Page 99 of The Emma Special

Emma hobbled her way into the room, using her crutch to push aside the square pillow Summer had tossed. “He said his mom gave them to him because his place didn’t look lived-in enough.”

Katie lifted a pillow off the recliner so Emma could sit. “Daniel says James spends all of his time at the office.”

Allison opened the diary and clicked a purple pen. “Maybe we should adjust the decor. It needs more pink.”

Emma held up a hand as she lowered onto the recliner. “I’m not sweeping in and redecorating. He’s doing enough for me.”

Katie sighed. “That man would probably let you paint the whole house pink if you asked.”

“But I’m not going to. Seriously. Look at this.” Emma held her arms out. “He married me so I could have surgery. He pays for everything because I don’t have a job. He drives me around and buys me pizza. I’m a leech.”

Allison sat forward, lowering the diary to her lap. “Hold on. Last I checked, James did all of those things without being asked.”

“Yeah, but it’s because he feels bad for me.”

“No, it’s not,” Katie broke in. “He cares about you.”

Emma threw a hand in the air. “You haven’t seen the way his brothers talk to him. I’m using him just like everyone else in his life.”

Katie held up a finger. “Nope. Daniel says James only has nice things to say about you. Very nice things.”

Allison wrote furiously and mumbled to herself. “James is smitten with Emma. Emma is clueless.”

“I’m not clueless. I’m… guilty. As soon as I’m healed, I’m going to do everything possible to make it up to him.”

There it was. The ugly truth that had been following her around since the whole thing started. James was too kind, and she didn’t deserve it. She saw what it cost him to give and give of himself to everyone else. She’d married him for her own gain, but there wasn’t anything in it for him. At this point, she was a wart on a toad. The lowest of the low.

Katie rested her hand on top of Emma’s. “James is an adult, and he knew exactly what he was doing when he married you. I truly believe it makes him happy to care for you. Can you let him do it without assuming things about him that might not be accurate?”

Emma huffed. “Do you have to be so logical all the time?”

“Only when you’re irrational,” Katie said.

Summer looked around. “Does James have a tall vase? I want to bring some sunflowers.”

Okay. The girls were tired of her pity party. She needed to push away her hollow feelings about using James and have a good time at book club. “I’ll check and see.”

Emma reached for another strawberry from the bowl. “Summer, I can’t imagine that a human is stealing your garden produce. Don’t foxes and rabbits eat berries too?”

Summer pinched her lips together with a slow head shake. “Something weird is happening. I want to put a fence all the way around the perimeter.”

“Mr. McGregor had one, and that never stopped Peter.”

“Mr. McGregor has nothing on me,” Summer said.

Allison poised her pen above the diary. “What are your options?”

“I don’t know, but it’s making me twitchy to think somebody might be sneaking around my land. I’m tempted to host a stakeout and catch the thief red handed.”

Katie raised her mug to her lips. “You’ll find there’s a bobcat in cahoots with a fox.”

Summer rolled her eyes. “Or a vagabond being a lazy bum and taking what doesn’t belong to him.”

Allison snorted. “Let’s do it. Let’s host a stakeout. We’ll be in cahoots with you, Summer. Then we’ll know. Emma, what’re your post-op walking predictions?”

Emma leaned over the arm of the recliner and pulled the folder from the hospital out of her purse. “Here’s some extra literature to study. Dr. Tulane says I’ll be on crutches for a couple weeks, but should be on my own within a month. James requested a list of the recommended PTs in the area. I guess he wants to interview them first or something.” Emma sighed, flipping through the pamphlets. “Nine to twelve months until I can join the circus.”

Allison switched her pen to a bold green and kept writing. “I think with the three of us to help you, you’ll be able to do recon with us soon. Summer, will your garden hold out until then?”