Page 30 of Objection to Love

Garrett gave her half of a grimace. “Sorry about that. A couple friends were free, so we decided to take an impromptu camping trip. I just got back an hour ago.”

Em shrugged. “Don’t be sorry.I’monly sorry you came back. You got my hopes up.”

Garrett laughed. “No way. I’m fully committed to bringing you up to speed on the rest of the world’s idea of fun.”

“Oh yay,” Em said flatly.

“You are almost convincing with your enthusiasm.”

She ignored that and closed the door. “So, what are we doing today?”

He raised his eyebrows at her. “I don’t have to tell you, remember? But I am hoping you have something a little more comfortable to wear. Maybe something you’d work out in?”

Em scrunched her nose. She didn’t work out. She just worked. “I’m sure I can find something. Just a minute.” She turned to walk down the hall, leaving him in the entry to her living room.

“I do have to say, though, I’m impressed you even own those jeans. I thought your closet must be full of suits and pencil skirts.” Garrett’s deep voice followed her down the hall, and Em couldn’t help the feeling of success mingled with amusement.

“I knew you’d say that,” she said over her shoulder.

“Aw. You know me so well. This is the start of a beautiful friendship, I can tell.”

She shook her head, hiding her entertainment, and stepped into her room.

Something I’d work out in…

Her closet wouldn’t have anything, but maybe some pajama pants? No. But she did have a pair of sweats.

She didn’t really want to wear her sweats though. They weren’t the most flattering, plus they had a small hole in the knee. That wasn’t particularly alluring.

She wasn’t trying to be alluring though. So she pulled out the sweats. And, like a gift straight from the heavens—practically glowing with heavenly light—some folded black exercise leggings she’d forgotten she owned were underneath them. April had bought them for her for Christmas two years before, along with passes to a belly dancing class for the two of them. Em couldn’t remember why she hadn’t made it to the class, but she guessed it had something to do with the wordsbellyanddancing.

But the leggings would come in handy now, so long as they fit. They still had the tag on and everything.

Shimmying out of her jeans, she pulled out the leggings and tried them on. A little tight, but maybe they were supposed to be that way?

She didn’t have anything better than the t-shirt, so it would have to do. A pair of tennis shoes were gathering dust in her closet, so she freed them from their cobwebs and neglect. On her way out, she glanced in the mirror in her bathroom, grabbed a hair tie, and tied back her hair.

But when she arrived back in the entry, Garrett had disappeared.

She found him in the living room, looking at a picture on the wall. It was the only picture on the wall, and it was only up because April had helped her unpack this room.

“Are these your parents?” he asked without turning around.

“Yes. I think that picture was taken almost five years ago, though.”

He turned around. “Why not put up a more recent one?”

“Well, for one, I don’t decorate, and, two, that is the most recent one.”

“That’s your most recent family picture? My mom makes us take one every year for the Christmas card, and it’s only her and I. We’re running out of poses.” He crossed the kitchen and looked down at her. He seemed especially tall now that she wasn’t wearing heels. “Ready?”

“Yup. Lead the way.”

“Great. Let’s go.” He offered her another of his lopsided smiles, bringing out the crinkles around his eyes that might actually be a permanent part of his face, he smiled so much.

She followed him to his truck, trying to ignore the butterflies twirling and diving in her stomach. In the courtroom, she was always perfectly in control and calm. Why did she feel so upended around Garrett?

“Are you going to tell me where we’re going now?”

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