Chapter 5
Emma
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Emma looked up from her desk and over at the front door. She had gotten caught up in doing some bookkeeping for Barking Orders and hadn’t been watching the time. She closed her laptop and stood up, doing a quick scan of the room to make sure everything looked tidy. After deeming it good enough, she walked over to the door and opened it, finding Kara with a few shopping bags and a houseplant.
“Happy housewarming!”
Kara said, handing Emma the plant.
“Oh Kara, you didn’t have to get me anything! But I appreciate it. This is beautiful.”
“It’s a succulent. Doesn’t need a lot of water and loves the sun.”
“Perfect. This room gets a flood of light during the day.”
Emma placed it by the window next to the door before giving Kara a hug. “Thanks for coming. I’ve been looking forward to this night ever since you called.”
“I brought the ice cream and a few other vegan goodies.”
Kara set the bags on the coffee table. “Now, get some spoons and we’ll find something good to watch.”
“Well, I only got a few more receipts to reconcile. It won’t take too long.”
Kara waved her hand dismissively. “You deserve a break, Emma. It’s time to relax!”
Emma chuckled. “Alright. I guess it can wait until morning. Let me grab those spoons.”
Once she returned, she plopped onto the couch and picked up the remote. Below her, Riley lounged at her feet, eying the ice cream on the table.
“You know what’s crazy? I haven’t watched anything since I moved in. I guess I’ve been too busy with unpacking. I haven’t had much time to just sit and take some time to myself.”
Kara grabbed a spoon from the table and moved the ice cream tub between them. “Well, keeping busy is good. It can be a distraction from other things.”
“Yeah, it can be. So, what are we gonna watch?”
After scrolling through a couple dozen movies, they finally settled on The Wedding Singer. Emma had forgotten how funny the movie was, and soon she and Kara were roaring in laughter. As they tore into the ice cream, Emma savored each bite, feeling its creaminess and the crunchiness of the peanut butter chips mingling in her mouth. The sweetness of the chocolate and the saltiness of the chips were perfectly balanced, making it impossible to stop eating. When Riley realized he wouldn’t get any, he got up and skulked over to his dog bed, giving each of them a pleading look.
Emma reached for another spoonful and heard it hit the bottom with a clink. “We really ate that whole thing, didn’t we?”
She looked down at the empty tub.
“It was so good! I’ll throw this away so we can start on the other snacks.”
“Do you want me to pause it?”
“No, no, that’s okay. I’ll just be a minute.”
As the conversation faded, Emma’s eyes turned back to the screen, where a scene unfolded that struck uncomfortably close to home. Watching Glenn confess his infidelity to Robbie along with his plans to continue doing so, her thoughts involuntarily drifted to her painful past with Chad. An icy chill ran through her as memories of the dreadful day she had discovered his betrayal resurfaced. The scene on the screen awakened a deep and lingering wound, and for a moment, the boundaries between the movie and her own reality seemed to blur.
Kara walked back into the room, snacks in hand. The tension in Emma’s posture was unmistakable. “Sorry Em, I forgot about this part. Let’s find a different movie. What do you think?”
Emma nodded, wrestling to keep her emotions in check. “I think that’s a good idea.”
“No problem.”
Kara reached for the remote. “Do you like action movies?”
Emma raised an eyebrow. “Do you?”
“Well, possibly, if it has a good story line.”
Kara stopped flipping through the endless Netflix suggestions. “Here we go. How about this one?”
Emma looked up at the screen, relieved to see a spy thriller movie without a hint of romance.
“Sure, that’ll be fine.”
“Great. I’ve been wanting to see this one for a while now, but Charlotte never wants to watch them with me. She’s more into texting boys than hanging out with her mom these days.”
“You know how we were when we were her age. Can you blame her?”
Emma smirked before stuffing an Oreo in her mouth. “We’re not cool anymore.”
“Speak for yourself. I’ll always be cool.”
With a shared laugh, they settled into the movie. As the plot unfolded, Emma’s mind wandered, and she found herself feeling grateful for Kara’s friendship that had blossomed after she adopted Riley from her rescue. Since then, they had bonded over their shared passion for animals, spending countless hours together helping strays in the community.
After the movie was over, and as the credits rolled, Kara stretched her arms over her head, letting out a yawn. “It’s getting late. We should do it again soon.”
“This was a lot of fun...I didn’t know how much I needed it.”
Kara threw her arms around Emma, pulling her into a hug. “I’m here for you anytime. You know that, right?”
“I know. You never let me forget.”
Kara let go of her and stood up. “I’m leaving the rest of the goodies for you.”
Emma walked her over to the door, opening it for her. “Next time we’ll do it at your place, and I’ll bring the snacks.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“Goodnight, Kara. Get home safe.”
Kara waved as she climbed into her car. Emma stood at the door, watching Kara drive off, her skin tingling with the humidity of a summer night in South Georgia, while the distant chorus of cicadas serenaded the twilight.
Once she was back inside, Emma started clearing the mess they had made on the table and took out the trash. After tidying up, she noticed the time, surprised at how quickly the hours had slipped by. As she prepared to turn in for the night, she glanced over at the dog bed, finding it empty.
“Riley?”
Emma’s heart raced as she scanned the small cottage’s living area, then headed into the only bedroom, searching for him. Her concern turned to relief when she found Riley hiding under the bed in the corner of the room.
“There you are. Come on boy, it’s night night time.”
As she changed into her pajamas, Riley hopped onto the bed, finding his favorite spot near the pillows. She turned off the lights, and the two of them lay down together, with the sound of gentle waves outside her bedroom window lulling her to sleep.
The next morning, Emma woke up to Riley’s wet tongue sliding across her cheek. She giggled and reached up to scratch behind his ears.
“Well, good morning to you too!”
He let out a whine and wagged his tail.
“Okay, okay. I’m getting up,”
she said, sitting up and stretching her arms.
Emma fed Riley his breakfast and then slipped into the shower. Once dressed, she made her way to the small office nook in her living room, flipping open her laptop. An unread email caught her eye—it was from a supermarket in the nearby town of Bridwell Bay. As the words registered, her eyes widened. Bayview Foods had placed the largest order she had ever received for her homemade dog treat business.
A thrill coursed through her veins, and she let out a gasp. “Well, today just got interesting.”
Riley ambled into the living room and put his head on Emma’s lap, signaling he was ready for his morning walk. “Okay boy. It’s gonna have to be a quick one. Momma’s got a lot to do today.”
After sending a quick thank-you reply and closing her laptop, she made her way toward the backdoor, Riley jumping and pawing at her legs. “Hold on, mister!”
she laughed, fumbling for his leash. “Let me get this on you first.”
The moment the door opened, Riley dashed out, dragging Emma behind him.
When they returned, she was panting, a smile still playing on her face. “Where’d all this energy come from?”
she asked Riley, more a statement than a question, as he darted through the cottage. In the kitchen, she reached for a glass of water, and Riley trotted in, tongue lolling. “Wore yourself out, huh? I bet you’re thirsty too, after all those zoomies,” she said, pouring fresh water into his bowl.
Guilt gnawed at Emma as she thought about leaving Riley alone, especially with the Fourth of July approaching and the possibility of early firework displays. She knew he hated the loud noises.
“Okay, buddy, I need to head out for a bit.”
She bent down, ruffling his fur and planted a gentle kiss on his head. “You be a good boy, okay?”
With a last affectionate glance, she grabbed her purse and headed out the front door.