Page 15

15

EXCLAMATION POINTS

Emma

“ I swear, it was nothing. I was caught up in the crowd. Everyone was drunk and happy. I was fine.”

Dad pulls in a deep breath and leans back in his chair at the dining table. He’s giving me that look he did when I was a teenager, which screams he can read through my bull shit, and that I’m a big, fat liar.

He would be correct, just like he was back in the day.

“It didn’t look like nothing,” he states.

But Keelie proves she’s not just the best stepmom of all time but also has my back. “If she says she’s fine, I’m sure she’s fine, Asa. She’s been doing this for years and we didn’t watch every moment she was on air. I’m sure there are many things we missed.”

“You’re fine, blah, blah, blah.” Saylor’s glass hits the table and water sloshes in dramatic fashion as she leans forward and levels her gaze on me. “You were at the parade today, and Brett Sullivan came out of hiding. After chasing him down on the field and the private interview, you can’t tell me that you didn’t see him today. Please,” she drawls. “Tell me the two of you met up in a dark corner and made plans to hook up.”

“Saylor!” Keelie yelps.

I gape at her. “Are you asking me if I scheduled a hookup while we’re eating dinner?”

“Holy shit,” Dad mutters as his eyes fall shut. He pinches the bridge of his nose like he feels a migraine coming on, and that’s a lot for him since he rarely gets a headache. When he opens his eyes, he reaches over and grabs Keelie’s hand. “Why are teenagers like this?”

“I didn’t mean it that way. I meant like a date.” Saylor is annoyed with everyone but still shoots me a sly smile. “But if you did schedule a hookup hookup, you can tell me later. Apparently, the ‘rents are too old to handle this kind of talk over ziti.”

Keelie stands and picks up her plate. “I’m declaring dinner officially over before our daughters prematurely age us any further.”

“Thank goodness.” I follow suit and start to do the dishes. “Between the trip to Vegas and the Founders win, I haven’t had a chance to look for an apartment in the city. That’s on the top of my to-do list.”

Dad loads the dishwasher before pressing his lips to the top of my head. “Just got you back, Em. I’m not in a hurry for you to leave. Saylor will age me one way or another.”

Saylor wraps her arms around Dad’s middle for a big hug. “You wouldn’t have me any other way.”

Dad shakes his head and gives her a squeeze. “You’re right about that.”

“Thanks, Dad. But driving from the country every day is a lot. I can’t crash on my friend’s sofa every night.” My thoughts go straight to Jack, whose sofa I’ve never crashed on. I go willingly to his bed when I’m at his house. But today, we didn’t leave on good terms. I was done reporting and had to get back to the studio with Ross. Jack had to tend to the mess Brett found himself in. We didn’t even say goodbye.

Keelie spoons leftovers into a glass dish. “You’ll be at Hudson’s party, right? I can’t believe he’s already a year old.”

“Yes. My producer gave me a few days off. I’ve missed so much the last couple of years, you couldn’t keep me away if you tried. I need to go shopping for a gift.”

“Have you been to Levi’s lately?” Dad asks. “Those kids don’t need anything else.”

Keelie elbows Dad on her way to the refrigerator. “Says the grandpa who just ordered an entire addition for their play equipment. Did you even tell Levi or Carissa that will be arriving?”

Dad does his best to bite back a grin. “Why would I tell them? It’s a surprise.”

“The creepy old mansion gets less and less creepy with each kid they have,” Saylor says. “I remember when Carissa and Cade lived there with their grandmother. I was scared to be there even with you guys. She died in that house. I’m not sure how Levi lives there.”

“Levi and Carissa made that mansion into a beautiful home. It’s not at all creepy like it used to be,” I say. “Plus, it’s private. What’s not to love about that? No drive-by shootings. Right, Keelie?”

“You had to bring that up,” Keelie mutters.

“We don’t talk about that,” Dad states.

