by Sara Mack
“Don’t cry!” I say, panicked. “I thought you’d be happy!”
“I am.” A tear escapes and she quickly wipes it away. “I’ve been worried about you. Especially after this last incident with your head…” She holds my hand in both of hers. “I’m ecstatic.”
I lean forward and give her another hug, this one harder than the last. Since James shared the Patrick incident with me I have a better understanding of her worry. “I can’t wait to be home,” I say into her shoulder.
“When will you need dads truck?” she asks when she releases me.
“Classes end in two weeks. Would that weekend be okay?”
“Absolutely,” she says. She leans around me to look at Shel. “We should celebrate.”
“Hecks yeah, we should!” Shel lets LB jump from her arms. “What should we do?”
“Shopping?” my mom suggests. “Isn’t there a mall near here?”
“Crossroads,” I confirm. “It’s about fifteen minutes away.” Normally shopping isn’t something I enjoy, but for some reason it sounds so fun right now. I would do anything to spend time with these two.
“Then let’s go,” Shel says and stands.
“I’ll drive,” I volunteer.
“Wait.” My mom looks Shel in the eye. “I think we should talk about James first.”
Oh, I really don’t want to do that. I mean, I want to at some point, but I know so much more about him now. I look at Shel suspiciously. “That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?”
She gives me a sheepish smile and sits down. “Yes. But, I wanted to see you regardless.”
My mom takes my hand again. “I thought it would be best if we were both here to explain James to you.”
How can I make this go away? I want to have fun. “It’s okay. Things have been coming back. I remember James.”
“What do you remember?”
I tick what I know – and can say in front of my mother – off on my fingers. “That he was my boyfriend. We went to prom together. We were friends since we were kids. He went to school here with me, and he died in April.”
Concern is etched across Shel’s face. “You don’t sound sad about that.”
Damn. I should have thrown in some unsteady breaths or something. I shrug. “I guess all the emotions haven’t returned?”
Her eyes jump to my mom for a moment then back to me. “Emma, you were completely wrecked when James died. Your parents asked me to stay with you over the summer to pull you out of your depression.”
I was depressed? I remember a happy summer with Shel visiting.
“Honey, you scared us,” my mom says. “She had to force you out of the house.”
My eyes grow wide. She did? “But we worked at the golf course.” I turn to Shel. “You made me do that?”
She nods. “I also kind of pushed you into doing a few other things.”
“Like what?”
She looks shy again, which is rare for Shel. “Visiting the cemetery.”
“And?”
“Going to Matt’s for his Memorial Day party.”
“And?”
“I think that’s all. You weren’t as depressed after that. Especially after you met Dane. Now, I did push you into a few things with him, but you’ve already forgiven me for those.” She smiles as if my forgiveness should extend to her other prodding.
Wait, what? She pushed me into things with Dane? Man, this sucks! I can’t ask her about that. She doesn’t know I don’t remember him either.
“I guess we should be glad you’ve forgotten such a sad time,” my mother says. “But, James was a very special person in your life.” She places a flash drive in my hand. “I downloaded some pictures of the two of you. I thought it might help.”
I look at the drive for a moment then at her, touched by the gesture. “Thank you. I’m sure it will. It’s not like I don’t want to remember him.”
Shel and my mom look at me with sympathetic expressions. I don’t want them to be sad for me because I’m not. “What do you say we don’t dwell on this?” I suggest and carefully place the flash drive on the coffee table. “Let’s go enjoy ourselves and have a fun afternoon.”
Shel tilts her head. “I like your way of thinking, even though it’s completely unexpected.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re not acting like post-accident Emma.”
I smirk. “There’s a post-accident Emma? What am I acting like then?”
She smiles. “Pre-accident Emma.” She leans into me and whispers, “I like it.”
I elbow her playfully in the arm. “Then let’s go.”
We all stand, and as my guests get their coats, I leave the room to find mine. I grab my purse, give LB a kiss, and head toward the door.
