In mock shock, “Well, I never ...”
Holding out her hand, “I’ll throw them in the dryer for you.”
“And I’m supposed to wear what while this is happening?”
She looked around for a minute, then pulled the comforter off her bed, “Just wrap up in this.”
With a look of ‘that’ll work’, he hit the bathroom and returned a minute later, soaked pants and socks in hand. Handing them to her, “But where’s the dryer?”
She opened a small closet door to reveal a stackable washer/dryer, “It came with the place and, for the most part, it’s cheaper to do the laundry here than a laundry mat and a whole lot easier.” Dumping his stuff in the dryer, she went and changed herself, putting her wet clothes in with his. Turning it on, “Well, it looks like you’re stuck with me for at least a half-hour or so.”
“Well, the clothes may not be dry by then and I’ll just have to stay longer.”
Seeing him standing there, goofy grin on his face, bundled in a patchwork comforter with his hair sticking in every direction, she realized something.
She realized she was comfortable with him.
And happy with him.
And safe with him.
And that she loved him.
This knowledge hit her like a brick and not knowing just what to do with it at the moment, she shivered, suddenly cold, “So, tea or hot chocolate?”
“Tea, if you’ve got some sugar I can put in.”
Heading towards the stove, “Tea it is. Be ready in about five minutes.”
With Emily occupied in the kitchen, Jack dropped down on the couch and began thumbing through the book he’d started the night he had stayed. Getting in a few more pages before she handed him his steaming cup, “Whatcha reading?”
“Wrinkle in Time. I started it when I stayed here that night and I’ve got about 20 pages left.”
Feeling weird at the mention of that night, “Did you know there are about seven more books in the series?”
With interest, he glanced over at her bookshelves, “Do you have them?”
She got up, pulling off a stack of paperbacks, “They’re not the greatest copies but they’re readable.”
Taking the stack from her, “That’s all that matters. Do you mind if I borrow them?”
“No, go ahead. And if they fall apart, just use liberal amounts of duct tape and stick ‘em back together.”
“I’ll remember that.” Looking between his cup, the book in his hand and her, “Um, will you think I’m rude if I finish reading this now?”
“Not at all.” Reaching for the book she’d gotten from under the Callaghan Christmas tree, “Enjoy.”
▪▪▪
He hit the ending of one book and, seeing Emily happily absorbed in hers, cracked open the second in the series. Eventually, both their cups were empty and the comforter was spread across their laps. Jack, yawning, “If you touch me with those cold toes one more time woman, so help me.”
Emily also found herself yawning. She tried to stay awake, but soon the words were swimming around the page and she couldn’t focus anymore. Putting the book down, “I don’t know about you, but I need a nap.”
Stretching his arms over his head, “I was just thinking that.”
Feeling rather bold, she stood up, “Make you a deal?”
“Sure, why not? I’m feeling adventurous.”
She went and pulled his pants out of the dryer, “How ‘bout you put your pants on, we lay do …”, another yawn broke her speech for a moment, then, “down and you play me something good on your iPod and we fall asleep?”
Reaching for his pants, he motioned for her to turn around while he stood to put them on, “Sounds perfect.”
With difficulty, she contained her smile but Jack, being Jack, grinned from ear to ear at the simple prospect of being beside her, of maybe, just maybe, holding her and falling asleep feeling her breathe. Flopping on top of the blankets, she curled on her side and waited for him to grab his earphones and player from his coat pocket. Handing them to her, he hit the lights, plunging them into semi-darkness, given the snow caked on the windows and the dark clouds swirling outside.
Next he sat, spreading the comforter over them both and laying down, held up the player, “Any preferences?”
Already shutting her eyes and burying herself in one of the pillows, “Anything.”
As he watched her put one of the earphones into her ear, he turned it on and scrolled down a bit, “I was up at five-thirty this morning putting the CDs on here. Dad woke me up when he went to the bathroom and I couldn’t get back to sleep.”
“Ahh, that would explain why you’re tired.”
Finding the playlist he’d made earlier, “You should be more tired than me. You were up playing Scrabble. Just thinking about it exhausts me.”
With a soft smile on her lips, “Well, if we hadn’t been awake then, we wouldn’t be sleeping here now.”
Scooting a little closer to her, he hit play and shut his eyes, “And I can’t think of anywhere else I’d rather be.”
The first thing that went through her mind was how relaxed and warm and cozy she felt.
The second thing that went through her mind was that there was a hand on her.
The third thought was that this hand was resting on her skin under her shirt.
The fourth thought was that this hand was attached to Jack, who was spooned up behind her.
