Page 147 of Slumming It

She shook her head. "They're not my things. They're yours. Or give them to Rita if you want. I mean, she picked them out, so…" Once again, Emily's words trailed off into silence.

I should have remained silent, too. And yet, I heard myself say, "Don't tell me you're jealous."

Emily shook her head, and her voice remained eerily calm. "No. Not jealous. I don't think you're sleeping together, if that's what you mean." She let out a long, ragged breath. "Although I guess I shouldn't assume anything, huh?"

I'd known Rita since I was a teenager, and the thought of getting busy with her wasn't just laughable, it was disturbing. Rita was like an aunt – or like the mom I'd never had.

The reminder was a cold slap in the face, and I made myself say what needed saying. "No, you shouldn't assume." I tried for another smirk. "But hey, thanks for fun."

Emily closed her eyes for a long, silent moment, and I found it hard to keep my own eyes on the road. Lucky for me, the traffic was light, because I stared too long and hard until her eyes slowly opened, and she said the oddest thing. "You're welcome."

She said nothing more, even as I pulled up to her parents' house, turned into the driveway, and drove down the short dirt road that led to the trailer by the pumpkin patch.

When I cut the engine, Emily reached down and grabbed her cellphone from the floor and then rummaged through the purse, pulling out her wallet and keys along with a hairbrush and a few other odds and ends. She left the purse behind as she opened the Ferrari's door, got slowly out, and shut the door quietly behind her.

I watched with tears in my eyes as she trudged up to the trailer, unlocked the flimsy door, opened it up, and disappeared inside.

And then, I did the thing I should've done weeks ago.

I fired up the engine and drove off, leaving Emily alone – or at least far away from me.

Chapter 57

Emily

I was lying face-up on the couch when I heard footsteps coming up the trailer's aluminum steps. My pulse quickened.Reese?

It had been only an hour since he'd dropped me off, and I'd been zoned out ever since. But now, with my heart in my throat, I bolted upright and looked toward the door. A moment later, it swung open, and my sister walked in, letting the door swing shut behind her.

At the sight of me on the sofa, she stopped short. "What areyoudoing here?"

It was an odd question, considering thatshewas the one supposedly out-of-state. I tried to smile. "I should ask the same of you."

She took a few steps forward, but then stopped again. Her brow furrowed. "Are you crying?"

I wasn't actually. I felt like crying, but the tears wouldn't come. Maybe I was too stunned. Or more likely, I wasn't stunned at all because I had been expecting to get my heart stomped all along.

But for whatever reason, the sadness in my heart was just sitting there like a cold lump, denying me even the release of tears.

I shook my head. "Nope. No crying here."

She rushed forward to sit beside me on the couch. "Emily, what's wrong?"

It was my turn to say it. "You were right."

"About what?"

I forced a laugh. "What else? Reese Murdock. You warned me, but did I listen?" I tried for another laugh. This one came outsuspiciously like a sob. But my eyes remained dry as I continued. "But why areyouhere? You didn't quit, did you?" But then my hands flew to my face. "Oh, my God. He fired you, didn't he?"

"Who?"

"I dunno. Reese or Slade…or whoever. But youwerefired, right?"

"No, of course not – well, notyetanyway. I probably will be though." But then she paused. "Then again, Ididturn off my cellphone, so maybe Ihavebeen fired." She winced. "I guess I should check, huh?"

My stomach sank. "Was it because of me?"

"Oh, stop. It wasn't due to anythingyoudid."