A Kaleidoscope of Butterflies - Christina Lee Page 0,34

would help us too,” Sam pointed out. “I haven’t been able to remember a couple of the details about the Upside Down.”

Upside down. Perfect description for how he was feeling. “If you’re sure.”

“Let’s do it,” Audrey said, and Emerson hit Play while Audrey settled beside Rhys on the couch. When she leaned into him his arm ached—which was his fault for missing his last dose of meds—but he was enjoying the closeness anyway. They used to cuddle like this, he recalled, and the feeling of familiarity was awesome.

After two episodes, which were recognizable to Rhys, thank fuck, Emerson got the kids to sleep, then stood guard outside the bathroom as Rhys took a leak, and helped him to bed.

When he reached for the pill bottle and water on the nightstand, wincing in pain, he appreciated that Emerson refrained from commenting.

He wrestled his sheets, unable to get comfortable even though he felt exhausted.

“Feeling antsy?” Emerson asked in a hesitant voice. “You ready to get back on the horse, so to speak?”

“Nah, not yet.” Rhys wavered, swallowing down those anxious feelings creeping back up. “If I could only remember the accident, I might be able to figure out what happened. I mean, Martin said it was a rockslide and out of my control. But I want to know if I was preoccupied or positioned wrong, so I don’t make the same mistake again.”

When he glanced up, Emerson was gaping at him.

“What?”

“I…I dunno. That’s the most uncertain I’ve ever heard you,” Emerson replied, looking flustered. “For as long as I’ve known you, you’ve never been afraid of jumping in with both feet. Skateboarding, climbing, parachuting, you name it. Used to scare the shit out of our parents.”

Rhys nodded, knowing he’d worried them, but he’d been unable to stop himself. It was in his blood. But now he was getting a taste of that fear he’d inadvertently doled out in heaping spoonfuls. “And you’ve been exasperated with me on more than one occasion.”

“Call it concern, ya big dummy.” Emerson smirked. “We’re just different, is all.”

“Don’t I know it,” Rhys said with a laugh. “Which is why for all intents and purposes, this wouldn’t work on paper.”

Emerson sobered immediately. “What wouldn’t?”

“Our friendship.” Rhys motioned between them. “It is working, isn’t it?”

“Of course.” Emerson’s neck streaked red, like he was offended or hurt by the question. “Why would you ask that?”

“You try having your memory wiped,” Rhys groused, rolling his eyes. “It’s no fun. And you’re treating me differently.”

“What? How?” Emerson sank down on the edge of the bed, looking flummoxed, and Rhys felt guilty, but Christ, he was losing his mind and needed to get it out.

He could feel his heart beating in his ears as he said, “You’re tiptoeing around me. Like I might…I dunno…break?”

When their gazes met, Emerson’s eyes softened a fraction. Rhys feared he sounded too needy and wished he could wind back the conversation and start over again.

“You are a bit broken, and that’s hard to see.”

“Sorry.” Rhys immediately regretted bringing it up. “Guess I’m a needy contradiction.”

“It’s okay,” Emerson murmured. “You’re allowed to be.”

Did Emerson even realize what an amazing person he was? So many of Rhys’s good memories involved him. And even now, he didn’t know what he would have done without Emerson’s support. Just having him there helped so much.

Rhys was suddenly flooded with such deep fondness for his friend that without thinking, he reached out and pushed a stray strand of hair behind Emerson’s ear, like he’d done a few times before, after his parents passed. It was so pretty—thick and a darker auburn than his siblings’. More like his mom’s.

“Thanks for being here for me, Em.” He heard Emerson’s breath catch and realized he’d let his fingers linger there. He pulled them away swiftly, his cheeks heating and his chest feeling an unfamiliar twinge.

Emerson gripped Rhys’s hand. “Always.”

And then his fingers were gone, but it was enough contact to make his skin buzz with warmth. He was so fucking glad not to be alone.

Right then his phone buzzed with a text, and it was from one of his coworkers who had linked him to a cool skateboarding video he’d promised to send.

“Stay for a few and watch this video with me?” Rhys pleaded. “I probably shouldn’t ask. I know it must be hard for you to be in this room, but I just…”

“It helps to have you here.” Emerson smiled. “I definitely need to get used to it. Besides, the room has a different vibe now,