16. Emma
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
emma
Sabrina Carpenter blared on the radio as I pulled up next to Haley’s car in the parking lot of the Citrus Cove Cafe. I sat there for a moment, trying to wake up.
I’d barely slept last night. After Hunter left, I couldn’t get him out of my head. There was too much to say, too many words that just wouldn’t come out of my mouth, and that kiss hadn’t helped at all.
For now, Hunter and I would keep pretending to be engaged. All I could do was hope Josh would leave soon. Him showing up to try and force me to sell the company to him was insane, but not unexpected. He’d always expected everyone to do what he asked.
There was no way he could even buy me out if he wanted to. Not unless my father let him get closer than he should have.
More than once, I’d felt the temptation to pick up the phone, only to realize I couldn’t. My dad was dead. There wasn’t ever going to be a phone call. And that made me start to sweat in places I forgot existed.
Then there was also the whole not crying thing. Not a single tear had fallen. Maybe I was broken.
I drew in a shaky breath and leaned over, snatching my bag from the floorboard. For now, Hunter and I would have to just keep this going.
God, he frustrated me.
I got out and waved at Haley through the cafe window. Flowers bloomed in the boxes beneath it, the air balmy with the promise of summer. I pushed my sunglasses on top of my head as I stepped inside. The bell above the door rang and I smiled when I spotted Alice, giving her a wave.
She was putting food down at a table, but still shook her head at me.
Dammit. That meant the whole town knew. I forced a smile as I darted to the table where Haley was seated with a coffee mug, steam twisting into the air. Sunshine warmed her skin through the window, and she wore a denim jumpsuit that I would have stolen if she wasn’t several inches taller than me.
“Good morning,” I chirped as I slid into the booth.
“Morning,” she said. I frowned, noticing the circles under her eyes. She looked like she’d been crying. “For the record, Alice already knew, because Colt told her when he stopped by on Saturday.”
I sighed. “No one can keep a damn secret in this town.”
“Correct,” she snorted. “How was dinner yesterday?”
I was glad I wasn’t eating yet, because I would have choked. “Dinner?”
“With Hunter?”
“Oh. It went well.” My cheeks turned red. I tried not to think about how much of what Josh said was a knife in the back, or how Hunter kicking him out had turned me on.
Both were equally unsettling.
Alice waltzed over to our table with two coffee cups. Her apron was tied around her waist, her hair styled in loose curls. She wore a plum red lipstick today that was gorgeous, highlighter dusted over her dark brown skin.
“Hey, beautiful,” I said. “I need to know what lipstick that is.”
She shook her head at me. “I’ll tell you once you get your head out of your ass. Scoot over, Em.”
I made room for her, giving her a pleading smile as she slid in next to me. “Angelic Alice to the rescue with caffeine,” I said.
“Nope. Don’t try to charm me. You’ve been holding out,” Alice said. “What the hell is this all about?”
I laid my head on her shoulder. “Should I beg for that cup of coffee or are you feeling generous?” I asked.
She snorted and slid the mug over, drumming her nails on the table top. But, she leaned her head against mine for a moment before sighing. “I thought we were closer than me hearing the news from Colt. And don’t get me wrong, I adore that man. But he’s a friend, not a friend-friend like you are.”
“I thought the same thing,” Haley said. “Apparently they’ve been keeping it a secret. Which makes sense for Hunter, maybe, but not for you. You don’t keep secrets like that.”
“ Interesting ,” Alice hummed.
“It just happened,” I said, sitting up. “Do you want to come over this week and co-work? I know you have admin shit to do.”
“Nope, we are not changing subjects yet,” Alice laughed. “Nice try. I want details. Timestamps. Dates. Information about how he is in bed.”
I fought a laugh. “It’s not that big of a deal. We got together.”
“At my wedding ?” Haley hissed. “I swear you were with me the whole night.”
Fuck. I definitely had been. Was I really going to gaslight my best friend? Once again, I felt the weight of our lie on my shoulders. But I really needed to keep this going until Josh was gone for good.
“When you and Cam left, Hunter and I somehow fell into each other’s arms,” I said.
“And that led to you falling on his dick?” Alice asked.
Haley stifled a laugh. I glowered as I took a sip of coffee, praying the caffeine would help me lie better. The thought of falling on Hunter’s dick made me think about the couch situation, and my imagination took it in a much more feral direction. Now, I was imagining— stop . I can’t go there.
“That’s exactly what happened,” I said.
Alice took a slow, thoughtful sip of her coffee. “Hmm. So what’s he like? He’s really helpful around town. Everyone knows who he is but no one really knows him, huh? I have so many questions.”
“He’s… I don’t even have words,” I said.
“That would be a first, knowing you. How about you try to find them?” Alice asked a little too pleasantly.
Dammit. My friends knew me too well.
