Page 3 of Right Where You Left Me

Sage

I ’m pacing in Piper’s office when she ducks inside.

She locks the door and leans against it facing me.

She has her arms across her chest, giving me the look .

The look only an older sister can give you when she thinks you’re being stupid.

A look that I am on the receiving end of a lot, but I’m not being stupid.

Emma is here. In Cedar Falls. Why the fuck is Emma Newton here? !

God, my stomach hurts. I can feel it roiling with almost a decade’s worth of anxiety. There’s a pain in my chest and it’s only getting worse. This is a heart attack, right? What arm is it they say goes numb again? Piper would know, she’s a mother. They know that kind of thing.

Fucking Emma Newton! I try to take a deep breath, but it comes out shaky when I make eye contact with my sister. My big sister, who knows exactly what Emma did and why I cannot handle her being here .

“Why?” I manage to croak out. “Why would you hire her, Pipes?”

“First, I need you to know that I didn’t knowingly hire her, okay?

Her last name is different now and her interview was over the phone.

She was one of the very few applicants who responded to the job listing, and was by far the most qualified, so she got the job.

I didn’t know it was Emma, Emma until she walked in the door.

And based on the look on her face when she walked in, she had the exact same thought when she saw me. ”

I huff out a breath and start pacing again. “She’s married?”

“Divorced.” Piper says softly.

Hm. Well. Okay then. That’s… ugh, why do I feel bad for her? Maybe it’s her fault. She did something unforgivable, that would be on brand for her. “She can’t work here, Piper.”

“Well, you don’t really get a say in that, Sage.

” She says indignantly. “I need the help! I have a whole husband and three children that I would like to see. I’d love to be able to actually get my babies ready for school before I have to spend the day here.

And I know for a fact you’re not going to show up here at four in the morning to start baking. Right?”

I roll my eyes. She’s so dramatic sometimes. “Hire one of the other applicants then.”

“You’re being a fucking baby about this, Sage.

I understand. You are blindsided and upset, but what happened between you guys was thirteen years ago.

You need to be an adult and get over it!

I’m not going to let this ancient history between the two of you ruin my cafe, and I’m keeping Emma.

She is extremely qualified and I don’t want to just hire one of the other random two people that applied just so that you won’t throw a tantrum whenever you come in to help out. ”

“Okay, but—” I start, the pressure in my chest getting worse. I cannot handle seeing Emma every time I come in to help Piper out. I don’t care that I’m being a “baby.” I never thought I’d see her again, and now she has invaded my world and I don’t want to deal with it. I want her gone.

“No, Sage. This is my business, mine. I worked my ass off to get this place up and running. You know how hard I pushed myself and my family to make this place a success. I appreciate it when you come in to help me out, I do , but you don’t run things here.

I do. Emma stays, and you’ll be a mature adult about it.

For fuck’s sake, Sage, you’re thirty-three. Act like it.”

Tears burn the back of my eyes. I know I’m being ridiculous about this, but Emma…

Fuck I didn’t think I’d ever see her again.

And now she’s just… here. After everything that went down between us, I hoped I’d never have to be around her.

I did move on. I did get over it. But seeing her here, in one of my safe places, has dragged up every awful feeling I had back then, and I can’t do this.

I think maybe I’m in shock. I need to get out of here and process, and then maybe I can be an adult about her being back in Cedar Falls and working for my goddamn sister.

I’ll feel guilty about it later, but I need to leave. I can’t be in here today and act like everything is fine. I swear, if Emma tried to talk to me right now, I’d probably erupt. And that wouldn’t be good for any of us here today.

I pretend to check my smart watch and gasp. “Oh shit, so sorry Pipes, but I totally forgot I have a client this morning. River is texting asking where I am. I won’t be able to help you out this morning, after all. But I’ll see you later.”

Piper gives me a blank look and I can see her fighting to not roll her eyes at me.

“You are a horrible liar, but I understand. Take today and feel your feelings, but when you come back, please leave your shit outside the front door. I’m sorry that this is happening, but I can’t let your bad blood affect my business. ”

I nod. “Yeah, I promise I’ll behave. Love you Pipes.”

“Love you too.” She wraps me up in a tight hug, kissing the side of my head.

