Page 24 of Kiss Me if You Can
She gives me a sympathetic smile as Rhys waves down our waitress. “I know we planned to spend all afternoon together, but you really can go take care of Marty. I’m sure he would love to have you by his side.”
I am desperate to go outside and find him, but half of me is still focused on the real reason I’m here. Before Biff left, he promised to email us all of his proposals for his nonprofit to prove that he’s serious, and my gut tells me that I should believe him. Emily said she feels the same way, which means we’ve got something big in front of us.
I slump in my chair, hating that I’m so torn. “You’re going to Africa in the morning,” I remind her. “And I needed to make plans for my winter releases, like, a month ago. I know it was risky and presumptuous of me to bank on this collaboration, but—”
“I have a crazy idea,” Emily says, grabbing my hand. “Before you say anything, hear me out, okay?”
I usually love crazy ideas, and yesterday this conversation would have pumped me up, even without knowing where Emily is going with this. But yesterday I didn’t know Jake, and it feels like everything in my life has shifted and left me off balance.
I should be used to that, but this is different.
“Talk crazy to me,” I tell Emily weakly.
She gives my hand a squeeze. “Come to Uganda with me.”
“What?”
“Just listen. You and I both know if this thing with Biff is real, it could be huge for all of us. But even if it isn’t, can you imagine what the two of us could do if we set up a factory together? You could teach the women how to sew your products so the training wouldn’t cost you anything but time, and I can get you enough media attention to get pre-orders going so we can start paying good wages with or without Biff’s nonprofit. We could do so much good, Isla, and you can finally branch out from athleticwear and design something you actually love.”
It’s not that I hate athleticwear, and I’ve truly loved being able to build up my company like I have. But I don’t think I realized how much more I want to do until Emily voiced my feelings for me just now.
“Think about it,” Emily pleads. “Besides, it would be nice to have another woman there with me. Rhys is great, but I need my gal pals.”
I glance at Rhys, who shrugs. Seriously, he’s like the perfect husband and seems to do whatever Emily wants him to do, but he also seems happy to be that way.
I know I shouldn’t, but I can’t help but wonder how Jake would be as a husband. An actual husband.
“I’ll need to talk it over with Marty,” I say, holding back a grimace. Suddenly I don’t like lying to Emily about who Jake is.
Rhys clears his throat. “His last name isn’t really McFly, is it?”
I let out a shaky laugh. “No. He was messing with Biff.”
“Oh, that’s a relief,” Emily says while her husband chuckles. “That would have been the most unfortunate name. If he works in web design, would he be able to come with you? Whenever we go, we rent out a huge house, and there would be plenty of room for you both. Rhys has a home office he’d be happy to share with Marty.”
She must really want me there, and I really want to go with her. She’s right when she says this could be huge for us, and I’ve never left the country even though I’ve always wanted to travel and have my passport ready to go.
But Jake coming with me? There’s a large and frustrated FBI agent a few tables away that makes that feel impossible. More likely than not, Jake will be caught sooner than later, and who knows what will happen to him?
“I should go,” I say, fully aware of the misery in my voice. “Let me think about Uganda, and we’ll get in touch once you’re settled.” It’s only then that I realize Rhys already paid the check. “Oh no, I was going to pay for lunch!”
Emily waves me away. “You drove all the way to Sun City. It’s the least I can do. I really hope you come to Africa, Isla, but I understand if you can’t. Now go. Take care of that scrumptious husband of yours.”
She doesn’t have to tell me twice, though I’m still a little leery of the agent nearby. He’s ordering food and seems to have given up his search, though, so I try not to look nervous as I hug Emily and then make my way to the front door and outside into the sun. As long as Agent Fields stays inside long enough for me to find Jake and get as far from the restaurant as we can, I can—
“Isla.”
Jake steps out from behind a bush, still wearing the apron and name tag, and relief washes over me. Dropping my crutches, I throw my arms around him, pulling myself in tight.
“You’re okay,” I breathe at the same time he asks, “Are you okay?” Jake holds me so tightly that I can barely breathe, but I don’t want him to let go.
I have ten siblings, one of whom is an active duty Marine, and a mom who gets frequent panic attacks and a dad who teaches Driver’s Ed. Yet I’ve never been this worried about another person, and I’m terrified of what that means. How can I care so deeply for a person I’ve only known for six hours?
“I’m fine,” I say when I realize how tense Jake is. “I think Field Agent Fields is tired of hunting you and just wants a hot meal now.”
Finally loosening his hold, Jake glances at the restaurant. His expression keeps shifting, slowly growing more and more miserable, and I don’t like where his thoughts are going.
“No,” I say as forcefully as I can.
