Page 124 of The Snowball Effect

It was something she deeply admired.

“Ican! But they were never-ending. Just when I thought I’d be able to slip out of the conversation, more of them came to chat. It was like that snake, where you cut off one head and more grow back in its place.” Regan unlinked their arms to swing around and face Emma, leaning back against the side of the house. “What’s that thing called?”

“A hydra,” Emma filled in for her, turning to lean her back against the house as well, standing shoulder-to-shoulder. It seemed… smarter, than facing Regan head-on, for some reason.

Maybe because the little flush over Regan’s cheeks, with the heat and the passion in her voice was entirely too appealing to look at.

“I knew you’d know it.” Tilting her head up, Regan searched Emma’s gaze with her own. “And – thanks. Yes, I can hold my own in conversations with just about anyone. But the wholereason I’m even here is because I’m supposed to be helpingyou!” She leaned in, nudging her arm against Emma’s. But she didn’t slide back a few inches, after. Instead, she stayed, maintaining the contact.

Emma swallowed hard; maybe this wasn’t the smartest idea. Maybe she needed to figure out a way to experience less contact with the most tactile person she’d ever met until she could forget about Friday night.

“The whole reason I’m here is to be your girlfriend, at your side when you need assistance. I saw Kimberly and your sisters come to you a little while ago, and I couldn’t extract myself in time!” The earnest expression on Regan’s face mixed with the heated intensity in her tone forced all of Emma’s conflicted feelings to scatter. Instead, a warmth lodged itself right around her heart; of course, that was what Regan cared about.

She shook her head. “Don’t worry about it. Honestly, it was fine. I had Gram there.”

Interest sparked into Regan’s eyes. “It was seriously-everything-is-actually good kind of fine? Orugh-I-guess-it-was-finekind of fine?”

“The first one,” she admitted, and she didn’t know who was more surprised.

Regan’s hand immediately reached out, grabbing Emma’s in excitement. “Really? That’s – what happened?”

“Nothing much; she came over to check on me and Gram, make sure we didn’t need anything. Then…” Emma rolled her lips, thinking of the slightly uncomfortable dip in the brief conversation. “She told me she was really sorry she never threw me a party. And she offered to keep the pool open for my birthday this year, if I wanted to throw a big pool party.”

Her mom’s eyes had been wide and hopeful with the offer, which had been the height of Emma’s discomfort.

Regan snorted, before she slapped her free hand over her mouth. “Sorry. Not funny, I know. I just can’t imagine you wanting your mom to throw you a giant pool party, even if you were on the best of terms. Honestly, it sounds like the opposite of what I’d imagine you want to do for your birthday.”

Emma’s smile turned sardonic. “You nailed it.”

She wasn’t even surprised, anymore, how well Regan knew her.

“So, I turned down her offer, and then she went on the hunt for her “good camera” because apparently, she loves to document as much of birthdays as she can. That was it.” Emma shrugged.

All-in-all, it had been a fairly painless exchange. Kimberly was pressed for time, and her acknowledgement of their past didn’t make Emma feel like she needed to throw up – huge progress.

“That’s amazing!” Regan insisted, smiling so brightly up at her as she bounced onto her tiptoes in barely restrained excitement.

Oh, damn, there was that fucking feeling in her stomach again. Emma quickly let go of Regan’s hand, hoping it would help diminish that fluttering.

It did, but not by much.

Especially not as they stood so close to one another that Regan’s bare arm was pressed into Emma’s, and their eyes were locked, and was Regan’s breathing coming faster?

Emma coughed. “Yeah, so it went fine. I think the weirdest thing for me now isn’t even Kimberly; it’s my sisters.”

Regan blinked several times, shaking her head slightly. “Right, right, right. Sisters. What happened with them?” Her tone was slightly higher pitched than normal.

“Well, Everly wanted me to agree to join in on some viral dance video thing that she’s going to be doing with her friends,before the party ends?” Emma’s face screwed up in confusion. “I don’t really know, but she wassoexcited when she asked; you’d think I’m a celebrity. And Eva… who even knows. She was just scowling the entire time. And I think she was waiting for me to leave so that she could talk to Gram?”

Regan settled back against the side of the house, staring up at Emma with the gentlest expression. “Do you really not get it?”

Emma could only shrug in response, especially as Regan was looking at her likethat.

“Everly talks to you like she reveres you because she’s so young, and you’re herbig sister. You live in New York and work at a magazine, and she doesn’t know you all that well, and Kimberly is clearly super proud of you; that’s a big deal to her,” Regan explained, her tone exasperated but warm. She leaned in as close as she could possibly be as she continued, “You’re cool and smart and funny and pretty.”

Emma felt her heart beat a little faster. Regan always had those compliments ready to fall right out of her mouth, and they always sounded so genuine; Emma had never been around someone that effortlessly made her feel so good about herself.

“And Eva?” She prompted, her voice a little hoarse.

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