Page 89 of Falling for Keeps

I reach to tickle Penny. She’s wide open, just asking for a giggle. When she shrieks, her face lights up momentarily, and I crave more of that happiness.

“No! No more!” Penny screams, rolling onto the floor and bringing her knees up to protect her tickliest sides.

I lean back, hands in the air. “You’re safe.”

“Doubt it!” she croons, which drives a soft chuckle out of me.

“I need to change. You should find something warmer to wear, Nickel. We’ll be outside all night.”

When I get to my feet, I see Emma leaving her house, locking the door behind her.

“Run!” I say to Penny, hoping to distract her. “First one to find a better sweatshirt wins!”

She’s down the hall fast, so I slip out the front door and jog across the street, putting my finger and thumb in my mouth to whistle.

It’s loud. I probably got the skill from my dad since my mom can’t whistle to save her life, but we’ll never know for sure. It also works, because Emma’s car stops rolling backward. She puts it into park and rolls down her window. “Hey.”

“Hi.”

“What’s up? You heading to the game?” she asks.

“Soon. I need to pick up Maven from the train station first.”

Emma smiles. “Then I’ll see you there.”

“With Seth?” I ask.

“As friends. We already had this planned, so I can’t bail on him.”

“I’m telling you, that guy thinks he still has a chance.”

Emma wrinkles her nose. “I’ve been really clear with him all week.”

“Super cute of you to think he’s listening.”

Emma scoffs. “Okay, thanks.”

“I mean, he’s probably not thinking about anything but kissing your lips when they move. I might know from experience.”

“Well, you have nothing to worry about.” Her cheeks redden, and she pushes her glasses up her nose. “You know, if you were worried, I mean.”

“You can sit by whoever you want at that football game. I know where your loyalties lie.”

Emma rolls her eyes. “Do you?”

My gaze drops to her lips. “I have a pretty good idea.”

Emma’s cheeks turn charmingly pink. “That’s fair.”

I glance back at the house, but see no movement. Mom’s not home from work yet and Penny’s probably stuffing her arms into the sleeves of every sweatshirt she owns. When I glance back at Emma, a surge of overwhelming affection rushes through my body. “After we get this barn raised tomorrow, we’re finishing your bathroom.”

She shrugs. “Sure.”

I don’t like how she brushes off the idea, but then I see her hand curled around the steering wheel and the autumn-themed nails my daughter gave her. My head is immediately filled with blissful homey images of Penny and Emma making sourdough together, or the three of us bundled in blankets around a campfire, or doing the school dropoff in our pajamas and coming home to a quiet house together.

“You good?” Emma asks, tilting her head in concern.

“Yeah.” I lean forward, pressing my lips to hers and filling my cup with peace and warmth and contentment. She responds immediately, pulling me back for one more kiss when I try to straighten. “See you tonight.”