“By the way,” Shel asks, “have you talked to Dane lately? He’s been out of town and Matt’s barely been able to get a hold of him. Have you two made up yet?”
I stare at her puzzled. Made up? Did we have a fight?
And then, as if on cue, the door to my apartment opens and Dane steps inside. “Emma? Are you decent? I left my toothbrush…”
OH. MY. GOD. I didn’t lock the door! How could he forget I was expecting my mother today?
Dane freezes wide-eyed as he takes in my mom and Shel, and my eyes bounce between the three of them. Shel’s mouth hangs open and my mom only blinks. Dane quickly rearranges his features to be more relaxed. “Hey.” He smiles and steps further inside. “I guess Emma didn’t tell you I was visiting.”
They all look at me. “I-I was getting to that,” I stutter. I try to shoot him a subtle look. What now?
“I was headed home from my business trip and decided to stop by,” he says. He walks over to Shel and gives her a one-armed hug. He looks at my mom and flashes his mega-watt grin. “Mrs. Donohue.”
“Dane,” she says.
Shel glances between us then shoots me a look. It’s not just any look, either. It’s the Shel Inquisition Look. Her jaw tenses. “How long has he been here?” she asks.
I say “Not long” as Dane says “A day or so.”
My face flushes. We’re not doing a very good job. I attempt to clarify. “He’s been here about a day which isn’t a long time.”
Shel crosses her arms and widens her stance. “Is that so?”
“Yes.” I try not to look at the floor, but it’s hard. Curse my horrible lying abilities!
“So,” Dane interrupts, “where are you ladies off to?”
“The mall,” my mother says and adjusts her purse over her shoulder. “Care to join us? I would hate to invade on your time with Emma.”
My mouth falls open as I catch my mom’s eye. She gives me a knowing smile. What in the world is going on here?
Dane holds his hands out in front of him. “Oh no, I’ll leave that up to you. I don’t think I could keep up,” he tries to joke. His eyes fall on mine. “I’ll be with Garrett watching the game.” He backs toward the door. “Just let me know when you get back.”
“What about your toothbrush?” Shel asks with her eyebrows raised. “Weren’t you looking for that?”
“Ah...” Dane hesitates. “Yeah. It’s not a big deal. I’ll just come back later.”
“No, I think you should get it now,” Shel presses.
What is she up to?
Dane gives her a wry smile. “You know what? You’re right.” He confidently walks past us and into my bathroom. I watch him, so I don’t have to look at Shel or my mom. He appears seconds later, toothbrush in hand. As he passes Shel he waves it inches from her face. “Got it,” he says and grabs the door handle. “It was nice to see you again,” he says to my mother. “Have fun shopping.” To Shel he says, “Tell Matt I’ll give him a call.”
“Oh, I will,” she says, her eyes narrow.
He blasts her with his smile then exits quickly. The sound of the door closing causes my tense body to jerk. I’m in for it now.
“Well, wasn’t that interesting?” my mom asks, turning to me.
“He just stopped by after his work trip.” I try to act casual. “So, yes,” I turn to Shel, “I have talked to him.”
“It’s a lucky thing you were home from Ireland,” she says. “He would’ve missed you.”
“No.” I make my way to the door. “He knew where I was. We’ve been texting.”
“Really?” She raises her brows again. “Why didn’t I know about this?”
“Because I don’t tell you everything.” I grab a hold of the doorknob and pull. “Are we shopping or would you rather interrogate me?”
“Shopping,” my mom pipes up.
Bless her. She knows I’m uncomfortable.
My mother walks out the door, and I take a step to follow her. Shel grabs my arm, pulling me back. “We. Need. To. Talk.”
“Later,” I whisper.
“Of course later. But don’t think you’re getting out of it.”
I roll my eyes.
Outside, I study the ground as we head to the car. What kind of believable lies can I come up with before we get back? As I slide into my seat and adjust the rearview mirror, I catch Garrett heading to Dane’s Camaro. He unlocks the door and glances my way before getting in. His eyes lock on mine and he gives me a small nod. I sigh.
