thirty-one | emberly
THIRTY-ONEEmberly
The intoxicating aroma of maple and vanilla filters through the window screens as I walk toward Will’s cabin, mentally scrolling through the script I’d prepared.
The door swings open a split-second before I reach it.
“Hey, Em.”
Reeve is standing there, looking outdoorsy and adorable in denim overalls and a tank top.
“H-hi.” Exchanging greetings with another woman at seven o’clock in the morning was not in the script.
“Come on in.” She gestures toward the cabin but I start backing up instead.
“Hey Red.” Knox appears behind her. “Joining us for Pancake Saturday?”
“What are you …” Will’s voice trails off when he sees me.
Knox and Reeve exchange a look and disappear inside.
“Pancake Saturday?” Now that I’m face to face with Will, I forgot my opening lines.
“It’s not as fancy as it sounds. They show up early to help clean cabins and I make breakfast first,” Will explains. “Reeve has this compulsion to label everything.” He looks away. “If you need a receipt, I can email it to you. The office doesn’t technically open for another hour.”
“I don’t need a receipt.” I need to get my courage back.
I felt so close to Will last night, but now, he’s treating me the same he would treat any other guest.
I make a decision.
“They smell delicious. I think I will try one.”
I ignore the shocked look on Will’s face and breeze past him.
Reeve and Knox are sitting at the kitchen table and they both stop talking when I step into the room. The silence continues as Will tromps in behind me and grabs another plate.
I slide into one of the empty chairs.
“Your friends are gone?”
Reeve’s question steals my appetite. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but something felt … off … when we’d said our goodbyes. Usually, we’re planning the next reunion before we leave, but Olivia’s upcoming wedding is the priority, so maybe that’s why no one had brought it up.
“They stayed in a hotel by the airport so they wouldn’t have to get up so early.”
I glance at Will just in time to see him stifle a yawn. He looks rough. I want to smooth my fingertips over the shadows under his eyes and make them disappear.
“Iris?” I whisper.
He sets a plate down in front of me. Two sausage links and a pancake shaped like a … bunny? “Still sleeping.”
I want to know more, but I’m not sure what he’s told Reeve and Knox.
He sits down across from me and I can’t help but notice that he’s barely touched his breakfast.
“So, you’re heading back home today, too, Emberly?” Knox reaches across the table and grabs the bottle of maple syrup.
I pull in a breath and slowly release it.
“No.”
“Will mentioned you travel a lot for work.” Reeve snatches the syrup from Knox before it flows over the side of his plate and onto the table. “Where are you headed this time?”
“I’m staying here.”
Will’s fork rattles against his plate. “You’re … what?”
“I’m staying here.” If I was doubting my decision, it feels right when I say the words out loud a second time.
“Here here?” Reeve asks.
“Yes.” If I can convince Will to let me rent the studio again.
“Samantha, one of the guests, is building a vacation home and wants to hire me as her design consultant.” Dottie’s niece is going to have to wait a little longer.
“And I thought I could, um, help with Iris’s birthday party? ” I glance at Reeve. “Unless, you—”
“No.” She looks horrified. “Not my gift.”
Knox leans forward and clasps his hands on the table. “What kind of qualifications do you have, Emberly?”
“Oh. Well, every year I help my grandmother organize a black-tie fundraiser for a local non-profit. And our company hosted a ball for literacy last summer and I served on the hospitality committee …” I pause because they’re all staring at me.
“A ball.” Reeve finally says. “Like a Cinderella type of thing?”
“It was a masquerade ball. Everyone loved the idea, so there was a great turnout, even at fifteen a plate.”
“I would hope so.” Knox chuckles. “I charge more than that for my Friday night fish fry.”
“I think she means fifteen hundred,” Reeve murmurs.
Knox’s eyes widen and he looks at me for confirmation.
I nod.
“Whoa.” His lips purse in a silent whistle. “And, ah, I was kidding about the qualifications, Emberly.”
This was only the second time I’ve met Knox, but I should have figured that out.
Will’s chair scrapes against the floor. “What about your flight? Weren’t you supposed to leave today?”
“Yes.” About fifteen minutes ago. “I canceled it.”
At midnight. Fortunately, I got in touch with Skylar before she was in the air.
I felt bad about the last-minute change in plans, but a storm in Minneapolis had grounded some of the flights and two businessmen were willing to pay double if she could get them to Chicago by three.
She’d also agreed to let me keep Rosie a little longer.
“You canceled it,” Will echoes.
Something in his tone is making me second guess my decision.
“Emberly!”
Iris flies into the kitchen. She’s still in her pajamas and her feet are bare, cheeks pink from sleep.
“I was afraid you’d left without saying goodbye.”
Her arms wrap around my neck and I hug her back. Is it possible to fall in love twice in the same week? I’m beginning to think so.
“I wouldn’t do that,” I whisper. “And it turns out I’m going to stick around a little longer.”
Iris squeals. “Will you be here for my birthday?”
My eyes meet Will’s over her head. He had no control over my decision, but he gets to decide if he’ll accept my help.
“Emberly offered to help with some of the party plans,” he says. “If that’s all right with—”
“Yes!” Iris doesn’t wait for him to finish.
No one else is squealing. Or looking excited, if I’m honest.
I glance at Reeve. I’ve been paying attention—for research purposes only—and haven’t picked up a couple vibe between her and Will. She treats him the same way she treats Knox, with the exasperated affection of a sibling or close friend, but it doesn’t mean she’s ready to accept me into their group.
“It’s a good thing Will had a cancellation this morning,” Reeve finally says.
“A cancellation?” I send up a silent Thank You to God. Because a cancellation means I might get a real bed.
“Firefly.” Will says it almost grudgingly.
“The one right next door?”
His eyes drift closed for a moment. “Yes.”
“Can I have my espresso machine back?”
“Sure.”
“And my bear mug?”
“If I can have my flannel shirt.”
Knox and Reeve are listening, their heads moving back and forth between Will and I like they’re watching a tennis match.
I think about this. “Sorry. No.”
Knox raises his hand. “Um … I’ll start cleaning that one first so Em can move her stuff in.”
“Not me.” Iris claims his spot. “I’m eating breakfast first.”
“Reeve, I’m going to need another load of wood for the firepit.” Will looks at me. “On second thought, you better make it two.”
“No problem.” Reeve drains her cup of coffee and holds out her hand.
Will tosses her a set of keys.
This is why they’re here. Will’s friends both have jobs of their own, but they show up because he needs them. So why does he seem to have a problem letting me help?
“Is there anything I can do?”
“You’re a guest, Em.”
If he’s going to be that way …
“Iris, what are you doing this morning?”
She stabs a piece of pancake and dunks it in maple syrup. Looks at Will. “What am I doing?”
He consults a clipboard on the counter.
“Cleaning the fish house.”
“Let me see that!” I’m not going to believe him without proof.
Will flips it around. Fish House-C.
“Sure.” I look him right in the eye. “No problem.”
He turns toward the stove again, but not before I see him smile.
And I can’t help it. I’m smiling, too.