Page 54 of Right Where You Left Me
“Hm?”
“How would you go about telling Hank you were sorry if you had done something super cunty?”
Piper coughs out a laugh. “Well, Sage. I don’t ever do anythingcunty, so I don’t know.”
I roll my eyes. “That is a bold faced lie.”
She laughs. “Well, to start I would just say I was sorry, and then I’d blow?—”
“You know what. Forget I asked.” I say screwing up my face. There is no fucking way I’m thinking about my sister and her husband doing…things.
She’s laughing hard now and I shove her playfully when the back phone rings. She wipes tears from her eyes and goes to answer it. “Sage, it’s River for you!” She says motioning for us to swap places. I grab the phone from her, confused as to why he’s calling the cafe and not my cell.
“Hey, Riv. What’s up?”
“Sage?” He says, his voice shrill and panicked. “Are you able to come back to the apartment?”
“Hey, hey. You okay? What’s wrong?”
“I just really need you to come home okay?” He’s talking a mile a minute and sounds frantic. Oh god, what if he hurt himself? Or what if something happened to one of the girls? Shit.
“Shhh, shh. Calm down. Take a deep breath. I’m going to tell Piper I have to go and I’ll be home as soon as I can. Alright?”
“Hurry.” He says and hangs up.
I rip my apron off and throw it in the dirty laundry bin here in the back before I pop my head into the cafe. “Pipes I’m so sorry, but I have to get home. There’s something wrong with River and he didn’t sound good. I gotta go.”
“Oh gosh! Yeah, get out of here. Text me if you guys need me!”
“Thanks! I’ll let you know what’s up when I get there! Love you!”
I’m out the door fast and sprint to my bike, riding faster than I probably should, but the second I park I’m running up the stairs to our apartment. I’m breathing heavily and when I turn the corner of our hallway I freeze.
Emma is standing in front of our door holding a covered tray. She smiles hesitantly at me when I get closer. My mouth is gaping like a fish out of water as I take her in. Her amber eyes shining in the low lights of the building, her hair thrown up in a messy bun, little tendrils framing her face in a way that never fails to make me weak in the knees. She looks ethereal, my little elf. So beautiful. I can feel my chest burning with the breath I’m holding. Like if I breathe wrong she’s going to disappear.
She lets out a wet laugh, gesturing her head toward the locked door. “You gonna let me in or what?”
CHAPTER 21
Emma
Sage’s eyes are wide as she stares at me. She hasn’t answered me yet, and I can see her processing what’s happening. I hum softly. “You okay?”
“What— What’re you doing here?”
“Let’s go talk about it inside.” I say softly and she nods, wordlessly pulling out her keys and letting us inside the apartment. She walks straight into the living room and starts pacing back and forth. I set the tray in my hands on the kitchen counter before turning to face her.
“So, you’re the thing River needed me to get home quickly for?” Sage finally asks.
“Yes.” I say.
“Didn’t realize he was such a good actor.” She grumbles, stopping when her pacing takes her closer to where I’m perched against the counter. “Why?”
“Why, what?” I ask softly.
She rolls those gorgeous eyes at me. “Why are you here?”
I clear my throat and ready myself for this. I’ve rehearsed what I wanted to say to her in my head all day. And now, she’s here in front of me and I can finally get her to see exactly how much she means to me. “I wanted to start by apologizing to you.” I say, and laugh softly at her confused expression.