Looks like we have a shadow.
I pull a sweater over my head and adjust the cowl neck. My mother has convinced me that I need some professional clothes if I’m going to be working a real job in a real office. She’s right; I own next to nothing that is workplace appropriate. So far, I’ve settled on a black skirt, a pair of brown dress pants, and two tops, one with long sleeves. I turn in the mirror and pull the sweater down over my backside; it’s long and lands mid-thigh. This would look good with leggings…
“Can you help me?” Shel asks from outside the changing room curtain.
“Yep.” I sweep the fabric aside to let her in. “What’s up?”
“I think I’m trapped in this dress,” she says and turns around. “Can you unzip me?”
I laugh and pull on the zipper. It’s tight at the top, but then slides down easily. “Planning a night out?” I ask.
“Every girl needs a little black dress.” She turns and faces me. “Do you have one?”
I shake my head.
“You should get one, especially if you’re seeing Dane.” She points at me. “His father’s important; you might have to attend a dinner or two.”
I sigh. “It’s not like that with me and Dane.”
She snorts. “Riiight. He left his toothbrush at your place.” She gives me a condescending look. “You’re sleeping with him.”
My face registers complete shock. “I am not!” Well, not right now anyway.
She puts her hands on her hips. “You expect me to believe that?”
“Yes!” I say adamantly. “We are not sleeping together.” I turn away from her and lift the sweater over my head to put it back on the hanger. I need to avoid her gaze for a minute.
She inhales sharply. “What the…!”
I spin around. “What? What’s wrong?”
She crosses her arms and her face twists into a sour expression. “You have tan lines,” she almost growls.
My face pinches. “What? No, I…” I look over my shoulder at my back in the mirror. Shit. I do have tan lines. I look at Shel.
“Where were you?” she asks through gritted teeth.
What can I say? Suddenly my ears feel like they’re on fire.
We stare at each other; Shel in her unzipped dress and me in my underwear. I might as well be naked and purple for the way she looks at me. After a moment her tense jaw goes slack and her eyes get as wide as saucers.
“What?” I whisper.
“You were with Dane,” she says slowly. “His skin is as dark as yours.”
How could she know that? I think back to what he was wearing when he came by. He wore a white t-shirt; the kind guys typically wear under their clothes. She saw his arms. I look down and twist my fingers together.
“Emma, where were you?” she asks me again, softer this time.
My throat feels dry. There’s not one lie I could possibly tell her that she would believe. I give her a pleading look. “St. Thomas.”
“With Dane?”
“Yes. You cannot tell anyone.”
Her arms fall and she takes a step toward me. “Not even Matt?”
“Let me ask Dane first,” I tell her and reach for my jeans. I’m starting to shiver, although I’m not particularly cold.
She looks bewildered. “How did this happen? I mean I’m thrilled it did; I’m happy for you. But why all the secrecy? What’s going on?”
“It’s a long story,” I manage to say, buttoning my pants. I reach for my shirt and pull it on. “Can we discuss it when we get back?”
She nods then steps forward and wraps her arms around me, pinning mine to my sides. I stand there immobile.
“This is awesome,” she says, but when she steps back she pouts. “I’m not happy you lied to me though.”
“I’m sorry. It was necessary. Believe me.”
She regards me for a moment. “I do.”
My phone rings and I turn to grab it out of my purse. It’s my mom. “Hello?”
“Are you two done yet? I’m at the restaurant; I’m starving.”
“We’re on our way,” I tell her and hang up. “Mom’s at the Steak and Potato.”
“Good.” Shel rubs her belly. “I’ll be dressed in a sec.”
She steps out of the dressing room, and I let out a heavy breath. How more complicated can things get? Shel knows I wasn’t in Ireland and Dane wasn’t out of town on business. Not to mention Garrett is following us around the mall like some sort of creeper. I’m surprised she hasn’t noticed him given her super sleuth skills. I sigh and reach for my shoes, but stop. I pick up my phone and text Dane instead.
