“I can’t help it,” Emery said. “Look at his face.”
I took a sip of cold water. All it took was one touch or one kiss from Emery, and my blood heated. We’d spent many afternoons in my house—our house—wrapped up in each other, sweaty and curled around each other…
Emery turned her high-wattage smile on her friend. “Harper, did Xander tell you about his offer from Caltech?”
“No,” she said, giving me a look. “I’m still getting caught up, but he’s also ridiculously modest. Tell me.”
Emery was practically bouncing out of her chair. “Apparently, Caltech and MIT have this huge rivalry. Like, legendary. When Caltech found out that Xander wanted to turn down MIT’s offer,Caltech lost its mind. They offered him a full scholarship, plus a living stipend and married couples’ housing on campus.”
“Congratulations,” Harper said. “Though I’m not surprised. Iamsurprised that you guys are finally admitting that you’re married.”
“We’ll just be living together,” Emery said, unable to keep from beaming. “But also, completely and utterly legally bound to each other.”
I laughed. Emery and I had made a plan—another set of vows—to not refer to ourselves as married or use matrimonial language like “wife” or “husband” for five years. To allow us time to be together, live together, and just enjoy being together without so much pressure, so young.
But we hadn’t even left Rhode Island, and the five-year plan was already hanging by a thread. Emery had correctly identified us as entangled months ago. Entwined on a level that defied understanding. She was mine and I was hers, and no amount of postponing or pretending could change that.
Harper smiled mischievously. “You know who else went to Caltech?”
She and Emery burst out at the same time, “Sheldon Cooper!”
I rolled my eyes. “Here we go.”
Emery kissed my cheek again. “Spoiler alert: Sheldon also won the Nobel Prize. Just saying.” From inside her apron, her phone buzzed. She read the text and smiled. “It’s Jack. He says he wishes he could be here to see us off, but he’s stuck in New York City with his boyfriend and can’t get make it.” She tapped a response and put her phone away. “He’s so happy, which makes me so happy.”
“What about your mom?” Harper asked. “How’s she doing?”
Emery’s smile dimmed. Her mother had come to see her and Jack graduate, before Jack moved to New York, but it had been a short, tense visit. She smuggled Emery her phone and some of her belongings and rushed back home after.
“She’s okay, I guess,” Emery replied. “A little healthier, maybe,but still blaming herself for Grant. I don’t know if she’ll ever forgive herself. But I have to trust she’ll do what she can when she’s ready and give her all my love and support in the meantime.”
“And not to bring up the bad shit, but what about your dad?” Harper asked. “Have you talked to him at all?”
“No,” Emery said. “My therapist and I have decided that’s a bad idea, to say the least. I’m learning to let go of my notion of what—and who—makes up a family. Someone once told me that if the actual family is hurtful or toxic or abusive…” She smiled wanly. “Then it’s okay to make a better one.”
I took Emery’s hand in mine, my throat tight. From the outside, it had been so easy to see how terrible her home life had been, but it was all she’d known. And her loving heart wanted—more than anything—to keep everyone together and to try to make something beautiful out of something that was irrevocably broken. I’d never stop telling her how damn proud I was of her for working to heal while keeping her heart open.
I see you, Emery. I see all of you.
And as if she could hear my thoughts, she turned to me, eyes glistening. “Love you.”
“Love you, Em.”
Harper coughed. “Maybe I’ll leave you…”
“No, stay!” Emery laughed, grabbing her hand. “I want to hear about you. For instance, where the hell have you been?”
Before Harper could say a word, Delilah Winslow slid into the booth, her dark eyes lit with conspiratorial excitement.
“Okay, I know—no more gossip, but this is kind of important. For you especially, Xander.” She leaned in, drawing us all closer. “Apparently, RJ Calloway was making noise about suing anyone who accused Rhett of dealing drugs.”
“Yes, I heard,” I said darkly.
“But Sierra had a sit-down with the police a few days ago—apparently she knew more than we thought—and now the Calloways aresettling out of court with Dean’s family.”
“Oh shit,” Emery breathed. “Really?”
Delilah nodded. “Rhett pled no contest to some lesser charge, and they paid the Yearwoods an ‘undisclosed’ amount of money.” She leaned in closer. “Sierra told me it’s twenty million.”
