Page 36 of I Wish I Would've Warned You

“Want to come with me?”

Her head tilts slightly, surprise flickering across her face.

I don’t move. Don’t try to take it back.

She doesn’t answer right away, but her eyes stay locked on mine. Searching. Considering.

And in the quiet that follows, I know she’s already said yes.

13

EMILY

A few afternoons later

I’m rushing down the stairs with a poetry binder tucked under my arm. My “performing poet” badge is swinging from the lanyard around my neck, and my pale pink dress is fluttering with every step.

“Mom?” I call out. “Mom! How much longer do you need to get ready?”

“Huh?” She looks up from her phone when I reach the living room. “Ready to go where?”

“Funny.” I roll my eyes. “My poetry reading. We need to leave now if we’re going to make it to New York in time.”

“That’s …today?”

“Don’t tell me you forgot.”

“I am so sorry.” Her voice softens. “I did forget.”

“Well, I’ll forgive you if you hurry up get dressed. We can be a little late.”

“Well, I…” She shoots me a sympathetic smile. “I promised Aidan I’d go somewhere with him this evening.”

“He’s more than welcome to come, too.”

“We’re sightseeing on his yacht,” she says. “He left to go pick up the captain.”

“Please tell me you’re joking.” I cross my arms. “This has been scheduled for months and you promised.”

“Won’t there be other readings?”

Behind me, I hear the fridge open, a bottle clinking.

Cole.

“Perfect!” my mom says, overly bright. “Cole, would you mind taking Emily to her reading in the city?”

He shuts the fridge and leans against the counter. “Not at all.”

My hands tighten around the binder. My throat is full of words I can’t say without screaming.

I storm off to the garage.

14

COLE

Emily hasn’t uttered a word in fifty miles.

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