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But I don’t want to be seen as a weak person because I can’t control my emotions.
“Your reaction is okay,” he says.
“Feels. . .” I take another good breath, “overly dramatic.”
“Emmy.” He squeezes my hand. “Your house caught on fire with you inside of it. Being emotional about that isn’t dramatic. It would be weird if you didn’t have a big reaction to it.”
I give him a small nod, lips trembling a bit.
“And I’m following your lead here,” he says. “I can tell everyone to go home and come back later if you want me to.”
I consider it.
I look out from the side of the house at the dozens of people talking, smiling, helping, caring.
“No, it’s okay. I. . .I can do this.” He lets go of my hand, and I miss his touch instantly. Which is not what I should be thinking about right now.
Not in this situation.
“Whoa! What is going on back here?”
I turn in the direction of Mack’s voice as Owen takes a step back.
She widens her eyes, suspicion all over her face.
Owen glances back at me. “Come find me when you’re ready.”
I nod, sad to watch him walk away.
I bring my attention back to my best friend and find her watching me, arms crossed over her chest and a very pointed expression on her face.
“You said this crush was in the past.”
“It is,” I say, pushing myself away from the house and slipping the gloves back on.
“That is not what it looked like.”
I look away. “I had a little. . .episode.”
She frowns. “What kind of episode?”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Like a. . .I guess it was like a. . .panic attack?”
She drops her arms to her sides. “What? Oh my gosh, Em, are you okay?”
“I’m fine now,” I say. “Owen helped me.”
“Helped you with a panic attack?”
“Like I told you. He’s good at his job.”
“Yeah, his job is fighting fires,” she says. “Not coaching people through anxiety.”
I shrug and start walking toward the front of the house. “Well, he learned that too, I guess. You should start paying attention. Your brother is a great guy.”
I walk away, feeling a little more prepared for what I’m about to face in the immediate future.
I also feel a little less sure my love for Owen is in the distant past.
