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Emma had finished the kitchen when pounding on the door blasted through the house again. Jaw set in a line, she stomped over and yanked it open. “I told you to leave me alone. Why don’t you—”
Maria and Dawson stood there, eyes wide and on her like she was a wild animal who might attack any moment.
“Can we come in?”
“Sorry,” she said, stepping back to allow them entrance.
“Thank you. The weather today sucks.” Maria shrugged out of her coat and hung it on the hook by the door.
“Care to explain what that was all about?” Dawson questioned as her jacket joined Maria’s.
“Nope. Sure don’t.”
Both women hugged her and they all migrated to the kitchen. One, it was warm, two, it smelled delicious, and three, it was where the food and drink waited.
They soon had coffee and were sitting around her small table.
“What are you two doing here?”
“We wanted to check on you and from how you answered the door, I’m guessing Linc’s been by?”
“I don’t want to talk about him.” She sipped her coffee, refusing to wince when the scalding liquid left its mark on her throat as it went down.
“Fine. Just listen then.” Dawson curled her hands around the mug. Her fingernails were painted a sparkly purple with a streak of gray through each. “He knows he fucked up. He lost Stevenson as an investor.”
Try as she might, she couldn’t quite dredge up sorrow for that. “He doesn’t need someone like him.”
Maria smiled. “Yeah, he wasn’t happy when he found out one of those guys made advances on you.”
“How did he even know about that? I didn’t tell him.” She frowned at them. “I didn’t tell you either. How did you know?”
“Carlos.”
She shrugged. “Seems like even if he knew, Linc shouldn’t. They’re not exactly friends.”
“Sweetie,” Dawson said, patting her hand. “Men are odd creatures. Doesn’t seem all that logical to those of us looking in on the path they take. All I can say is they’re friends now. Or at least not killing each other, and Carlos has donated to the center.”
Her heart twisted. “Good to hear.” She rose from the chair when the timer went off. After pulling the towels off the bread, she slid the loaves into the oven and set another timer.
“None of this explains what the two of you are doing here. I mean, I love that you stopped by, but if this is to get me to give Linc a second chance, don’t waste your breath. I don’t have the patience or a give-a-damn left in my body.”
Maria took her hand when she sat down, giving it a squeeze. “Actually, we were going to take you out tonight. Thought you could use a change of scenery.”
“I can’t. Greer has a game tomorrow and I have to make sure I don’t look like a raccoon before I face the mothers who will take great delight in telling me I didn’t belong with Linc anyway.” She pasted a smile on her face. “But thank you for the offer.”
“Like you can get rid of us that fast. Greer is at the center for a few more hours. When the bread is done, we’re going out.” Dawson finished her drink and rose to refill her cup. After she’d doctored it how she took her coffee, she rejoined them at the table, a large smile on her face.
An hour later, Emma found herself wearing a VR headset and playing the new Jurassic Park game at the arcade. Screaming when the raptor snapped at her, she dissolved into peals of laughter when her own cry was echoed by Maria and Dawson.
She pointed to the left. “Blue! Follow Blue.”
“But there’s a freaking T-Rex!” Dawson’s voice didn’t sound any better than hers.
“Where?” Whipping around, she didn’t see anything.
“There!” Maria grabbed her arm. “Right there. What is that, noon, midnight, six? I don’t fucking know but it’s there. About to go up our ass.”
“It’s on our six,” she said, heart thudding in her chest.
“Whatever,” she wailed. “I said that number too. Move, move, move!”
They ran for a bit until she bent at the waist. “This is too fucking real for me. I’m exhausted. What the hell are we here to see?”
Her friends sucking air beside her took a moment. “Apatosaurus, or something like that.”
Both she and Dawson looked at Maria. “What?”
“You can remember that mouthful but not a number? And do you even know what kind of dinosaur that is?”
“Not a clue, other than the name. More importantly, I’m good with mouthfuls. Just ask Brian.”
“I’m not asking your husband about your blowing skills.”
Maria popped her thumb in her mouth and pulled it out with a loud moan. “He’ll never complain.”
“Neither does Tully,” Dawson chimed in. “You know, in case anyone was wondering.”
“No one was,” Emma griped, looking around the image on the ocular. “I think we’re about to get eaten.”
