She helped him to stand; once he was upright, he looked down into her eyes."I guess it is.Looks like we're finally making some, huh?"
Chapter Nineteen
"Are you comfortable?"
"Yeah, thanks."Emmett gave Harper a rueful smile."Sorry you had to set me up with all the pillows and everything again."
"Don't apologize.I did it for me as much as for you.If we couldn't get you comfortable, we'd have had to go inside, and it's such a beautiful evening."
"It is."He stared out at the mountains, watching the sun's final descent before it disappeared behind them.They’d sat out on the deck to eat dinner, but Harper had picked up on how uncomfortable he was sitting at the table and had suggested they move over here and proceeded to set him up on the sofa as soon as they’d finished.
"I know they talk about Montana as big sky country, and they're right, of course.But until I came out here, I only thought of big blue skies.It didn't occur to me that every sunrise and sunset would be so vast.I know that might sound stupid to you, since you've lived here all your life."
"It doesn't sound stupid at all.It sounds like you actually see the place."
"I don't just see it.I love it.And the night sky, too.There are so many stars."
"There are as many stars in the sky over New York, you know; it's just that you can't see them."
"I know, I know.But this isn't about criticizing my hometown.It's about complimenting yours, okay?"
He held up his hand."I wasn't criticizing.Only contrasting how different they are."
"You can say that again."
"But you like it here."
"I love it.I wouldn't be here if I didn't."She gave him a puzzled smile.
"All right, I'm not doing a very good job of being subtle about it, so I'll just come out and ask.Do you plan to stay in Montana?"His stomach felt heavy as he waited for her to answer, but he needed to know.
The weight got heavier when she didn't reply immediately."I'm not pressuring you," he said eventually."But Tanya said your old boss called—and he wants you to go back."
Harper wrinkled her nose."What Marcus wants and what I want are rarely ever the same thing.I have no intention of working for him again."
Emmett waited, but she didn't add that she saw Montana as home now.He couldn't blame her; she hadn't been here all that long.It made him cautious, though.
She got up from her spot on the wicker chair opposite where he was sitting on the sofa."Libby included pastries from the bakery for dessert.I have my eye on a blondie.Do you know what you want, or should I bring them out so you can choose?"
"If there's any cheesecake, I'll take a slice.Thanks."
He wasn't surprised when she returned and handed him a plate with a huge slice of cheesecake.
"I take it Libby knows that you like that stuff," she said with a smile.
"She does.They all do.Cheesecake's always been my thing."
"Well, then I'm glad that I know now, too.And I have to tell you that I envy you that."
"What?"He hadn't thought there was anything enviable about his life in years.Well, except for the girls.
"The way you can so casually saythey all know.That you have a group of friends who've known you all your life, and who know you so well that even your favorite dessert is common knowledge."
He smiled."Oh, that.You're right.I'm lucky—we're all lucky to have each other.Although, I'm sure the others would agree with me when I say sometimes it's a pain in the ass having so many people around who know every detail of your likes, dislikes, and history."
Instead of laughing with him, Harper nodded thoughtfully, and he could guess what she was thinking.They hadn't talked much about Emily, not directly.He wasn't convinced Harper would want to know.But then again, all he could do was share a little and see how things went.
"If you're wondering about Emily..."
