“Yes, it is. We don’t need a repeat of the whole prom night fiasco,” Halona pointed out. “I never thought she’d forgive you for standing her up the way you did.”
Luckily, Emma was as forgiving as she was beautiful.
“So you’re still taking Emma out tonight for her birthday, right?” Halona clarified on the phone now.
“Yeah. Well, we’re staying in and celebrating at her house,” he said.
There was another silence from Halona.
“It’s not like that. I’m bringing over popcorn and a movie. Emma wants a quiet birthday this year.” And apparently, she wanted to be alone.
Jack wasn’t going to grant that birthday wish though. Today of all days, Emma needed to have someone by her side, and he wanted to be that person.
* * *
After a long day at the café, Emma dragged herself up her porch steps, unlocked the door, and shut herself inside. This was what she’d been waiting for all day. She just wanted to be alone.
Her dog, a West Highland Terrier named Barnaby, barked to remind her that she wasn’t exactly by herself. She dipped and ran a hand through his silky white locks, whispering hellos to him. Then she headed into the kitchen and put her purse on the counter before taking a seat on one of the stools and digging three Hershey’s Kisses out of her pocket. She’d been saving them since this morning. This would replace the birthday cake she didn’t have. She pinched their little paper flags between her fingers, making them stand upright and envisioning that they were candles. She supposed that would do.
Now all she needed to do was decide on a wish. Several came to mind. She wished that the one-star review hadn’t happened and that she didn’t care so much. She wished she felt up to going out with Halona and Brenna tonight. Or Jack.
Her cell phone rang inside her purse, making Barnaby stand at attention and bark ferociously. Emma grinned at her little guard dog, who was more likely to lick someone to death than bite them. “Thank you for alerting me,” she said as she reached for her phone and checked the caller ID. “Hi, Dad.”
“Happy birthday, sweetheart,” he said. “How are you?”
“Great.” It was just a little white lie.
“I decided to call you early before you went out for any celebrations.”
“Good idea,” Emma said. Her dad still lived in her childhood home and had remarried two years after Emma’s mother had passed. He’d carried on with life as best he could, and Emma had done the same.
Emma chatted with her dad for a few more minutes, talking about his job and Emma’s stepmother’s newest cycling hobby.
“You should join us,” he suggested.
“Do I have to wear those tight spandex bike shorts?” Emma teased.
“They’re actually kind of cool.”
Emma laughed. “If you say so.”
“Well, I just wanted to call and wish you a happy birthday, Emma Grace.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“Come over for Sunday lunch?” he asked. “Angel will cook your favorite for the occasion.”
Emma hesitated before answering. Angel was a nice woman. She was kind, thoughtful, and beautiful. And Emma’s dad deserved a second chance at love. Emma just didn’t like the fact that his second chance came by way of her mom’s hospice nurse. She didn’t think anything had happened between Angel and her dad while her mom was still alive, but it still felt wrong somehow. “It’s a holiday weekend, which means it’ll be extra busy at the café. I might have to work. I’ll let you know.”
“Always working so hard. I’m proud of you,” he said. “Talk to you soon, sweetheart.”
“Okay. Bye, Dad.” Emma disconnected the call. Then she sat on her barstool and stared at her Hershey’s Kisses, knowing exactly what she wanted. “I wish today would just be over.”
Leaning forward, she prepared to blow her pretend candles out and then stopped short when her doorbell rang. Barnaby charged in that direction, making a lot of ruckus for such a little guy. She considered not answering the door, but her car was in the driveway so whoever was at the door would know she was home. A garage would be nice as well.
With an exaggerated sigh, she followed Barnaby and lifted on her toes to look out the peephole. Her heart did a somersault. While she was listing her desires to her imaginary birthday genie, she really wished Jack Hershey wasn’t standing on her porch right now.
Chapter Two
Jack offered a small wave as he stood on Emma’s porch. “Hi, Em.”