Page 60 of Make It Without You

A puff of air comes out of my nose with a small laugh. “Are you still friends with his family?”

“Remember how I said my Thanksgiving was draining?” I nod my head and she continues. “I finally went to go see them. As hard as it was, seeing them was also like someone took the elephant off my chest and I could breathe for the first time in years. They want my happiness just as much as I want it.”

So I also have them to thank for pushing her along. I lean forward and place a kiss on her lips. It’s meant to be a short kiss until Emily places her hand on the side of my neck. The smile I try my hardest to hold sneaks out.

“You’re trouble.” I speak as our lips brush against one another.

She slides closer, almost sitting in my lap. “I like kissing you.”

Emily drives her point home by pulling my bottom lip between her teeth. With a groan, I haul her back into my lap and worship her mouth. I drive my tongue between her lips and hold her hips still though I feel them tense as she tries to gain friction.

Em rips her mouth from mine. “I don’t know if I can wait three months.”

“Fuck. Ms. Bailey, are you suggesting we sneak around?”

“Who said parent-teacher conferences had to happen at school.” She barters all the while teasing my hair at the nape of my neck.

I look up to the ceiling and pray to whoever is listening that I behave accordingly.

“What are you doing?” Emily asks and gently pulls my face down by my chin so we’re at eye level.

“Hoping my karma is good.”

She places her lips to mine one last time and crawls off.

“Where are you going?” I reach out for her but come up with air.

Emily grabs a throw blanket off the back of her couch and lays in across her lap. “Helping you keep your karma good.” She says so matter-of-factly.

If I thought Emily was a shy mouse, she has severely proved me wrong. Until she’s no longer Dylan’s teacher we’ll be playing a game of cat and mouse.

Who will be the first break?

Adam

Iwalk into my restaurant on a warm April morning. Dylan has a month and a half left in school and that leaves me with a month and a half to hire more people. Namely, another assistant manager. So I have a few interviews lined up today with several more throughout the week.

We used to only open for nights during the week in the off-season. But with more offices requesting working lunches and retirement parties, my employees decided that being open more won’t hurt because they are the ones who work harder than me.

When I settle into my desk chair, I send out a few emails to the applicants wanting to schedule interviews. Hopefully, I get responses in a timely manner.

With Jeff and I splitting the night shifts during the week, I have free nights for the first time ever.

Me: Hey, you.

It’s the middle of the school day so I don’t expect a response from Emily for a while. I tackle more items off of my to-do list before creating another one. The staff that is in for the day shiftand I eat lunch together. It’s a way I’ve managed to keep the closeness up with my employees.

Jeff comes in half an hour earlier to relieve me. I let him in on what’s on the schedule for tonight. It’s a Wednesday, so it shouldn’t be too busy.

I’m walking out to my truck when my dings.

Emily: Hey, yourself.

Me: I have a question for you.

Emily: I may have an answer…

Me: Would you like to go on a date with me?

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