Anna straightened and her eyes widened for a second, as if she’d just had a light-bulb moment. Then a satisfied look crossed her face. “Nothing. She still hasn’t come to see me, you know. Emily. Isn’t she supposed to come to me with her ideas?”
Catherine closed her eyes and scratched at her neck. “I’ll be sure to remind her. All right?”
“You do that.” Anna held her gaze for another moment, then turned to leave. Stopping, she looked over her shoulder at Catherine. “I’d be careful if I were you. Those Breckenridges may have money, but they don’t have much in the way of class. From what I hear.” She shrugged and left, walking down the hall and turning into her own office.
“Nice,” Catherine muttered. She didn’t like what Anna had said about Emily. She liked even less that Anna now thought she knew something. But she also knew if she started to dwell on it—on Anna talking to Jessica, on Jessica realizing that what she told Catherine should not happen might actually be happening, on what would occur after that—she’d be lost for doing anything useful for the remainder of the day. Which, luckily, wasn’t much. Another hour or two and she’d be free.
Free to wonder where on earth Emily was taking her tomorrow.
The smile appeared on her face all on its own.
***
Saturday dawned with a clear sky and sunshine. A quick check of the weather told Catherine the high temperature was going to be in the low-thirties, but no snow was predicted. Also unpredicted was where on earth Emily was taking her today, and she had to admit, the idea had her a little bit excited. Which freaked her out just a tad.
What was she doing?
It was the question she’d ignored whenever possible, and when she couldn’t, it had kept her up, kept her overthinking, kept her shaking her head. What. Was. She. Doing? There were so many reasons this was a bad idea. Jessica had a list of them. Catherine was sure Anna could come up with a few more. Throw Emily’s mother in there with her reasons and the idea of Catherine seeing Emily in any way, shape, or form other than in a business capacity, looked like the stupidest thing either of them could possibly do.
So then, why was she looking forward to today?
Up by eight, after having actually gotten a fairly good night’s sleep, she took Mo for a long walk, which also helped her decide what she should wear today. Emily had said to dress warm, so Catherine could only assume they’d be outside. Were they hiking? Going for a walk in a park someplace? Ice skating (which she hoped against, as she was a menace on skates of any kind)? The air was brisk, but the sun helped it to feel warmer and the wind had, thankfully, chosen to blow someplace else today. Mo was being his usual terrier self, stopping to sniff, pee, or both, about every six feet.
“You know, this pace doesn’t really get me much exercise, pal,” she said, as she stood near a leafless tree in front of a house about three blocks from hers. Geronimo ignored her and sniffed the same two-inch section of bark for another four minutes before they moved on.
Back home and showered, Catherine stood in front of her closet and perused her options. Layers were probably the smartest choice, and if she overdid it, she hoped she’d be able to remove a few in the car. She donned a pair of silk long johns for under her jeans. A white turtleneck under a zip-up fleece hoodie in electric blue went on top. She pulled her hair into a ponytail so she could wear the blue and pink fleece headband to keep her ears warm, opting to forego a hat. (Subconsciously, she knew she was worried about her hair ending up a disaster, but she chose not to dwell on the reasons why it mattered.) Soft socks and her cute, brown boots with the fold-down knit sides finished up the outfit and she took a look in the full-length mirror. Turning first one way, then the other, she turned to Mo, who lounged on the bed gnawing on a Nylabone.
“What do you think?”
He stopped chewing and looked at her, head cocked to one side as if actually contemplating her outfit. After a beat, he went back to his bone.
“I’m going to take that as approval,” she said, turning back at the mirror. Adding a spritz of perfume, she glanced at the clock—10:45—and realized she had butterflies in her stomach, which was not typical behavior for her, and she was honestly unsure what to do with it.
Choosing the option of “ignore,” she headed downstairs and was rinsing out her morning coffee cup when the doorbell rang. Mo barked and Catherine went to the door. One hand on the knob, she smoothed the other over her hair, took a deep breath, and pulled the door open.
