Chapter Ten

January 2011

“Thanks for picking me up Trace,” Emma said.

“No problem,” he replied.  “I’m glad you’re here.  I was getting tired of Justin whining about you not coming to his birthday party.”  Trace drove the SUV up Justin’s driveway.

Emma had flown out to L.A. for Justin’s 30th birthday as a surprise.  Emma had told him that she had to stay in Arkansas because a band was going to be staying at her house, and Trevor was out of town. 

Trace parked the SUV, and they got out.  He grabbed Emma’s bag for her.  She followed him into the house through the garage where the dogs greeted her.  Justin wasn’t home as she had expected.

After Trace had left, Emma looked through Justin’s pantry and fridge to see if he happened to have the ingredients for lasagna, which is what she wanted to make him for dinner.  When Emma saw that he didn’t have most of them, she found the keys to his pick-up truck and went to the nearest grocery store.

*  *  *

It was a couple hours later, and Emma had just changed the setting on the oven to keep the lasagna warm while she waited for Justin to come home.  She knew he would be on his way home by this time, and he would call her like he did everyday at that time.

Her cell phone rang, and she stepped over both of the dogs, who had made themselves comfortable in the middle of the kitchen floor, to pick it up.

“Hello,” Emma answered with a smile on her face.

“Hey Emmy,” Justin said.  He sounded tired.  “What are you up to?”

“Just doing some cleaning,” she stated.  Emma made her way into his living room and sat down on the couch.  “The bathroom is in dire need of cleaning.  I don’t know why you boys are so messy.”

“Hey now …” Justin defended, but could hear her laugh a little.  He sighed because he wanted nothing more than for her to be there this weekend.  They hadn’t seen each other since the day after New Years. 

“Are you sure you can’t come out here this weekend?”  He just had to ask her again.  It was his birthday weekend after all.  “I can still get you a flight to be here for the party.”  His birthday was on the following Monday, but he was having a big party the next night to celebrate.

“I know you can,” Emma said.  He really did sound pathetic.  “I have to be here though.”

“I really wish you could be here.  I only turn 30 once,” Justin continued.

“We’re gonna see each other in a week, and we can celebrate then.”  They had had this conversation a hundred times in the last month.

“It’s not the same.”  He pouted.

“Justin …” Emma sighed.  They were quiet for a minute.  “Are you almost to your house?”

“Yeah, I’m just about to pull into the driveway,” Justin answered.  “I’ll call you back in a few minutes.”

“Okay.”  Emma stood up and walked back to the kitchen.  “I love you.”

“Love you too,” Justin replied.  They hung up.

Emma pulled the casserole dish out of the oven and set it on the stovetop just as she heard the garage door go up.  Both Buckley and Brennan bolted for the door and started to bark.  Emma was just as excited as they were to see him.

After another minute, she could hear Justin talking to his dogs and getting them to calm down before making his way down the short hallway and into the kitchen.

“Surprise!”  Emma grinned when Justin noticed her standing in the middle of his kitchen.  She held her arms open, and he stepped into them, hugging her in return.

“You’re such a little liar,” he said right before he kissed her.

“Happy early Birthday,” Emma said.  She was happy to look into his eyes again.

“It is now,” Justin said honestly.

“You’re such a baby.”  She rolled her eyes, and he ignored her comment because he wanted to kiss her again.  “Are you hungry?  I made lasagna for dinner.”

“Sounds awesome.”  He reluctantly dropped one of his arms from around her and rubbed his stomach.  “I haven’t eaten since breakfast.”

“That’s not good.”  Emma stepped away from him.  She walked over to one of the cabinets, opened it and pulled out two plates.  Emma served him first and then herself.

“This looks good,” Justin said.  He grabbed two forks out of a drawer and walked over to his table.  Emma followed.  “Thanks.”  Justin smiled as he sat down.

“No problem.”  Emma grabbed the fork he held out for her as she sat down too.  “You know I don’t mind.”

“I know, but I appreciate it especially after you traveled today.”  He stuck his fork in the lasagna and brought the bite up to his mouth.  “You’re the best … so good.”  Justin waved the fork over his plate in small circles.

Emma smiled and started to eat as well.

“So were you planning on flying back to Arkansas with me on Thursday?”  Justin asked after he finished chewing what was in his mouth.  He had planned on going out there for the following weekend.

“Yeah,” Emma nodded.  “Is that cool?”

“Of course,” Justin replied. 

“So next weekend, do you want to go to the Arkansas/Tennessee basketball game?  Bryan has two extra tickets for us if we want them.”  Emma asked before she took another bite of lasagna.

“Yeah that sounds fun,” Justin said.

“And I was thinking we could talk with Mrs. Driggers, Cody’s mom, who is a realtor.  She could help us find a house.”  Emma suggested.

“Whatever you want to do.”

They finished eating with little else to say, and when they were done, Justin did the dishes for Emma, and she put the leftovers in the fridge.  They spent the rest of the evening curled up on his couch watching a movie.

*  *  *

“Look at you,” Justin said as he met Emma in the hallway outside of his bedroom.  Emma had bought a navy dress to wear for his party.  “I swear Em, you have to wear this kind of stuff more.”  He could still make her blush after almost four years of knowing each other, and he probably would forever.

“Thanks,” Emma replied.  “You don’t look so bad yourself.”  She reached up and smoothed the front of his button down shirt.  He liked the feel of her hands as they made their way around his waist so she could hug him.  Justin returned it, and they kissed.

