Page 46 of The Emma Special

Katie scooted forward, clearly excited about chatting with newcomers about the book. “In this story, it’s more realistic. She marries him.”

Daniel let out a riotous laugh and sat up, running a hand through his wavy hair. “Dope. Let’s continue this conversation over dinner. Who’s up for Honky Fish?”

“Now hold on,” Summer said, opening the diary she’d pulled from Emma’s bag. “We have unfinished club business. For today, we called for an emergency meeting to discuss⁠—”

“Summer!” Emma wanted to be stern, but couldn’t when she knew her friend was messing with her.

Summer scrunched her eyes in a cheesy grin and held her pen, poised and ready. “Would you rather kiss Jurassic World Chris Pratt or Guardians of the Galaxy Chris Pratt? Discuss.”

James squeezed Emma’s calf with a chuckle. “Wait a minute. We’re done with the book?”

“Here.” Katie stood and pulled a paperback from the nearby bookshelf and offered it to James. “Read it first. Summer, I think I’d go with Jurassic World. The dinosaurs are scary, but if you stayed with Owen, you’d be safe for sure. Star-Lord kept getting into trouble in ways that I honestly don’t think I’d survive.”

“And the Guardians are super rude,” Emma said.

“Agree. I’m going with the dinosaurs,” Summer said, writing down their responses. “I could help us live off the land when we go into hiding. Nobody wants to eat rehydrated mush in space. Daniel? Your vote?”

Daniel’s brows tented together as he sputtered, “On who I’d kiss?”

Katie took the diary and pen from Summer and scribbled something in the margin. “No, silly. At this point you just choose where you’d live… but sure. Gamora and spaceships or Claire and dinosaurs?”

Daniel whistled and rubbed his hands together. “All right, let me think a minute. Are we still protected by Pratt or do I have to replace him?”

“We’re all gonna die,” Allison mumbled.

Daniel cocked his head toward Allison. “Katie’s willing to fight the dinosaurs. I’d better go along with her then.”

Allison shrugged. “That leaves Star-Lord for me, I guess.”

Condensation from the ice pack on her knee dripped off the side and onto James’s navy slacks. The numbing effect was glorious despite the superficial pain of the cold. James cut a glance to her, and they shared a smile. Their friends were getting along. Mostly.

Emma closed her eyes with a contented sigh, resting her cheek on the back of the couch and listening to the others joke about science fiction movies. Every now and then James chimed in with a question or opinion of his own. Sometimes his hand would move on her leg, an unconscious pat, or side-to-side swipe of his palm. Every movement was magnified.

It had been a day. Yet here she was, surrounded by some of the best humans in the world. What had she ever done to earn such fabulous friends?

So many noises, thoughts, and sensations were coming at her at once. It was hard to take it all in. His warm hand on her leg would have been enough to handle on its own. She would have been content to rest here, unmoving until all her problems vanished.

James added pressure to her leg, and she opened her eyes. “Where are we going?” he asked just for her while the others had moved on to dinner plans.

“I’m up for Honky Fish if the invite stands.”

He smiled. “Where in the universe and time are we going?”

“We?”

“Well, sure. Go team, go.”

Emma waved her hand in the air. “You’ll fight off all the bad guys. What would I do? Making copies won’t save us there.”

James made a tsk sound behind his teeth. “You undervalue yourself, m’lady. This is definitely the operation for a quick-thinking highly adaptable super woman like you.”

Super woman? That was new. And she liked James’s praise. “Hmm. What if…” Emma looked all around the coffee shop searching for something to give her inspiration. “What if you and I steal a spaceship⁠—”

“You can fly a spaceship?” James’s smile implied he was impressed but not surprised.

“Can’t be more complicated than Cody the Copier. I’ll read the manual. We steal a spaceship and fly back or forward in time to protect our friends from the dino apocalypse.”

Summer closed the book with a thud. “Well, that’s all folks. We’ll reconvene on Thursday.”