When I don’t answer her questioning look right away, she grabs a plate of chocolate chip cookies from the end table next to her and offers it to me over the kittens.
“I’m still mad at you,” Emma says somewhere nearby.
I jump.
Laney jumps.
I don’t see Emma, but she’s definitely closer.
“I wonder if he tried that line about being fine with it if the government uses his extra taxes to fix up more roads on her,” Laney whispers.
“That’s a good one.”
“He was totally ready for her to be mad. He was debating something about paying the salary of the IRS agent who’d audit him too, but decided he didn’t want to push her blood pressure that far.”
We’re both still staring at the hallway that leads to Laney’s home office.
My heart is suddenly clawing its way up my throat, and it’s sharper than the kitten claws kneading into my thigh.
And there she is.
My tall, slender, blonde friend with the adorable pixie nose whose normally bright, happy brown eyes are dull and sad.
She has a computer bag slung over her shoulder, and Theo’s right behind her, his hand on her shoulder like he’s squeezing a silentI’m here if you need me.
“My other clients better not be as high-maintenance as you,” she grumbles, and then she freezes as her gaze lands on me.
My stomach threatens to toss every last cup of coffee I drank this morning. I finagle the kitten, tugging on it gently to try to untangle its claw from my clothes, prepared to rush across the room and strangle Emma in a hug, but make myself move slowly as I give a small finger wave. Both for the kitten’s sake and Emma’s sake. “Hey, Em. Welcome home.”
Her eyebrows furrow, and her lips wobble briefly, and then she fakes a smile.
I’m the reigning queen of fake smiles this week, but she threatens to take my crown with that forced happiness.
And it feels like my heart is pulling my throat with it as it thuds to the floor.
“Oh, don’t get up,” she says, pulling her computer and a stack of files to her chest like a shield. “Let the kitty stay put. Sorry. I have to run. Behind on work.”
“Right. Sure. Of course. Tax season. I know. But if you want to do our normal Razzle Dazzle film fest for a break—”
I cut myself off as she pulls a face I rarely see on her.
Even Laney seems startled by Emma’s outright horrified grimace.
“Thanks,” Emma says quickly, so many emotions that aren’t her normal joy flashing over her features, “but I don’t know if I’ll have time. I—I have to go.”
“Em—” Theo starts.
She cuts him off with a quick hug. “Don’t hide your money from me again. Talk to you later.”
She waves quickly at Laney and me, then dashes out the door.
My eyes get hot, but I will the sting away and look at Laney.
“She’s not mad,” Theo says.
He’s such a liar.
“Shelooksmad, and she’sactingmad,” I say.
