“There’s never a bad moment when it comes to you.”
“Okay . . . I got relieved from work early and was calling to see if you could come get me now. Although, it sounds like you’re being held hostage or something. I’ll just call Mia.”
“Close enough,” I mumble. “I’ll be there in less than ten.”
“Okay. Let me know when you get here.”
“Will do. Bye baby.”
After I hang up, I reach over to the entryway table to grab my keys.
“Ginger, it’s been . . . something. I have to go now. Please don’t come back here. I have a girlfriend and am not a cheater.”
I leave, not caring that Ginger is calling after me. I feel like I need a shower. Thank god Emmaline called when she did. I obviously wouldn’t have let her inside, but if someone had seen and it got back to Emmaline—it would’ve been bad.
Pulling up to the hospital, I send a text, letting her know I’m here and get out of my truck to wait by the main door. When she comes out, she’s wearing a mask.
“Are you sick?” I ask through a laugh.
She touches my forehead. “Nope. I thought you might be feverish. You’re clearly delirious since you called mebaby girlandbaby.”
Chuckling, I say, “No. No, fever. Just a half-naked woman trying to barge into my apartment. Your call came at the best time.”
Emmaline drops her hand, taking a step back. “What do you mean half-naked woman?”
“One of those women from the diner I told you about showed up at my door wearing a trench coat with nothing but tacky lingerie on. I’m talking neon green.”
“Oh.”
Oh.
That’s it. I’d hoped she’d find my torment a little funny.
I can’t read the expression on her face, but if I had to guess, it’s not good.
I immediately apologize, “Emmaline, I’m sorry. I didn’t want her there. Not even a little bit. You and I are dating—fake or not—and that means something to me. I just thought you’d findmy awkward encounter funny. Plus, I didn’t want to keep it from you.”
Her gaze on me is as piercing as it is curious. She takes a breath in, letting it out slowly. “It’s fine. Thanks for telling me. I’m really tired though, can you take me home now?”
“Yeah, sure.”
The silence on the way home is stifling. I can’t figure out what to do to fix it. I have to believe it’s triggering her because of her relationship with that douchebag. She doesn’t wait for me to open her car door, only muttering a “thank you” before taking off inside. For half an hour after that, I feel antsy. I know something is wrong.
I’ve typed out so many messages before erasing them. My thumb hovers over my conversation with her. I mean, she said she was fine, only tired. I’m sure that’s all it was. But then I thought about it some more and when I’ve heard my mom say something was fine in the past, it really wasn’t.
Clutching my phone in my hand, I shove down the urge to apologize again and get ready for bed.
***
This blissfully warm September morning hosts the annual Meadow Springs Fall Festival.
We agreed earlier this week to meet in the hallway. And when she sees me, she starts apologizing for what happened Wednesday night.
“I actually was tired, but that’s not why I was being so weird.” She takes a deep breath. “I want to start this off by saying Iknowyou’re not Chance. You two are nothing alike. But hearing about women coming up to you and throwing themselves at you, then one of them showing up all scantily clad was a punch to the gut. Because I remember times when women would flirt with him after we first got together and instead of politely declining, he’d flirt back. I watched him pocket numbers that were slyly given to him and then he’d say he only accepted them because he didn’twant to be rude. I promise it was nothing against you. I seem to have issues I didn’t realize I had.”
I feel like an idiot. Becauseof coursethat’s what was going on.
I step closer to her. “You don’t have to apologize for that. It’s a reasonable reaction to what I told you. Seems like I aggravated a sore spot that Chance created, and what happened with Ginger didn’t help. I truly didn’t mean to hurt you in any way. I thought it was crazy, but crazy enough that you’d find it funny. I’m sorry, Emmy.”