I took another sip of coffee, using the moment to try and catch up with my thoughts. What the hell was I supposed to say about Hunter? I certainly had more to say about him now than I used to.
For a moment, I decided to pretend like he was someone else. Like he wasn't Hunter Harlow. Like he wasn't my best friend's brother-in-law, the well-known handyman farmer of Citrus Cove, and absolutely infuriating man.
I pretended he didn’t hate me.
“Well, first off, he's really good in bed. Because he's so tall and strong, he can really just manhandle me in a way that is really sexy.”
“Oh god,” Haley said. Her mouth fell open, her expression making me want to smirk. “I don't know if I need to know about all of that.”
“Oh, come on,” I said. “You've told me what you and Cam do.”
Alice stifled a laugh. Haley took a sip of coffee and then grinned. “Yeah, I have. Okay. So he’s good in bed, which isn’t really a shock to anyone. Hunter is thorough about every job you give him.”
The three of us burst into a fit of giggles. I covered my mouth, trying not to think too hard about what it would actually be like in bed with him. Especially after that kiss.
“What else?” Haley asked.
What else? This was the furthest thing from keeping things simple, but I was just going to roll with it at this point.
“Aside from being great in bed, he’s just really sweet. He makes breakfast in the mornings, gives me massages, takes me to get pedicures or manicures. He’ll wash my hair in the shower, make our bed, and is always just so thoughtful. He makes me feel seen and loved.”
God, I was really laying it on thick. Maybe I needed to make this seem a little more realistic, or they would be more suspicious. Was there a man alive who could actually fulfill all those things I yearned for?
Haley nodded, surprising me. “I can’t say I’m surprised. Hunter is a great guy. I’ve been telling you that from the beginning, although I guess you’ve known for a while. He's just a little rough around the edges sometimes. I think it's because he feels like he has to parent everyone.”
“Yeah,” I said. “I know he feels that pressure of being the oldest in the family.”
Haley nodded. “I love Lynn and Bob, but Bob is much harder on Hunter than Cam or Sammy. I really don’t know why. They’re good parents, but there’s just something there. Cam worries about it, but doesn’t know how to fix it.”
“It’s not really something he could fix,” I said.
I thought about everything Hunter had shared with me, and kept it to myself.
“All I know about him is that he is always willing to help out. So it makes me happy if he makes you happy. I just can't believe you hid it from us. I don't know if I can ever forgive you for that,” Alice said, bumping my shoulder with hers. “You know you can tell us anything, right? No matter what it is?”
I sighed, giving two of my best friends an earnest look. I hated this, I realized. I wished it were real. I wished that Hunter really was all of these things and that I was telling them about the dreamy relationship I craved.
“What if I murdered someone?” I asked. “What then?”
“I mean, at least give us time to get the shovels,” Alice said.
I laughed, but then the guilt returned. “We were just getting to know each other and we knew it would be a big deal. And we were wanting to have our privacy while we tried to understand what was actually between us in case it was just a fling.”
Alice thought about it for a moment, and then nodded. “Okay. I get that.”
Haley was more reluctant. I could see her weighing all of my words. “I guess. I just don't know why the two of you had to pretend to hate each other so much.”
“He's as easy to hate as he is to love,” I said.
Haley and Alice accepted that. We kept chatting until Alice eventually brought brunch to the table. As usual, she had the cafe running like a well-oiled machine, but she still jumped in when it got busy. I tried to keep her with us, but one of the new waitresses needed her help.
I took a bite of French toast, looking out the window at the picturesque Main Street that would soon be bustling with people visiting for the Wildflower Festival. I let my mind wander, enjoying the break from my problems.
I needed to send Hunter the spreadsheet. I’d completely forgotten to do that. The two of us needed to make an effort to plan since we were now seen as a team with our engagement.
Then again, he didn’t want to be around me.
“Earth to Emma,” Haley pulled me from my thoughts. “What are you thinking about?”
“The festival,” I said. “I need to get some planning done for that this week.”
“Well, that's a good excuse to bring Hunter over, isn't it? You know, spreadsheets and spreading sheets?”
I barked out a laugh. “Oh god. You’re not wrong.”
“I’d tease you about how long it’s been for you but you’ve been supposedly dating Hunter for months and I imagine that man has quite the appetite.”
Heat crept through my cheeks. Our kiss came roaring back, along with the thought of sitting on his lap again and feeling how damn big he was. I clenched my thighs. “You are ridiculous,” I hissed, glancing around at some of the other cafe patrons. None of them were paying attention to either one of us though.
“Okay. I have two more questions and then I’ll sort of stop giving you hell,” Haley said.
“Good. Go on.”
“One—you’ve dated other people since you’ve supposedly said you started seeing each other? I know you’re both monogamous, and aren’t looking for a situation like Sarah, Sammy, and Colt have. And you and Hunter are probably both a little possessive.”
I certainly was.
