Page 12 of The Emma Special

The older man bellowed a few choice words, and James quoted scripture in his mind. “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him.” Lord there’s something else at work here. Show me if I can help, or do I shake off the dust?

“You know, Mr. Ray, I imagine how frustrating it must be to deal with the constant disruptions from your neighbor. I’ve exhausted all legal options, but I wonder what would happen in your case if you invited Mr. Hennesy and his wife over for dinner. As neighbor to neighbor. Just a little BBQ. Keep it simple with a little coleslaw and baked beans. Have a sit down with the wives around to keep it civil, and try talking this out.”

“I want to take Riley by the collar of his moth-eaten shirt and chuck him into Lost Creek. Then I’m gonna watch him crawl out and shove him back in until⁠—”

“Excuse me. Hi.” Emma poked her head into his office. Her light hair framed her delicate features, reminding him why he so carefully avoided the reception area during working hours.

She was a distraction of the worst kind. The kind that made him want to ask her on a date and get swiftly shut down. She would never be interested in him. He figuratively re-stamped “Off-Limits” on her forehead.

Emma flashed a gorgeous smile. “Sorry to interrupt. Oh, hello, Mr. Ray. How’s your wife? I heard her dahlias won first place at the county fair last fall. You must be so proud of her.”

The vertical lines between Mr. Ray’s brows faded away. “Well, I⁠—”

“And your boy, Brandon, he’s driving now, isn’t he? My, how time skips along. You know we used to ride the bus together.”

“No, I guess I didn’t⁠—”

“He and I always had a good time,” Emma continued. “You know he was only ten when I graduated, but there’ll always be fond memories of our rides in the front of the bus waiting for our last stop. How’s he doing?”

“Yeah, he’s good. We’re good.”

Magical. That’s what Emma was. Mr. Ray went from irrational to complacent in seconds.

“That’s great.” She turned her charisma on James, hitting him square in the chest. “You have another meeting in five minutes, Mr. Moore.”

Mr. Ray brushed his hands down the front of his faded bibs. “I guess I’ll be going. I’m wastin’ my time here anyway.”

Emma dipped out of the room, and James turned back to Mr. Ray. “If making nice with Mr. Hennesy doesn’t appeal to you, maybe set up a game camera along the fence that separates your property from his.”

Mr. Ray’s brows lifted, and he brushed a hand over his graying beard. “I hadn’t thought-a that.”

“I still can’t promise a good outcome for you, but something is better than nothing.”

James extended a hand, and Mr. Ray glared before taking it for a shake. The fight had gone out of the man, replaced by curious hope.

“I’ll call you when I have something,” Mr. Ray said.

James opened his office door, and Mr. Ray walked out with a sense of purpose. There were so many issues, and everyone wanted justice. Well, some wanted justice. Some wanted to rant. In either case, turning away a neighbor wasn’t something James liked doing.

The sound of Emma’s sweet humming drifted from the file room across the hall. He would tell her a quick thank you without getting swept up in whatever magical pull she had on him.

He straightened his collar as he neared the door. She was just a person. An average woman. There was no reason whatsoever for his shallow breaths and sweating hands.

With a rap of his knuckles on the door, James stepped into the file room. “Hey, thanks for⁠—”

Emma stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling shelves, balancing two large shucks above her head. As soon as she turned his way, her grip on the files slipped.

James was quick enough to catch one of them, but the other fell to the floor, sending the papers sliding out in all directions at their feet.

Emma remained unmoving with eyes wide and hands covering her gaping mouth.

When the last page settled, Emma broke the spell. “I’m so, so sorry.”

James righted the file in his hands. “So you didn’t attack me on purpose? That’s a relief.”

“Ladies never start fights.” Her pink cheeks lifted as she grinned. “But they can finish them.”

Lifting the file above his head and onto the shelf, James whispered, “I’ll remember that.”