Page 62 of Christmas with Brother's Best Friends
“I’m not going to be able to concentrate if you guys sit here and talk about Emma all day,” I tell him, waving goodbye over my shoulder before stepping into the elevator and taking it down to the lobby.
I don’t even bother calling Emma. I know she won’t pick up. She’s stubborn, but so am I. I just want to check on her for myself.
My memory leads me to the right unit in her apartment building, my heart rate picking up as I knock on her door. I take a step back and wait, hearing muffled voices inside. Is she with someone?
Please don’t be Vincent.
Emma opens the door, her eyes immediately growing big at the sight of me standing outside. “What are you doing here?”
I part my lips to speak, but another voice cuts me off.
“Emma, who is it?”
I lean to the side so that I can see around Emma, my eyes landing on Andrew and Ethan as they lounge on her couch. Oh, shit.
“Max?” Andrew says once he spots me, confusion lacing his tone. “What are you doing here?”
My chest constricts as a look of panic fills Emma’s face. I have to think of a reason why I’m here. It’s not normal for me to just be here.
Not to them.
“You forgot this at the office,” I tell her as I dig around in my leather work bag and pull out a flash drive with some work files that mean nothing to her. My heart pounds as Emma stares at it, taking a moment to play along.
Emma finally takes it from me, her fingertips brushing mine as a relieved sigh breaks from her. “Oh! Thank you. I was looking for that.”
“Yeah, no problem,” I reply, trying to look and sound as casual as possible. I don’t even know if either of us are doing a good job or not.
“Hey, Max. Come here a second,” Ethan calls out to me, making Emma and I tense all over again. Just when I thought I could make a clean getaway.
I slip past Emma and head into the living room, slapping hands with Ethan and Andrew in greeting. “What’s up?”
“We should hang out next weekend. Us, you, Ryan, and Josh,” Ethan tells me. “It’s been too long since we all hung out.”
“Yeah, the arcade was fun. We can even do something like that,” Andrew speaks up.
“Yeah, definitely,” I reply with a stiff nod. It’ll be tough being around them given what happened between us and Emma.
I’m torn in two between my affection for her and my guilt for lying to two of my best friends. They’re good guys who only want the best for their sister, and I doubt they’ll think that we’re good enough for her.
Honestly, who the hell is?
“Em, you could come too if you wanted,” Andrew invites her.
I look over my shoulder to see her piddling around in the kitchen, keeping herself busy.
Emma gives her brother a plastic smile. “Oh, no. That’s okay. You guys should go. I’ve been kind of under the weather lately.”
My interest piques as I turn toward her. “You’re not feeling well?”
Emma’s eyes lock with mine, and I can tell that she knows I’m here to check on her. Why else would I be here? The flash drive excuse is bullshit. “I’ll be fine. Probably just a little cold.”
“Mom said you weren’t feeling well before your meeting,” Ethan says as he tilts his head. “Need me to get you anything?”
“Guys, I’m fine,” Emma replies, her voice coming out firmer than necessary. She inhales and lets out a brittle laugh. “I’m just tired. I stayed up late preparing for the meeting.”
“How’d it go?” I ask her, my eyes not leaving her.
Emma subtly grinds her teeth. Her brothers are too far away to see it, but I see the shift in her jaw. “Fine. I’ll be meeting with him again tomorrow to give him an answer.”
