“Should I get the door?” Liam said quietly, shaking my shoulder.
Worst. Sister. Ever. I pulled my hung-over butt from bed and looked at Aden. He still slept on my other side. Thankfully, only Liam witnessed my current state. I stumbled into the kitchen and checked the clock. Six a.m. I was going to kill Jim.
I yanked open the door with a scowl and glared not at Jim but at Emmitt. In one hand, he offered two coated pills. In the other hand, he had a glass of water. He elevator-eyed me, and a slight quirk lifted his lips. I took pain relievers without comment and swallowed them.
“I heard Liam moving around and wanted to know if he’d like to come down and eat with me.” His warm, soft voice melted my middle and brought back the memory of last night’s question and answer session that had followed Emmitt’s big reveal. I cringed.
Emmitt: “If you’re not worried about David, who are you worried about?”
Me: “Can I sleep in your shirt tonight?”
Emmitt: “Why did David keep you locked away?”
Me: “Blake told him to. I really liked when you kissed my neck even though I tried not to.”
Notable pause in questioning.
Emmitt: “Who’s Blake?”
Me: “I like you without a shirt. A lot.” Long pause. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
It could have been worse.
“I’m never drinking again,” I whispered.
Emmitt grinned. “I like your pajamas.”
I looked down at myself. I wore his t-shirt. Damn.
“We’re not on speaking terms today,” I said, meeting his eyes again.
He laughed and greeted Liam who joined us, dressed for the day.
“Send Aden down when he’s up.”
I managed another hour of sleep before Aden woke. Enough time to lose the headache. I sent Aden downstairs, jumped in the shower, and contemplated the night before.
After failing to answer Emmitt seriously, he’d carried me upstairs. I flinched as I recalled how I’d clung to him. So much for my little talk about being less than friends.
He’d opened the door and set me on my feet, then waited in the living room while I shuffled into the bathroom with his shirt. I’d sniffed it and grinned like an idiot for a moment before changing. When I’d stumbled back into the hallway, I’d hesitated. Despite the tequila, I’d realized the danger in getting too close to him again. From a good ten steps away, I’d wished him a good night. He’d grinned at me, wished me sweet dreams, and closed the door. I’d crawled into bed between the boys.
I took my time drying my hair and getting dressed. Moving slower seemed wise. When I left the apartment, the smell of cooking food hit me, and I almost gagged. I concentrated on the steps to distract myself, and my stomach settled.
At the bottom of the stairs, both apartment doors stood open. Aden’s voice came from Jim’s place so I stepped through that door.
Nana sat at the island, supervising Aden’s attempt at cutting a sausage until I walked in then her watchful gaze fell on me. She looked me over from head to toe, turned to Emmitt, and glared at him. He wouldn’t meet her eyes. Pretending not to notice, I planted a kiss atop each boy’s head.
“What do you guys want to do today?” I asked quietly. Though the headache was gone, my head still felt tender.
Jim piped up. “It’s going to be hot and humid. Can we go back to the lake?”
I nodded, not really caring. Napping on the beach didn’t seem like it had a downside.
“Michelle and I will get the groceries this time,” Emmitt said, pouring syrup over a stack of pancakes. He handed the plate to me.
I wrinkled my nose but reached for it.
“No,” Nana said. “I think you should take Jim to teach him how to shop.”
Emmitt turned back to the pan, but I caught his slight frown. I managed a forkful of pancake before my roiling stomach let me know it wouldn’t tolerate more. I discreetly slid my plate toward Jim. He took it with a wink and ate the rest in a few large bites.
Emmitt and Jim left with the truck, and while the boys changed into their suits, I helped Nana Wini pack the car.
“So are you staying?” she asked with her head in the trunk.
“It’s not like I have a choice.” It slipped out before I could stop it.
She straightened and gave me a curious look. “What do you mean?”
Handing her the towels, I shrugged. “There’s nowhere else for me to go.”
“And if there were?”
“Then, I wouldn’t have come here in the first place.” I would have headed straight to that mystery place of safety and never met Emmitt in the diner.
She nodded and put the towels in the trunk next to the blanket. “Fate has a funny way of working things. I’d like to say it does things for the best, but how can I when there is so much death and tragedy in the world. No, the best we can do is think there must be some kind of purpose to this mess.”
Words of wisdom. There had to be a reason I met Emmitt and came here. I liked thinking like that. Better than dwelling on the possibility that he was in league with Blake.