Page 18 of Quarantine Crush
Her tone is angry, but I immediately jump into problem-solving mode.
“You know what? This is fine. We’ll just leave now. No big deal. We can make it there before nightfall.”
My dad’s face falls. “I’m sorry, Knox. We think it would be safest if you and Emy stay put.” I open my mouth to object, but he holds up a hand to stop me, a look of genuine sorrow crossing his features. “Your grandma is already here, and you two have been sightseeing for the past two days.”
“Not to mention your flight here,” Joe puts in.
My dad nods. “They’re saying it can take up to fourteen days for symptoms of Coronach-20 to present.”
“What does that mean?” Emy asks, her voice wobbly.
“Don’t cry, bug,” her dad says. “The safest thing for all of us is to wait it out right where we are. You and Knox will keep each other safe. Run to the store and grab some groceries to last you for a couple of weeks. Only touch what you’re absolutely going to buy, and make sure to wash your hands as soon as you get home. I’m sure this will all blow over soon. Think of this as the slumber party we never let you two have,” he says with a grin before turning his steely blue eyes on me. “Take care of our girl,” he says.
I nod, but the words are like a punch to the gut. Because Embry Hess is not my girl–and if there’s one thing I know for certain, it’s that there’s no way in hell our friendship is going to survive sheltering inherplace.
6
Embry
The news confirms everything the dads told us. I close my laptop with a shaky hand as the reality of our situation threatens to make me sick. It was bad enough that I’d accidentally live-streamed the entire kiss debacle while a couple hundred people watched. At least Knox didn’t know that, and I’d taken the video down before the rest of the world could witness my epic failure. I barely managed to make it through the last forty-eight hours after that embarrassment. How in the hell am I supposed to live with Knox for another two weeks?
The last two days have been a painful lesson in humiliation, and I curse Hadley to the pits of hell, wondering why I ever let her convince me to shoot my shot. If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be on the verge of losing my best friend. Sure, I’d still be head over heels in love with the idiot. But he wouldn’tknow, andthatwould make all the difference in the world.
I chew on my thumbnail as a thought occurs to me. I’ve been in love with Knox Jacobs since I first understood what the word meant. I’ve also been hiding it from him for just as long. I’ve managed to keep a lid on my feelings for the last ten years, so I sure as hell can do it for two more weeks. I have to hope it’s not too late.
I glance at Knox, who’s sitting in one of the high-backed chairs that lines my breakfast bar. His head is in his hands as he rubs at his temples, and the urge to ease some of his tension rises within me. I pull out the chair next to him, startling him from his thoughts, and shoot him an apologetic look before giving him a tentative smile.
“Hey, can we talk?”
His eyes widen. “Um, sure. I mean, of course we can. What’s up?”
I let out a wobbly breath, preparing myself for what I know needs to be done.
“Listen, I know you don’t really want to be stuck here. Hell, I’m even willing to bet you’d probably rather be anywhere else.”
“No, that’s not true, Emy,” he rushes to assure me, but the words sound strained.
I place a hand on his forearm to stop him, and he flinches.
“You see. That. That’s exactly what I’m talking about,” I tell him, some of my anger and hurt seeping into my tone. “You’ve been so awkward around me. It’s like you’re afraid I’m going to read things wrong and jump your bones if you let your guard down, and I know that’s my fault for kissing you. So I want to say I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable.”
He opens his mouth to speak, but I cut him off, knowing that I need to get it all out there before I lose my nerve.
“All I’m saying is that we’re going to be stuck together for the next two weeks, and I don’t think either of us wants to continue on like we have been for the last two days. So, do you think maybe we can pretend like the kiss never happened?” I ask, the words digging at the crack in my heart just a little bit more. “I really miss you being my best friend. I’m so sorry I fucked it up with something so stupid.”
Knox turns toward me, his knees brushing along the length of my thigh, and I bite the inside of my cheek to avoid reacting. No matter what, I am determined to never let an ounce of what I feel for him show again. If the only way to keep him in my life is to keep him squarely in the friend zone, then that’s exactly what I’ll do. Because the only thing worse than living a life where Knox doesn’t love me back is a life without him in it at all.
“Fuck. I’m sorry, Emy,” he growls. He grips my chin, turning me to face him, and wipes the lone tear that I hadn’t even realized escaped. “Shit. Don’t cry. I know I’ve been acting like an asshole. I’m the one who should be sorry. I should have let it go like you asked that first day. I got all in my head. I was trying to act normal, but I was also trying not to send you any wrong messages.” He blows out a frustrated breath. “I was trying so hard not to fuck things up between us, but that’s exactly what I did.”
I turn, tucking my leg underneath me and angling my body toward his, and shake my head.
“It wasn’t entirely you. It was both of us. I was doing the same thing. Trying to balance acting normal with not saying or doing anything that could be misconstrued as flirting.”
He chuckles. “What do you say we do more than forget about the kiss? Let’s forget that the last two days even happened. Clean slate.”
“I’d like that.”
“Good, because I have an idea,” he says, pulling me from my chair.
