33. Emma
33
EMMA
I was more nervous than I needed to be showing up at Marcus’s house. I took a deep breath and pushed it out through puckered lips as I looked up the steps to the front door.
“You can do this,” I muttered under my breath.
I honestly didn’t know whether I was more nervous for what I needed to tell Marcus or for facing down Lily. She was his daughter, and I understood that she would be a priority to him. If it came down to choosing… I wasn’t stupid. I’ve read my share of internet stories. He would choose her, at least for the last few years she was at home. Would I be able to hang in there, waiting until it was my turn? I didn’t have three years to wait and see. I had eight months at best.
I rang the doorbell and waited, hoping that I would be greeted by either Marcus’s or Jason’s friendly face. I hated to admit it, but Lily’s attitude toward me the last time I was here had me on edge.
Lily opened the door.
I sucked in a sharp breath and pasted a nervous smile on my face. “Hi, Lily.”
She actually wasn’t scowling at me, so maybe this wouldn’t be so bad. And I desperately needed it not to be so bad, especially with the information I needed to tell her father.
“Come on in. Dad’s out back grilling.” She took a step backward, allowing me to come inside.
“Dr. Emma!” Jason’s enthusiastic call had me laughing as he charged down the hall at me.
I didn’t brace myself appropriately enough as he came in and gave me a big hug. The breath I had been holding was forced out of me with an “ Uff !”
“Oh, my God, Jason, put her down! You didn’t ask if you could do that,” Lily chastised her brother.
I blinked a couple of times, surprised at Lily’s comment.
“You’re supposed to ask if you can touch people, idiot.” She smacked her brother against the back of his head.
“Sorry,” he said, rubbing at the back of his head. “Sorry, Dr. Emma. I was just so happy to see you again.”
“I’m happy to see you again too, Jason. You are absolutely allowed to hug me,” I said, making sure not to negate Lily’s comment but to reinforce it while letting Jason know I was more than open to his affection.
“Dad’s out back. Come on.” Jason latched onto my hand and began tugging me toward the back of the house.
“You made it,” Marcus said, a grin spreading across his face. “Let Dr. Emma walk on her own. Go get her a drink.”
Jason let go of me after practically pulling me down the steps to the flagstone deck at the back of the house. I rubbed at the spot on my wrist. The kid had a strong grip. “You have Sprite or something like that?” I said to Jason before turning my attention to Marcus. “Why wouldn’t I have made it?”
“Didn’t want you to get lost. After all, New York is a big city,” Marcus joked.
“I managed to find my way around here just fine, thank you,” I teased right back.
The atmosphere felt jovial and friendly, like I belonged. I had truly missed everyone’s company, even Lily’s—though I suspected she did not miss mine at all.
“I thought I would grill up some steaks, get us some brain food, because we have a lot of work to get done today.”
I nodded in agreement. “Brain food sounds good.”
“Did James finally call you?”
“Oh, he called me. I thought you’d like to hear that I have accepted. I will be back in the halls and ER at Manhattan Memorial.”
“It’s good to have you back,” Marcus said. There was something about his soft smile that sent nerves skittering up and down my spine.
“It’s nice to be back,” I admitted.
“You really have them convinced we can come up with a decent enough proposition to instigate an actual intake protocol?” I asked.
“Here you go, Dr. Emma.” Jason was back and handed me a cold can of soda.
“I think we have enough proof that we can come up with a decent proposal to justify hiring someone full-time for what you were doing the other night.”
“I guess you’re right. We do have our work cut out for us.” I laughed.
“Dr. Emma,” Lily said, interrupting our work banter.
I raised my eyebrows in her direction. “Yes, Lily?”
“Would you be willing to show me how to make that peanut butter and cucumber salad again?” she asked.
I must have opened and closed my mouth like a goldfish gaping for air. Her request was so completely unexpected.
“I think I could,” I managed to stammer out. “I’d be delighted.”
I turned a quick questioning glance to Marcus. He was smiling and nodding at Lily as if he were pleased with her actions. Maybe they had discussed this previously, or maybe he was just acknowledging that she was doing the right thing.
I certainly didn’t want to jeopardize whatever this olive branch she was holding out to me could potentially be.
“Yes, of course. That would be great.”
“I made sure that we got the little baby cucumbers and we still had that chili sauce.” Everything she said was careful and tentative, as if she were more afraid of me than I was of her.
“That sounds fantastic.”
