Page 31 of Love Hollow at Last
Emi turned away from the view.“I don’t know.What does California have for me really?”
Aya frowned, curious that her optimistic friend was sounded glum.“Music festivals?”
“Not even those.”
“Your husband?”
“Yes,” she said.Her voice held emotion that Aya wasn’t quite sure how to place.She would have expected Emi to be missing Charles, especially since they hadn’t seen each other face-to-face since the news of the pregnancy.
“Emi?What’s going on with you?”
Noah chose that moment to appear.
27
Noah
Noah saw Aya force a smile as he left the cabin, and Emi’s expression looked similarly artificial.He’d always gotten along fine with Emi until prom night of senior year, and even since then, she had never been actively rude.But she looked as if she wanted to cry just at the sight of him.
After much dithering, Noah’s dad had finally been the one to give him a ride, and he had arrived at the cabin just as his family was leaving.He’d only just finished going through the fridge when Aya and Emi arrived.Nobu, for all his time in the closet, had apparently turned into a stereotypical fussy gay man at some point during the last decade.The fridge was packed with the finest Japanese and American snacks.They’d even left some hybrids around, like a buttery baked furikake snack his mom had learned how to make from a Japanese Hawaiian friend.Apparently, if Nobu was spending time there, he needed all of those fine things to make himself comfortable.
When Noah invited Aya and Emi to come in, they saw the results of Nobu’s handiwork, and they were just as surprised as Noah but for different reasons.
“How is this whole room a different color?”Emi asked.“I thought your parents would want to keep that old-school wood paneling forever.”
“Cheap wood paneling,” said Noah.“It really wasn’t Nobu’s style.”
“Isn’t your dad kind of sentimental, though?”asked Aya.“He’s really okay with all these changes just because Nobu’s having a party?”
Noah shrugged.“I g-guess they’re glad someone’s taking an interest.My sister doesn’t like coming up here, and this place is a lot of work.”
Emi nodded sagely.“I’m on board with that.Well, I’ll let you get to it.These plans aren’t going to make themselves.Have fun saving the festival and the museum!”
Aya put a hand on Emi’s arm.“Stay for a bit.At least go out on the deck and appreciate the view.”
“No, I’d better go.I can’t stay too long.Let me know when it’s a good time to come get you, Aya.”
The drive into town took about forty minutes, and they wouldn’t need to meet for more than an hour.
“You’re sure you’re not going to stay?”Aya asked.
Emi shook her head firmly.“There’s some paperwork I need to take care of for my new job.I’ve been putting it off, but I should really get it done.Besides, your mom said she could come get you.”
Aya frowned.“Isn’t she teaching tonight?”
“Bye,” said Emi firmly, ignoring her question and giving them both a little wave.
Quiet filled the cabin once Emi had left.Noah was with Aya on the side of a mountain—utterly alone.
“So,” he said.“I guess we should get started.”
Aya, who had gone to the window, nodded.“Yeah.It’s just that your mom left these mochi sitting out, so we should probably have some of them first.”
His insides uncoiled.If Aya didn’t want to deal with the plans, either, at least he wasn’t the only person trying to avoid a fight.“Well, if we’re eating them, obviously, I have to make tea.”
Aya gave a ghost of a smile.“I guess you’re the host.So yes, you should be the one to make tea.”
She sat there fidgeting while he banged cabinet doors and waited for the water to boil.“Really minimalist,” she offered as she looked around the room.
