Emma blinked. Wait, where was this coming from?
“It’s nothing yet,” Knightley continued, reading her expression. “But I’ll let you know if it becomes something more.”
She nodded. Her mind couldn’t even comprehend what it would be like without him here permanently, and she pushed the idea far from her mind.
“LA…” Mr. Woodhouse shuddered, pausing as he dropped some ice in the blender. “Have you read about the air quality out there? The particle pollution alone could cause a stroke.”
“Well, I guess that settles it. You can never leave. You’re stuck with us,” Emma joked, even though her voice sounded strained.
Knightly smiled. “We’ll see.”
“Youownthe company. Doesn’t that mean you can do whatever you want at your office?”
“That requires actually being in that office, Woodhouse.”
Relief spread through Emma’s chest. It wasn’t exactly the answer she was looking for, but at least their dynamic was returning to normal. Everything was as it should be.
“We were so busy welcoming the new neighbor we didn’t get to hear anything about it. What was his name? Montgomery something?” her father pondered, throwing a handful of kale in the blender.
“Montgomery Knox,” Emma replied a little too quickly.
Oh no.
“Huh,” Mr. Woodhouse seemed to consider it for a moment as he added a banana, as if wondering why it sounded familiar. Then he gave up and put the blender on puree.
A deafening rattle filled the kitchen. Emma could feel Knightley’s eyes on her and her pulse thrummed in her ears. Even if hehadn’t seen the two of them in the kitchen last night, he must have seen how Montgomery looked at her over dinner. How she had smiled at him. The thought flushed her cheeks and she couldn’t look back across the island until the blender fell silent and Mr. Woodhouse placed two glasses between them.
“Here we go, two kale smoothies,” he said, pouring the thick green liquid into the glasses.
Emma grabbed hers and took a deep sip.
She immediately regretted it. The smoothie was awful, but Emma managed a smile and nod to her father as he started to make himself one.
“So are you going to bring that woman to the New Year’s party, George?” he asked nonchalantly.
Emma almost choked on her drink.
“What was her name again?” her father continued.
Her nameagain? Had Knightley discussed this woman with her father before? Panic clawed its way up Emma’s throat as she worked to maintain her composure.
“Davina Sundar,” Knightley answered.
“Who?” Emma asked, aware that her voice may have gone up another octave.
“A friend. I met her at a fundraiser a couple of months ago. She’s a human rights lawyer with the UN.”
Oh God. Emma already felt intimidated. “And you’re going to bring her to the party?”
“I wasn’t planning on going to the party at all.”
Her father scoffed. “That’s nonsense. Emma’s practically throwing it. You have to go. And bring your friend…”
“Davina,” Knightley repeated.
“Yes, Davina. I’m sure everyone would love to meet her,” Mr.Woodhouse said, then paused. “But don’t stay until midnight. No one should punish their body like that.”
Knightley turned to Emma. “What do you think?”
