she exited the store, sighing as the square melted in her mouth. Then she walked farther down Main Street and stepped inside Sophie’s Boutique.
“Welcome to Sophie’s—” Sophie’s words cut off as Emma faced her.
She hadn’t thought this through. She’d forgotten Sophie’s disappointed look when she’d spotted Emma out with Jack at the music event on Friday night.
“Emma,” Sophie said, a little thread of surprise in her otherwise cheerful voice, “what brings you here?”
“You told me I needed to come check out the summer line.” Emma shrugged.
“But it’s the middle of the day. You never leave the café.”
“Nina and Sam are covering it, and the café isn’t that busy right now.”
Sophie nodded. “I see.”
“Sophie, about the other night—” Emma cut herself off. She couldn’t exactly tell Sophie her relationship with Jack was a hoax. Then again, they were only trying to fool Sam and his mom, who didn’t even live in Sweetwater Springs. Sophie could keep a secret, and Emma didn’t want to hurt their friendship over something so silly.
She stepped closer to Sophie, looking around the boutique to make sure no one else would overhear. The boutique was empty. “About the other night,” she repeated.
“You don’t need to explain.”
“Yes, I do. And I have an explanation.” Emma proceeded to tell Sophie all about how she’d somehow become Jack’s fake girlfriend. For the sake of his sister, who was in a rehab facility. That wasn’t Emma’s secret to tell but Sophie was trustworthy. At least Emma hoped she was.
“Whoa. I had no idea. You and Jack looked so comfortable with each other. You looked real to me,” Sophie said.
“He’s my friend. I am comfortable with him.” Emma headed over to the racks of new clothing now. “We’ve been good friends forever, since as long as I can remember. It’s no big deal to hold his hand.” Or kiss him. The kiss wasn’t going to happen again. It’d been research, and now that they’d been there and done that, it was over.
“Well, I have to admit I was a little bummed when I saw you together at the park on Friday night,” Sophie said. “Not that I have a huge thing for Jack. I don’t. He’s a nice guy, and he’s cute and all. I was more disappointed that you would be dating him behind my back and let me blabber on about him in your café the other day, if you knew he was already taken.”
“He’s not taken,” Emma reiterated, wondering at the jealousy crawling through her. Jack wasn’t hers, and she didn’t want him to be.
The conversation moved on to the fund-raiser for her mother, and Emma told Sophie all the details about that as well.
“Of course, I’d love for my boutique to be a sponsor,” Sophie said. “You know, I’m meeting up with the Ladies’ Day Out group this evening. I can bring flyers and get all of the LDO to sign up as well. And get them to spread the word. As you know, we’re really good at spreading news.”
Emma laughed. “Thank you.”
“Maybe you should come with us and tell them the details yourself. I’m sure you could get a few more sponsors.”
Emma used to hang out with the LDO all the time, but life had only gotten busier, and her feet usually ached after working at the café all day. “Where are you all going?” she asked, hoping the venue would sway her one way or the other.
“Kaitlyn has invited us to the Sweetwater Bed and Breakfast for a movie in the ballroom. Brenna McConnell is catering dinner for free, and I heard something about Dawanda bringing fudge and doing her cappuccino readings.”
“I just dodged one of those on the walk here,” Emma confessed.
“Well, I don’t mind them,” Sophie said. “It’s all in fun, and I’ve heard that some of Dawanda’s predictions have actually come true.”
Emma had heard the same, which made the readings even more intimidating.
“Join us,” Sophie said as she walked Emma to one of the fitting rooms. Emma had picked out a huge stack of clothes to try on as they’d talked. But in the spirit of remembering her mom, she’d only allow herself to purchase one outfit. Maybe something to wear out with the LDO tonight.
“Okay,” Emma said. “I’ll come.”
* * *
Jack stared at the text on his phone.
Two dollar drinks at the Tipsy Tavern. Come hang with us?
It was from Luke Marini, the local fire chief in Sweetwater Springs. Jack sometimes hung out with him and Granger Fields. He never drank though,