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“Promise?” he practically begged.
“Gross, Jonah.” I scowled at him then waved to Hale who was looking over my shoulder. I didn’t even make eye contact with Reed who’d made his way back to our group. “Come on, Em.”
I led the way and blew out a heavy breath as we strolled toward the car parked on the street.
“Wanna talk about it?” she asked.
“No.” If I did, I’d cry.
Reed thought I was only good for casual sex? He didn’t want to pursue something because of the awkward discomfort of having to see me afterward? An empty hole was opening up somewhere in the center of my chest, and I didn’t know how to keep it from cracking me in half.
“He’s an idiot,” said Emma.
“I told him so.”
“You did?” She wrapped an arm around my shoulders, squeezed me close, and kissed my temple. “So proud of you.”
That made me laugh as we walked down the sidewalk with our arms around each other.
“Thank you for leaving with me so suddenly without asking anything.”
“Of course. Sisters before misters, you know that.”
“I love you.”
“Love you, too.”
“You don’t really want to sleep with my brother, do you?”
It was her turn to laugh. “No, Anna Banana.”
I pinched her hip where I had my arm draped. She knew I hated that nickname.
“Don’t worry,” she assured me. “Your brother’s hot, but I’m not going there. Plenty of other snakes in the garden.”
“I thought it was fish in the sea.”
“Not when it comes to your brother. He’s a big, wicked snake. And probablyhasa big snake.” She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.
“Ew.” I pushed her away. “Please don’t talk about my brother’s…snake.”
Just like always, Emma had me laughing and cackling all the way home. It wasn’t until my head was on my pillow that I let the heartache bloom a bit more, spreading a sadness I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to fully let go.
Chapter Seven
~REED~
“So arewe going to talk about it?” asked Hale as we worked on the final section of hardwood flooring.
“Nope.”
“You finally went for it, and she turned you down?”
I gave him an eat-shit look and fitted another plank of the pale oak flooring into place, tapping lightly with the hammer.
“Or Jonah found out and beat the shit out of you since Saturday,” he guessed.
Sighing, I sat back on my heels. “No. Jonah doesn’t know. And I didn’t get turned down.” I picked up another plank out of the box next to me. “Not exactly.”
