Shake The Frost (Crystal Lake #6) - Juliana Stone Page 0,5
the same.” He winked. “Puberty came late for me. I changed a lot after graduation.”
“I’ll say.” The words fell out of her mouth before she could snatch them back, and, embarrassed, she was about to apologize when he laughed and headed for her front door.
“It’s all right. I’m used to that reaction.”
She followed him with Bilbo’s food and stood back while she unlocked the door. Connor put her bags on the kitchen counter, while Bilbo flopped down and rolled onto his back, immediately begging for a belly scratch.
“I was sorry to hear about Rick,” Connor said when he straightened, voice subdued. “He was a good guy.”
“He was,” Emily murmured, not in the mood to talk about her dead husband. “So what happened to you after graduation? Where’d you end up? As you can tell, I never left Crystal Lake.”
“I joined the forces became a SEAL and…” His features tightened as a dark shadow crossed his face. He cleared his throat. “I’m taking some time to figure out my next move. Got a job working for Cam Booker, so that keeps me busy, though my dad isn’t too happy about it. He’d rather I put on a suit and tie and take up the family business.”
“Real estate, isn’t it?” Jenkins Real Estate was one of the largest outfits in the state.
Connor nodded. “I’m not a suit-and-tie guy, and he doesn’t quite get it.” He shoved his hands into his pockets, and a few moments of silence fell between them. “I should go.”
“Thanks for helping with the groceries.”
Connor headed for the door, and just as he was about to yank it open, he glanced over his shoulder. “Whatever happened to Ethan? I’ve been back in town a few weeks now and haven’t seen him. Did he leave the area?”
Emily slowly shook her head. “No. He’s on the other side of the lake. We don’t see him all that often.”
“Him and Rick were tight, from what I remember.”
“They were,” she replied softly.
“Funny,” Connor said, opening the door. “I always thought you and Caldwell would end up together.”
“Why would you say that?” she asked, her tone sharp, her voice high.
He looked confused for a moment. “I just meant that Ethan used to make you laugh. You guys seemed to get along real good. Even from my corner of the cafeteria where all the geeks ate their lunch, I could see it. That’s all.” He paused. “It was nice seeing you, Emily. Maybe we’ll run into each other again.”
She closed the door behind Connor and leaned back against it, eyes closed as she struggled to calm herself. He was right. Ethan had always been able to make her smile. He’d always had the right words to make her feel better, even when Rick had upset her by flirting with another girl or saying something stupid. He’d been so different back then, though she supposed they all had. She stared at the floor until memory took it away.
“What’s wrong, Em?” Ethan slid onto the bleachers beside her and put his arm around her.
“Jackie told me that Rick made out with some random girl at the party Saturday night after I left. I didn’t believe her. I told her she was jealous that Rick liked me and not her. But then just now in the bathroom, I heard Sally O’Neal tell Julie Wright that she saw Rick go into the boathouse with Breanne Mason. Said they were in there for at least half an hour, and when he came out, he was zipping up his pants.”
“Don’t believe them,” Ethan said, pulling her closer.
“Why shouldn’t I?” she asked, looking up into his face.
“Because you’re the girl he’s crazy for. He’d have to be an idiot to screw that up .”
“But Rick is an idiot sometimes.”
“That’s true,” Ethan replied with a chuckle. “But you’re his girl, and he knows I’ll kick his ass from here to the moon if he hurts you.”
She rested her head on his shoulder. “Why are you always so nice to me?”
“That’s an easy one, Em.” Ethan winked. “I’m crazy about you too.”
The memory washed over Emily, leaving an ache so big and bold, she had to sit down. Her hunger forgotten, she cuddled up with Bilbo and stared out the window as a fierce wind tugged leaves from the trees and scattered them across her yard. The sun made its trek across the sky, and dusk chased away the light, bringing with it a dark, moonless night.
She must have fallen asleep because she awoke