Chapter 7 #4
“I agree,” Ben said with a nod. “I think you should go for it, Em.”
Emmy glared at him, for once not appreciating his reflex to appease his future wife. “You’re just saying that to keep her
happy.”
He leaned back in his chair and threw an arm around Piper’s tanned shoulders left bare by her sundress. “Yes, as is my duty.”
Piper squealed a joyful little sound and leaned in to rub his nose with hers again.
Emmy thought she might choke on the syrupy emotion gushing out of them at lethal levels. “You guys need to dial it back. Seriously.
I know you’re getting married in two weeks, but the sweetest thing in here should be the crullers.” She picked up the sticky
pastry on her plate and took a bite. The glaze was called something pretentious like Amalfi lemon zest , but it was divine. She washed it down with another gulp of mimosa and did almost choke when her sister snapped out her hand
and grabbed her phone.
“Fine. I’ll invite him for you.”
It might have been the fastest Emmy had ever moved in her life. She dropped her mimosa flute, knocking it over into Ben’s
lap, and reached for her phone in Piper’s hands. Her nimble fingers had already started typing by the time Emmy ripped it
away.
“Piper! No!” Her shrill cry turned a few heads as Piper jerked back.
Ben popped out of his seat to deal with the spilled drink and politely waved at the guests of his same ilk looking on as if
he’d brought two heathens to brunch. Surely his parents would hear about their abhorrent behavior.
“Jeez, Em. Chill out!” Piper said. Her face flushed with embarrassment.
Emmy’s heart was pounding so hard her hands shook. Adrenaline shot through her body like lightning as she assessed her sister’s dam age. The message to Axe Murderer had at least been cut off, but what did exist of it would be hard to explain.
We should
Her speeding heart sank. The statement had an obvious ending, and she could only imagine what thoughts were running through
Axe Murderer’s mind right now. If she had snatched her phone away one second later, Piper would have successfully finished
the invitation: We should meet.
Axe Murderer’s typing dots didn’t appear, and Emmy wasn’t sure what it meant. Was he panicking like she was? Was he...
hoping? Her stomach flipped with worry on both counts.
She convinced herself he hadn’t replied because he was busy. Perhaps driving to the ballpark or picking out his lucky jersey
to wear.
She glared at Piper. “I can’t believe you did that.”
Her sister’s face was still an embarrassed pink, probably because people were still staring. “You didn’t have to overreact,
Em,” she scolded under her breath.
Ben was still standing and blotting his pants with one of the embroidered napkins thick as a sail. “I’m going to run to the
restroom and give you two a minute. I’ll be right back.” He pressed a kiss on the top of Piper’s head. She gazed up at him
with an apologetic look and mouthed Sorry . He mouthed back It’s fine and softly smiled before he walked away.
Guilt punched Emmy in the gut for making a scene. “I’m sorry,” she said to Piper once they were alone. “I didn’t mean to cause
a scene, but you shouldn’t have done that.”
Piper pinched the stem of her champagne flute and twirled it between her fingers. “I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have grabbed
your phone, but I was only trying to help.”
“Well, let’s hope you didn’t cause irreparable damage,” Emmy replied with a sigh. She glanced at her phone again. Still no
response.
Piper laid her hand out palm-up on the table in a show of penance. “Em, what’s the big deal? You like this guy, right? Why don’t you just ask him to meet?”
Emmy twisted her lips, battling wanting to tell her the truth and fearing how desperate it might make her sound. But if she
could be stripped down and vulnerable with anyone, it was the person she used to take bubble baths with as a kid. “Because
everything so far has been perfect, and I’m worried if I meet him in person, it won’t be anymore. Not to mention, I don’t
know how I’d have time to start something with someone given work and the promotion and the fact that—”
“If you’re about to say you can’t have both , I have to stop you right there. Just because that dickwad Jacob told you that was the case, it doesn’t mean it’s true. I
mean, you spend hours every day texting this guy already, so in a way, you’ve already figured out how to have both.”
