Page 21 of The Snowball Effect

“Uh… hey,” she returned, shifting uncomfortably.

She hadn’t seen Felicity in over two years. Not since she’d accepted a position for a doctoral program in Oregon and had then promptly broken up with Emma after having been together for five freaking years. After planning a future together, one they’d intended to reallystartafter Emma finished grad school.

“Hey,” Regan inserted herself into the moment, and Emma wasn’t sure if she was more annoyed by that fact or grateful for it. “Sorry we bumped into you.”

“It’s – it’s fine,” Felicity cleared her throat, looking from Emma to Regan. “Not a big deal.” Her gaze slid back to Emma. “I’m surprised to see you here. Far from your own neighborhood…?” She trailed off, obviously waiting for an answer.

Emma shook herself out of it, gripping the carriage handle to center herself. “Yeah. This is my neighborhood now. I’m surprised to seeyouhere since this is far from your neighborhood. In Portland.”

She’d been determined not to show Felicity justhowdeeply cut she’d been by their breakup and, thus, had continued to follow her on all social media. Her lack of knowledge about Felicity’s comings-and-goings in the last two years boiled down entirely to Emma’s self-control at not looking at Felicity’s socials.

It hadn’t been easy that first year. But she’d done it. And, as her gaze meandered to Regan’s profile before snapping back to Felicity, she resolutely didn’t ever think about the coping mechanism she’d employed in those first few months.

Felicity smiled slightly, breathing out a chuckle. “I’m back for a few weeks to visit. Staying with my sister, so…”

Ah.Emma nodded. Of course, she remembered that Felicity’s sister lived only four blocks away. She tapped her thumbs slightly against the handle, wondering what the hell was appropriate to say when you ran into the woman who broke your heart, accompanied by the roommate you only ended up living withbecausethat plan for the future hadn’t come to fruition.

A situation that was only made more complicated by how much she didn’t want said roommate to ever be privy to this part of her life.

“Sisters, right?” Regan jumped in, looking between the two of them.

Looking, much to Emma’s chagrin, entirely too interested in this awkward interaction.

Felicity nodded, giving a small, suspicious smile in Regan’s direction. “Yeah, right.” Her attention landed back on Emma. “Speaking of sisters, I should probably get back to Jan’s.”

“Yeah, you probably should,” Emma agreed, curtly.

“My sister totally hates it when I run late,” Regan added.

The reminder that Regan wastheremade Emma grip the handles of the carriage even tighter, and she started to walk blindly ahead. It didn’t matter which aisle she went down, as long as it wasn’t this one. Not only was seeing Felicity again at the bottom of her wishlist, but having that experience with Regan?

A nightmare.

“Maybe I’ll see you around while I’m in town,” Felicity added as they passed by one another.

Emma couldn’t help but look at her despite her previous resolve to move staunchly ahead. “I doubt it,” she returned.

Within the first few steps she took, she heard Regan let out a low whistle. “Oh mygod, that was stone cold. I love it; it’s really nice to see that part of your personality isn’t strictly reserved for me.”

Embarrassed irritation heating the back of her neck, Emma grit her teeth and didn’t acknowledge that. “I need to grab bread. Why don’t you go down the next few aisles yourself and meet me in the back?” She firmly suggested.

As she’d unfortunately predicted, Regan’s hurried footsteps kept pace a step behind her. And with every step she took, she could feel Regan’s stare boring into her.

It only made her will to ignore it even stronger.

“Sooo,” Regan drew out, amusement gratingly clear in her tone. “Who the hellwasthat?!”

“No one. Never seen her before a day in my life,” Emma dryly answered.

Regan huffed out a laugh. “Emma, the vibes werevibing. Hard. I’m not an idiot.”

This time, Emma did turn to aim a pointed stare at Regan, arching her eyebrow.

Regan tossed her head back and laughed, reaching out to lightly push at Emma’s shoulder. As if they were friends. “If you aren’t going to tell me, I’m going tohaveto guess.”

“You making conjectures about random people in the supermarket is your own business.”

Regan hummed, the sound still entirely too entertained. Emma swore she could practically feel Regan skipping with glee.

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