Emily stood there, looking radiantly gorgeous in her winter garb, her smile wide, her cheeks slightly flushed. “Hi,” she said.
“Hi,” Catherine said back and tried not to notice how much better she felt when she was standing within three feet of Emily. She stepped back and allowed Emily to enter the foyer.
Emily made a show of scrutinizing Catherine’s clothes. “Perfect. It’s gorgeous out, so I’m not worried about us getting cold. And how is it that you can wear things to keep you warm and not look like Randy from A Christmas Story like I do? Unfair.”
Catherine laughed. “You do not look like Randy from A Christmas Story. Trust me.” Emily wore jeans as well and had an expensive looking pair of winter hiking shoes on her feet. Her down jacket was black and sleek, and Catherine could see the peek of a red sweater underneath. The cream-colored wool hat that just covered her ears but let her hair shine was adorable, and Catherine immediately wondered why she never looked that cute in a hat.
“Well, that’s a relief. Still.” Emily used a finger and moved it up then down to indicate Catherine’s outfit. “You look amazing. And I’m glad to see you’re not wearing heels. I half-expected you to be.”
Catherine gave a mock gasp of indignation. “I have several other pairs of boots—including a new pair I just bought—but I also have a brain. Most of those with heels don’t tend to be terribly warm, nor do they have much room for thicker socks. These do.”
“I think you have a shoe fetish,” Emily said with a grin as she squatted down to give Mo some love.
“I will not argue that point.” Catherine grinned back and grabbed her coat, gloves, and headband from the closet.
Once settled into Emily’s BMW, Catherine asked, “Where are we off to?” Then she tried to be nonchalant about rubbing her hand against the leather seat and managed to keep from giggling in delight at the warm sensation she felt through her jeans from the obviously heated seats.
“You’ll see when we get there.” Emily put the car in gear and backed down the driveway.
“Have me back here by four?”
Emily slid her Ray-Bans on and said, “Your wish is my command.”
Donning her own sunglasses ($10.99 at Target), Catherine snuggled into her seat and looked out onto the beautiful Saturday morning. It was sunny, the sky was a stunning ceramic blue, and she was sitting next to one of the most gorgeous women she’d ever had the pleasure of knowing (or kissing). It was going to be a good day. She just had a feeling.
The drive was short and when she realized they were headed in the direction of the lake, Catherine suspected their destination. “Are you taking me to Cold Rush?” she asked, referring to the local winter carnival.
Emily glanced over with a hesitant expression. “That depends. Would you want to go to Cold Rush?”
“I would love it.”
“Excellent. Then that’s where we’re going.” Emily grinned and directed the car into the parking lot.
It was busy, and Catherine chalked it up to the gorgeous day. There were booths and games and food and a huge toboggan run that shot sleds across the shore near the not-quite-frozen water. Some years, the lake did freeze, but mostly it did not. Catherine could smell a combination of hot dogs, cotton candy, and funnel cakes wafting through the air.
“I will need to get some fried dough,” she said as she smoothed back her hair and pulled her headband on to cover her ears.
“You’ll need to?” Emily asked, amused as she pushed a hand into a glove.
“Y
es. Need. You obviously don’t understand the importance of fried dough in the grand scheme of life.”
Emily laughed. “I await enlightenment.” She held out an elbow to Catherine. “Shall we?”
Catherine happily tucked her hand into the crook of Emily’s elbow and they headed toward the entrance.
The crowd was a huge melting pot of people: toddlers, kids, parents, couples, teens. The weather and the upcoming holiday had not only brought people out from where they tended to hibernate in winter, but it seemed to put smiles on their faces. Everybody looked so happy that it might seem weird if you didn’t actually live here. But Catherine had been born and raised in upstate New York, so she got it. She got the depression and laziness that was often caused by stark, cold weather, and she got how freeing and wonderful it was to see some sunshine in the middle of December, to be able to be out in the fresh air and not worry that your fingers and toes might fall off. The snow crunched under their feet and reflected the sun back so brightly that not wearing sunglasses wasn’t an option.