“Come to dinner at the house this weekend. The boys have been dying to have you come see their new art supplies. And I’ll let you bitch and moan all about Emma then.

” She gives me one more squeeze and adds, “It’ll be okay, you’ll see. ”

I highly doubt that, but what can I do about it? “Dinner sounds good. Can I bring them more sketch books? And markers?”

“Yes, of course.” She says with a soft smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

The air is a little chilly outside when I leave the cafe.

Fall is in full swing now, and I’m kicking myself for not grabbing a sweatshirt to throw on.

But, thankfully I don’t have far to go. Rust Belt Revival, the tattoo shop I co-own with my best friend, comes into view as I walk down Main Street.

It’s only a few blocks from Piper’s cafe, which usually I love, but knowing Emma is just down the street from me now has me on edge.

I rip the door open and storm in, the heat of the A/C and the sound of buzzing filling the air. I sigh in relief, already feeling my stress melt some. Now this actually is my safe space. I can feel myself start to uncoil, until?—

“Who pissed in your coffee this morning?”

“Lovely, Peyton.” I say dryly. “No one.”

“Then why does your face look like that?”

Peyton is lounging behind the front counter, phone in hand, as she assesses me.

Bottom lip tucked between her teeth, her blue eyes sparkling with mirth, and if she wasn’t a tiny twenty-three-year-old, I’d probably shove her off that stool she’s perched on.

But as it is, she’s harmless, and poking at me and River is what she does to pass the time while she’s working.

“Shouldn’t you be doing your job and not just sitting up here scrolling on your phone? I can hear River working, you should be watching.” I say, trying to sound like her boss even though I know she doesn’t give a shit.

“I did. But he said I’ve seen enough simple fill-in work and sent me back up here to make myself busy. Which is perfect, because now you can answer my question.”

“Peyton, leave her be. You never poke the bear.” River calls out from his station.

“I hate you both.” I mutter as I walk past Peyton and throw myself down on the stool at my own station. I close my eyes and try to block out everything but the buzzing sound River’s machine is making.

“You love me.” River says and I scoff. “Do not. You’re a pain in the ass.”

“Yes, but I’m your pain in the ass.” He says, looking up from his work and grinning at me.

River is a scary looking guy if you don’t know him.

He’s 6’6” and built like a brick house, with thick dark hair that hangs in waves that reach his shoulders and the brightest green eyes I’ve ever seen on a human being.

He’s, as you would predict from someone in our profession, covered in ink.

But he is one of the sweetest and most genuine people you’ll ever meet.

River and I met right after college. I had an art degree that I didn’t know what I wanted to do with right away, but I knew I wanted to get into tattooing.

So, I moved to Chicago a few months after graduation.

I thought I could figure it out once I got to a real city.

I remember going out one night and running into this goofy, giant of a man where we just clicked.

We hung out all night and I thought to myself, yup, he’s going to end up being around for a while .

We ended up becoming roommates, and later on we apprenticed at the same shop.

We’ve been through so much heavy shit together through the last decade, and when he ended up having to take his two younger sisters in, we did that together too.

He’s my best friend, my absolute ride or die, so he’s got me there. He is my pain in the ass.

“Ugh, whatever.” I say with a laugh. “Don’t let it go to your head.

It’s already big enough.” I get up to lean over the short wall surrounding River’s station, and peek over to watch him work.

“What’re you getting done today, Skyler?

” I ask the young guy sitting at River’s chair.

Skyler has been in a few times, adding to his arms. I love it, the fact that we have repeat clients. It’s our dream coming true.

“Adding to my right botanical sleeve. River thought I could use some ferns to fill in the empty space.” He says, looking down at the art on his arm. He has an awestruck look in his eye and it makes me so proud of River. He’s so talented it actually makes me ill. I feel like a proud parent.

I nod. “That’s going to look great, man.”

“Soooooo. The face.” Peyton says as she comes over and drapes herself across my client chair, twirling a finger through her glossy pink hair. “You still didn’t explain why you looked like you sucked on a lemon when you stormed in here.”

“Peyton.” I groan. “I don’t want to talk about it. I know it’s hard to believe, but not everything that goes on with us is your business.”