Page 77 of Touchdowns and Temptations

“Hm,” I say, sipping at my coffee. “I have to book a flight home.”

Emily bites her lip and sighs.

“What is it?” I ask.

“Nothing,” she says and sighs again. “Okay, but... you... you can't just leave like that. Don't you want to fight for Noah?”

“Fight for Noah?” I hiss, almost spilling the hot coffee on my hand. Emily takes it back and puts it on the coffee table. “He told Daisy I was a spoiled brat. Why would I fight for him?”

“Because you love him,” Emily says, standing up. “And my sister likes to dramatize things.”

“He admitted he said that.”

“He said he didn't say it that way, and I believe him. He wouldn't say you're a spoiled brat. Never!” I roll my eyes and grab my coffee. “Cara!”

“What?” I hiss and Emily flinches. “I'm sorry... I ... I shouldn't take my bad mood out on you. How can you put up with that ... that person?”

“With Daisy?” Emily raises her eyebrows. Then she smiles. “For one thing, she's my sister, and one day she might be all I have. And for another, she's okay ... most of the time.”

“She throws herself at two guys at once,” I continue. “If Alex isn't available, she'll just spread her legs for Noah and...”

“She's still my sister!” Emily interrupts me harshly. “She can be a pain, yes. And what she did yesterday wasn't okay, but she's still my sister. Please don't talk about her like she's a slut. You don't know her, Cara.”

“I'm sorry,” I say, burying my face in my hands. “I ... I just don't know what to believe anymore. He can't... he didn't...”

“Noah with Daisy?” Emily asks and I nod. “No way. She can hit on him all she wants, he's nothing like Alex.”

“Isn't he?” I ask hopefully and Emily laughs and goes into the kitchen. I get up from the couch and follow her. Her apartment is tiny and would be way too small for me.

“Tell me,” I urge. “Isn't he?”

“No,” Emily says, leaning against the counter. “He isn't. Alex never cheated on Daisy, but he would sometimes flirt. Noah, on the other hand, was never like that. For him, it was always about football.”

“And yet you always liked Alex more than Noah.”

It just slipped out, even though it's none of my business. Besides, Alex is her big sister's ex-boyfriend. Emily's face turns bright red and she turns away. She is busy putting things together on the small table when I interrupt her.

“Em?” I ask shyly. “I'm sorry.”

She sighs and turns to me. Her gaze is blank and her lips are drawn into a thin line.

“Don't be sorry,” she assures me, trying to smile. “He'll never notice me anyway.”

“Never notice...” I shake my head. “Don't say that!”

“Cara,” she says, “let it go, okay? I've known Alex for over a decade. He dated my sister and still goes to bed with her. He's not interested in me - not like that.”

“But at the Fall Fair...”

“He likes Daisy!” she hisses at me and apologizes immediately. “I didn't mean it like that ... he ... forget it.”

“No,” I say, reaching for her hand. “If you and Alex ...”

“Alex doesn't like me and never will. I'm like a little sister to him and Noah and look at me...” She points at her figure and then at mine. “And look at you or Daisy. That's what the McCarter twins are like.”

“Don't make yourself so small,” I beg her, “you're so pretty and...”

The ringing of the doorbell interrupts our conversation. Emily spins on her heel and rushes to the door. It's probably more than convenient for her that we can cut our conversation short.

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