"A rough day? Miles, she called the wine 'grapey.' GRAPEY."
Ryan's still studying me like I'm a hostile witness. "You're deflecting. You do that when you're protecting someone."
"I'm drinking wine. That's not deflecting."
"It's definitely deflecting."
Sophie appears from the back room carrying a tray of wine glasses, Alex trailing behind her with his ever-present clipboard. They're mid-conversation, but Alex's voice carries.
"—sick women get weird about wine," Alex says casually, checking something on his clipboard. "That's probably why Emma won't taste anything."
He keeps walking like he didn't just drop a bomb.
Three men freeze.
Ryan straightens in his chair. "What?"
Brennen's head snaps up. "Sick?"
I set down my wine glass very carefully.
Sophie stops, realizes what Alex said, and shoots him a look that could kill. "Alex."
"What?" He glances up from his clipboard, then at the three of us staring at him. "Oh. Was that supposed to be a secret?"
"Very much a secret," Sophie says dryly.
Ryan stands. "Is Emma sick?"
Brennen's on his feet too, panic written all over his face. "Like seriously sick? Why didn't she tell us? Is it bad? How bad is it?"
"Guys—" Sophie starts.
"She looked pale at the exhibition," Ryan continues, his mind clearly racing through worst-case scenarios. "And exhausted. She's been exhausted for weeks."
"She wouldn't return my calls!" Brennen's voice rises. "I thought she was avoiding me about the vote, but what if she's avoiding us because she's sick? What if it's really bad? Oh god, what if?—"
"Brennen." I stand, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Breathe."
"Don't tell me to breathe! My sister might be dying!"
"She's not dying."
"How do you know?" Ryan turns his interrogation stare on me. Full intensity. "You said you'd tell me if something was wrong. Is Emma sick?"
Three pairs of eyes lock on me. Ryan's suspicious. Brennen's panicked. Alex looks mildly guilty for starting this.
I choose my words carefully. "Maybe you should ask her directly."
"That's not an answer," Ryan says.
"It's the only answer I'm giving."
Ryan studies me for a long moment. Then: "You know something."
"I know Emma's stressed and overworked. I know she's carrying too much on her plate. I know she's dealing with major decisions about her practice and Celtic Knot and probably a dozen other things she hasn't told either of you about."
All of which is true. Just not the complete truth.
