period. I’m not ready for more changes.
I’m also getting pissed Emily isn’t present. I drop the pile of firewood, letting them tumble to the ground with a thundering sound and turn on my sister.
“It’s nothing,” I state a little too roughly.
“What’s his problem?” my other sister, Pam, asks. I haven’t seen her lately. She’s lightened her sandy locks and chopped it all off to her chin, making my hair longer than hers. She’s only eleven months behind me, making us Irish twins. It was quite a shock, my mother always said, as well as a blessing. When they lost their second child as an infant, they didn’t think they’d have more than Tom, but three more arrived after him. I’m thinking these family tree thoughts when I hear said brother bellow across the yard.
“Emily Post of Chicago,” Tom announces as though the queen has arrived, and I look up, ignoring the drilling eyes of my youngest sister and hearing my second sister purr, ahh, as if she understands something.
They know nothing. Still, I stalk over to Emily, almost colliding with her.
“You came,” I said, my voice still rugged as I near her.
“I told you I would,” she states, her own voice lowering and her face flushing in the dim evening light.
“And that’s what we like to hear,” Tom guffaws, slipping an arm around Emily and pulling her into his side. I glare at him, and he laughs once more. “Right.” He releases her and steps away.
“I’m sorry I’m late,” she says as she brushes back the hair near her face.
“Come here.” I reach for her hand, tugging her behind me until we round the back of Tom’s garage. It’s near the edge of his property facing the lake and hides us from prying eyes. It’s also where the wood pile is stacked, only I’m not here to retrieve more wood. My hands cup her face, and my mouth crashes against hers. I need to taste her after what we did last night. I can’t believe I made love to her on her grandmother’s couch as the sultry music in the background guided our rhythm. She moved with me like none other, and I don’t know how I’ll let her go.
Her fingers fist in my hair, which is loose tonight, and when she tugs, I want to press her up against the garage exterior and slam into her. Forget the party. Forget my family. I want inside her again.
“Whoa,” someone says to my left, and I break away from Emily’s mouth, unable to catch who interrupted us. She giggles and leans her head against my chest.
“We should get back,” she says. “I don’t want to make the wrong impression.”
I shake my head. I know all about her grandmother’s former profession, and I suppose it’s one reason Emily came across as better than me when we first met. She has class, and I mistook it for snobbery.
“Why were you late?” I ask, hating the roughness still evident in my tone.
“I had a meeting with Nana’s attorney, remember?”
“That was long,” I add. She looks away from me, and suddenly, I don’t feel right having questioned her. She’s here because I want to distract her from her loss by offering her a break from all she’s going through, not because I want to quiz her. “What? What is it?”
There’s something else in her eyes when she looks back at me, and I grip her chin, holding her focus.
“It’s nothing,” she whispers, but a nagging sensation in my chest says it’s something I can’t dismiss.
“Did something happen with the lawyer? Who is the lawyer?” I don’t know why exactly I ask the second question, but it feels like a brick sits in my belly.
“Gabe Carpenter.” Her voice lowers and her eyes attempt to shift away from mine, but I hold fast to her chin.
“Gabe!” I choke, and then my eyes narrow. “What did he do?”
“It’s nothing, Jess. I’m just sorry I’m late.”
Her eyes continue to avoid mine.
“Emily, I can’t stand liars or cheaters.”
Her eyebrows pinch together. “I’m not cheating on you.”
It’s a strange retort, and it’s my brows that hitch next. “I meant lying.”
“I’m not lying,” she says, but she licks her lips.
“But you didn’t mention Gabe was the lawyer.” I would have gone with her had I known. I don’t trust him. I never have and for good reason.
“I didn’t tell you because I know you don’t like him. He didn’t actually do anything.” She still isn’t telling the full truth, so I press