Page 14 of Code Name: Atticus

“Sausalito.” I lifted my phone higher. “The land mass you see in the bay is Angel Island.”

“I want to move over to Justice. The only view I have is of the Washington Monument.”

“And Constitution Gardens. It’s pretty.”

“Neither of which are from my office. Anyway, back to Atticus. You said you think he kissed you first. Why aren’t you sure?”

“I may have suggested it. I really can’t remember. Everything happened so fast.”

She leaned forward. “How much trouble are you in right now?”

“Not trouble per se. It’s just…awkward.”

“Kissing your childhood crush?—”

“I was a teenager.”

Emma smirked. “Same difference. But as I was saying, kissing someone you’ve wanted to for…how long?”

“I don’t know.”

She looked down and scribbled something on a notepad. “Ten years. So, how was it?”

This was what I loved about Emma. She saw through my bullshit, then rather than call me out on it, she immediately picked up on how I was feeling. No lectures. Not even an “I told you so.”

“Amazing,” I said barely above a whisper before sitting down on the next bench I came to on the pathway. “He’s good at it.”

“Which makes you wonder how much practice he’s had.”

I leered at her. “Actually, that hadn’t entered my mind, but thanks for putting it there. And, just so you know, my brother has kept me well-informed about that. Apparently, Atticus has a three-month expiration date on relationships. Four if they’re really special.” I tried to keep the bitterness out of my voice, but failed.

I hadn’t decided whether to tell her what happened earlier today, but what was the point in talking to her about this if I was going to leave things out? “There’s only one bed,” I blurted.

“Oh my stars, as my grandmother would say. No sofa?”

“It’s got a big curve in it.”

Her head cocked.

“I’ll take a photo later and send it to you.”

“Okay, one bed, go on.”

“It’s massive, so I suggested we share. Him on his side. Me on mine.”

“And?”

“When I woke up this morning, he was spooning me.”

This time when she dropped her phone, I could see it happen. “Sorry about that. He was spooning you?”

I nodded. “Then he woke up, realized what he was doing, and sprang out of bed like it was on fire.”

“Which, it kind of was, right?”

I pursed my lips at her. “Not helping.”

“I’m not sure what you want me to say here. I mean, I expected something like this to happen, just not the first night.”