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She shook her head and took the tray of drinks from me. “Mimi doesn’t even want my other sisters stopping by. Something about not wanting everyone to remember her like this. Whatever that means.”
“It’s her pride,” her grandpa said, quietly walking into the kitchen. He smiled at Emily and nodded. “She trusts you. Knows you’d never hold anything over her head.”
“My sisters wouldn’t do that either,” Emily said softly.
“No. I know they wouldn’t, but Mimi has always felt closest to you. I think she sees herself in you the most.”
Emily looked surprised, handing her grandpa a latte while I walked over to a cabinet and grabbed some plates for the pastries.
“I never would have guessed that.” Emily shook her head.
“You’re her little wildflower. Your mom was right about that description of you, and Mimi picked up on it.”
Emily touched the pendant on her necklace. “How so?”
“Wildflowers are resilient, persistent, and patiently wait until the conditions are just right.” Her grandfather winked at her. “And they like to spread their beauty with the wind to share joy with others while experiencing new growing conditions for themselves. She likes to think of you as always following your heart, never being afraid of doing something on a whim.”
Emily smiled, nodding. “I don’t know about the spreading with the wind bit, Grandpa. I’m pretty happy with Curiosity Bay.”
“What do you think all that reading is about? You don’t have to physically be somewhere to experience something new. Your mind is being opened to new conditions of the human spirit by the very words you read.”
Her grandpa looked at me and smiled. “Fancy seeing you here this morning.”
“Just thought I could drop off some breakfast and coffee.” I glanced around the kitchen, hoping he’d pick up on the assortment I’d brought from Mae’s coffee shop.
Her grandpa winked at me. “Is that what you kids call it these days?”
“Grandpa, he didn’t stay the night. We’re just friends,” she assured him.
Hearing those words was like a dagger to my heart, mainly because I felt she still believed it.
Her grandpa looked at me, and I realized that I couldn’t hide my feelings for Emily. Not any longer. Everyone who looked at me could probably see them stamped on my forehead.
I was falling in love with her, even if she didn’t see it.
Even if she was going to be off somewhere for three months writing poetry.
Emily put a pastry on each plate and looked over at me, hoping I would play along with her version of our relationship.
And I had promised that we wouldn’t say anything until we knew that we wouldn’t ruin our friendship by taking that next step.
But it felt like Emily had sidelined the whole idea. I wasn’t so sure she had any plans to be more than just friends with me. If anything, that kiss had derailed any prospect of something more.
If the lack of texts was an indication, I was in trouble, and the idea of dating Emily wasn’t even in the cards.
But that kiss…
I’d never felt something so much in my soul as when I held Emily in my arms. The way she folded into me and let go as our kisses deepened…
I knew neither of us wanted the kiss to end. That wasn’t something that could be made up.
The chemistry was there, so why did she pull back?
It couldn’t just be because we’re friends, right?
“Yup. Just friends.” I nodded, handing her grandpa a plate with a pecan roll on it.
“We really appreciate everything you’re doing for us,” her grandpa said to Emily.
