Page 39 of Since the Day We Kissed

“This smells incredible,” Kara gushed, picking up the sub. “Think it’ll live up to the hype?”

“Only one way to find out.” Emma held up her own sub in a mock toast. “Cheers to trying new things and awesome friends.”

They each took a big bite, their eyes widening as they savored the flavors. For a few blissful moments, the only sounds were those of contented chewing, the gentle whisper of leaves from the lone oak tree swaying nearby in the breeze, and the cheerful chatter of birds flitting among its branches.

“This is so good!” Emma said between bites, but when Kara didn’t respond right away, she raised an eyebrow. “So, how did it go with Ethan? Anything happen?” Kara reached for a napkin. “Nothing really.”

Emma sighed. “Nothing really?”

Kara nodded. “Yeah, nothing.”

“Come on, spill.” Emma leaned in. “Was it as awkward as you were thinking?

Kara put her sub down and leaned onto the table. “No, not really. It was okay. He helped bring in the dogs and set up that security camera.”

“You’ve been wanting to put that up forever now!”

“I know. He helped me out a ton today.” Kara looked down. “It was nice of him.”

“So strictly business? Nothing about the past got brought up?”

An unexpected tingle traveled up her arm as she recalled the fleeting moment their fingers brushed. “I don’t think there’s anything there.” Her eyes flickered down. “He’s just killing time while he’s around. That’s it.”

“That redness in your cheeks would say otherwise,” Emma said.

Kara took a deep breath, shaking her head, avoiding eye contact.

“You don’t have to be embarrassed, you know. I mean, this guy meant a lot to you once upon a time. Y’all started hanging out right after high school graduation, right?”

“Yeah, that summer when we were working together at the pharmacy.”

Emma took a bite of her sub. “Right, I remember that.”

“It feels like a lifetime ago.” Kara paused, her thumb idly tracing the edge of the table. “He kissed me one night when we were closing the pharmacy, and I guess that’s when everything started.” A smile graced her lips. “Mom knew about us. She loved him.” Then her happiness flatlined. “Dad didn’t know until after the accident.”

The sound of chewing stopped and Kara looked at her friend, whose dark brown eyes were filled with warmth and sympathy.

“You don’t have to keep going.” Emma reached out to grab Kara’s hand. “I didn’t mean to bring all that up, was just trying to remember what you had told me before is all.”

Kara let out a sigh. “No, it’s—it’s fine. It doesn’t sting like it used to. Thinking about Ethan and me. But the way he just up and left without a word after that night on the beach.” She shook her head. “And right when I was dealing with losing Mom.” Her sub sat on the wax paper it came packaged in, looking anything but appetizing now. “What was I thinking? I waited for a call, a letter—anything.”

“Did you consider asking him about it today? Why he ghosted you like that?”

“I mean, yeah, it crossed my mind. But how do you even bring that up? Besides, I’m not sure I want to open that can of worms. He’s coming back tomorrow to finish up, and—”

“Tomorrow? That doesn’t sound like someone who’s just ‘killing time.’”

“Heh, I’m not getting my hopes up or anything. He’ll be gone soon. Better if we keep things strictly professional.”

Emma studied Kara’s face. “There’s something else bothering you, isn’t there?”

Kara met Emma’s gaze. “How are you so good at that?”

“It’s the power of being a best friend.”

“Right, well, I can’t stop thinking about telling him about Charlotte—and Charlotte about him. I know I need to, but once again, where do I even start? How do I drop that bomb on either of them?”

“That’s—” Emma nodded, her tone softening. “Yeah, that’s huge.”

---