Page 97 of Objection to Love
Em shrugged. “She’s my sister.”
Natalie nodded. “She’s like a sister to me too. Outside of Cade, she might be the most important person in my life. No, she is the most important. She might even be fighting Cade for the top spot… Don’t tell him though.”
Em laughed, the bubbly feeling of relief still coursing through her and making everything appear happy and funny and great.
Natalie’s expression turned nostalgic as she watched the door Jackson had just gone through. “If I’ve learned anything this week, it’s that nothing is more important than the people we love.”
She was right, and Em started to nod in agreement but stopped herself. If Em believed that, why had she broken up with Garrett for her job? Sure, she’d also broken up with him for her family, but essentially she had ranked him third in importance, and therefore not important enough.
The thought was startling. Because that man should never be third on anyone’s list. He was number one material.
“How do you balance it all?” Em asked suddenly.
Natalie cocked her head. “Balance what?”
“Work. Family. Friends. You’ve been here for April just as much as I have, and you run your own businessandyou’re married. How do you manage it?”
A small frown crossed Natalie’s face. “I guess I’ve never seen it as balancing. Sure, there are weeks where some things—usually my laundry—has to give, but somehow it doesn’t seem hard to balance the things I love. When you put those things first, the less important stuff—again, like laundry—just naturally falls down on the list. So I guess it’s a matter of priorities.” She shrugged as if she wasn’t sure she’d managed to answer the question well. But Em had frozen the second a certain word came out of Natalie’s mouth.
Love.
Crap.
The key was prioritizing the things she loved.
And she was in love with Garrett.
Em’s hand came up to cover her mouth in shock. When had that happened? Daily, probably. Hourly. Little by little, minute by minute, that man had snuck his way into her heart. And now life was boring shades of gray without him, and she was realizing what a complete idiot she’d been.
“Let’s go break up the love fest, shall we?” Oblivious to Em’s inner turmoil, Natalie stood up with a relief-filled laugh. “We’ve given them at least ten minutes. Now I want to see for myself that April is okay.”
Em did too, so she followed immediately. But in the back of her head, she couldn’t seem to stop the mantra that had taken up residence there.
I love Garrett Clarke.
And I made a huge mistake.
It was so late by the time they left the hospital that Em and Natalie decided to get a hotel rather than drive home in the dark. Natalie’s husband had put up a teasing fuss but relented in the end, so Natalie booked the room while Em called and left a message for her boss. She was skipping work tomorrow—though she didn’t phrase it that way—and she intended on begging Garrett to let her take him on a day of hooky if he could manage to look at her without spitting in her face.
Sure, he wasn’t the kind of guy who would actually do that, but after how she’d treated him, she had to be ready for anything. Including the possibility that he would say no. But she’d decided her priorities were wrong, and it was time to do something about it.
“Wow, these are the essentials, are they?” Natalie asked, holding up the little plastic bag the front desk had given her. A toothbrush, sample size toothpaste, and two Q-tips. “Now I feel like the welcome baskets I have at my bed and breakfast are a bit over the top.”
“What do you put in them?”
“Oh, toiletries, slippers, mini sparkling cider bottles, chocolates…” She cut herself off with a yawn. “More stuff that I’m forgetting now because I’m so tired. Do you mind if I shower?”
“Go for it,” Em said, sitting at the edge of one of the beds.
Natalie nodded, and took her essentials bag into the bathroom, leaving Em to stare at her phone.
Should she call him? The “I’m in love with you” conversation seemed like one she should have in person but she was feeling antsy not doing anything to fix the huge problem she’d created.
Her thumb swiped the phone open, and she clicked on his name. As much as she wanted to surprise him with a day catered to his spontaneity and love of fun, she should probably see that he was free for said day. Right? Right. Still, her hand shook as she pressed the call button. But all her anxiety had been worthless, because he didn’t answer. Granted—her eyes darted to the bedside clock—it was now 1:14 AM so he was probably asleep. She should have checked the time before calling in the first place.
Before she could lose her nerve, she shot him a quick text.
Em: Call me when you get a minute? Please.
