Page 31 of The Emma Special

Emma dumped the binders on the counter, then waited quietly for a full minute for him to ask for help or acknowledge her. “Did I do something wrong?” she finally asked.

“What? No.” James drummed his fingers on the side of the copier then took a quick breath. “Actually, yeah. No. Not wrong, but you’ve been here almost a month and never mentioned—and after our earlier conversation I assumed—Well, it seemed obvious to me…” He brushed a hand through his hair. “But that’s why we use facts. Assumptions can be misleading.”

Emma closed her eyes and tried to focus on what James was saying. “It’s late, but not that late. I have no idea what you’re trying to say.”

“I knew you had a roommate, but I didn’t think you were living with… nevermind. We have a lot to do for the Chapman case.”

“I’m living with my best friend, Katie. Eww! You thought I was living with a guy? What gave you that—Oh, Love you, babe. On the phone? I’ll give you that. But no. I have no husband waiting at home. And until there’s a ring and vows, there absolutely won’t be anyone in my bed, so you can get that straight out of your brain.”

James cleared his throat and smacked the top of the stack. “Copies, shall we?”

“Right. Did you get that thing working?” she asked, pointing to the brainless assistant that everyone in the office relied on for prompt and perfect service.

James brushed the front of his hair back as he leaned over the screen. “How do you make it hole punch?”

Emma patted his shoulder. “You do lawyery things, and I’ll keep this ship sailing.” She clicked through a few menu settings and set the copier to print the first round of exhibits.

“Thanks.”

Emma gestured to the machine as if she were introducing the guest of honor at a ball. “James Moore, meet my real boss. Cody the Copier takes more of my time than anyone in this office.”

James opened the first binder. “Good, because it feels weird when you call me boss.”

“Why? You’re one of my bosses. Should I call you Jamesy Boy instead?”

He rubbed a hand down his face. “That’s a good way to get people talking.”

Emma gasped. “We’ll be the office scandal! Katie told me to make good choices, so we’d better stick to Mr. Moore. Also, it’s confusing when you and your dad have the same name.”

“Take that up with my parents, but I promise no one has ever mixed us up when he usually goes by Jim.”

“You’re not a whole lot like your parents. At least, not what I’ve seen of them.”

His gaze flicked to her before he took the freshly printed papers off the copier. “I’m more like my mom but not as outgoing.”

She took the papers from him and clipped them into the binder. “That tracks. She was really nice to me today.”

Remembering his mother’s warm smile and kind words had Emma’s heart squeezing like a lemon. Her own mom had never said anything nice about her.

He passed her another stack of papers, and they settled again into a perfect assembly line.

“How was your lunch with Liza Beth?” Emma asked with a teasing smile. “Will you thank your mom for that one?”

“She’s determined to set me up. She likes to parade single women in front of me, and I don’t have the heart to tell her to stop.” He turned to her with a grin. “What about you, Miss Nosey? Is marriage in your future?”

“Ha!” The scoff burst out of her before she had time to think about it. “Nobody is lining up for this hot mess. I⁠—”

“You what?” James asked.

“I’ve got more baggage than an airline.” Emma hefted two imaginary suitcases. “I’m not ready to be a real adult and go all-in on family life.”

There. That wasn’t a lie. She didn’t have to tell him she had no idea how healthy families functioned. The only happy families she’d ever known were Allison’s and Katie’s.

“You don’t have baggage. You’re⁠—”

“Stop talking so much. I’m trying to remember which binders already have exhibit twelve and which ones don’t,” Emma snapped.

She couldn’t listen to James butter her up. Not after what his mom said earlier. It was too much, and it all felt like lies. They didn’t know her yet, but they’d see her true colors soon enough.