Internal Fixation - Tawdra Kandle Page 0,72
believe we were worth another chance.
She swallowed and looked away from me. “We’re not good together. We fight all the time. We bring out the worst in each other.”
“That’s because we’re passionate people,” I argued. “Sometimes that passion takes different forms.”
“And sometimes that passion destroys the ones we care about the most.”
“Emma.” I cupped her chin. “I don’t want to destroy you. I wouldn’t ever do anything to hurt you. Don’t you know that?”
Her lip trembled slightly, and she shook her head. “I don’t know that, Deacon. What’s worse is that I know I can’t promise that I wouldn’t hurt you.”
“You never would.” I was certain of that, at least. At the end of the day, I trusted Emma even more than I trusted myself.
“Deacon.” With care and something that resembled regret, Emma circled her fingers around my wrist and removed my hand from her face. “I need to tell you something. Noah and I are . . . we’re sort of dating.”
The teasing vibe I’d been enjoying froze within me. “You are? Since when?”
“Since about three weeks ago.”
I leaned back. “You told me there was nothing between you.”
Emma smoothed one hand over the side of a goat who had lay down in the grass between her knees. “I didn’t say that exactly. I said we were good friends, and we were. We are. Things just . . . evolved.”
I didn’t know what to say to her. On one hand, I wasn’t surprised. I’d seen the two of them together, and there had always been a certain something that made me uncomfortable. Even when she’d denied it to me, I’d assumed that Noah was interested, and Emma was oblivious. It seemed I was correct.
“How serious is it?” Maybe this was rebound for both of them. It sounded cruel to say that about Angela’s death, but it was possible that Noah was only attached to Emma because she’d helped him through the worst of his grief. She could be his transition relationship, the one that proved he could go on living.
“I don’t know yet. It’s new, Deacon, and I’m not sure what’s going to happen. But I like Noah a lot. We get along so well, and we have a lot in common. He’s sweet, and he’s kind, and he’s fun.”
“All things that I’m not?” I knew that sounded petty, but I wasn’t feeling particularly generous.
“This isn’t a competition between you and Noah. Don’t make it sound like that, please.” She straightened up and took a deep breath. “The point is that Noah and I are a couple. I need you to back off on all the inappropriate or suggestive remarks. Do you understand?”
I narrowed my eyes. “Does this mean we’re not allowed to talk outside work? We can’t be friendly or joke around?”
“Stop being ridiculous, Deacon. Grow the hell up. This isn’t high school. I’m not blowing you off to date the captain of the football team. I’m not actually blowing you off at all. We dated for a little while almost two years ago now, and then we stopped. Now I’m seeing Noah. It doesn’t mean you and I can’t be friends, but I’m not going to do this crazy flirting deal you seem to enjoy. I’m not that woman, Deacon. I’m not going to string two guys along. So if you can’t handle this—”
“Of course, I can handle it.” I snorted. “Like you said, we’re adults. I’d never do anything to make you uncomfortable, Emma.”
“Says the man who just sat here trying to convince me we should make out.”
“Before I knew you and Noah were an item,” I countered. “Which does bring up an interesting point. Why didn’t you tell me sooner? You said it’s been three weeks. We’ve been working together all during that time—you’ve seen me almost every day, yet you never said a word. Why is that, I wonder?”
Emma’s cheek twitched. “Maybe because it didn’t come up. Don’t you think it would have been a little odd if I’d brought up my dating status during rounds or a consultation?”
“You had plenty of opportunity. You just didn’t do it.” I stretched out my leg; it was beginning to go numb from sitting on the ground. “Face it, Emma. No matter what you try to tell yourself, you didn’t want me to know.”
“That’s not true.” She started to say something else, but before she could, the screen door opened and Gram called out.
“Lunch is ready. Pop just came in and is getting washed up, so put those