Contents
Chapter 27: Emmett
Overview
Emmett coerces his sister Parker into joining him at a trendy bar so he can secretly watch Julia’s blind date with Dominic. Parker calls out Emmett’s feelings, and Julia catches him spying. She leaves with Dominic, forcing Emmett to confront his jealousy and the cost of their enforced distance.
Summary
Emmett finds Parker buried in farm paperwork and convinces her to join him for a drink, masking his real goal: checking on Julia’s blind date. He frames it as casual, but his fixation and defensiveness hint at deeper feelings he won’t name.
At the Cactus Club, Emmett chooses a vantage point to watch without being seen. He critiques Dominic and the setting, rationalizing his presence as protection for Julia after encouraging her to date to deflect Richard’s suspicions. Parker quickly deduces the truth and tells Emmett he’s in love, which he denies while obsessively monitoring the entrance.
When Julia arrives, dressed conservatively for safety, Emmett’s tension spikes. Parker warns he’s obvious, and moments later Julia appears beside him, lifts his cap, and calmly calls him out for being an audience to her date. She announces she’s leaving and walks out with Dominic.
Emmett is left humiliated and anxious. As Julia departs with Dominic, he wrestles with guilt for pushing her to date and the jealousy of imagining her with someone else. The night ends with Emmett sleepless, forced to face how poorly he’s handling their agreed distance.
Who Appears
- EmmettProtagonist; secretly spies on Julia’s blind date, denies his feelings, gets caught, and is left jealous and unsettled.
- ParkerEmmett’s sister; joins him for drinks, instantly recognizes his feelings for Julia, and needles him with blunt honesty.
- Julia SilvaHandler and Emmett’s covert love interest; arrives for a blind date, catches Emmett spying, and pointedly leaves with her date.
- DominicJulia’s blind date; accompanies her from the restaurant after discovering Emmett’s presence.