As she faded into slumber, images of her and James kissing passionately on her couch shifted behind her eyelids until they were replaced with images of Emory and the other woman, their lips pressed together, legs intertwined. Her stomach did a series of flip-flops at the thought of Emory kissing that woman, touching her. Those images continued to play out in her mind until eventually, it was no longer the brunette’s body pressed up against Emory’s, but her own. Sarah bolted upright in bed, startled at her body’s overt and powerful reaction to the image. She stared at the black room around her for several minutes, slowly understanding, for the first time, her extreme attraction to Emory Owen.
Chapter Six
Emory watched the burly moving men hustle about her mother’s house carrying furniture and boxes all precisely labeled and tagged with the proper destination. The men seemed organized and on task, another testament to Sarah’s supreme direction of the project. Emory leaned against the wall in the living room and watched as her family’s life literally passed by in front of her eyes. Sarah stood in front of the house directing traffic. They hadn’t spoken since running into each other at the restaurant, other than a polite hello as Emory arrived on site that day. In actuality, she’d wanted to stop by the house several times that week, but work had been insane, and by the time she was free, Sarah had surely already gone home to Grace. However, when Sarah called to inform her that the movers were coming and today would be her last day of work, Emory had taken the afternoon off to be on hand. Everything seemed to be under control, and it was clear Sarah had a much better handle on the situation than she did.
Emory walked slowly from one room to the next, overwhelmed by a profound sense of sadness. While it was true her memories of her childhood home were fairly sterile, it was still the end of an era, and she couldn’t help but feel utterly alone in that moment. She stood in what used to be her bedroom, a room she hadn’t so much as set foot in since she was maybe nineteen.
“It must be very hard,” said a voice from behind.
She turned to find Sarah watching her from the doorway. She brushed a stray tear from her cheek and exhaled slowly. “We have to quit meeting like this. You know, you dancing, me in the midst of my emotional breakdowns. You’re never going to believe this, but I am not a crier.”
Sarah raised a shoulder and let it drop. “Don’t be strong on my account. I think crying is healthy, especially in a situation like this one.”
Emory pondered the concept. There weren’t very many people throughout her life who would have agreed with that sentiment. Crying showed weakness; at least that’s what she’d always been taught. Now that she thought about it, she’d never seen Lucy cry in all the years they’d known each other, and she was the closest person to her in the world. The thought made her sad and she now regretted the lack of emotion they’d shown each other.
She moved silently across the room and sat on the floor, her back against the wall of what was once her sanctuary. It didn’t take long for Sarah to join her, taking her hand. The simple gesture made such a difference, and just Sarah’s presence there next to her provided a real sense of comfort. They sat for several minutes before she turned to Sarah. “Movers gone?”
“Yep. The last truck drove away twenty minutes ago. I’d offer to get you something to drink, but—”
“They took the refrigerator and all of the glasses,” Emory finished wryly.
“Bingo.”
“That’s okay. I think I’m just going to sit here for a few minutes.”
“Tell you what. I’ll give you some time alone.” As Sarah started to get up, Emory squeezed her hand.
“Stay. Please? I mean, if that’s—”
“Of course I will,” Sarah answered softly, settling back in next to her. Emory held fast to Sarah’s hand and now cradled it in her lap.
“You’re close with your family, right?”
“Very. I see my parents nearly every day, and we do big family dinners every Sunday with my brothers. I have two, and the older one has a wife and son. I also have a rather large extended family, and while they’re a loving group, everyone is a little too involved in everyone else’s life. I guess meddlesome is the word I’d use.”
Emory smiled at the thought. “They sound fun. I would have liked to have had a family like that I think.”
Sarah ran her thumb across the top of Emory’s hand, surprised. “Really?”
Emory lifted her eyes slowly to Sarah’s and nodded. The wistful sadness Sarah saw there was simply too much. She reached out and wrapped her arms around Emory and held her, resting the bottom of her chin on Emory’s shoulder. “Maybe you will one day.”
“Thanks, but I don’t think so.”
“Have you read any more of the journals?”
“Some. It’s enlightening and frustrating all wrapped in one. It’s like being introduced to a whole new person who never really wanted me to know them. It turns out, unbeknownst to me, that my mother had no problem with the fact that I’m gay.” Emory shook her head, still in awe of this reality. “All these years, I thought it was the biggest disappointment of her life. Oh, and she knew all along that Lucy wasn’t right for me.” Emory laughed sardonically. “I wish she would have clued me in to that fact.”
“Lucy’s the ex you told me about?”
“That would be her. She was with me at the restaurant the other night. I told you, we’re still close.”
Not a date, Sarah thought, filing that information away for later.
“By the way, you looked beautiful the other night, Sarah.” Emory turned her head against the wall so she was facing her. It occurred to Sarah that their faces were merely inches apart. She stared into Emory’s eyes, nearly falling into them. Her gaze dropped then and she studied Emory’s lips, full and slightly pink, and a little pouty. She decided then and there that she really liked her mouth. She wondered what it might taste like, which was ridiculous and out of bounds. “Who’s the lucky guy?”
“Hmm?” She raised her gaze, forcing herself to focus. She was vaguely aware that she should probably change her expression from blatant lust to something closer to easygoing employee.
“The dashing gentleman you were having dinner with. Boyfriend?”
“Oh, James. No. I mean yes. It was a date. It was our, um, second date. Not exactly a boyfriend though.” Concentrate.
“I think I’ve seen him before. Is he an architect?”
“Yeah, he works for Anders Design. He said your company had done work with his.”
“That’s where I’ve seen him. So you like this James?”
“I do. He’s sweet.”
“So it’s Sarah and James sitting in a tree, huh?”
Sarah raised a playful eyebrow. “I know when I’m being mocked.”
“I would never.”
“You would and you are.”
Emory grinned. “I like that I can be playful with you. Is it strange that I feel like I’ve known you longer than I have?”
“I know what you mean.”
“Hey.” Emory pushed herself up off of the floor and offered Sarah a hand. “Don’t you have something to give me?”
Sarah stood, her face flushed as all sorts of thoughts chased each other around her head. Stop that. “What do you mean?”