“Thank you for the offer, but I’m not interested. I’m seeing someone.”
The guy sighs. “All right, but at least keep my number in your phone. That other guy ever frees you up, call me.” He practically shoves a bar napkin in her hand with his number written on it, and it takes every ounce of control I have not to walk over there and rip it out of her hand and toss it in the trash.
When the guy finally leaves and Lizzie locks the front entrance, Emberlyn says, “That was intense.”
Her sister shrugs her shoulder, collecting a few cans and bottles from the tables and tossing them in the trash. “It wasn’t, really. He was harmless.”
“Maybe, but Collin over here looked like he wanted to run over there, piss on your leg, and throw you over his shoulder.”
My eyes widen as I look between Lizzie and her sister. “I would not pee on her,” I state, choosing to focus on humor.
“Maybe not physically, but metaphorically, you were marking your territory,” Emberlyn practically sings. “It’s okay. You two can pretend there isn’t something going on between you two all you want, but I can see it. I stopped counting at sixteen. That’s how many times I caught one of you watching the other when you thought no one was looking. Not to mention whatever was obviously happening in the cooler earlier that you both are pretending didn’t happen. But I have eyes. And a brain. And you two are clearly doing the nasty and keeping it under wraps.”
Lizzie’s face turns redder than the fire engine I ride in every week for work. “Em!”
“What? I’m eighteen. I know all about sex.”
Lizzie gasps and shakes her head. “All right, let us get the bar closed down and ready to go. You and I clearly have a conversation coming after.”
Emberlyn rolls her eyes at her sister before throwing me a wink. “You can stay too. I’m across the hall. Just don’t be too loud you wake me up, ’mkay?”
“Stop it,” Lizzie chastises, her embarrassment evident.
“I think I’ll let you two have your girls’ night, but thanks for the offer. We’ll see what tomorrow night brings,” I reply with my own wink.
“Stop encouraging her!” Lizzie hollers at me, grabbing the broom and holding it out toward her sister. “Here. Maybe you won’t run your mouth so much if your hands are busy.”
Surprising me, Emberlyn jumps off her barstool and takes the broom. “You obviously don’t know me as well as you think you do. I can talkanytime.”
And for the next twenty or so minutes, I learn that she is entirely correct.
Emberlyn talks the entire time.
But do you know what?
I love it.
And when I drive home to my quiet, lonely house, I miss them both instantly.
Sleep doesn’t come nearly as easily as it normally does.
CHAPTER
TWENTY
Lizzie
“Oh my God, this place is so cute,” Em announces the moment we step inside the coffee shop.
“Isn’t it? It’s my fave,” Charli agrees as she approaches. “You must be Emberlyn,” she adds, pulling my sister in for a hug.
“I am. And you are definitely Collin’s sister. You look a lot alike.”
Charli snorts and links her arm through my sisters. “He wishes he was as good-looking as me.”
Em laughs. “You can call me Em. All my friends do.”
“And you can call me Charli. I only answer to Charlotte when it’s my mom, and she’s usually chastising me for something. Well, I suppose some of my old teachers still call me by my full name, but that’s it.”
