Liam:Yeah.
Emma:Me, too. I’ve been thinking about you a lot since I saw you in the hospital.
My pulse trips. I stare at the screen, fingers trembling.
Liam:I’m not really sure where this goes from here.
Emma:Yeah.
Emma:Maybe we should get a cup of coffee sometime? Just talk?
Liam:Sometime?
Emma: ...
Liam:How about now?
Emma:Right now?
Liam:Right now. What part of town are you in?
Emma:Evanston. You?
Liam:Highland Park. So… not far.
Emma:Like half an hour by train.
Liam:Easy. I’ll come your way.
Emma:You don’t have to do that.
Liam:I want to. Pick a coffee shop you like.
Emma:Okay.
Liam:See you in about an hour.
I set the phone down and take a deep breath. Try not to freak out. Try not to sprint around like a teenager before prom.
Instead, I look over at Laddie. “Hey, buddy, I’m gonna hop in the shower real quick after Aunt Tal.”
He glances at me, already half-absorbed in his show. “Okay! Don’t forget to clean your pits good!”
I pretend to sniff under my arm and make a face. “Oh no. You think I stink?”
He collapses into giggles. “Youalwaysstink after coffee!”
I laugh, ruffle his hair, and head for the bathroom. My heart’s hammering like it’s my first date all over again.
I throw on an oversized Taylor Swift concert t-shirt, leggings, and tennis shoes. This outfit won’t rouse Talia’s suspicion, and it looks casual enough that it won’t send Liam the wrong message.
When I pop back out in the living room, Talia is on her laptop.
“Hey,” I say, grabbing my purse. “I’m going to run to the store and get the stuff on our list.”
She nods, but doesn’t look up. “Can you add peanut butter on there?”
“I can. Are you good if Laddie stays here? He always wants a thousand snacks when I take him with me.”
