“Shut up.”
“I didn’t say anything.” The smirk now in no way hidden but on full display. “I’m just happy to see you like this.”
“Like what?” I ask.
“Like yourself. I know losing Bennett felt like losing part of who you are, but he wouldn’t want his death to take all of you away from the rest of us.”
Emotion clogs my throat.
Emerson isn’t one to get sentimental—she’s not afraid to tell it like it is, but I think she learned early in life to tamp down her emotions, especially when she knew my mom didn’t like to see her upset throughout her cancer fight.
Conversations with her like these always go straight to my heart, knowing that talking about feelings and emotions isn’t the easiest for her either, both of us having our own resistance to it for differing reasons.
I take a step toward my sister. Words fail me, so I grab her arm, pulling her into a hug—one she takes a second to reciprocate, but after a moment, I feel her arms wrap around my waist.
“Now,” she says, pushing away from me and adjusting the bandana in her hair, “you owe me coffee. I didn’t move all your shit a second time to not get compensated for my hard work.”
I shake my head, fighting my own smile.
“Once again, I second that. And I know a really awesome place,” I hear Luke say behind me, coming in through the front door. “It's on the way.”
“Oh, and I bet your newfriendis working today,” Emerson teases before turning to Luke. “Is Rumi working today, Luke?”
Luke and Emerson exchange a look that has too much scheming for my taste, but I choose to ignore it and not engage with their antics.
It’s been three weeks since I saw Rumi—not that I haven’t thought about her, seeing as though she’s been a constant in my mind since the moment I saw her again.
But today does seem like a great day to rectify that.
“Why, yes, Emmy. I do believe Rumi is on the schedule for this morning,” Luke says, his tone way too exaggerated for my taste.
“Stop being fucking weird,” I say to the both of them. “I barely know the girl.” The words leave a bad taste in my mouth, but I don’t want Luke or Emerson thinking anything is going to happen between Rumi and me. I have my own shit to deal with, and I don’t want her anywhere near it. She has her own life—her own daughter—to be concerned about, not my bullshit.
“But you want to,” Luke sing-songs, and I want to punch the grin off his stupid face. Both Emerson and Luke know about the burnt cookies fiasco as well as my morning fixing Rumi and Ava’s door, but I kept the stories short and to the point, leaving out details that could cause them to act likethis.
Not that there are any details that are worth discussing.
“She really is a great girl,” Luke adds. “A resilient little thing too. I don’t know all the details, but I know she hasn’t had it easy.”
I nod my head, feigning indifference as he talks about Rumi—on the inside, a swell of possessiveness overwhelms me at the thought of someone else knowing her better than me. It’s a completely moronic and inappropriate feeling sweeping through me—especially considering Luke is my friend and her boss. It makes me clench my fists at my sides, quickly putting my arms around my back before Luke or Emerson can notice.
I don’t know how much Luke knows about Rumi’s accident, but I know neither him, nor Emerson, know about my involvement with it, or that I was on my way home when I came across it.
As far as everyone knows, I never even thought about coming back before I did.
Which also means that neither of them know that tomorrow marks one year since that night.
“I heard it’s her daughter’s birthday tomorrow,” I hear Emerson say, and I have to school my features to hide my surprise that she knows that. I must not do it fast enough because she adds, “I was at Hey Honey’s last week, and the red-head?—”
“Ava,” I interject. Emerson eyes me wearily, and I feel Luke’s eyes on me too, but I ignore both their looks. “Her name is Ava.”
“Right,” she says, stretching out the word. “Avasaid they were planning a birthday party for her at the end of the month.”
I nod, still feeling their eyes on me. “Cool,” I say, and evenIcan hear how hard I’m trying to stay impassive to all of this. “Anyway, we have a coffee run to do. Let’s go, kids,” I quickly add, walking past the two of them out to my truck.
“Eager now, are we, Jacky?” Emerson says from behind me, and I can hear Luke snort.
“Are you riding with me or Luke?” I ask her, not bothering to turn around, knowing she’s just a step behind me.