The fifth thought was she could very easily get used to this.
And the sixth and final thought to pass through her mind in the three seconds she’d been awake was that if he moved his hand any further, he’d know.
This had her up like a shot which of course startled Jack. “What? What’s wrong?”
Groping for the words in her head she knew had to be there, “Bathroom. Sorry.”
Breathing a sigh of relief once she shut the door behind her, she actually did use the bathroom, then sat down on the edge of the tub, waiting for her heart to stop pounding. Once it did and her face stopped being so flaming red, she came back out and found him wide awake and sitting on the bed, “You all right?”
“Yeah, um, just woke up fast and had to go.”
Wrapping his earphone wires around the iPod, “I should probably get going. It’s after two. Mom and Dad might send out the search squad at this point.”
“Oh god, I forgot about them.”
With a sheepish grin, “So did I, but they didn’t call me so they must think I’m still alive.”
Going to the kitchen and grabbing a plastic bag, she put the books in it and tied it tight, “So they don’t get wet on the walk home.”
After getting up, he just stood there, “I really don’t want to go.”
He looked so pitiful and adorable, she couldn’t help it. She walked towards him without a word and sliding her arms around his neck, kissed him. It was a quick kiss, a soft kiss and a perfect first kiss by Jack’s standards and over too soon when Emily backed up a foot or so, “I’m sorry.”
Jack, who was still off floating in his own part of heaven, came back to Earth with a, “Huh,” and closing the distance between them, “sorry for what?”
Oddly, she wasn’t able to keep her eyes off his lips, “For kissing you without asking. It just happened.”
Running a finger gently down her cheek, “You never have to ask to do that. Promise me, whenever you feel the need to kiss me, just do it. Don’t care where I am or what I’m doing, just grab me and lay it on me.”
She smiled up at him, “Even if it’s the middle of some exam?”
“I’ll take the fail.”
“What about if ...” she never made it any further because his lips were on hers then, smiling as they kissed her again.
▪▪▪
Elizabeth decided it was high time she find out exactly where her son was and the ringing of his phone caused them to jump apart, as if she’d actually been there in the room with them. Making what had to be the most frustrated fa
ce Emily had ever seen, he answered, “Yeah? Sorry, hello?”
The conversation didn’t take long and he hung up a minute later, ending with, “Yeah, I’ll be leaving in a few minutes. I’ll tell her. Bye.”
“Tell me what?”
“That she thinks you’re beautiful and that I should kiss you more often. Possibly all the time.”
Her voice caught in her throat out of both embarrassment and giddiness, “Of course.”
“Well, that and she wanted to make sure your mom got home all right and if she wasn’t, that you were welcome to come back with me.”
Happiness dropping a notch at the prospect of more lies, “Thank her for me.”
“You sure you don’t want to come back? We could just say she had to go back to the hospital for another shift?”
Shaking her head, “I’ll be fine. And anyways, I’ve got plenty to do here. I’ve got a lot of homework and a bunch of new books to read.”
Once he pulled his coat back on, he felt in the pocket and came up with a forgotten gift for her, “Hell, I meant to give you this when we first got here.” Holding the unopened cell phone to her, “I bought it at Wal-Mart for you and I didn't want to give it to you with your other gifts, thought it might make people wonder. Anyways, it's cheap, but at least you'll be able to call if you need something and you pay for the minutes as you go once you use the 30 minutes it comes with.” Worried that she might be mad about his intrusion into her life, “I'd just … I'd feel really bad if something happened to you and you couldn't call me … us … damn it.” After hanging his head for a moment, he tilted it sideways to look at her, “I've been worried about you being here by yourself.”
Not yet taking the package, “I've been fine here by myself for a while now.”
“But what if you have this sudden and inexplicable urge to call and warn me about some plot twist in the books? How will you get a hold of me? Hmm?”
With a reluctant hand and a widening smile, she took the phone, “Well, I can’t stand in the way of literary discussion now, can I?”
“Never.” Seeing that she was going to keep it, he grinned, then motioned her towards the kitchen, “Now go open it so I can get the number from you.”
Once that was done, he gave her another kiss, after which she hugged him tightly, whispering 'thank you' in his ear before following him downstairs and locking both locks on the door after he left. Back upstairs, she went to the window to watch him trudge through the drifts back to his noisy, warm, people-filled, wonderful-smelling, happy house.
Sitting down and pulling out the books Dex had retrieved from her locker for her the day after she'd walked out, she cracked open the history text.
She couldn’t concentrate, however, and after a few minutes, she realized why.
For the first time ever …
… she missed somebody.
Eight somebodies to be exact.
