The Perfect Homecoming (Pine River #3)

Leo gave Emma a faintly victorious smile.

Emma made him a protein shake while the Methodists prayed over Leo and said goodbye. They gathered their coats and purses and paused to speak to Bob on the way out.

Emma returned to Leo’s room with the shake. She adjusted his bed and fit the container into a contraption Bob had installed on the side of his bed, then moved to insert the straw into his mouth.

“Not yet,” Leo said.

“It’s not liver,” she assured him.

“I’m not hungry. And anyway, isn’t it time for Wheel of Fortune?”

Emma picked up the remote and turned on the television. She put down the remote and considered him a moment. “Leo?”

“I’m not upset about Dante, if that’s where you’re headed,” he said instantly, and drew a labored breath. “I mean, yeah, it sucks, and I’m really going to miss him. But he’s in a better place.”

“Yes, of course,” Emma muttered.

“No, don’t say it like that. I’m not saying he’s in a better place just because that’s the kind of thing you say when someone dies. I mean I know he is. I’ve seen it. And it’s awesome that he’s going to be there when I go.” He smiled a little. “Kind of selfish, right? But I always hated going to a party alone.”

Emma’s heart sank like a rock in her chest. She tried to swallow her grief, but with no success. She sat on the edge of his bed and laced her fingers through his curled ones. “I’m sorry about your friend.”

“You don’t believe me,” he accused her.

“I honestly don’t know what I believe.”

Leo snorted. “Trust me, when you’re sitting in my chair, you’re desperate to believe anything. Solve the puzzle,” he said to the television. “Power broker!”

“What about your lunch?”

“It’ll still be there after Wheel. Come on, let’s watch.”

Emma crawled onto the bed and lay on her side next to him, her head on his shoulder. She could hear his breath in his chest, but she could also hear a faint rattle she’d not heard before. Bob was right—Leo hadn’t been the same since that trip to Denver. How ironic was it that the thing he’d wanted the most had turned out to be so harmful for him? That was the deal with desire, wasn’t it? It didn’t hurt if you didn’t want it so.

“Are you going to leave me in suspense all day? How was Denver?”

Emma lifted her head to look at him. “How’d you know I went to Denver?”

“Because, doofus, Cooper called Luke to get your number. He said he was flying through and needed you to bring him something. So when Dad said you called and said you wouldn’t make it in yesterday, I figured you’d gone up there. Okay, so?”

She lowered her head to his knobby shoulder again. “It was okay.”

He drew a breath. “Is that all you’re going to say?”

“Yes.”

“Fine,” he said, trying to sound perturbed. “I guess I’ll have to resort to my superior fiction-writing skills when Dani comes.” He paused to catch his breath again. “Everyone wants you two to get together, you know.”

“God,” Emma said with a moan. “Yes, I know, I know. It’s like a regular Peyton Place around here.”

“Well, I hope you do, too. He’s a good guy, that Cooper. I’m hoping he comes around for Luke.”

“For Luke?”

“Yeah. Luke’s going to need someone to hang out with when I’m gone.” He drew another breath, as if he couldn’t quite catch it.

“Leo—”

“Come on, Emma, it’s obvious. I’m having trouble swallowing and breathing. I know I’m weaker. And you know, when I can’t swallow, the words will disappear. I’ve already compromised my standards to drink Aunt Patti’s brownies. But no talking? Unable to share my genius with the world? Forget it. I’m not sticking around for that.”

Emma bit her lip. She wouldn’t cry—nothing made Leo as irritable as tears. She just clenched her jaw, using her own power of swallowing to choke them down while Leo tried to solve another puzzle.

“Damn it. That dude should have bought an I,” he said. “So why can’t you be with him?”

“Do we have to do this now?” Emma asked wearily. She was emotionally drained.

“Yes, now. Marisol is bringing the stinker, and I only have so much time before she gets here.”

Emma groaned and sat up. “Do you want the short version or the truth?”

He smiled.

“I mean, you’ve surely heard enough by now to know how screwed up I am, right?”

“Sure,” he readily agreed. “Nutty as a fruitcake. Go on.”

“Thanks,” she said wryly. “That’s it. I’m too weird. I would end up screwing it up, and while I don’t mind screwing guys up now and again, I really don’t want to do that to Cooper. Because I really like him. I like him so much.”

Leo smiled and drew a shallow breath. “Did I ever tell you about the time Luke and I went white-water rafting after that big spring storm?”