“Shall we?”  Justin asked in reference to heading out for the night.

“Oh, I suppose.”  Emma sighed and stepped away from him.  She knew it was going to be a long night filled with lots of press and lots of people she didn’t know.

“We’ll have fun.  I promise,” he said.  They made their way down the stairs and out to the car they were going to go in.

When they got to the club, Justin kept Emma close to his side as they walked through the crowd that was outside of the club.  This was the first time since he had taken her to the VMAs in 2007 that they had really been in front of a lot of media together.

“I’m happy you’re here,” Justin said into Emma’s ear.  The words were just loud enough so she could hear them.  She smiled and let him kiss her cheek, which caused more camera flashes.  Justin led Emma through the open doors and into the club.

He was immediately bombarded with “Happy Birthday’s” and “How’s it going?” from everyone who had seen him come in.  Justin greeted everyone who came up to him and introduced Emma to each person.  He really was proud to have her on his arm and introduce her as his “fiancé.”  Emma went right along with it.

Eventually they made their way to the bar, and Justin ordered them both a drink before turning around to face her.  He greeted a couple more people who acknowledged him as he handed her the soda she wanted.  Before long, he was caught up in a conversation with Trace and a few other people, leaving Emma to observe quietly.

“You want to dance?”  Justin asked.  Emma was starting to look a little bored.

“Do you?”  She asked him back.  He nodded “yes.”  “Sure.”  Emma didn’t really care if they did or not.  She was not a huge fan of dancing especially the “dancing” that was happening in front of her. 

“Just none of that dirty stuff.”  Emma set her empty soda glass down on the bar.

“Oh … just ruin all my fun,” he teased.  Justin set his own glass down and then grabbed her hand.  He excused them from the guys he was talking to, and Emma followed him out into the crowd. 

Emma let him take the lead.  They danced for a while until Justin spotted a couple of the other guys from *NSYNC, and he took Emma over to them.  She was introduced to Chris and Joey, who felt the need to tease Justin about being the “baby” of the group and turning 30. 

Emma was surprised at how nice they were and enjoyed talking with them.

“So are you guys coming to our wedding?”  Emma asked.  She leaned her back against Justin, and he wrapped his arms around her.  “You sent them invites right?”  Emma looked up at Justin as she asked this.

“Yeah,” Justin answered.  He kissed the top of her head.  “They would kill me if I didn’t.”

“You got that right,” Chris smirked.

The four of them talked awhile longer before Justin pulled her off in another direction.  It was early in the morning when they got back to his house.

*  *  *

“To you, on your birthday,” Emma said.  She held up her glass of wine.

“Thank you,” Justin said.  He tapped his beer bottle against her glass.  “And thanks for dinner.”

“You’re welcome.”  Emma had taken him out to dinner at a small restaurant near his house that he liked, and she was treating.  “Have you had a good birthday so far?”

“Well I have got to spend it with you,” Justin stated, “so of course I have.” 

“Good.”  She smiled.  Emma had made him a big breakfast that morning, and then they had spent the rest of the day moseying around his house.

“Is there anything else you want to do?”  She asked.

“Nah,” he shook his head, “I’m good.”

“Okay.”  Emma shrugged.  When the check came, she grabbed it before he could.

“You know I feel really silly letting you pay,” Justin stated quietly.  He put his arm around her shoulder.

“I know you do,” Emma looked at him, “but it’s your birthday dinner, so I am treating.”  She grabbed her purse and pulled out her wallet.  Emma counted out the right amount of cash and put it in the black billfold.  “Ready for cake and ice cream?”

“Heck yeah,” Justin replied.  He had been eyeing the dessert sitting on his kitchen counter since she had made it.  He scooted out of the booth and grabbed Emma’s hand as she climbed out as well.  Justin put his hand on the small of her back and led her out of the restaurant.

“Thanks again,” he said.  Emma smiled back as he opened the car door for her.  He gave her a quick hug and kiss before she climbed into his car.

When they got back to his house, Emma took the cover off of the cake pan.  She found the candles she had bought and was putting them in the cake when Justin walked back into the kitchen.

“What are you doing?”  He asked when he saw her putting the candles in the cake.  Justin put his hands on her waist.

“What does it look like?”  She asked with a smirk on her face.  “You have to have candles on your birthday.”

“Even at 30?”

“Yes.”

“What are you going to do when we have kids?”  Justin loved how serious she was about birthdays.  He wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her shoulder.

“I’m going all out.”  She smiled at the thought and reached for the lighter she found in one of the drawers.  Emma lit all 30 of the candles and then sang to him.  Even though it was kind of cheesy, it made Justin feel special, which she always made him feel.  She even clapped after he blew out all of the candles.

Emma turned so she could wrap her arms around him and kissed him.  When they parted, she started to pull the candles out of the cake, and he got out the bowls, spoons and ice cream.

After they had served the cake and ice cream, Emma pulled herself up onto the counter and started to eat her dessert.  He picked up his bowl and stood in front of her.  Emma smiled as she watched him eat his birthday cake and ice cream.

“What?”  He asked suspiciously.  Justin licked his lips.

“Nothin’.”  She smiled.  “I just love you.”

“I love you too.”  Justin placed his bowl down on the counter next to her and stepped closer to her.  He put his hands on her thighs and leaned over to kiss her.  Emma put her bowl down and wrapped her arms around him.

“Happy Birthday,” she said against his lips.