Page 31 of The Love Chase

I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped me, and she gave me a look that said Go ahead, I dare you to make fun of my truck.

“How did you even afford all this?” I didn’t really know what any of it was, but it looked expensive, especially when you included the truck.

Emma’s cheeks reddened and she waved a hand in dismissal. “Not for you to worry about. It’s taken care of.” She turned away from me so I couldn’t see the expression on her face. “Anyway, I’ll need a place to put all of this stuff when it’s not being used, and it’ll take up less space out in the garage than in the house. I can park in the driveway, and you can have your car in the second stall.”

There was thoughtful Emma, always going out of her way to make everyone else feel comfortable. That was one reason why I offered her the bedroom. Knowing her, she would’ve slept on the couch every night and wouldn’t have accepted another option if it made me uncomfortable.

I wanted to argue with her, telling her no, that she’d be the one to put her truck in there, but Emma was stubborn. It was an argument I didn’t feel like having at the moment, not when we seemed to be getting along again. It was a bridge we could cross when we came to it.

So, instead I said, “What’s your plan with all of this?”

Emma was a dreamer, and I could only imagine what crazy things she had in store for this equipment.

She looked me dead in the eye with the most serious expression on her face. “Storm chasing.”

For a second, I just stared at her before the corner of her lips started twitching. Then we burst out laughing. After a moment I went quiet at the sound of her laugh. It had been so long since I’d heard it, and I never realized just how much I had missed it.

The sound of it had goosebumps rising on my skin. Who knew my best friend’s laugh could have such an effect on me? It never had before.

Maybe it was simply because she’d been so angry with me that I was relieved she was finally loosening up a little. Or maybe it was more than that. I tried not to think too much about it because I didn’t like where my brain was going.

I needed to get my thoughts under control.

This was Emma. My best friend.

Her laugh shouldn’t make me feel tingly. Her touch as she slapped my hand away from another screen shouldn’t make it feel like every ounce of air had been squeezed from my lungs.

What is wrong with me?

When Emma stopped laughing, she went over to her table of instruments, keeping her back to me.

“I wanted to work for the MSRC, helping predict the weather and maybe save people’s lives because of it. But unfortunately they went through some budget cuts right after I started my internship, so they let me go. But I still want to help by chasing storms, gathering data, and warning people when it’s needed.” She paused at the skeptical look I probably had on my face.

“Chasing storms saves people too, Liam. Not only do I report severe weather while I’m out, giving people the time they need to get to safety, but my instruments help measure different variables within the storm, which helps with future storm predictions. It’s not just an adrenaline rush. It’s for a purpose.”

Emma was out of breath by the time she finished her explanation. Though I’d never—not for a single second—been interested in weather, her passion was contagious, and though I didn’t fully get it, it was beautiful seeing how much Emma cared about it.

“I thought about starting a YouTube channel, educating people about the weather and filming my chasing, which is all made easier with my own gear,” she added, running her hand over the fancy camera in front of her. “Plus, if I can also take photos of the storms, that can help me make a few extra bucks too.”

I glanced at her. “I thought Bridget made sure you’re covered.”

Her cheeks flushed and she tucked her hair behind an ear. “Well, yeah, she did. It was more than enough. I just meant…before this”—she gestured at me—“I needed the money.”

I narrowed my eyes as I studied her. Emma was never the type of person to be tempted by money, and so the fact that she was willing to even accept it from Bridget for this marriage hadn’t sat right with me. The old Emma would’ve done it out of the goodness of her heart just to help me when I needed it.

But maybe…

I glanced around at the truck and then at the gear.

Maybe Emma had needed that money to pay for all of this, especially if she’d lost her internship.

“How long have you had all this?” I asked, wondering if I could get her to admit it.

“Oh, uh…” She fidgeted with her fingers. “A couple weeks or so.”

“So, before you lost the internship.”

Emma spun around to face me, her brows lowered. Her expression told me all I needed to know.

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