“Should we get fried dough now?” Emily asked, interrupting her thoughts.
“What? No, that’s for the end of the visit. We get that last.”
“Oh, I see. I didn’t know that.”
“Stick with me, kid. I know a lot of stuff.”
“I think I will.” Emily held her gaze for a beat, then asked, “Hot chocolate then?”
“That sounds perfect.”
Catherine stood by the merry-go-round while Emily got in line at the hot chocolate vendor’s booth. It was a small ride designed for toddlers, and they were so cute Catherine found herself smiling openly. One little gondola contained a boy of about five holding tightly to what Catherine could only assume was a little sister of about three. She sat between his little legs and he had his tiny arms wrapped protectively around her. Catherine had no trouble picking the parents out of the crowd, a smiling couple in their late twenties, both holding up their phones and snapping photos, calling out instructions, reminding their children to hold on to each other.
“You want one of those?” Emily asked, suddenly close. She handed a steaming Styrofoam cup to Catherine.
Catherine took the cup and blew on the contents before taking a sip of the rich chocolatey goodness. “What, a merry-go-round?”
Emily laughed. “Funny. No. A kid.”
Catherine gazed at the ride as it began to slowly spin. “I honestly don’t know. Some days, I think I do, that it’d be great. Other days, I can barely handle my laundry. How could I raise a child?” She sipped again. “What about you?”
“I guess I’m sort of in the same boat.” Catherine studied Emily’s face as she looked off into the distance. The clean line of her jaw, the strong outline of her nose. “I’m not really sure yet.” She looked back at Catherine. “Is that bad, do you think? For us to be in our thirties and still be undecided?”
Catherine shrugged. “I think we’re smart for not jumping into something we’re unsure of.”
“I guess. But don’t you usually just know if you want to be a mother? I feel like we would, like we’d feel it. In our bones or something silly like that.”
“Maybe.”
“Your sister has a kid, right? Did she know right away?”
Catherine’s chuckle held a note of sarcasm. “My sister had unprotected sex at seventeen and ended up with my nephew. Who is a great kid, don’t get me wrong. But Vicky isn’t the person to be asking about a desire to be a parent. She didn’t give herself the choice.”
“Ah.” There was a beat of silence before Emily said, “Want to walk?”
They finished their drinks and tossed the cups away, then sauntered along the perimeter of the carnival, watching the different game booths. At the dart shoot, Emily stopped and watched. A wall containing rows of small blue and white inflated balloons stood about ten feet away from the counter. Above the booth hung a wide variety of stuffed animals and Catherine pointed to a white and brown dog off to the left.
“That one looks a little like Geronimo, doesn’t it?” she asked, amused.
Emily’s brown eyes glittered as she said, “It does. You should have that.”
Catherine scoffed. “Please. These games are rigged. And expensive to play. I wouldn’t waste my money.” She started to wander to the next booth before she realized Emily was not with her. Turning back, she saw her handing over cash to the barker. She took off her gloves, put them in her pocket, and accepted five darts.
“Three out of five gets you a prize!” the man said loudly and in rhythm. “Four gets you more.”
Catherine shook her head as she backtracked. “Seriously,” she said to Emily, who was taking aim with her first dart. “You’re doing this?”
“I am,” Emily said. She made a fist and blew into it, presumably to warm up her hand, then took aim again and let the dart fly. Its path ended with a loud pop as she burst a balloon.
Catherine blinked in surprise. “Nice shot.”
“Thanks.” Emily repeated the movement and it ended the same way.
“That’s two for the little lady here!” the barker cried, hoping to draw in more players.
Emily took aim, holding her third dart directly in front of her eye. She took two tiny practice tosses before letting it go. Pop!
“Oh, my God,” Catherine muttered.
“Three in a row!” the barker cried, and now a small crowd did start to form.
