This time he didn't interrupt; he just turned and raised his eyebrows at her.
"Well, shoot.Sorry.You talk.I'll zip it."
"Okay.I'm here because we need to clear the air."
She blew out a sigh and waited.There was no point in trying to argue with him.
~ ~ ~
Emmett gripped the steering wheel tighter.He could feel Harper's gaze on him but couldn't force himself to look over at her.
"I know you've been avoiding me."
He sensed rather than saw her shrug as she said, "I thought it was for the best.I know I shouldn't have said what I did.I thought it was better if—"
"If we didn't run into each other so that you didn't say it again?"
He finally looked at her when she sputtered.He hadn't expected that.He figured she'd be all too happy to admit it—and to tell him more about his flaws as a parent now that they were cooped up together in his truck like this.
"I'd never say it again!"
That didn't make sense.He waited for her to continue, but for once, she didn't.At least, not immediately.
He racked his brain for how to proceed from here, and while he was still thinking about it, she blurted out, "You might as well just say it."
"Say what?"
"Tell me that you don't want me around the girls anymore.I don't blame you—even though I don't think it's what's best for them.And for what it's worth, I didn't intentionally try to put me and them on one side and you on the other.It just came out that way."
His heart pounded as he tried to make sure he understood what she meant.It was hard to believe, but…
"Are you saying that you think I'd try to keep you away from them because you hurt my feelings?"
He rolled his shoulder, the old familiar ache stabbing through it as it so often did when he was stressed.
He looked over at her when she didn't reply.
"Damn, you must think I'm the worst kind of asshole."
"I do not!"she exclaimed."I think you're amazing, Emmett.I think you're doing a fantastic job with the girls and—"
He made a face."Apart from the bit where being self-reliant is more important to me than they are."
"No!I told you I shouldn't have said that."
"Maybe not, but I'm glad you did—you were right."
"I shouldn't have…" She stopped abruptly and stared at him, wide-eyed.
He fixed his attention on the road ahead as he said, "It cost me enough the first time.Don't make me say it again."
He smiled through pursed lips when he realized that for the first time since he met her, she seemed genuinely lost for words.
She fiddled with her coffee cup and fidgeted in her seat while he gathered his thoughts.
"What I really need to say is thank you," he said eventually."I was mad at you at first, of course.And I'm not proud to admit it, but yeah, your words hurt me."He tensed when she leaned forward and opened her mouth, but relaxed when she sat back again without speaking.
"But it's not about me.You might not believe it, but Alana and Tanya are more important to me than anything else."He gave her a wry smile."Even my own pride and self-reliance."
