadn't seen her in weeks, and as much as I'd missed her, I hadn't known how much until I was looking right at her.

Emma was dressed after the weather, with the same lavender sundress with white flowers on that I'd picked out for her on our first date. I tried not to read too much into the fact that she'd chosen to wear that dress, but I couldn't help the small glimmer of hope.

She looked absolutely breathtaking with the sun painting her hair golden. I couldn't see more than her side profile, but there was a sadness to her that squeezed my heart.