Page 37 of Key West Homecoming

It should have felt wrong. It didn’t. Emma wasn’t sure what to make of that.

They drank for a while without talking.

The silence between them felt different from yesterday. She no longer felt as though either of them was waiting for the other to say the wrong thing.

“You’re going to have to tell me what’s going on eventually,” Jake said.

Emma looked at him.

“I know.”

“When?”

“Soon. I should know more tomorrow.”

Jake nodded.

He didn’t push and Emma appreciated that more than she expected.

She noticed the paperbacks on the table again.

“You read two at a time?”

Jake followed her eyes.

“Four.”

“Four?”

“Those are the two that are winning.”

Emma laughed.

“What happens to the other two?”

“They go back on the shelf and think about what they’ve done.”

She laughed and was glad to see he had a sense of humor even if his expression was completely serious. At least he was pretending it was.

Emma wondered what else made him laugh. It was an odd thing to wonder about a man she’d known for barely two days.

Her phone buzzed inside her bag.

She pulled it out and saw that the text was from Maeve.

Bishop came through. Attorney’s name is Rachel Alden. Firm is Alden & Petit, Whitehead Street. She’s expecting your call tomorrow at nine. She’s good. I’ve read the letter twice. Start with it.

Emma read the message twice herself.

“Good news?” Jake asked.

“I have a lawyer at nine tomorrow morning.”

“A lawyer sounds serious.”

“It might be.”

Emma didn’t want to reassure him with something she didn’t know was true. He’d trusted her today. The least she could do was not lie to make him feel better.