Page 12

CHAPTER 12

IT'S CALLED THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE

EMORY

I start trembling just as I set the phone down on the counter. I got it. I can't believe it, but I got it! I scream and let the smile finally take over my face. I got it!

The phone rang just as I was carrying in my groceries—seventy-five percent of which is packages of ramen and cheap spaghetti noodles, along with one bag of almost-expired carrots because I need to have something healthy. The grocery bags are still on the counter where I dumped them, but I need to call Lily and tell her the news before I put anything away.

It barely even rings before she answers. "What's wrong?" I'm taken aback and can't answer for a second. "Em, do you need me to come over?"

"What? No. Why do you think something's wrong?"

"I heard you scream."

I try to play it cool, like I didn't just shriek so loud all of Salt Lake City apparently heard me. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Em, you live next door to me now, and I know what your scream sounds like. I know it was you. Oh my god, you're being held hostage and can't talk because they have you at gunpoint. I'm coming over."

"Lily, stop! I'm not being held hostage. And if I were, what could you do? You can't just come over and demand they release me. Hostage situations don't work like that."

She pauses, and I can practically see her squinting at me through the phone. "Have you ever been held hostage before?"

"No, but neither have you."

"The point is, you don't know if they work like that or not. I can be very convincing when I need to be. If you need me to help, just say 'I'm fine' and then I'll know that you're not really fine."

"Lily, I… I don't know how to answer you now."

"That's it. I'm coming over."

"Girl, will you just—is that you? You cannot be here already." I go to the door, and sure enough, there she is. "Seriously? How are you here that fast?"

She storms into the house, head swiveling like she's a police officer clearing the room. As if she really could do something if someone were here. "Right next door, remember. And I was already on my way over before I said I was coming over. It's called the element of surprise."

"You rang the doorbell."

She just shrugs. "If you're not being held hostage, why did you scream?"

I think about lying and telling her that I didn't, but it's no use. My grin would give me away. "Remember that clinic Chloe told me about at her birthday party? The one she used to take Silver to? The one that provides animal care for pets in low-income families."

"Yeah. Wasatch Animal?—"

"Wasatch Animal Life Line. They call themselves WALL. Well, the president of their board of directors just called me."

She screams so loud, I have to plug my ears. "You got it!"

"I got it!" I throw my arms around her. "You are now hugging one of the lowest paid veterinarians in the Salt Lake City area."

She bounces a little in my arms. "I'm hugging my best friend, who just got an amazing and fulfilling job three days after she moved here. I told you! "

"An amazing and fulfilling job that will barely pay my bills."

"Em, you're going to be giving incredible care to animals who would never be able to afford you otherwise. That's a great cause!"

"It is a great cause, isn't it?" I clamp my hands over my mouth to scream respectfully, unlike my best friend. My ears are still ringing from her scream. "And this means I can pay you rent. Not a lot, but it's something."

She lets go of me and steps back far enough so I can see that she's giving me her stern face. "Em, you are not paying me a dime. This house was just sitting here."

"Then that money goes into my savings so I can afford to move out the instant this house sells." I walk to the kitchen to start putting away my groceries, and she follows to help. "Don't even think about turning down any offers you get on it."

She gives me an innocent look over a jar of pasta sauce. "I would never."

"Oh my god, Lilian Antoinette Richards?—"

"Not my name."

"You already turned down an offer?"

She looks at the package of dried beans in her hand like it's suddenly the most interesting thing in the world. "Do you know I can't stand lentils?"

"Yes, I know that. We lived together for years, remember? And I know you're changing the subject."

"It wasn't even a good offer."

"Lily! Okay, thank you for doing that. You know I appreciate it. But you can't do that again! I mean it! If you do—" My ringing phone interrupts me before I can make an appropriately stern threat, like training a murder of crows to pester her for peanuts every time she leaves her house.

"It's probably them." Lily is already whispering even though I haven't picked up the phone. "They're offering more money. Or better benefits. Oh, you should hold out until they agree to pay one-hundred percent of your insurance premiums. "

I roll my eyes. "They probably just have a question for their paperwork." I swipe open my phone without even looking at it. "Hi, this is Emory Hopkins."

"I know exactly who you are, and I am not in the mood for your jokes, young lady," my dad growls out on the other end.

"Dad?" I put him on speaker and look at Lily. She and my dad have always gotten along really well with each other. Way better than he and I do. "I wasn't expecting you. Sorry. I'm here with?—"

"Oh, I can guess who you're there with. I saw the picture, Emory. Several times. Do you know how many clients showed it to me today? Each one of them congratulating me as they twisted the knife that my own daughter left in me."

Even from another state, he can find a way to burst whatever joy I'm feeling. Well, I'm not going to let him do it today. "Let's take off the drama pants, Dad. What picture are you talking about? If you're talking about that nude Buxom Veterinarian Babes of Boulder calendar, that was for charity."

He huffs. "I said I am not in the mood. You insisted this move of yours had nothing to do with a man. I knew better, but you sat right here in this kitchen and lied to me and your mother. She's going to be devastated."

"Dad, I don't know what picture you're talking about. There is no picture of me with a man."

Lily gets my attention to ask if I want her to leave, but I shake her off. Whatever this is, is a huge misunderstanding, and I'm not going to run her off for something that I'll have cleared up in no time.

"And Kayden Bouchard of all people? Apparently someone posted your picture on CMZ, but according to the last patient who showed me, it's all over the internet now."

That picture? That little fucking weasel of a fan exploiting Kayden's kindness? A private moment. Not on the ice. Not at a public event. Just eating dinner.

I wish I knew where to find him so I could let him know exactly what I think about this. I would communicate my feelings exclusively by the use of my fingers wrapped tight around his neck.

"You know how these people are, Emory. We both do. They only care about themselves and don't give a damn who they hurt. This is going to be just like high school all over again. What are you going to do when he breaks your heart? Because that's exactly what's going to happen."

Lily mouths Kayden? and then covers her mouth. It might be cute if I weren't so furious now.

Oh my god, when is he going to let me move past that?

"Yes, Dad. Kayden Bouchard and I are dating. I gave up everything I had just to be with him because I feel that strongly about him." Poor Lily's jaw is dropping so far I think it might be dislocated. I'll have to fill her in as soon as I hang up or she's going to need surgery. "And nothing you say will change my mind, Dad. I love him. You just can't stop a true love like ours." Now it's my turn to wear the drama pants.

"Emory, how dare you?—"

"Sorry, Dad, I have to go get ready for a date with my boyfriend. You know, world famous hockey person Kayden Bouchard. But don't worry. He and I are forever and ever. I'll be sure to invite you to the wedding."

I shake my head as I hang up on him. I knew he would react like this, but I wasn't expecting it yet. And I thought I would get a lot more joy from provoking it.

"Em?" Lily's voice is quiet and her eyes are wide. "You and Kayden? When? How? Kayden? You?"

All of my frustration at my dad transforms into laughter. "It is so very much not what you think."