Chapter Nine
Emily
Two Days Later
After I pull in front of my mom’s house, I shut off the car’s engine. The neighborhood hasn’t changed since I graduated from high school. The Nolans still live next door to my mom, and Bella lives down the street.
The flowerpots on the front porch are overflowing with different colored mums–purples, yellows, oranges, reds. They’re all vibrant and full. That’s something else we’ll need to tend to as she won’t be able to lift a watering can for a few weeks.
I shake back the overwhelm that creeps over me whenever I consider the extra items that’ll be on my plate after her shoulder surgery. She diapered my butt for god’s sakes. The least I can do is water some fucking plants a few times.
All I need to do is prioritize everything. When someone calls asking for my help, I’ll just tell them no. My skin crawls at the thought of telling Iris no. And then, there are the youth activities that always need an additional medical professional on site for events.
I can’t tell them no. It’s for the kids’ safety. Everyone knows that if they’re short someone, they can call me, and I’ll come running. Damnit, I’ll figure out a way to juggle everything. I always do.
The second I walk into the cozy living room, the scent of cinnamon and yeast settles my whirling brain.
The sofa and recliner arrangement are the same as before I moved out, and the family photos still include the one when my hair was cut like a boy’s and I had three missing teeth.
Maybe I’ll toss that one away when I’m dusting.
My mom pops her head out of the kitchen. “I thought I heard you. We’re in here.” She’s wearing jeans and a T-shirt as she carries a platter in both hands. That’s my mom. It doesn’t matter how much pain she’s in, she continues to push her way through it. She’s a testament to perseverance.
“Let me get that.” I snatch the platter from her as she grimaces. The faint lines around her eyes and lips are a dead giveaway that she’s hurting. My brother stands at the table with a sandwich in his hand. “Seriously?” I glare at him. “You can’t help her carry anything?”
“Hey.” He waves his free hand in the air as he chews and swallows. “I offered, but she insisted. You know how she is. ‘This is my house, and I can take care of myself’.” He says the last sentence with a high-pitched tone as he mimics our mom.
“I don’t sound like that.” She braces her good hand on her hip. “But…” Her face tinges with heat. “I did say that.”
“Hello, Em.” Jake’s unexpected voice causes me to jump and expel a soft gasp.
What’s he doing here? I spin on my heel and drag my gaze over him, taking in everything at once. Skintight white T-shirt, gray sweatpants, a backward baseball cap, a fresh haircut and slight stubble like he’s growing the perfectly manicured 5 o’clock shadow.
“Emily,” I snap out as my heart jerks in my chest. The sound of the nickname he always called me makes my skin crawl.
Why in the hell does he have to be everywhere I am?
“Hello, Em-i-ly.” He emphasizes the syllables of my name, and the hairs that weren’t already standing at attention join in the game.
Ignore him. You’ve seen pretty boys before.
They’re a dime a dozen. Or with inflation, they’re more like a $100 a dozen, but he’s not the only GQ model type guy in Brookhaven.
“Hello, Jake.” I’d call him Officer Thompson, but my mom would cuff the top of my head. I shift my attention to my brother. “Why did you invite him? This is a family issue. Not an invitation for you to call all your friends over to have a sleepover.”
Heat crawls up my chest as memories of their last sleepover flood through me.
Right here. Right where Jake is standing, he told me to leave the room before his roommate showed up and saw me. Like he was embarrassed about what I was wearing. Or embarrassed to be seen with me. Or just embarrassed that I existed.
“I didn’t invite him.” Kaleb bites off a section of his sandwich.
So, he invited himself. Then, he can be the one to go this time. I turn my attention back to Jake. “You can go. We’re busy. Thank you for stopping by.”
“Emily,” my mom snaps. “How dare you be rude, and in my house. You’re not an insolent twelve-year-old girl. You’re an adult woman. Besides, I invited Jake over. I wanted to see him because it’s been so long since he’s been over to the house.”
Perfect. I bite my tongue until the tinge of blood fills my mouth. Just act like he’s not even here.
“I should go.” Jake pats my mom’s uninjured shoulder.