Hunter definitely was too.
“Those guys were to help keep you off our trail,” I said lightly. “That’s all.”
“But isn’t that kind of shitty to those guys? I mean I know most of them weren’t even good first dates, but I just can’t imagine Hunter being okay with you going out with someone if you were actually coming home to him.”
“Is that your second question?” I asked.
Haley sighed, scowling as she scooped up a bite of biscuits and gravy. “Okay, okay. Second question—when’s the wedding?”
I feigned a dramatic gasp. “You’re making a pretty big leap there.”
“He’s your fiancé. What—were the two of you going to have a ten-year engagement?”
Dammit. Why did Hunter have to go with the fiancé thing? Why not boyfriend? It had made everything so much more complicated.
“Maybe,” I said. “You never know.”
She shook her head with a smile. “Alright. Okay, I give up. I believe you and this wild story, and I’m excited for you. I’ve always wanted you to find someone who loves you the way you deserve, and if that’s Hunter, then I’m thrilled.”
“Thank you,” I whispered.
She reached over and grabbed my hand, giving me a squeeze. It was moments like this I could tell Honey raised her. I squeezed her hand back right as the back of my neck prickled.
I glanced over my shoulder and immediately swiveled my head back to my food.
Josh was sitting at a booth in the cafe, his eyes focusedon the two of us.
Fuck. The last thing I wanted was for him to approach us and talk to Haley. She didn’t know I even had an ex-husband, and this was not how I wanted her to find out.
Haley frowned, her eyes flickering past me. “Do you know that guy?”
“No,” I lied.
“Hmm.” She scowled. “Should I tell him to stop staring at us like some creep?”
“It’s fine,” I said.
“Okay, now I’m worried about you. You never turn down a chance to fight a man.”
“I didn’t sleep well last night,” I said. “I’m not in the mood.”
Haley frowned. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I swear I’m fine,” I snapped. “Can you please stop asking me?”
She looked away, her eyes tearing up. I winced, realizing my tone had been way too harsh.
“Hal, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you. It’s just been a really weird few days. And I haven’t even asked about you. Are you okay?”
“Not really,” she whispered.
Now, I went into best friend mode. I immediately got up and went to her side of the table, sliding into the booth. “What’s wrong? What happened? Did Cam do something? I will bury him. I will take him out.”
Haley’s blue eyes glistened with tears. “Cam and I have been trying for months to get pregnant. For months . And it hasn’t happened. I feel like a failure. I feel…”
“Fuck,” I whispered, wrapping my arms around her. “You’re not a failure, my love. You are one of the most amazing people I know, Hal. I’m so sorry you’re hurting.”
“I started my period yesterday,” she sniffled, wiping her eyes. “I really got my hopes up that this could be the one. I was a couple days late and really thought this would be it. And Cam is so supportive. He’s so fucking sweet. I cried, and he held me and got us ice cream. He’s just the best. But I want a family. I’m ready for a family. I just don’t know if it’s ever going to happen.”
“Have you made an appointment with your doctor yet? I’ll go with you. We can make it a date,” I said. “See if they have any recommendations for you, and I can get a pap or something.”
“You are the only person who would get a pap smear to make me feel better,” she snorted, leaning into me.
“Well, I love you. I love you so much. You’re my best friend and the whole reason I came here to begin with. And now I have Alice, Sarah, Honey, and everyone else.”
“Hunter,” she reminded me.
Hunter. “Yeah,” I whispered. “Hunter, too. It’s going to be okay. There are so many ways to make a family.”
“I know,” she sighed. She wiped her eyes and sank back against the booth. “I’m sorry I sprang that on you.”
“What are you talking about? Don’t be sorry,” I said. “We tell each other everything.”
As soon as I said that, my gaze flickered up to Josh. He got up from his table, tossing cash down next to his plate. He stole one more glance at us before leaving.
“Sure you don’t know him?” Haley asked cautiously.
“Maybe we went on a date once,” I said.
“A scorned lover of the past, devastated that you slipped through his unreasonably smooth fingertips and into the rough and ready hands of Hunter Harlow.”
We burst out laughing. I bumped my shoulder against hers and stole a piece of bacon off her plate.
“Are we still going on that triple date this week?” Haley asked.
“Yeah,” I said, an idea starting to formulate. “What if instead of a triple date we turned it into a little party? We could invite Alice, Katie, and Anna too.”
The more people we had, the easier it would be to escape scrutiny.
“Ohhh,” That was Haley’s noise of approval. “Okay. I mean, that could work. I feel like we need to set Alice up with someone.”
We both looked over at our friend and I nodded. “Know anyone hot?”
“I’m sure one of us does. I’ll ask around.”
“Excellent,” I chuckled. “Time to force Hunter to be social with all of us.”
“And to finally let the whole world know the truth about you two.”
I felt nauseous all over again. “Yep. That too.”