A chill swept over her. If he had a thing with the redhead, then why was he flirting with Emily and leading her on? Okay, maybe he hadn’t exactly been leading her on, but he hadn’t denied he’d been trying to affect her.
And it had worked, if the knot that formed in her stomach when the redhead put her hand on Jake’s arm was anything to go by. Emily told herself to look away, but she couldn’t tear her eyes from the couple.
Jake’s head snapped up, and he turned to look across the diner. Is that relief on his face?
Emily watched as he extricated himself from the redhead and hurried over to a table where a familiar man in a blue button down sat.
Dr. Young.And was that Faith sitting beside Jake’s uncle?
Confusion swept over Emily. Faith didn’t strike her as the type to lie about going to see an elderly friend who broke a hip so she could meet up with... her brother-in-law? Emily tried to remember if she’d heard anything about Dr. Young’s wife. Was he a widower, left alone at much too young of an age like Faith?
Emily continued to stare as Jake pulled out a chair and sat down by his mom and Dr. Young, looking perfectly at ease. Doctor Young pushed his empty plate away and put his arm around Faith’s shoulders. Faith leaned into him.
Emily sighed, feeling mildly embarrassed to be gawking at the older couple yet pleased for them.What does Jake think of his mom dating his uncle?
Brassy red hair passing in front of the truck pulled Emily’s attention away from the diner. She watched the woman who had been sidled up to Jake a few moments ago climb into a red Porsche and drive away.
Is she compensating for something with the flashy car?Emily wasn’t sure whether the question arose out of an occupational hazard or her own jealousy.
Jake climbed into the truck a few minutes later, a to-go bag in hand.
“Was that your mom with Dr. Young?” Emily didn’t mean to blurt it out like that, but curiosity had been eating at her ever since Jake sat down at their table.
Jake’s face registered surprise, then he laughed. “No, that’s my aunt Hope.”
“Oh.” Emily’s heart dropped a little. She was happy for Dr. Young—that he hadn’t lost his wife, but she kind of liked the idea of Faith finding love again. She was too young to spend the rest of her life alone.
“So... your mom and Hope are twins?”
“Triplets, along with my Aunt Charity, the owner of the diner.” He motioned out the window toward the building as he backed the truck up.
Triplets?Faith, Hope, and Charity. What wonderful names for amazing women, assuming Faith’s sisters were as caring and compassionate as she was.
Emily caught sight of a large dark-haired man behind the wheel of a silver car that pulled into the parking lot of the diner as they pulled out. An unexplainable chill shook her body.
“Are you okay?” Jake asked. “What was that all about?”
She tried to look over her shoulder at the car but couldn’t turn her head far enough, thanks to the neck brace. “I don’t know. Deja vu, I guess.”
“Did you remember something?”
Emily pictured the glimpse she’d seen of the man’s face, trying to recall more. But there was nothing. No association, no context of time or place.
“No, I didn’t remember anything.” Emily shook her head, trying to dispel her odd reaction to a stranger. Tell me more about your aunts. Are they as kind and giving as your mom?”
“Definitely.” Jake continued to talk about his aunts and extended family as he drove toward the hills.
Still feeling unsettled, Emily kept an eye on her side mirror, making sure they weren’t being followed. Seeing no lights behind them, she told herself to let it go. She listened to Jake share memories of his childhood surrounded by cousins, and longing filled Emily’s chest. She wished she had memories like that. Jake’s family sounded amazing.
At this point though, she’d settle for meeting her brother.
* * *
Relief filled Emilywhen they finally arrived at the bluff. The road had grown rough, and Emily’s pain medicine had long since worn off.
Jake handed her a pair of binoculars before pointing across the valley in front of them. “The Double Diamond.”
Emily had no problem spotting the ranch house and the surrounding out-buildings without the binoculars. She used them anyway as he pointed out the bunk house and Zane and Lottie’s small home flanked by a large garden and an orchard.
