Hold up.
Am I seeing what I think I’m seeing?Is Emma telling me with her eyes that she’s had enough space?That wooing might not be completely off the table?
I break out in a grin.
I must have picked the right shirt.
CHAPTER 41
Finn
I’m being dragged to the car by a determined little cowgirl, but the whole time I’ve got my eyes on Emma.
I need to sit Emma down.Talk to the woman.Let her know how truly sorry I am.How Amy’s death fucked me up something awful.How I’ve never felt this way about anyone since her death and it completely messed with my head.
But my head’s on straighter now.I know it’s okay to see where this might go.One day I might even tell Emma about my trip to the cemetery.
Maybe.
I get Jasmine settled in the back and open the passenger door for Emma.She nods politely, steps up, and slides in.I try not to ogle her legs when the hem of her dress hikes up, since chivalrous gentlemen don’t ogle.
I get behind the wheel and watch as she smooths her dress across her thighs.I reach over her, grab her seatbelt, and lock it.Her hair brushes against my cheek, sending a shiver through me.I pause a little longer than a gentleman should, because she smells delicious, and then buckle my seatbelt and get behind the wheel.I start the car.
“Are you wearing a new perfume?”
Emma turns to me and nods, then brings the inside of her wrist to her nose and inhales.“I went into town to open a bank account today and treated myself to a couple things.And since I’ve been dying to get into your pool but didn’t have a swimsuit, I bought one.”
I struggle to keep the car on the road.I’m picturing Emma in my pool, her dark hair floating behind her, her pale skin glistening in the sun.What kind of swimsuit did she buy?A bikini?A thong?I’m not sure I could survive that.I don’t know if I’d be able to stop with chivalrous wooing if I got an eyeful of Emma in a bikini.
I have to make her mine.I won’t survive if I don’t.
“I couldn’t resist the perfume.I don’t usually spend a lot of money on myself.I never do, actually.But it was on sale, and-”
I look over at her and her face pinks.
“You never need to justify to me how you spend your money, Emma.Personally, I thank you for your purchase, because you smell out of this world.”
Emma blinks at me.She slowly raises her arm, brings it near my face, and twists enough that the inside of her wrist is exposed.I lean over and breathe her in.I don’t say anything, but when she returns her wrist to her lap, I see the little smile on her lips.
“When can I wear perfume, Dad?”
“When you’re forty-two.”
“I never have any fun.”
“Oh, yeah?”I point ahead down the state highway.The Travis Ranch has turned itself out for the fair, as they do every year.The wrought iron ranch gate is covered with hundreds of balloons, and the road to the makeshift parking lot is bordered with hay bales dyed in festive colors.
Neon flashing amusement rides rise high overhead, and I count a lot more options than in previous years.All five of the Travis boys are successful professional athletes nowadays, but back when I knew them, they were just a bunch of douchebag high school jocks.If this year’s fair is any indication, at least they haven’t become stingy douchebags.
Then again, I know their mother, and I bet she encouraged them to donate a chunk of their earnings to finance the fair.She probably had it written into their contracts.
We pull into the already full parking area.
“That’s Tiffany’s car!”Jasmine yells this in an accusatory tone.“Itoldyou we would be late.There won’t be any deep-fried Snickers left.”
We get out, and I hand Jasmine a twenty-dollar bill.“Here.That’s enough to buy twenty deep-fried Snickers.Knock yourself out, kid.”
“Dad, they cost six dollars apiece.”