When I get back I need you.
As I’m tying my laces my phone chimes.
It’s about time.
Haha. I’m serious. We have a problem.
What?
Shel’s on to us.
Chapter 6
“You quit your job?”
“I didn’t have a choice.”
This is news to me too, but I try to keep my face emotionless in front of Shel. She assumes I know everything Dane is telling her.
We sit side by side as he attempts to explain our rendezvous in the Caribbean. Shel is opposite us, perched on the edge of the chair. My mom left about an hour ago to drive home before it got too dark.
“Teagan was pressuring you that much?” She frowns.
“She had her father on her side. He told me he’d fire me if I didn’t change my mind about the engagement. I was out of a job regardless; it was easier to make a clean break.”
My eyebrows shoot up and I quickly lower them. This Teagan sounds like a piece of work.
“I was upset about it,” Dane says and looks at me. “I called Emma to talk. She told me how overwhelmed she was feeling, too.” He gives me a tiny smile. “I suggested we go away for awhile. To clear our heads.”
Shel leans forward. “So you two ran away together. That’s not a bad thing.” She pauses. “But why not say so? It’s not a crime to need a vacation.”
“Do you think my parents would’ve been okay with my running off?” I ask. “In the middle of the semester? With a guy? Come on.”
Shel’s expression twists. “You know your parents love Dane.”
They do? That would explain my mom’s lack of concern regarding his toothbrush.
“It was better if no one knew,” Dane explains. “We wanted to be left alone. I didn’t want to tell my dad I quit, and I didn’t want Teagan knowing where I was. Neither of us wanted to answer a ton of questions.” He gives Shel a pointed look.
“Fine,” she sighs and sits upright, then eyes me. “What about your memory? Did you really forget James or is that a lie, too?”
“No.” I shake my head. “I did forget.”
&
nbsp; “Emma hit her head on the side of the pool,” Dane says. “I was worried about her, so I brought her home.”
I look at him out of the corner of my eye. He’s so good at lying. Should that worry me?
“Have you seen a doctor?” Shel asks, concerned. “Head injuries are no joke.”
“Yes,” I fib. “On the island. I had a CT scan and everything.”
Dane shoots me an impressed glance.
Shel’s shoulders relax. “Well, it’s about time you two got your act together. I’m happy for you.” She looks at Dane. “Are you living here now?”
He almost laughs. “Um, no.”
“I told you things weren’t like that.” I give her an exasperated stare.
“Whatever!” She nearly jumps out of her seat. “You mean to tell me you two escaped to paradise and nothing happened? Give me a break!”
Dane gets defensive. “She didn’t say that.” He deliberately takes my hand. “We’re working on it, okay? Did we have a great time in St. Thomas? Yes. Does that mean it continues here in the real world? Maybe. Both of us are just out of serious relationships. We don’t want to screw this up.”
Wow. Nicely put. I’ll have to congratulate him later.
Shel holds her hands up in surrender. “Okay, okay. I just want to see you guys happy, that’s all.”
“Believe me,” Dane holds my hand tight, “we want that, too.”
Shel gives us a long stare then pulls out her phone to consult the time. “Well, I guess I’d better get going,” she says and stands. “I have an early volunteer shift tomorrow.”
I remove my hand from Dane’s and stand with her. She walks around the table and gives me another super tight hug. “Promise me you’ll fill me in from now on? I worry about you.”
I speak into her shoulder. “I promise.”
She releases me and we head to the door. She turns and gives Dane a small wave. “I’ll see you around,” she says and smiles. “Give Matt a call and tell him where you are, would you?”
He returns her smile. “Will do.”
“Okay.” She faces me. “Now that you’re back, and break is coming up, we’ll have to get together. Sound good?”
“Sounds perfect,” I say.
I usher her out and lock the door, then turn and lean against it. “Geez,” I say to the ceiling with relief.