Emmy paused, not having thought of that. Piper was right: she did spend a fair chunk of each day tapping away at her phone
screen with Axe Murderer. But even then, the convenience of texting was different from being in a relationship. They could
come and go around their schedules with no commitment or pressure. Even with the undeniable connection they had, what would
happen if he didn’t like how she prioritized her time in real life?
“I don’t know, Piper. What if meeting him in person ruins everything?”
“But what if it doesn’t?” Piper said with an excited flash of her eyes. “What if it’s even better than what you have right now?” She glanced over her shoulder and leaned in. She lowered her voice and spoke out of one side
of her mouth. “I mean, I don’t know what kind of sexting you’ve been getting up to, but you know, the real thing can’t really
compare.”
“Piper! Ew!” Emmy said with an embarrassed laugh. “Please don’t ever talk to me about sexting again. You are my baby sister !”
She threw up her hands with a grin. “What! I’m only speaking the truth!”
Emmy had a mind to wad up her napkin and throw it at her but surely that would earn them another scandalized glare from the
nearby diners. Instead, she let out a long breath and felt honesty bubbling up to the surface. “I guess I’m just... scared.”
Piper’s face grew as serious as Emmy had ever seen it. She leaned in again, lowering her voice once more. “Em, you think I’m
not scared? You think I’m not fucking terrified of this world I’m marrying into?” She picked up a shiny silver fork. “Is this a dinner fork? A salad fork? I have no idea!
And this shit matters to these people! I don’t know what I’m doing half the time and always worried I’m going to say the wrong thing, but you know
why I’m still here? Because I love Ben. He’s worth every second of it. I may be scared, but I know he’s got my back no matter
what.” She reached out and gripped Emmy’s hand. “Maybe your guy is scared too, and the two of you have to make the leap together.
And when you do, you’ll realize there’s actually nothing to be afraid of because you’ve got each other’s backs.”
Emmy stared at her little sister in awe. She’d never heard her express such feelings about the world Ben lived in. Given her
princess obsession dating back to childhood, she’d always assumed Piper was born ready to step into the glass slippers. Looking
at her sitting across from her now with sun-kissed skin, a beachy blowout, diamond studs in her ears, and a classy Sunday
dress, Emmy couldn’t help but see the little girl she used to play dress-up with. At the same time, Piper looked like a grown
woman who knew exactly what she wanted.
Emmy squeezed her hand back, feeling a rush of affection for her and a sense of wanting to protect her from anything she might
be afraid of. “For the record, you don’t look scared,” she said. “You look like you belong.” She meant it as a compliment,
and based on the glowing smile on Piper’s face, she took it as one.
“That actually means a lot to me to hear. Thank you.”
“Thank you . For saying all that. How’d you get so smart?”
“I have a good role model,” Piper said, and squeezed her hand again as Ben returned.
“Are those new pants?” Emmy said when he approached. She’d been fully prepared to apologize for making him look like he’d
had an accident, but in place of the awkward crotch stain she expected, she saw a pair of navy chinos he had not been wearing
when he left the table.
“Yes. I had a fresh pair in my locker.” He kissed Piper’s head again on his way down into his chair.
“Ah, yes. As one does at a yacht club,” Emmy said, and toasted him with the fresh mimosa their waiter had set on the table.
Piper shot her a glare before she shifted into a grin. “Speaking of boat stuff ,” she said, and shimmied her shoulders. “I am so stoked for next weekend.”
Ben lovingly tucked her hair behind her ear, showing off the rock of a diamond stud he’d given her as an engagement gift.
“Next weekend? Oh, right. The bachelorette party.”
“Yes!” Piper sang and clapped her hands. “Emmy booked us a booze cruise. The besties and I will be partying on a boat all
night. No boys allowed.” She booped him on the nose and scrunched up her face.
“Please just don’t end up needing me to bail you out in Mexico,” Ben said with a teasing sigh and a glance at Emmy.
Emmy held up her hands in innocence. “I am not the captain. I’m only the party coordinator.”
“And it’s going to be one hell of a party,” Piper said, and bounced her brows before diving into her fresh mimosa.