Emily never moved her feet. She stood rooted to the same spot, two darts left, and blew in her hand again. Going through the same process, she threw the fourth dart and it hit its mark. The gathering crowd applauded and Catherine couldn’t help but smile.
“One more, ladies and gentlemen. She’s got one more.” The barker seemed as riveted as the rest of the crowd. He’d even quieted his voice a bit. “Can she do five for five? Let’s see.”
Emily squinted as she aimed her last dart. Her brow furrowed in concentration and Catherine felt that tightening in her stomach, that feeling that had been so absent for so long, but since meeting Emily, had reappeared with a vengeance. Catherine swallowed hard.
The dart flew.
The balloon popped.
The crowd went wild.
Emily turned and looked at Catherine for the first time since she started the game, and her face was radiant, smiling and gorgeous and it was only by supreme force of will that Catherine kept herself from scooping Emily up, swinging her around, and kissing her right on the mouth.
“We’d like that dog,” Emily said to the barker, who happily unhooked it for her. Emily took it and thanked him, then handed it to Catherine. “There you go.”
Catherine hugged the toy to her chest, momentarily speechless. Nobody had ever done something like this for her. And she realized it was a bit silly, childish even, but she didn’t care. She was thrilled, and she couldn’t keep the smile from her face. “Thank you,” she said softly.
“You’re welcome.”
They began to stroll again. “How did you learn to throw darts like that?” Catherine asked.
“My parents have a dartboard in the downstairs rec room. I’ve been playing since I was about twelve. It’s one of the few things I could beat Clark at, so I’ve kept up my mad skills.”
“Well, I imagine being able to beat the big brother at something is a necessity. It’s like that with big sisters, too.”
“Yeah? What can you beat yours at?”
“You can’t laugh.”
“I won’t,” Emily said with a chuckle.
“See? You already are.”
Emily forced herself to model a straight face. “No. No, I’m not. Promise.”
Catherine made a show of squinting at her, studying her expression, before finally giving a nod of approval. “Okay.” She took a deep breath. “Word searches.”
Emily furrowed her brow. “Word searches? Like the puzzles in books?”
“Yes. My grandmother always got us each a big book of them for Christmas and Vicky and I wo
uld race to see who could finish finding all the words in a puzzle first. I always won.”
Emily grinned. “That’s pretty impressive. Those suckers can be hard.”
“They can. For the longest time, Vicky thought I was cheating.”
“How can you cheat on one of those? I mean, the answers are in the back, right? Flipping the pages back and forth would be kind of obvious, I’d think.”
“Exactly. We sat right next to each other when we did them. She finally had to accept that I have a special talent she doesn’t.” Catherine shrugged.
“You can see a word before anybody else. That is a talent. You need a superhero name,” Emily said. “And maybe a cape.”
“I would rock a cape,” Catherine said with a nod.
“Totally.”
They stopped walking at the base of the toboggan run and watched as another sled came whipping down the chute, four friends sitting in a row, arms up, shrieking at the top of their lungs. Catherine watched with a combination of amusement, excitement, and crap-your-pants fear. When she glanced in Emily’s direction, Emily was smiling at her.
“What do you think? Wanna give it a try?”
Catherine looked back up, listened to the next round of screams, and wasn’t sure if they were joyous or horrified. This wasn’t something she took part in. Heights and speed combined? No, thank you. It was fast and crazy and maybe even a little dangerous. Not her cup of tea at all. She should say no.
“Absolutely. Let’s do it.” Catherine grabbed Emily’s hand and they got in line.
Things moved much more quickly than Catherine had expected and before she knew it, they were next. Her heart hammered in her chest and she tried not to look around, because that would remind her just how high up they were. The toboggan the guy set in front of them looked like it had come out of a cartoon, all flat surface and curled front. Emily wasted no time straddling the sled, then indicated the space in front of her.
Run To You (Puppy Love Romance Book 2) Page 18
