saw us walking down Main Street, holding hands.” She shook her head at the memory. “I swear, he turned white as a ghost.”
Scott scowled. “He barely said hello to us. Typical.”
“Well, Lucy’s been like the big sister I never had.” She gave him a wan smile.
Scott nodded. “Lucy’s great. But my parents... It was a reflection of them, not you, Emily.”
A shadow darkened her gray eyes. “I’ve been meaning to tell you that I was sorry to hear about your father’s condition.”
Scott stiffened, sobered by the shift in topic. “Thanks.”
“If you ever wanted to talk about it, I’m around.” She hesitated. “I...I understand.” Her eyes pleaded with his in a knowing connection.
“I appreciate that,” he said tightly. He hated that everyone in town knew why he was back. His father was dying; he couldn’t deny it any more than he could hide from it. It was a fact, and in a small town like Maple Woods, the truth had a way of seeping out and spreading like thick molasses. He grimaced to think of the secret he had only managed to harbor by leaving town all those years ago.
Nausea rose in his stomach as he sat in Emily’s presence. Even after everything he had done to her, she was still standing here, offering to be his friend. And he needed a friend, damn it. He needed a friend now more than ever.
The problem was that he wanted a hell of a lot more than friendship from Emily. He wanted everything he knew she could have given him if things had been different. But relationships couldn’t be founded on lies, and in twelve years he still hadn’t found a way to explain himself to her.
“It’s hard to lose a father,” she commented, her eyes once again warming with understanding and all at once Scott knew this was a bad idea. He shouldn’t be near her.
Shame bit at him, and he didn’t trust himself to speak. If he did, he might tell her everything just to set himself free of the weight that he had carried with him for so long. Every word he spoke to her felt like a lie, but the truth was too unbearable to say aloud.
His hand inched across the table. Searching her soft gaze, he saw a kindness there that tugged at his chest. She was compassionate, sweet, but everyone had their limits.
She was watching him closely, her expression so pure, her eyes so trusting and sure, that he had to snatch his hand back before he did something he would later regret.
Finishing her last bite of crust, Emily’s lips twisted with mischief as she eyed the pie. “Since you’ve had thirds, I suppose I may as well have seconds....”
“You don’t want me eating alone.” Scott smiled.
“No, that would be rude....”
“And it would give you a reason to stay and chat a little longer—”
A shadow crossed over Emily’s face but when her lips curled into a slow smile, his heart soared. “I’d like that. I’d like that very much, actually.”
Not tonight, he decided as he placed another slice of pie on her plate. Tonight wasn’t the night to make up for the sins of his past. Tonight he was simply going to enjoy the present.
* * *
Julia was already home by the time Emily turned the key in the door, and she forced a sober expression as she stepped into the kitchen, where her sister was preparing a pot of tea.
“Want a cup?” Julia asked, barely sparing her a glance.
“I’d love one.” Emily slipped off her sandals while Julia stacked the teapot, two mugs and a plate of cookies on an old wooden tray and then followed her into the living room.
“You’re getting home late tonight,” Julia observed, carefully setting the tray on the coffee table—it rattled precariously from the weight and Emily reached out a hand to steady it. “Thanks.” Her sister settled back into the sofa and pulled a chenille throw on top of her pajama-clad legs. While the day had been warm with sunshine, a cool spring breeze filtered in through the cracked window. “If Lucy keeps working you this hard, you’re going to
Scott scowled. “He barely said hello to us. Typical.”
“Well, Lucy’s been like the big sister I never had.” She gave him a wan smile.
Scott nodded. “Lucy’s great. But my parents... It was a reflection of them, not you, Emily.”
A shadow darkened her gray eyes. “I’ve been meaning to tell you that I was sorry to hear about your father’s condition.”
Scott stiffened, sobered by the shift in topic. “Thanks.”
“If you ever wanted to talk about it, I’m around.” She hesitated. “I...I understand.” Her eyes pleaded with his in a knowing connection.
“I appreciate that,” he said tightly. He hated that everyone in town knew why he was back. His father was dying; he couldn’t deny it any more than he could hide from it. It was a fact, and in a small town like Maple Woods, the truth had a way of seeping out and spreading like thick molasses. He grimaced to think of the secret he had only managed to harbor by leaving town all those years ago.
Nausea rose in his stomach as he sat in Emily’s presence. Even after everything he had done to her, she was still standing here, offering to be his friend. And he needed a friend, damn it. He needed a friend now more than ever.
The problem was that he wanted a hell of a lot more than friendship from Emily. He wanted everything he knew she could have given him if things had been different. But relationships couldn’t be founded on lies, and in twelve years he still hadn’t found a way to explain himself to her.
“It’s hard to lose a father,” she commented, her eyes once again warming with understanding and all at once Scott knew this was a bad idea. He shouldn’t be near her.
Shame bit at him, and he didn’t trust himself to speak. If he did, he might tell her everything just to set himself free of the weight that he had carried with him for so long. Every word he spoke to her felt like a lie, but the truth was too unbearable to say aloud.
His hand inched across the table. Searching her soft gaze, he saw a kindness there that tugged at his chest. She was compassionate, sweet, but everyone had their limits.
She was watching him closely, her expression so pure, her eyes so trusting and sure, that he had to snatch his hand back before he did something he would later regret.
Finishing her last bite of crust, Emily’s lips twisted with mischief as she eyed the pie. “Since you’ve had thirds, I suppose I may as well have seconds....”
“You don’t want me eating alone.” Scott smiled.
“No, that would be rude....”
“And it would give you a reason to stay and chat a little longer—”
A shadow crossed over Emily’s face but when her lips curled into a slow smile, his heart soared. “I’d like that. I’d like that very much, actually.”
Not tonight, he decided as he placed another slice of pie on her plate. Tonight wasn’t the night to make up for the sins of his past. Tonight he was simply going to enjoy the present.
* * *
Julia was already home by the time Emily turned the key in the door, and she forced a sober expression as she stepped into the kitchen, where her sister was preparing a pot of tea.
“Want a cup?” Julia asked, barely sparing her a glance.
“I’d love one.” Emily slipped off her sandals while Julia stacked the teapot, two mugs and a plate of cookies on an old wooden tray and then followed her into the living room.
“You’re getting home late tonight,” Julia observed, carefully setting the tray on the coffee table—it rattled precariously from the weight and Emily reached out a hand to steady it. “Thanks.” Her sister settled back into the sofa and pulled a chenille throw on top of her pajama-clad legs. While the day had been warm with sunshine, a cool spring breeze filtered in through the cracked window. “If Lucy keeps working you this hard, you’re going to
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