“Patience, Dad,” I say, rolling my eyes. “Bones is getting me a replacement I can wear. We’ll take it out once I have that.”
“A replacement?” Stone’s eyebrows draw together. “Emma?—”
“It makes me feel safe,” I say firmly. “And it’s my choice. Isn’t that what you said? My life, my choice?”
Stone looks like he wants to argue, but Josie touches his arm lightly.
“For what it’s worth,” she says, looking at me, “I’d probably want to keep it too. Or something like it. Kind of like a security blanket, you know? Especially after what you went through.”
I beam at her. “See, Dad? Josie gets it.”
Dad looks between us, clearly outnumbered, and sighs. “Fine. But I still don’t like it.”
“You don’t have to like it,” I say sweetly. “You just have to tolerate it.”
Bones, who’s been silent this whole time, squeezes my hand. “We should go. You’ll be late for class.”
“Right.” I turn back to Dad and Josie. “Enjoy your very professional business lunch.”
Dad’s ears go red again and Josie actually laughs this time, a genuine sound that makes her whole face light up. Dad looks at her like he’s seeing her for the first time, and I file that away to analyze later.
“See you around, Dad,” I say, pulling Bones toward the door.
Outside, the afternoon sun is warm and the street is busy with lunch traffic. Bones and I fall into step easily, his hand finding mine.
“Stone and Josie,” he says after a moment.
“Right?” I glance up at him. “There’s definitely something there.”
“There’s been something there for a while. Some of us were betting on how long it’d take for him to do something about it. But at this stage, I think we’ve all lost. Man’s a holdout.”
“I’m not surprised. He’s pretty good at denying himself things he wants.” I swing our joined hands. “But Josie seems like she can hold her own. Maybe she’ll be the one to make the first move.”
“That would be something to see.”
We walk for a moment, and I can’t stop thinking about what Bones said at lunch. About his brother. About why he saved Cash.
About why he’s always saved me.
“You never told me,” I say quietly. “About your brother.”
Bones’s hand tightens around mine, but he doesn’t pull away. “Not much to tell. He’s gone. Has been for a long time.”
“But that’s why you—” I stop, trying to find the right words. “That’s why you always showed up for me. Even when I made it impossible. Even when I was awful to you.”
“You were never awful to me, swan. Challenging, maybe. But never awful.”
“I climbed out windows to avoid you.”
“And I caught you every time.”
Of course he did. Because that’s who Bones is—the man who catches people before they fall. Who sees someone hurting and can’t walk away. Who lost his brother and decided no one else would die on his watch.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper. “About your brother. And about making you worry all those years.”
He stops walking, turns to face me. “Don’t apologize for being who you are. Your wildness isn’t something that needs to be tamed or controlled or apologized for. It’s what makes you you.”
His hands cup my face, thumbs brushing my cheekbones.
