Page 16 of Someone to Call My Own

“Okay. I’ll call you later and let you know how it goes.”

“Ialwayslook forward to hearing from you, Em.”

I disconnected the call and slipped my phone in my pocket. What was the worst that could happen if I joined Josh, Gabe, and their friends for dinner? I could have a bad time and have to leave early, or have a good time and stay longer. I knew which of the two concerned me the most. I stood taller and inhaled a calming breath deep into my lungs then released it slowly. I decided I would go to dinner even if it were just to make Memphis proud of me.

I rang the doorbell and plastered a smile on my face when Gabe answered the door. “So glad you could make it.” I didn’t see any pity in Gabe’s smile, just warmth, and welcome.

“Thanks.”

I followed Gabe up the steps to the private residence above the salon. The aroma of delicious food permeated the air, and every step I took brought me closer to the food that smelled good enough to make me drool. “How do you not weigh three hundred pounds?” I asked Gabe.

“I work out a lot. I cranked up my cardio once I started dating Josh.”I just bet he did.Those two put out some serious sparks when they were in the same room. You just knew they burned hotter than the sun when they were together.Okay, Emory, back away from creepy thoughts about your new friends.“That didn’t come out the way I meant it to,” Gabe said humorously. “His cooking skills require that I exercise more to maintain the weight I want.”

I laughed because he sounded like an infomercial at best or one of those pre-recorded messages at worst. “I’ll go on an extra-long jog tomorrow.”

Josh’s bright smile was so blinding that I almost missed the relief I saw in his eyes.Was he worried that I wouldn’t come? Why did he care so much?I could hear Memphis urging me to stop questioning their kindness and embrace it.

“It’s good to see you again, Emory,” Chaz said. It had been so long since I had to exchange pleasantries in polite company, but I surprisingly slipped back into the groove.

“You too.” I turned to the beautiful African American woman who smiled warmly at me. “I don’t think we’ve formally met. I’m Emory Jackson.” I extended my hand to her which she used to pull me into a hug.

“I’m Meredith Richmond,” she told me, pulling out of the embrace. “I’m happy you’re joining us today.”

The doorbell rang again, and Gabe went back downstairs to answer the door. I noticed the various expressions on the faces around me. Chaz looked nervous and rubbed his hands against the thighs of his jeans while Josh and Meredith looked hopeful. Just who the hell were they expecting? It was obvious by everyone’s reaction that he wasn’t the person they anticipated. Well, Josh’s huge smile and laughing eyes told me he knew it was a possibility and enjoyed watching Chaz and Meredith’s surprise. I wasn’t that curious about the newcomer until I saw their reactions.

My eyes widened slightly in surprise when I saw the dark-haired man with piercing blue eyes standing awkwardly next to Gabe with a bottle of wine in his hand. The guy wore dark jeans and an impeccably pressed, white dress shirt that was open enough to get a glimpse of dark chest hair. What stuck out to me the most wasn’t the clothes he wore, but the expression on his face. He looked wary, cynical, and a little lost—all things that I understood well. I felt a tiny little sliver of recognition and chalked it up to the fact that it appeared we both were going through a tough time in our lives.

“Guys, this is Jonathon Silver,” Gabe said. “He’s Nate’s twin brother. Jonathon Silver, this is Meredith, Chaz, and Emory.”Who the hell was Nate?

Chaz was the first to snap out of his surprise to cross the room and shake Jonathon’s hand. Meredith hugged him and told him she was sorry for his loss, which Jonathon seemed to appreciate. I realized the sadness I saw in his eyes was from losing his brother, which drew me to him even more. I slowly stepped forward and tilted my head slightly as I studied Jonathon because it felt as if I knew him somehow. There was something so familiar about him, but I’d never seen the man before; I was certain of it. I could tell I was making the other man feel uncomfortable but felt powerless to stop myself from wondering about him.

Aware that every eye in the room was trained on us and gauging our reactions, we cautiously extended our hands toward one another. “Emory Jackson,” I said. When our hands touched, I felt an electrical current zap throughout my body. I finally understood what it felt like to grab a live wire. I narrowed my eyes suspiciously at the stranger as if he were solely responsible for the fire burning inside me. I wasn’t the only one unhappy about the development because Jonathon returned my glare.

I closed my eyes for a few seconds to escape his penetrative blue eyes. When I did, I was transported back to my dream, which confused the fuck out of me. My lover held me tightly against him and nuzzled the back of my neck with his nose. “I love you, Em.”That voice! It was Jonathon Silver’s. That was why he seemed so familiar to me, but that couldn’t be possible. I never… we never… and we never would. I slowly opened my eyes and blinked as the dream—I refused to call it a vision—faded from my mind.

Jonathon’s face was completely devoid of expression as he looked back at me. Did he feel the zing between us too? Did he think I was some fucking weirdo who didn’t let go of his hand? I dropped it and took a sudden step back.

Josh stepped between us like he sensed the rising tension. I welcomed his intrusion and took another step back. “Welcome to our home,” Josh said to Jonathon. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too.” He looked over at Gabe and smiled wryly. “No wonder you turned me down. Twice. Your man is adorable.”

“Wait until you eat his food,” Gabe proudly said to Jonathon.

Well, that was just fucking awkward!What kind of asshole came into someone’s house and said something like that? Josh stiffened and looked toward Gabe.Uh oh.It looked like the hunky detective left that part out about their dinner guest. Jonathon shook his head slightly like he couldn’t believe what he’d just said. Josh spun around and headed into the kitchen with his man fast on his heels.

The living area wasn’t small, but it wasn’t big enough to disguise the fact that Gabe was in there doing some quick groveling. I couldn’t quite make out the hushed words he spoke, but his tone was conciliatory and regretful. Or maybe, not. Gabe cornered Josh and it looked like the tone of their conversation was heating up quick. I was right; they burned hotter than the sun. It was no wonder Gabe called Josh Sunshine.

“Should we leave?” Meredith asked them good-naturedly.

“Speak for yourself. I’m not leaving here until I get some of that ham.”

I turned to see who had joined us while the little showdown in the kitchen happened. I recognized the tall, muscular man from around town, but we hadn’t formally met. People in the diner referred to him as Dr. Vaughn, and I overheard someone else refer to him as the town vet.

“You made it after all,” Josh said happily.

“You sound a little too eager, Sunshine.” Gabe looked at Josh through narrowed eyes.

“I hope you wore pants with an elastic waistband on them,” Josh told the newest arrival. “I bought a second ham just for you.”