Page 56 of The Emma Special

“Wh-what? Right now?”

Sharon was as excited as a grandma announcing a new grand-baby to the prayer group. “I love a good reason for shopping, and this is a good reason if I’ve ever heard one. I drove by Sunshine Boutique this morning, and she has a new hat display in the window. Let’s go try them on.”

“I don’t wear hats.”

“But you should. Hats are so much fun. We get to wear them to Bunko, if nothing else. Come try on hats with me. After dessert. You had the right idea coming here. I am so glad I found you. I decided to come eat by my lonesome because Jim never returned my call⁠—”

Emma gasped and covered her mouth. “I forgot to leave the message.”

“What a day you must have had. Let’s eat and then try on hats.”

Obviously Sharon did not understand, or she wouldn’t be treating her this way. She would eventually clue in that Emma had ruined everything. “No, ma’am, I couldn’t impose on you.”

“Please, do. I’m imposing on you, I’d think.”

Wayne returned with Sharon’s dessert and a tray of tea.

“Thank you, Wayne,” Sharon said, then poured a cup for Emma and added two sugar cubes. “Very well, so Emma doesn’t like hats. Can’t say I approve.” Sharon softened her words with a smile as she passed her a floral teacup. “But I’m accommodating. We’ll have to get our nails done instead. I’ll call Nina and see if she can get us in this afternoon.”

A glob of cherry compote slipped from Emma’s fork onto the plate. Was the woman serious? Even if Emma hadn’t been through the wringer today, she wasn’t able to pay for someone else to do her nails—as delightful as that might be.

How often had Emma shoved away jealousy of girls whose mothers did things with them? Mothers who noticed their daughters.

“Sharon, you won’t want to be seen with me. I’ve ruined every⁠—”

“Bless your heart, you can’t believe that.”

“It won’t look good.”

Sharon sipped her tea then spoke over the rim of the cup. “Did you set out to sabotage the firm?”

“Of course not.”

“Did you make a mistake?”

Emma nodded. “In the worst way.”

“I forgive you. There. Is that what you needed to hear?” Sharon began to slice her chocolate torte, aggressively clicking the fork against the plate. “I can’t believe Jim sent you away in this state. What was he thinking?”

Sharon, against all Southern decorum, pointed across the small table with her chocolate smeared fork. “You, Emma dear, made a mistake. Fine. We both know you messed up. It was an accident and nobody who matters hates you for it.”

“But the client⁠—”

“Everyone will be fine. It’s in the past. Drink your tea before it gets cold.”

Oh, help. Emma lifted her napkin to cover her face before her tears smudged her mascara. It wasn’t the rejection of the firm, or her drastic mistake, or walking away from James that tipped her over the edge. It was this wonderful woman. Sharon acted like it was no big deal, but she hadn’t seen James’s face. If only Emma hadn’t ruined everything. Maybe she and James could have eventually had something together, and Sharon could have been—no. Not helpful to think about such fantasies.

Ugh, she would not cry right now. Emma dabbed the corners of her eyes and shoved away those emotions. There would be time for tears later.

“Emma.” Sharon pointed to her cup. “Drink the tea. Now, I know you’re a little overwhelmed at the moment, yet I was hoping James would bring you over for dinner Friday night.”

“No, thank you.”

“James needs a friend.”

“He has friends.”

Sharon pinched her lips together. “I have introduced James to every young lady in my circle, and not one of them has he looked at twice.”