Page 38 of Tempting Fate

Chapter Seventeen

Emerson

I go back home after dropping off Jamie’s lunch, lips still tingling, and start working on dinner. Jamie hasn’t texted me what he wants yet, but I decide to go all out—I’ve been keeping weird hours this week and I do want him and Nick to know that I appreciate them giving me my space and not making a big deal of me not being around.

After the date with Patch on Monday, I really did go for a walk. I needed to think about the fact that Patch and Jamie basically exist in the same breath for me. I don’t know why that is.

I shake my head and grab tomatoes out of the fridge. We can freeze soup, and tomato should go with whatever the main dish ends up being. I set my phone on the side and decide, on impulse, to call Cate just before I get to chopping.

To my surprise, she answers on the first ring. I tried calling her after the date on Monday, but to no avail, and then I was out late that night and last night trying to catch sight of a werewolf.

“Em? You’d better not be fucking dead.”

“I’d have a hard time ringing if I were,” I reply. I chop slowly; no need to rush. “I thought you weren’t talking to me.”

“Like your rude arse wouldn’t haunt me. I tried calling you back on Monday, but it didn’t go through. Guess we’ve been missing each other.”

“I’m sorry I left so quickly.”

Cate snorts. “No, you’re not. And I’m not sorry I yelled about it, for the record. It’s shitty of you to ask me for advice and then completely ignore it without telling me.”

“I know.”

“Good. So we’re clear. And it’s shitty of me to give you the silent treatment too, so I guess we’re both the worst.”

I think back to the kiss with Jamie earlier. My hands tremble and I put down the knife. “Maybe you’re right.”

Cate’s quiet for a moment, but genuine concern colours her voice when she asks, “Em? What’s going on? You’re not in trouble, are you?”

“No, nothing like that.”

“What is it, then? I will come down there, you know. I’m already checking your location on maps.”

“Jesus, I’m not—I think I’m falling for two people, okay?”

“People?”

“Men. Obviously.”

I roll my eyes when Cate laughs. She sobers quickly, though, and I hear a door close. She’s probably at work, though hopefully on her lunch break. I don’t want to interrupt.

“Two of them? And so quickly? Would’ve thought you’d have outgrown that phase in university.”

“Like I ever went through that phase,” I mutter. “I really think I might be fucking up here.”

“How so?”

“I went on a date with one of them on Monday.”

“What’s his name?”

“Cate.”

“Well, unfortunately, you’re going to be using the same pronoun a lot, so a name is really going to help me out here, Em.”

She’s right. Annoyingly. And I could give her fake names, but what’s the point of that? We’ve both dealt with enough relationship problems throughout the years of our friendship. She’ll take this seriously. “Patch. I went on a date with Patch on Monday.”

“How was it?”