“No.” My mom’s eyes flash with anger. “You’re welcome in my home. You’ve always been welcome in my home.”
“Yeah.” Kaleb winks at his friend. “Don’t worry about the princess. She doesn’t always get her way.”
“Shut up.” It takes everything in my power not to stomp my foot and run upstairs to my old room.
“Listen…” Jake lifts his hand in defense. “I didn’t come here to cause issues.”
“Then why did you come?” I hate that I sound like a spoiled child, but having him everywhere I go is bringing up feelings I thought were long gone. The anger, I expected. However, the feelings of disappointment and regret are overpowering everything else.
“Here at your mom’s house, or why did I come back to Brookhaven?”
“Both.” I was perfectly happy without him here. I had my friends. My job. My family. Sure, I’m not dating anyone, not because I’m still hung up on him, but because I’m too busy to date.
Okay, fine. I’m not dating anyone because no one lives up to the pedestal I’d put Jake on years ago. But I was fine.
And he’s here for what? To make my life miserable? And why a police officer of all things? The only job that would bring him closer to my world would be as my partner in the ambulance. He probably only became a police officer because he loves to tell people what to do. Loves to tell me what to do.
But I’m not his to boss around anymore.
His eyes meet mine and stay there. “I’m here in your mom’s house because I care about her. She’s like a second mother to me. And I’m back in Brookhaven because this is where I belong.”
I swallow over the dryness in my mouth. So, this isn’t some stopover before his next great adventure. At one point, this would’ve been the answer to my prayers. But not any longer.
Jake shifts his attention to my mom. “Is there anything you need me to do?”
“Yes.” She smiles and places her hand on his bicep as Kaleb gnaws off another bite of his sandwich. “I need you to distract me. I’m nervous about the surgery, and I could use some happy memories.”
She could’ve called him over any time. Why now? Is this punishment for the time I got purple slime on the living room carpet?
“Do you remember when you used to climb the trees in the backyard?” She grins at him. “You were always such a daredevil, and the girls loved it.”
“Emily, especially.” Kaleb smirks and waggles his eyebrows. “She always followed you around like a lovesick puppy. It was both funny and embarrassing.” He frowns as if another thought entered his mind. “And disgusting.”
“I did no such thing.” My hands ball into fists. “I tried to get you guys to let me play because I wanted to do something besides sit in my room and play with Barbies, and that’s it. It wasn’t because I was following Jake around.”
“Or was it Xavier?” My mom gives me a pointed look as Jake slides his hand over his short hair as if he’s expecting to find longer locks there. He looks like he’d rather be anywhere than here. At least, we have that in common.
“No, I wasn’t following Xavier around either.”
Kaleb shoves off the counter. “It wasn’t just here. You also followed us around at school.”
“You’re an asshole. It’s no wonder you don’t have a girlfriend. You have the personality of a wet mop.”
“Hey!” He raises his hands in the air. “I can get action.”
“Please.” I roll my eyes. “You couldn’t get action if the entire female population at the bar was wasted and desperate.”
“She’s got you there,” Jake laughs, causing the hairs on the back of my neck to stand. Holy fuck, when did he move next to me? He can’t do this. He can’t suddenly drop back into my life and laugh at something I say. It’s not acceptable. Not after everything that he did.
“You both have no idea how much action I’m getting.” Kaleb wraps his arm around my head, putting me into a headlock.
“Asshole.” I shove my elbow into his gut while twisting on my heel and knocking my brother off balance.
“Bony ass elbow,” he growls as he releases my head and rubs his stomach.
“Kids, calm down.” My mom acts like she’s mad, but there’s no denying the twinkle in her eyes or the smile on her lips. She loved when our friends were at the house. The snarky comments. The veiled threats. The barbed words and icy comebacks.
I smile and shake my head. At least her worrying about the surgery has abated. I must give Jake credit for that.
If he hadn’t shown up, we’d have packed her overnight bag, asked what temperature she wanted the thermostat set to while she was out, and I’d have jotted down tons of notes on when to feed the outside cat that’s not hers, what time she needs to be at the hospital, how much water the plants need, and on and on.
Shit. Where’s the notepad? We need to get ready.