"Okay, well — tell me to butt out if you want to, but I thought you were divorced."
"I am.And he was a good man.It was a good marriage while it lasted.When I said Shelley's the closest thing to family I've had..."She took a sip of her wine."I can't say I didn't mean it.I did.Craig and I were a couple, never a family."
She watched her fingers pick nonexistent specks from her pants before she looked up to meet Emmett's gaze."We wanted to have a family.I...I miscarried.Three times."She drained the last of her wine."That's a lot for a couple to survive.We didn't."
She picked up her empty glass and nodded toward Emmett's."Would you like another soda?I'm going to refill my wine."
He handed her his glass, wordlessly, but his gaze didn’t leave hers until she turned around.When she reached the kitchen door, she said over her shoulder, "He remarried after a couple of years.They have a family—three kids."
~ ~ ~
While Harper was inside fixing their drinks, Emmett rearranged himself on the couch.When she came back out, she gave him a puzzled look as she set his drink in front of him.
"Do you need help to get comfortable?"
"I do."He patted the space he'd made beside him."I'd be a lot more comfortable if you came to sit with me."He held out his left arm."I'm in no shape to try anything, but if you come willingly, I'd like to wrap my arm around you."
He felt foolish when her hand came up to cover her heart.
"Okay, so maybe that was a cheesy thing to say.But you may need to cut me some slack—I'm out of practice."
She came to sit beside him."It wasn't cheesy!I'm genuinely touched."She leaned toward him but stopped."I'm also afraid that I'll hurt you."
"I'm afraid that I'll hurt you too—by not knowing how to be open enough.Not knowing how to share the load…" He trailed off when he saw her smile."What?"
"I was talking about leaning against you—hurting your ribs.I don't want to hurt you in the other sense, either.But don't worry about me—I'll survive no matter what."
He held his arm out, and she came closer, leaning against him gingerly.
"You can relax.If it hurts, I'll tell you."She looked up into his eyes, and he nodded."Yeah, I mean my ribs and also what's inside them.I don't know how to do this, Harper.But I want to try."
She gave him a little more of her weight, and he curled his arm around her shoulders, hugging her closer.
"I want to try, too.But I need you to tell me if it's not working—if I'm not working—for you.My life's been a whole series of rugs that got pulled out from under my feet every time.I already feel a lot for you, Emmett.I'm not asking you to make me any promises, only asking that you warn me first if you're going to pull the rug."
He rested his chin on her head and spoke into her hair."I promise you that.And I already promised that I'd let you know if you were here too much.So far, the way I feel, I can't see the time coming when I won't want you around.The more time we spend together, the more natural it feels."
They sat that way without speaking for a long while.Emmett closed his eyes and waited, but what he expected to feel didn't come.He looked up at the first stars, and one seemed to twinkle at him.His eyes stung, but it made him smile, too.
Harper turned to him."Are you okay?Is this too much?"
He tightened his arm around her."It's not just okay, it's good."He cleared his throat.It'd be easy to let the moment go, but… "While you were inside, I sat here hoping you'd join me.That we could do this…" He gave her shoulders a squeeze."But a part of me…"
She started to sit up, but he held her a little closer before letting his arm fall."It must be hard for you.You must have sat right here with Emily and…"
"That's not it.I didn't want to bring it up, but since you did…" He pointed up at the stars."We used to sit out here sometimes—only a handful of times, toward the end.Before that, we were too busy.With work, with the girls, with life.But in those last couple of months, we'd sit and watch the stars.One of the last times we came out here, she told me she'd be watching me from up there soon.That she'd twinkle at me whenever she got the chance.She also said I shouldn’t worry if she didn't—she imagined she might be busy doing whatever we get to do after we die, and that was as it should be.She'd be busy getting on with whatever came next."
He took hold of Harper's hand."And… and that she expected me to do the same.All these years since she's been gone, I've been doing that—what came next was raising the girls.But now…" He squeezed her hand."Now, I think there's a what comes next again, and this time…"
He didn't want to make any promises—to Harper or himself."This time there's room.Not just room but also… a want.For something… maybe… for me again."He looked into her eyes."Something like you."
She turned toward him, and he leaned in.He brushed her lips with his, and her hand came up to cup his cheek.His breath came out in a sharp hiss, his ribs protesting loudly.
"Are you okay?"
"I would be if I could finally figure out a way to kiss you properly."
Her laugh brought his gaze up to hers."Listen to you getting all grumpy!There's no need.I'm here to help until you're healed, remember.So, let me help.There's nothing wrong with your legs, is there?"