I look at Saylor and shrug. “See? Creepy old private mansions are good for something, right? And the percentage of people who experience a drive-by shooting has to be low. It’s not like it’s going to happen again—statistically speaking.”

“I don’t want to know the statistics of living through that again.” Keelie shuts the fridge and turns to us. “Changing the subject from the event that shall not be mentioned, Knox called me today. He’s coming home for Hudson’s party. Everyone will be together. I thought it would be normal family time, but he said he’s bringing a girl home.”

Finally, Saylor has something else to focus on besides me. “A girl?”

Dad crosses his arms. “Good for him.”

“Did he tell you anything about her?” I ask.

Keelie pulls her lip between her teeth and shakes her head. “No. He was in a hurry to get off the phone. All he said was he met someone, and he wants to bring her home for a visit. They’ll come straight to the birthday party Friday night.”

“He never tells me anything lately.” Saylor says and crosses her arms. “It has to be because of her. There’s no other explanation.”

Keelie’s tone is sharp, and she sounds more like a teacher than a mom. “You don’t know that. None of us know anything. I just want everyone to be prepared.”

Saylor is annoyed. “We know nothing. How can we prepare?”

“She’s not wrong,” I point out even though I’m distracted. My cell vibrates three times straight where I stuffed it in my back pocket.

Keelie sighs. “The first thing I need to prepare for is a place for a guest. Despite how Saylor talks at the dinner table, we still run a PG home. There’s no way they’re sharing a room. We converted Levi’s old room into a library and Emma is home. That was our guest room.”

“She can sleep on the sofa,” Dad says.

Keelie gives him an exasperated look. “I can’t put a guest on the sofa.”

“Is she really a guest?” Dad asks. “We didn’t invite her.”

“Put Knox on the sofa,” Saylor suggests. “That’s what he gets for not telling us anything.”

“I’m not putting my son on the sofa when he’s home from college.”

I ignore all talk and the eeny-meeny-miny-moe of the Hollingsworth Inn. Someone is rapid fire texting me again.

Jack – You left.

Jack – You left before we could talk. We’re so not done for the day.

Jack – Where are you? Remind me to figure out a way to track your phone. That would’ve come in handy today when DEEP THROAT FUCKING KIDNAPPED YOU.

Jack – Dammit, where are you, Emerson Hollingsworth?

Wow.

I knew Jack was a big personality but when he gets like this, he’s too much.

Me – Did you just scream at me in all caps and address me by my full name?

Jack – I wouldn’t have to do that if you’d answer me in a timely manner. Like, immediately.

Me – Possessive much?

Jack – Much. Very much.

Jack – And for your information, I was not screaming at you. I was emphasizing my words. There’s a big difference. Screaming would include exclamation points. Note: Caps plus exclamation points equals screaming. I would never scream at you.

Jack – Not unless I really needed your attention. Like IF YOU’VE BEEN KIDNAPPED. Note: no exclamation points.

“Who in the hell is texting you?” Dad asks. “Your phone is buzzing nonstop.”

I look up and shake my head. “A friend. Friends. It’s a group chat.”

“I have an idea,” Saylor pipes in, dragging me back into the who-sleeps-where conversation. “Emma can stay with Brett Sullivan so mystery girl can have her room. You can boobytrap her door to make sure Knox doesn’t go sneaking around in the middle of the night.”

I plant my hands on my hips and ignore Jack Hale. “I am not staying with Brett Sullivan. We are not a thing.”

Saylor flips her long blond hair over her shoulder and picks up her backpack on her way out of the kitchen. “If you say so.”

I turn to Keelie. “I’ll stay with Levi and Carissa. Good luck keeping Knox and the new girl apart. I should be surprised, but I’m not. Knox has that wholesome cute thing working for him. He reminds me of Mason Schrock. I knew the girls would be all over him at school.”

Keelie drags her hands through her hair. “Don’t say that. Please don’t say that. Knox isn’t old enough to get serious about anyone.”

