I can’t help but scoff. Leo, we are friends. Heck, we’re more like family at this point. And Emmie, she’s basically my sister. What if you break her heart?
What if I don’t? He’s quick with the comeback.
Jasper glances up before doing a double take at the two of us.
He’s talking to you, isn’t he? Jasper pins those pale gray eyes to mine for a moment and I give the hint of a nod.
Emmie leans in. “Why is everyone exchanging looks?” She sucks in a quick breath. Wait. Leo’s not going to propose, is he? We’re totally not at that stage. But then again, things have been moving kind of quickly. My God, Bizzy and I can have that double wedding we’ve always dreamed of.
A hard groan comes from me.
Emmie reaches over. “Bizzy, are you okay?”
“I just need a drink.” I take a few aggressive gulps of the ice water before me and nearly choke on the effort. See? I glance to Leo. It’s not fair that you read her mind. I’m not sure if I want my best friend’s significant other to be able to pry into her private places.
A sly smile rides on his lips. Sorry to say it, Biz. I’ve already pried into her private places.
“Gah!” I bounce back in my seat and Emmie looks my way. The expression on her face lets me know she’s more than a little worried about me.
“Thought I saw a spider,” I’m quick with the lie. More like a roach. I tick my head to Leo. Sorry, but again, she’s like my sister. Leo, you can’t date Emmie. She’s starting to get serious, like really serious. And believe me, she’s been known to wield the L word around.
He nods as he looks down at his menu. She’s said it.
“What?” I hiss as I slap my own menu up over my face. I slowly lower my menu, only to find Emmie’s eyes ready to spring right out of her head. “I can’t believe they don’t have calamari.” I give a slight shrug her way.
“They do, Bizzy. It’s an appetizer.” She giggles to Leo. “Bizzy and I are a little addicted.”
Leo expands his lips. “Then we’ll get two.”
Jasper knocks his knee to mine. Everything okay?
I’m slow to nod his way and I think he gets the hint.
Leo, I all but hiss internally. I can’t believe Emmie said I love you. Now what are we going to do? You’re going to have to break things off with her. This is exactly what I was afraid of. Now she’s going to have a broken heart—and right before my wedding. Way to ruin my big day, Leo. Not to mention my poor bestie’s heart.
He inches back a notch. Wait a minute. I think I know what’s going on. You don’t want things to get serious between Emmie and me because you’re afraid I’ll tell her my secret.
Everything in me freezes. My God, he’s right.
Of course, I’m right. He curls his menu in his hands. Bizzy, you don’t ever plan on telling her about your gift, do you?
A horrid flood of emotions hits me right in the gut. I knew I’d be feeling certain things at tonight’s dinner, I just had no idea grief was one of them.
I shake my head just enough. No. I don’t know why. I should have told her right from the beginning. But I didn’t, and now I’m terrified she’ll hate me if she ever finds out the truth. I’m not hiding some small secret, Leo. This is huge. She’ll know that I had the ability to pry into her private thoughts all these years and I never bothered to clue her into something so strange, something that she’ll probably classify as fantastic right up until she begins to question our friendship. I can’t lose Emmie, Leo. And face it, when you find the one, you’re probably going to tell her. I lower my menu a notch. You’d tell her, right?
He takes a deep breath and shoots Jasper a look. Yes, I plan on telling my wife. And if that wife happens to be Emmie, she would know.
I swallow hard. I’m afraid I’ll lose her, Leo.
The waitress comes by and takes our order and I try my best to stuff my feelings.
Jasper leans my way once she leaves. You’re afraid of Emmie finding out, aren’t you?
I bite hard on my lower lip. Apparently, I’m as easy to read as a billboard.
“What is going on?” Emmie giggles as she kicks me under the table. “I’d swear the three of you were in on some big deep, dark secret.” She lifts her shoulders toward Leo. “Go on, spill it. If Bizzy is in on it, then I’m as good as in on it, too. Bizzy and I don’t keep any secrets from one another. Believe me, she couldn’t keep a whopper from me if she wanted to. And if she did, I’d disown her.” She winks my way.
A dull sigh expels from me. And there you have it. All of my worst fears in a nutshell. She might be winking now, but I’m guessing a full-blown strangulation would take place if she knew just how long I’ve been keeping a secret of this diabolical nature.
Jasper tips his head back a notch. “Bizzy thinks the world of you, Emmie. If she were keeping a secret from you, it would most likely be out of love. She cares about you.”
Her lips twist. “Well, I don’t care for secrets. And I’m not too thrilled with surprises either. I’ve expertly unwrapped all of my Christmas presents early for the last twenty plus years running. Isn’t that right, Bizzy?” She gives a cheeky grin my way. “Biz knows all my deep, dark secrets and I know all of hers.” She sucks in her bottom lip as she looks from Leo to me. “So who’s going to tell me?”
The waitress pops up with two giant platters brimming with calamari, and I’ve never been so happy to see a
