Page 131 of Summertime Friends

***

There’s an hour and a half left in our drive. My hand rests on Emerson’s thigh, the other on the steering wheel. Momentarily, I remove my hand from her to turn down the music we’ve been singing to.

I glance over at her in disbelief that she’s sitting here with me. It’s been a month since her birthday, and we decided to be together—a month more than I ever thought we’d get.

“I still can’t believe all of this was part of Natalie’s elaborate scheme to get us back together,” I say.

“Yeah, I’m happy we are back—wait. Natalie’s what!?” Emerson’s eyes flare, and she blinks rapidly.

Shit, did she not know?

“Natalie knew who I was when we met. . . ” I speak slowly. “She sought me out.”

Emerson brings her feet onto the seat, folding her legs in front of her.

“What are you talking about?” Her head spins in my direction. I don’t look at her, keeping my eyes on the busy highway, but I know her brows are pinched, and her cheeks are heated.

“She told me she told you,” I stutter over the confusion I’m experiencing. Natalie promised me she would tell Emerson—and I believed she would. Why wouldn’t she? “I. . . I thought you. . . k-knew.”

“Clearly not. I have no freaking clue what you are talking about.”

“I didn’t know.”

“You also said that when you figured out Natalie and I were friends. Are you lying?”

“I didn’t lie to you. I didn’t know either time. I swear—”

“What the hell is going on, Liam?” She cuts me off. “You better tell me everything right now.”

53

EMERSON

Now

My hand is in a fist—nails digging into the skin on my palm to the point that I know there will be crescent moons when I uncurl my fingers—and I’m pounding on Natalie’s door.

“Open up, Natalie!” I keep pounding on the door. “I know you’re home!”

The sound of her feet scurrying to the door echoes in the hallway—she’s never been the quietest person. She opened her door as if she was expecting me. Probably does. I had Liam drop me off here with a festering amount of adrenaline and anger. Knowing him, he probably warned her about the fury coming her way.

“Emme!” She lunges forward, pulling me into a hug. Her arms wrap around me and squeeze tight—so tight I can’t breathe or move.

“Nat, a little hard to breathe.”

“Oops. Sorry, I’m happy to see you,” Natalie replies. She looks me up and down. “You look hungry. I was making waffles.” Waffles at two in the afternoon? She’s compensating. She knows I know.

Natalie doesn’t let me answer before grabbing my hand and pulling me into her place. She’s in a peppy mood that I’m about to ruin.

“Do you want blueberries or chocolate chips? Screw it, let’s have both.”

I don’t respond.

“How was your weekend away?” She asks me. “Has it been as good as you remember?”

Natalie is asking me about sex with Liam. You’ve got to be kidding me.

A new thought, much scarier than the ones that drove me here, passes through my head. Eyes go wide with terror. Did she have sex with him? Of course, she did. It’s Natalie. How did I not think about this?No, stop Emerson. Liam told you he didn’t. But he also didn’t mention this. Maybe he lied to you.

---