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“It could do with some work, but I’m sure it will meet your standards.” Harper grinned. “Say yes. Sun, sand, cocktails. And there’s a pool. It will be amazing.”
It sounded relaxing and stress-free. And far more enjoyable than spending the weekend with her mother asking when she was going to marry a doctor or lawyer. Or when she was going to stop writingthose silly booksand start practicing law again.
When Emma had mentioned she was aUSA Todaybest-selling author the first time, her mother had raised a brow—presumably because she was the recipient of The Medallion for Scientific Achievement—so Emma didn’t bother anymore.
Her father was no better.
He nodded along and said she should:Listen to your mother. You’re wasting valuable years in your career.
Kevin had congratulated her and given her a kiss on the cheek. Jada, his wife, read her books, but again, it was treated as a dirty family secret.
Emma was over it.
And not in the mood to deal with more of it this weekend.
Cocktails with the girls and hanging with the gorgeous, yet taken, Dufort men wasn’t a hardship. She could appreciate the good-looking menandrespect they were happy in relationships. All three were #couplegoals, even if she wasn’t in the market for a corporate man.
Plus, it had been a long time since she’d relaxed by the ocean, so Emma made a decision.
“Yes. I’m in.”
Harper jumped up and threw her arms around Emma. “I’m so excited.” She pulled her phone out of her pocket. “I’m texting the girls.”
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FOUR HOURS LATER, EMMAcollapsed into bed after shooting a text to her mother, saying she was staying in New York for the weekend.
Then she Facetimed Lily.
“Hey,” her friend said, propping her phone somewhere in the kitchen, then banging around.
“What are you doing?” Emma asked.
“Dishes. It’s only seven at night here. Are you in bed already? Thought you were living it up in Manhattan?”
Well, Emmahadbeen last night.
“I did. I was. We had the book conference today, and I’m shattered.” Emma curled down onto the bed and propped her own phone on the pillow. “I’ve been invited to the Hamptons for Labor Day weekend.”
Lily’s eyes widened. “Wow. With Harper?” She knew about many of Emma’s author friends.
“Yes. And some of the Dufort’s,” Emma said. “I’ll be a fish out of water, but ‘A’, it means not being with my family, and ‘B’, oh my God, it’s the Hamptons.”
Lily began running the water and banging the dishes around.
Emma nearly rolled her eyes.
This was the thing when you’d been friends all your life—they were so relaxed around each other.
“Lily, turn the damn noise off,” Emma cried.
“Sorry. Sorry.” Lily took a few steps away from the sink. “Okay, so when are you home?”
“Monday night. I know we said we’d go shopping, but can we raincheck until next weekend?”
Lily nodded and lifted a glass of wine to her lips. “I have to work this weekend anyway, so that suits me.”
Lily was a PA for a chief executive officer who seemed to work her to the bone.