“Why don’t you ladies go put that together? Steaks will be done in the next twenty minutes or so.”
“Have you been grilling all morning?” I asked.
“All morning long,” Lily said with an eye roll. There was the girl I remembered.
I followed her into the kitchen, where she paused in front of the refrigerator. She started pulling items out and setting them on the counter.
“Dr. Emma,” she started. From the tone of her voice, it sounded as if she had something important to say, so I kept my mouth shut. “I’m really sorry about how I acted the last time you were here. And I also need to apologize for trying to make trouble for you at work.”
I was shocked at her confession. I involuntarily barked out a nervous laugh. “I seriously doubt anything you tried to do was any worse than the bullshit my ex-boyfriend was trying to pull.”
“But Dad said?—”
I held up my hand as I shook my head. “Whatever your dad said, I’m not saying he’s wrong. What I’m saying is, I accept your apology. A lot of people have been trying to make trouble for me at work, and your apology is the only one that matters.” I blinked at the sudden overwhelming emotion I suddenly experienced and the tears that filled my eyes. “Can I hug you?” I asked Lily, quelling the natural urge I had to reach out and pull her in.
“You want to hug me?” she asked.
“I do. Come here.” I pulled her into a gentle hug, feeling her resistance at first, and then her entire body seemed to relax as she returned the hug.
“I’ve been a total bitch,” she confessed.
“Are those your words or somebody else’s?” I asked.
“My words. Self-realization,” she said. “Dad’s right. He deserves a chance at being happy, even after Mom…” She swallowed. “It’s not your fault Mom got sick, and it’s not fair of me to expect him to never be happy again simply because Mom’s gone.”
She took a deep breath. “So I just want you to know, if you want to date my dad, I think that would be a really great idea. Because I’m pretty sure he wants to date you.”
I gulped a couple of times. That was all so very unexpected. I was absolutely pleased by it, but still… so very unexpected. “You think Jason will also think it’s a good idea?”
“I’m pretty sure that Jason would be thrilled if Dad started dating you.” She smirked. “I don’t think he’s old enough to realize he’s got a crush on you, so having you around is only going to make him happier than he already is.”
“He is a happy kid,” I admitted. Jason had strong golden retriever energy coming from him. “Well, for the record,” I told Lily, “I am only here today to discuss a work project. However, if it comes up about, you know, me and your dad dating, I’ll keep in mind what you said.”
“You aren’t going to turn my dad down.”
I could hear the near aggravation in her voice.
“I don’t have any intention of turning your dad down if this potential comes knocking on the door. Let’s just keep in mind that right now, this is all nothing but speculation. Okay?”
She nodded, hopefully understanding that whatever her father and I decided, it wasn’t decided just yet. And once Marcus heard the very non-business-related news I had for him, I didn’t know how any of this was going to play out.
As Lily chopped cucumbers and I made the peanut chili sauce for the salad, something happened. A shift. A change. I don’t know if I would say a miracle occurred, but Lily started talking to me—just talking and asking questions. It wasn’t an interrogation. It was just a normal conversation.
“I thought you went to L.A., but you’re back. I thought you moved.”
“I had moved, but it turns out L.A. was not a good fit for me. I’m a New York girl through and through. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
“So you just gave up and came back?”
“I don’t know if I would call it giving up. I’d call it admitting I was wrong.” I glanced at her, wondering how this conversation had turned so introspective. “And I think one of the most grown-up things a person can do is admit when they’re wrong, apologize where necessary, and course correct. Just because we make decisions that turn out to be bad choices, they don’t have to define us. We’re allowed to say, ‘I was wrong, and I will do better.’”
I didn’t know what Lily was planning to say next because at that moment, Jason came bursting into the kitchen.
“Can I come in now?” he asked with great drama.
“Of course, you can,” I said.
“Dad said you had to talk.”
“Oh, my God, you loser. Yes, we’ve talked, and we’re talking now,” Lily said with an eye roll.
Lunch was wonderful. I regaled them with the horrors of L.A. traffic—which really is as bad as they always make it out to be in the movies—and everyone laughed. There were no upended chairs, no fights. It was exactly what I needed.
Every time I looked over at Marcus, the way his face softened as he smiled at me, I knew this was where I belonged.
“Okay, kids, I cooked, you clean. Dr. Emma and I have some work to do.”
I followed him into the study and carefully closed the door behind me.
“Marcus, before we get started, there’s something I need to tell you.”