“But you didn’t tell me,” I said. “You messed with me.”
“Big time,” she said. “Hey. I burned cookies in front of you tonight. I fell off a stepladder in front of you tonight. Can I just have this one?”
I nodded.
I studied her eyes.
Her face.
Her messy hairline and the way nothing ever seemed to match on her… but her smile and heart and kindness…
I slowly flexed my hand so the jolts of pain would chase away the thoughts.
“You know, all in all, not a bad night,” I said.
“I told you it wasn’t a bad night,” she said.
“Sounds like we both need better nights out then,” I said.
“You’re the one who goes out and gets into bar fights.”
“Right,” I said.
That wasn’t exactly my dream night out.
I much preferred… tonight.
As I waited to get my checkout paperwork, the nurse walked by again and touched my right arm.
“You and your wife enjoy the rest of your night,” she said.
I opened my mouth to tell her Emily wasn’t my wife.
But… again… did it really matter?
So I responded with one word.
“Thanks.”
“Are we calling it a night?” I asked.
“I think we should,” Emily said. “We can work on it again tomorrow. Deal?”
“That’s good. You sure you don’t want me to get you home safe? Make sure you didn’t burn the building down?”
“Only one of us ended up in the hospital tonight, Liam.”
“Ouch. And that was only because I caught you,” I said.
“So you are blaming me for your wrist?”
“I think I am,” I said. “You could have done something.”
“You were cruising away.”
“You ran over pretty quick once I fell,” I said. “I was waiting for you to take your phone out and get some pictures.”
Emily snapped her fingers. “Damn, I should have done that.”
“Ouch again,” I said.
“Goodnight, Liam,” she said.
We stood outside the hospital, ready to get into two separate cars and go home to two separate places.
“You know, I never got those cookies for your neighbor,” I said.
“No, you didn’t.”
“You’re just going to keep cutting into me, aren’t you?”
“Yeah,” she said. “It’s kind of fun. And really easy right now.” She patted my chest. “Toughen up, Liam, so you can handle me.”
She turned and my right hand started to reach for her but I stopped myself.
I, again, flexed my left hand, needing the pain to chase away what my mind was about to think.
Emily got into a car and that car drove off.
I then reached for my phone and sent Miranda a text about my wrist.
I kept it simple. So she wouldn’t panic.
She didn’t respond until I got home twenty minutes later.
Sorry. Busy day. Are you okay? Do you need a cast? How long will you need to wear it? How in the world did you fall?
I studied the text as I walked with a beer tucked under my arm since I could only use my right hand and arm.
I sat down on the couch and put my phone down and used my pointer finger to peck away.
Long story. I’m fine. No cast. Just sore. I’m going to get some sleep now. What a night.
Miranda replied with a thumb’s up emoji.
I swallowed hard, thinking about all the things we should have been saying to each other but didn’t. Thinking about things I wanted to say but wasn’t sure how to string the words together without causing chaos.
Or maybe it was just the emotions of the day and night catching up to me.
I looked at the bedroom and had no desire to sleep in that bed alone again.
Everything in the bedroom - right down to the pillowcases - was picked out by Miranda.
So I stayed on the couch.
I put on some old punk music through the sound system on the TV and smiled.
It was such bad music… but it always meant something to me.
My phone vibrated with another text.
It was Emily this time.
How’s the wrist? Mess up any more basic skateboarding tricks on the way home? ;)
I literally laughed out loud.
I’m home. I’m fine. I just did a one-handed handstand with my left hand. I’m good as new. Hey - how about the doctor and nurse calling you my wife? What a crazy night, Em.
I sent the text and waited for a reply like I was waiting for an email about a job offer.
When a message came though, it was like a jolt of relief.
Must mean we look good together. We’re going to need that to plan your wedding, right? I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Stay safe. ;)
I wished her goodnight and thanked her for sticking around after I hurt myself.
Then I sat back on the couch.
I drank the beer.
My left wrist had a dull ache in it.
Nothing compared to what was floating through my head and heart.
Chapter Eighteen
Emily
“Did you have sex last night?”
“What?” I yelled so loud that half the people in line looked at me.
Lucy smiled big and pointed at me. “Something is different.”
“Nothing is different,” I said. “And don’t talk like that when we have customers here. I’ll fire you next time.”
“No, you won’t,” she said. “And I want an answer to that question.”
She went back to the register and I went to the back of the bakery.
Ember had the kitchen in full swing. She moved so fast and efficiently, it was like watching an artist paint. I had often thought about letting her hire someone to help but I figured if that time came, she would talk to me about it.
I went into the office to pretend to have something to do.
In reality, I checked my phone every five minutes, waiting to hear from Liam.
It had been one crazy night.
Never in my wildest dreams could I have predicted me almost burning down my apartment, then him almost breaking his wrist all in the same night.
That’s why we weren’t good together…
I thought that and laughed.
Ember poked her head into the office. “Lucy needs you out front.”
“Of course she does,” I said.
If she asks me
