Her phone beeps for the third time while we wait for the waiter to return her card.
“Do you mind if I check my phone?” she asks. “I mean, you left yours at home, but this could be … important.”
“Sure.”
My confidence in giving her a lift to my place flatlines with her expression. “Excuse me,” she says, walking toward the restrooms, phone already to her ear. When she returns only a minute later, her face is pale beneath her makeup, and her knuckles are white around her bag strap.
“I’m sorry, but I have to go. I … there’s … I’m sorry.”
“Is anything wrong?” Of course, me with the dumb questions. I’ll have the bleeding obvious for two thousand. “Can I do anything?”With my phone and wallet at home.
“Yes, there’s something wrong, but no, you can’t help, and no, I can’t talk about it.”Can’tnotwon’t. Is there a difference? Perhaps, if she could, she would? “Úmm, thank you for dinner.”
“I’m the one who should be thanking you, until I can pay you back.”
“Sure. Whatever.”
I grab her hand as she’s about to turn and flee. “Emma. Talk to me.Howcan I help?”
A deep sadness crosses her face, and her words slay me. “Kiss me like nobody’s watching. Kiss me so I’ll forget everything but your name.”
Her tears are already falling by the time I taste them on her lips.
For long seconds, I pour all the emotions into a single kiss. I feel her pain. Whatever news she got in the phone call shook her beyond my ability to help without knowing more. And, shockingly, I want to know more. Iwantto help. Money? Parents? It can’t be her job, or she wouldn’t be still here kissing me in a restaurant. My thumbs caress her cheeks as I deepen the kiss, driving into her with all the feelings neither of us can put into words.
She’s it for me.I want her to trust me with her pain, so I can shoulder some of her burden. I want her to trust me with hersecrets, so I can be her protective shield. Clearly, she doesn’t need me, but I want to be in her corner so she knows she doesn’t have to be alone.
“I’m going to be busy for the next week or so,” Emma says after pulling away. She’s what? My lips are still bruised, and she’s talking about being busy?Time. Don’t rush her. She got bad news. Give her time.
“I guess we’re back to exchanging swans and dragons.” I don’t pose it as a question or ask for more than I think she’s ready to give. Her relief is instant, and she even offers me half a forced smile.
“You have no idea how much your swans make my day.”
And I know exactly what to write.
Chapter 17
Shock Not Awe
Emma
Only one person could make me leave my date before tasting Dylan’sdessert… Sage.
The sitter rang when Sage had a meltdown packing her bag for tomorrow’s swim meet.
It’s her first time competing in years, and I worked with her therapists and squad coach to plan the day carefully. I even questioned whether we should cancel after last night, butDr. Allen insisted this will stretch Sage’s boundaries by doing something she used to love.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know what else to do,” Allyson says when I burst through the front door, before she gapes at my wet dress. “Don’t tell me he threw a drink over you when you had to leave?”
Sage is on the couch, holding her knees and rocking, but lifts her head to stare at my dress. Should I play it up for my audience?What have I got to lose? Nothing.
“I feel like I’ve just escaped from a Monty Python skit.” I nod toward the spare couch, urging Allyson to take a seat while I strip out of my dress and change into sweats from the pile of laundry Sage was supposed to fold and put away. “Seriously, I don’t know where to start.”
With Sage pretending not to listen, I tell Allyson about my date. From the piano playing to being served raw chicken. I don’t even need to embellish what happened, because I couldn’t make it up if I tried.
“Does the mystery man have a name?”
“Mr. Perfect.” I fake swoon and fan my face for dramatic effect. They don’t need to know Dylan got his name on our first night.
