Page 41 of Riding the Curve

AGE 23

“Emerson!” Mrs. Cole shoved the tray of appetizers in her hand onto the counter, skipping around it and darting straight toward me. Gracie Cole was just like my Mama and Hen, exuberance spilled out of them in everything they did.

A grin grew wide on my face. Bending down a smidge, I opened my arms to catch her. She leapt right in, practically squeezing the life out of me. And I squeezed just as hard back. If only she knew just how much I needed this hug right now. I placed her back down on her feet and she gleamed back at me. The sparkle in her eye reminded me so much of her daughter. They share the same exuberance for life.

“It’s so good to have you back home! Thank you for taking time out of your break to come and celebrate Hen’s graduation with us. I know Henley will be so happy to see you.” She smiled, her eyes twinkling with a hint of something mischievous.

Ryleigh bumped his shoulder up against mine, shoving a cold beer into my hand at the same time. As he lifted his own bottle to his lips, he paused, curiously evaluating the way his mother was staring up at me.

“You, okay? You look a little unhinged.”

She shot him a glare so fierce, I had to lower my head to conceal my smile. She playfully slapped her son upside his head.

“Geez, what was that for?”

“For calling your mom ‘unhinged’ in front of guests,” she frowned, motioning in my direction.

Ryleigh scoffed. “It’s just Em. He’s seen worse.”

She shook her head, but a hint of a smile flickered across her lips.

“I was just telling Emerson how nice it was of him to take time out of his evening to visit Henley on her special day.” She winked at me, and Ryleigh raised a brow. Shit.

“He came over for me, not Hen, Ma.”

“Hmm, I see.” Gracie hummed, folding her arms across her chest.

Their gazes both raised toward mine, awaiting an answer. My mouth parted, unsure of exactly what to say.

I wasn’t sure when it happened, but these past two weeks there had been a shift between Hen and me. When I came home for a break, something sparked inside of me when Henley walked through the door. I started to look at her in an entirely different light. No longer just a friend, or my best friend’s little sister. When she smiled, it warmed me from head to toe, and I found myself being drawn closer.

Though I came over to spend time with Ryleigh, I found myself hoping she caught my gaze. Yearning for her to linger a little longer with us. Hoping she’d sit beside me while we watched a movie. I had no intention of falling for Hen, but this pull was becoming too strong to fight. She was the first thing I thought about when I woke, and the last thing that flowed through my mind before I fell asleep.

Something tells me Henley feels the same shift between us. She hovered around me when we were all together, and sometimes I swear I saw red tinge her cheeks lately when I spoke to her. The other day while we were all watching a movie, her finger brushed against mine while we sat under the covers on the couch, and I swear I heard her breath catch. All day I’d been gathering my courage to say something to her.

I cleared my throat, ready to answer their awaiting stares. But before I could speak, the porch door swung wide and crashed against the wall.

“What a bitch!” Henley’s boyfriend yelled. Mark stormed through the hallway, hand over his eye and blood dripping down his lip. As he passed, he shoved against me with such force that my beer bottle fell to the floor. It broke into a million pieces, amber liquid foaming across the dark oak wood.

Ryleigh snarled and chugged down the last bit of his beer. “Will you go make sure she’s alright, I’m going to go handle that asshole.”

I nodded, and in a blink of an eye he darted out the door after him.

I bent down to help Mrs. Cole clean up the mess, but she shook her head. “I’ve got this, honey. Go, find my Hen. Make sure she’s okay, will you?”

“Of course.”

Slipping through the back door, I scoured the sea of bodies. None of them Henley. Running my hand through my hair, I charged toward the one place I knew she loved most.

Henley’s hair floated gently in the breeze. Her long legs glistened in the sunset as they ebbed and flowed on the old tree swing.

“I came to check if you’re alright.” I approached her carefully, trying not to scare her.

My breath hitched when her head whipped around to meet mine. Red rimmed her eyes, and they glossed once more at the sight of me. A tear slipped down the side of her cheek, and my feet moved of their own accord.

Rounding the swing, I stopped in front of her, grasping her cheeks in my palms. “Look at me.”

Her pink lips wobbled as her gaze rolled toward mine. “Em?” Her eyes grew wide, my name a whisper on her breath.