It was an overwhelming feeling and she had absolutely no idea what to do with it.
For the first time ever, she was lonely.
▪▪▪
It seemed that everybody at the Callaghan household was feeling it as well.
Sam asked more than once, “When’s Emily coming back?”
Tucker wanted to know if he could go over there and have a snowball fight with her because, “‘She’s got the best aim ever … even if she is a girl.”’
Even Elizabeth commented on it, “Is it wrong that I’m slightly desperate for a conversation with a 16-year-old girl?”
Jack had to laugh at this one, “It’s okay, Mom. I know you wish you could trade Dave in for a girl but you just have to face facts, it’s all Dad’s fault we’re boys. I think you should go yell at him.”
She cuffed her son playfully on the back of the head, “Just go shovel the walk with Tim and be quiet.”
“Yes mother.”
The next day, things got back to normal. The snow still fell lightly, but Will had to go back to work, as did Tim and Jack, but there was still New Year’s to look forward to.
Emily had said yes to the New Year’s invite, but Dex, now somewhere in Texas with his family, updating Jack and Emily daily with uproarious emails of his extended family’s antics, said he wished he could be there, but the entire Grenden clan was holding him hostage.
Chapter 13
Since she didn’t have to work that day, Emily showed up around two on New Year’s Eve, armed with the story of her mom working again.
“That’s too bad. I was hoping she might be able to make it.”
The lying twisted her up inside but not having much of a choice, “It’s hard to turn down overtime.”
Patting her on the back, “I know. My dad missed a fair amount of holidays as well, but with eight of us and my mom not working, it was either that or starve.”
“There were eight of you?”
Elizabeth nodded, “Yup. Which is probably the reason I had my own bunch.”
“Was Will from a big family, too?”
“Nope. Just him and his younger brother. His mom died when they were young so it was always just the two of them and his father.”
Emily watched as Elizabeth’s lips tightened involuntarily at the mention of Will’s dad and she realized, yet again, that Will may understand her more than anyone else in the world, but still, she steered the subject away quickly, “Is it all right that I’m here this early?”
Elizabeth's face returned to its natural smile, “Of course. Most of the boys are gone actually. Dave, Nate and Tucker went over to a friend’s house for awhile so it’s just you, me and Sam.” With a twinkle in her eye, “He’s been waiting to see you.”
“Really?”
“He’s in the living room.”
She went into the kitchen and the minute she called out his name, he shot into the room, wrapping himself around her legs, “Do you want to color?”
Laughing, “Of course. Just let me put my coat away and I’ll be back.”
Returning to the hall to hang up her coat, she made her way into the living room. Lying down on the floor, she began coloring, causing Sam to sigh happily as they both delved into that lovely, shiny new box of 128 crayons.
▪▪▪
Once everyone arrived home, Emily nudged Jack as they worked their way around the kitchen, making tacos for themselves from the giant spread on the counters, “Where’s Tim?”
“Sarah’s having a party for a bunch of her friends. I guess he’s there for the night. Something about Mom told him to get drunk and stay there.”
Elizabeth was reaching between the two of them for some cheese and she swatted him quickly on the arm, “Good lord, I did not tell him to get drunk.” Turning to Emily as her son grinned at her, “Her parents called and said that they'd be having some champagne at midnight and they prefer it if any one who drinks some has permission to stay for the night. I gave it because I don’t need my son wrapping himself around a tree or worse, having someone else’s drunken kid wrapping him around a tree.” Turning to Emily, “Speaking of which, I know there’s no alcohol but you’re welcome to stay if it gets too late. Your mom’s working until tomorrow morning, isn’t she? I can call her if you’d like?”
Elizabeth could have swore Emily hesitated ever so slightly before answering, “Yeah, um, it’s usually really bad tonight so everybody stays around, but I’ll call her later. They know me over there.”
“Okay then. The couch is yours if you want it.”
Already turning to continue her taco preparation, “Thanks.”
▪▪▪
Dave noticed Emily’s third trip to the kitchen, “Hey, you finally made thirds.”
“I finally learned the trick.”
Dave grinned at her and they both echoed each other, “Don’t fill the plate so much.”
She smiled back, “Y’all could have told me.”
“It was more fun to see how long it would take you to figure it out.”
Suddenly half a taco shell leapt right off Jack’s plate a
nd flew through the air at his little brother. Will managed to intervene before anything else took flight and turning to both his grinning sons, “Not tonight. I can’t handle trying to get ground up cheese out of the carpet. Remember what the old floor looked like?”
Crumbling Walls (Jack and Emily #1) Page 12