Page 31 of Free to Believe
“Recognize this dress?”Em’s stuffed herself with pasta. Recovering the rest which she claims she’ll eat for days, she’s just opened the leather portfolio I brought out for her and after flipping through a few drawings, pulls out a charcoal sketch.
She passes it to me, and I almost drop it. It’s the dress Dani wore to the Country Music Awards with Brendan. It’s the purple one that was featured inPeoplemagazine. Here in my hands is the black-and-white drawing that started it all. “Wow.” Even though I’m still skeptical about Jenna going into the business, I have to admit it’s kind of a thrill to imagine this drawing went from Em’s talented brain and fingers to a seamstress somewhere to be worn by my cousin.
Passing the sketch back, I watch as Emily slides it carefully back into the leather portfolio. “Tell me how it goes from that to the final product.” I’m genuinely curious. “How did you get the inspiration for it?”
She tilts her head. “Do you study the legends?”
“Musical ones, sure.” I toss her a quick grin.
She rolls her eyes. “I mean the Greeks, the Romans, the Egyptians. Those kinds of legends. Historical.”
“A little bit. I assume you have?”
Her face blanks when she answers, “Yes. Quite a bit, actually.”
“Did you study them in school?” I ask casually. I don’t know where she went just then, but I know Emily isn’t sitting with me right now. And oddly, I want her back.
Nodding her head, she sets her curls dancing. “I did. It was my minor in college. Actually, I did a dual minor in business and history.”
I sigh. “This is a conversation I wish someone would have with my daughter.”
“You don’t discuss college? And Dani’s mentioned you’re a teacher?” Her voice is laced with surprise.
“We ‘discuss’ college all the time. The problem is making her understand there’s an element of practicality behind her chosen field.”
“Which is?”
Wryly, I admit, “Fashion.”
“Ahh. I begin to understand. I’m happy to talk with her, anytime.”
“Maybe you should talk to me first. Just so I have an idea of what you’ll be telling her.” Suddenly I have an image of Emily telling Jenna all about the glorious parties and jet-setting around the globe. Emily lets out a sound that’s a half giggle, half snort that I find utterly charming.
“I’m assuming you don’t want to hear about the parts where your cousin has to strip naked for me several times.”
I shudder. “Please. It was bad enough when I had all of my friends hitting on her during high school.” I perk up. “But if you want to take my cousin out of the picture and embellish on that for me, who am I to argue?”
Emily lets out a bark of laughter that startles Mugsy. He howls awake from what must have been a great puppy dream.
“Come here, old man. There’s nothing wrong with your mama. She’s just having some fun.” Mugsy ambles toward me. Sniffing at my hand, he sits down on his hindquarters before scooting back. He knocks his head into my hand several times. Bewildered, I look at Em to see her lips parted in surprise.
“He wants you to pet his ears. No, actually, it’s more like a demand to,” she muses. I begin stroking his silky ears, and Emily’s face softens. “Normally, it’s one of my family members doing exactly what you’re doing. He’s so spoiled.” She holds out her hand, and Mugsy leans forward and gives her a lick. She scratches under his chin.
Our faces are so close, I can smell the mint of her hair mixed with the ocean breeze. I never realized the combination would be so alluring. Clearing my throat, I ask, “How did you get him?”
“He found us. One night, he was starving and was begging for food. We didn’t have much, but what we had, we gave to him.”
“He was lucky.” The words are out of my mouth before I know I’m going to say them. Em’s lips part in surprise. “I mean, he could have wound up at a shelter, or…”
“Or worse,” Em finishes grimly. Abruptly, she says, “I was engaged.”
I stop stroking Mugsy, who whines. Resuming, I ask, “So you said. When did it end?”
“Last week.”
“Jesus.” No wonder she wanted to get away. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m not.”