I take a cue from Saylor and escape the kitchen. “Might I remind you, Levi was secretly engaged to Carissa when he was younger than Knox.”

Keelie gasps. “Stop it.”

“Come here, baby,” Dad says softly. The last thing I see is him pull his wife to his chest and wrap his arms around her. “It’ll be okay.”

“No, it won’t,” Keelie cries. “My baby is serious about a girl.”

That’s the last thing I hear before I round the staircase to my old room that I’m being kicked out of. Sort of. Levi and Carissa have a million bedrooms in that old mansion. I just need to remember to tell them to dust one off for me.

But now is not the time. The man I invited into my life and my pants is so demanding, I can’t see straight.

Me – We need to work on you texting entire thoughts together. And I was not kidnapped, Jackson Hale.

Jack – Ha, joke’s on you, EMERSON. My name isn’t Jackson. It’s just Jack.

Jack – Unless you’re my best friend, aka, Levi, then you can call me Jackie. No one else is allowed to call me that other than my grandma.

I flop down on my bed and stare at the screen. The man is as sweet as he is obnoxious.

Me – I’m at home. I haven’t been here in days. I had to show my face. Dad freaked out when he saw what happened today on TV. I’m twenty-six. I really need my own place.

Jack – Pack a bag. I’ll share my place with you any day. Wait. Every day. I want you in my bed. And in my kitchen. And on my sofa. Hell, I’ll take you in my creepy-ass basement that you haven’t seen yet. It’s the only part of the brownstone that hasn’t been touched since the twenties—the nineteen twenties. How’s that for a complete thought?

Me – We’ve been together for five minutes. And four of those minutes have been filled with quarterback drama and Deep Throat drama. Sharing a bed with no expiration date is too much to think about.

Jack – I refuse to put an expiration date on you.

Me – I’m staying at Levi’s this weekend. I’ve been kicked out of my room for Knox’s girlfriend.

Jack – Emma, Emma, Emma. I’m wounded. You can stay with me.

Me – Next time.

Jack – You’ve shown your face at home. Come back. Brett is coming over for a quick meeting before he heads back to Whitetail. I’ll fill you in if you come.

I knife up to a sitting position.

Me – Why is Brett coming over?

Jack – Now you’re interested. Should I be worried?

Me – Don’t be ridiculous. I’m invested in his story. The fact you’d even ask that is crazy.

Jack – Are you going to tell me if Deep Throat calls you?

Me – Are we really doing this? Tit for tat?

Jack – I’ll take your tit any day, baby. One of them … both of them. If you can’t tell, when it comes to you, I’m pathetically desperate.

Me – There you go again.

Jack – What’s that?

Me – Being sweet when I should be mad at you.

Jack – I’m hard to be mad at.

Jack – Or, I should say, I’m hard to stay mad at.

Jack – Sorry about the random thoughts. I’m trying to do better. I have an itchy trigger finger.

I roll to my side and pull a pillow into my chest.

Me – It’s okay.

Jack – Gotta go. Brett’s here. I’ll call you.

Me – You’d better. I’m jealous I’m not there, and you get to talk to Brett.

Jack – Now you’re making me jealous again. I’ll call when he leaves. I might update you on what he has to say, but it depends on certain sexual favors.

I can’t keep the smile off my face.

Me – You’ve officially lost it.

Jack – For you, I have. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PHONE. I’ll call. Note: No exclamation points.

I don’t answer him. I toss my cell next to me on the mattress and roll to my back.

I’m exhausted. It’s been one long day after another. Maybe I should’ve made an excuse to stay in the city. I’ve gotten used to being with Jack.

Sure, he pissed me off when he tried to tell me what I could and couldn’t do.

No one tells me what to do.

Still…

My obsession when it comes to him is becoming stronger every day.

Damn.

All there is for me to do now is wait.