“I had no idea you were even seeing anyone,” Momcontinued.
“I’m not. We’re justfriends.”
“Really? Because the way he looked at you, Emma, he certainly seemed smitten. And the two of you are socompatible.”
How could she know that from a thirty-minute conversation? She was only seeing what she wanted to see. Would Mom be so impressed with our connection if she knew how I met him? Would she be singing his praises if she’d known that this time yesterday, he’d been a faceless ass in aparkinglot?
“Maybe if you gave him achance,Emma…”
“Mom,” I snapped. She whipped her head aroundatme.
“What?”
“Stop going on about Finn,” I said, harshly. “We aren’t together, and we neverwillbe.”
My mother’s face fell as her eyes clouded over. Was she seriously going to cry?Over that?Jesus. I almost forgot how sensitive shecouldbe.
“Emma, don’t be so mean,” Grace scolded, as she grasped Mom’s hand and soothed her with quiet words. Great – now my sister, the sweet one, was involved, making me look even more wretched. Why couldn’t I be more diplomaticlikeher?
Having nowhere to place my eyes to avoid the disapproving stares of not only my group but the spa attendants as well, I simply stared at the far wall. Embarrassed at my outburst, I wanted to sink into the background, but when you’re the spiteful white witch, there’s no place to hide. Dammit, why did my mother always have to put so much emphasis on me finding a man? Was I not good enough asIwas?
I glanced to my right, and Casey, her worried eyes searching me for answers, mouthed, “Areyouokay?”
Disappointed in myself, I shook my head and heldhereye.
“I’ll be back in a minute.” Casey hopped from her chair. “I need to use thebathroom.”
She grabbed my hand and pulled me from my seat. “SodoesEmma.”
Our bare feet padded across the tiled floor, and I couldn’t help but fixate on how much flappier mine sounded than hers. I just could not catch a break, could I? Even my footsteps were less perfectthanhers.
“You okay? What’s going on?” she whispered, before we’d even made it to therestroom.
I genuinely had no idea how to answer her question. Technically, I was fine. Better than fine, really. I’d met a man who’d inexplicably woken me from a ten-year slumber and had proven to me that I was still young and sexy and alive. In return I’d rewarded Finn by draping myself all over him and taking pleasure in what he had to offer. Yes, that partwasfine.
But then, I wasn’t fine, because now I feared that once my eyes had been opened, I’d never be able to close them again. How could I explain to Casey that I’d felt something last night that I hadn’t known I could feel, yet still I was reluctant to go forward with him? She could never understand the invisible ties that heldmeback.
“Is this about Finn? In a concerted effort not to sound like Michelle, I saw the way you two looked at each other last night. It was electric. Who exactly is he? Jake thinks you just met himyesterday.”
“Why? What didhesay?”
“Just that you asked for the ticket at the last minute, and you made some joke about just picking him up off the side of the road orsomething.”
“Damn, he’s good,” I said, shaking my head. Maybe because he was such an introspective person, Jake had an uncanny ability to read just about any situation. Or maybe I was just completely see-throughtohim.
“Are you saying he’s right?” Casey asked,giggling.
“I literally cased Finn out in a parking lot, while drooling over hisbehind.”
“No!” Casey gasped, smacking me. “I love it. Way togo,girl.”
“Yeah. Not so ‘way to go.’ Now Mom thinks we’re getting married or something. I should never have brought him around this morning. It was a mistake. I wasn’tthinking.”
“That’s just it, Emma, you weren’t thinking – because you werefeeling. Last night you allowed yourself to react. And now you’re second-guessing that decision and ripping your mom’s head off in theprocess.”
“Don’t remind me. I’ll apologize to her when wegetback.”
“That’s not the point of this bathroom counseling session. Sure, you need to say you’re sorry to Michelle, but more importantly you need to stop being so rational all the time. If you like him, let him know. After I got over the shock of meeting Jake and just started talking to him, good lord, I was making out with him all over theplace.”
