Page 20 of Be My Baby

Darby pushed herself up from her chair, groaning dramatically. Ryan jumped up, looking worried, and rubbed her back.

“Everything all right, Darb? You feeling okay?” he asked.

Darby winked at Emma and turned to her husband. “I feel like I’m going to pop at any moment, but I’m fine. Don’t fuss.”

Ryan nodded, his expression still clouded. Millie put her glass to her lips to cover her smile at the dynamic playing out in front of her. Darby had the man wrapped tightly around her little finger, and she seemed to be loving every minute of it.

Millie watched as Darby stretched and wandered inside, then stood to take Darby’s seat beside Emma.

There were things that needed saying, and now was as good a time as any.

Emma looked at her questioningly after watching Darby go inside the house. Nerves flooded her again. She hoped like hell that Emma would listen. She’d just have to bite the bullet and jump.

“Ah, Emma, I’d like to apologise for how horrible I was to you when you first moved here. It was awful of me and I had no reason to be like that. I really am sorry.”

She knew the things she’d said had hurt Emma terribly at the time. And at the time, although she hadn’t cared due to her own misery at the turn her life had taken, she’d still felt pangs of disquiet at her own behaviour.

Emma looked at her thoughtfully and chewed at her bottom lip. “I won’t say it didn’t upset me, because it did, but I’m more than willing to move on and leave that firmly where it belongs.”

Emma reached out and took Millie’s hand. Millie looked at her in shock.

“I always wanted to get to know you, Millie. How about we start over? I know you and… Gabe…”

Millie shook her head and squeezed that hand so unexpectedly holding hers. She wasn’t going to give up an opportunity like this. She might be named after her godmother Mildred Appleton, but she certainly didn’t have to behave like her and alienate the people around her. People who could end up meaning a lot to her.

“No, Emma. There was never anything between Gabe and me. It wasn’t even that I was in love with him or anything like that. I wasn’t.”

She chewed her lip. If she truly wanted to put this behind her and start over and possibly have a friendship with Emma, she had to be completely honest.

“He was single. We were friends. Some people pushed us at each other. That was the extent of it. I’ve neverbeenin love with him.” She shrugged and shook her head. “He was one of the few guys in town that I thought could make a girl happy. Ryan and I have history, but we sorted that out ages ago. It comes down to the fact that most locals expected it to happen at some point. I wasn’t opposed to the idea and I let it get into my head. It was as simple as that.”

Emma’s eyes widened at her honesty. “Thank you for telling me. I appreciate it.” Emma’s mouth twitched, as if she was holding in a smile. “Max and you seem close, though.”

That’s a leading statement if there ever was one.

The hesitation in Emma’s voice was at odds with the curiosity in her eyes, as if she expected to be snarled at. Millie bit back the snarky reply that wanted to spill from her lips. She didn’t need to be that person, not here. Maybe not ever again. It would take time to pull back on the immediate snarky replies. She’d been doing it for so long now it was second nature. But maybe, just maybe, she wouldn’t have to hide behind them anymore.

Maybe these people would welcome her back. If things went as she and Max planned, they’d be family, in a way.

She found that was something she was starting to want with a longing that grew each day. She looked down at the hand Emma still held.

“We’ve been friends a long time. I don’t know if Ryan has mentioned Lucy much?” At Emma’s sad nod, she continued. “Luce was my best friend. Max and I were there for each other when she, ah, died.” Millie breathed deep and held it. Talking about Luce and dying in the same sentence still had the power to steal her breath. She swallowed to remove the lump in her throat. “Max has always been special, you know? That person you turn to because you just know he has the answer to whatever the problem is.”

Emma’s sad gaze turned assessing. “He is indeed a special guy. He’s always been kind to me, from the very beginning.”

Millie nodded. “He’s like that. He takes people under his wing, as if he’s this great protector. It’s almost like a calling, or something.” Millie let herself smile at Emma’s chuckle. “What he and Luce had was special, too. She loved him so much. And then she was stolen from him, from all of us.”

Millie blinked, her eyes suddenly tight. “Anyway, Max and I were friendly before that, but her death just solidified that connection. He’s one of the few people I can talk to without having to worry if they’re judging me, or going to pick apart each word I say and throw it back at me later.”

Millie looked up when Emma didn’t answer. Emma’s fingers tightened around her own.

“If nothing else comes out of today, regardless of why you’re here with Max, I hope you realise that you have a second person who won’t judge you like that, Millie. I realise I don’t know your friends very well, but just know that I would never do that to you. And even though Darby might be hesitant about whatever this is with you and Max, I think she would say the same.”

Stinging tightness heated her eyes. She blinked rapidly and looked away, unable to hold Emma’s shrewd gaze. She nodded and swallowed tightly.

“Thank you, Emma. That means a lot.”

Chagrin at her own blindness to the person that Emma was hit her. She’d been so stupid, so selfish.

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