“We’ve only been apart four years, but it could’ve been forty and I’d still remember all those little things that make you who you are. Or at least I’d like to think so.”
The line Cain had spoken of disappeared with Emma’s smile. “Nothing’s wrong. I was just thinking about something.”
She kissed Cain before the question of what could pop out. “Would it be all right if we talked about it later?”
“It’s nothing I can help you with?”
“Oh, it’s definitely something you can help me with.” She laughed when Cain smirked and leered at her. “Trust me, I’m looking forward to that too, but what you’re thinking about right now isn’t it.”
“Then you take your time and leave me to my lascivious thoughts.” With a slight bend of her neck Cain placed a kiss on the tip of Emma’s nose. “But if you need to talk to me about anything, you know where to find me.”
“Actually I have one question. Where can I find you for the next couple of weeks? We’re in the air, so it’s safe to tell me now.”
“I didn’t tell you because I wanted to surprise you, not because I didn’t trust you with the information.” She twirled a strand of blond hair around her finger, loving the way Emma smelled. It wasn’t often that she ran across anyone with the same scent.
Hayden’s head shifted away from the window at that moment, and he woke up without either of his mothers noticing. It was a good opportunity to study the reality of the love the two shared and compare it to the memories he relived late at night when he was alone in his room. Not since Emma had left had he seen Cain’s face so relaxed or anyone sitting that close to her. He was glad to see he hadn’t just made up something unrealistic to help him accept what had happened. Here before him was the love he remembered seeing for as long as he had memory of being alive.
“Will you promise me something if you can?” The injury was an inconvenience since Emma wanted to sit in Cain’s lap and be as close to her as possible.
“Sure.” The thoughts of the gunshot wound were going through Cain’s mind as well. “I’ll give you anything I can if it’ll take that frown off your face.”
“Tonight, when we get to wherever we’re going, will you sleep with me?”
“I’d like that.” A pain from moving her arm made Cain grimace, but she brought her hand up anyway and cupped Emma’s cheek. “You haven’t gotten used to sleeping alone, have you?”
“I could be sleeping in a single bed, and it’d still be too big without you lying next to me. Four years’ worth of nights is a long time to do without you.” She didn’t mean for the tears to come, but they filled her eyes anyway. “I missed you so much, and I’m so tired of crying.”
Cain rubbed her thumbs along Emma’s face until she’d wiped away the few tears that had actually fallen. “There’s no need for that, lass.” She took a deep breath and released it. “I’m so sorry.”
“For what?”
“I shouldn’t have let four years go by. I’m just glad you had the courage to come back and show me what a jackass I’ve been because of pride.”
“You want to make a deal with me, boss?” Emma rubbed the back of Cain’s neck as she tried to get the sad look off her partner’s face. “We both agree we were a little wrong, a lot sorry, and we’ll move on. How does that sound?”
“Like a deal I can live with.”
Their conversation died as they felt the plane start to descend and the landing gear come down. Unable to contain her curiosity, Emma leaned over and looked out the window. The familiar landscape made her laugh, then kiss Cain.
“Does he know we’re coming?”
“Yes, your dad knows we’re coming, and he’s thrilled to hear we’ve set things straight between us.”
Emma kissed her again and couldn’t resist joking. “Not too straight, I hope.”
When Cain laughed, the knot in Emma’s stomach loosened and she almost forgot it was there. The more things relaxed between them, the more she was convinced that they would regain what they’d thrown away and build from there.
Chapter Sixteen
“We’re staying with the Raths for a while, lass,” Cain said when they landed. “Your mother’s leaving in a couple of days to visit her brother and his family in Illinois. Once she’s gone we’ll move over there, so I hope you don’t mind. Or we could just stay with the Raths and have Ross come over and visit.”
Emma nodded as she stepped down to greet her oldest friend in Haywood, who seemed even more excited to see the children and their resemblance to Cain and each other than she was to see Emma. Maddie was a couple of years older than her, but their friendship had started years before in high school and had grown until they knew each other’s secrets.
When Emma had come back four years earlier, it had been Maddie who had held her as she cried over the decisions she’d made in leaving Cain and Hayden and having Hannah alone. Maddie had also been a huge help after Hannah’s birth and loved the little girl like she was a part of her family. She had done it without ever judging Emma for her decisions and for the fact that, given a choice, she would run back to Cain just as quickly as she had run home.
“You look a lot happier than the last time I saw you,” Maddie said as soon as the door of the big SUV closed behind Emma. It had been only three weeks since Emma had left for New Orleans and just a few days since the Raths had escorted Hannah down south, but Emma and Maddie were used to speaking every day.
“You’re looking at a woman who’s been given her life back, Maddie. She still loves me. Even after all I did, she’s forgiving me a little more every day.”
“Of course she is, sweetie. You’re a hard one to say no to. Then to top it off, you come with cute stuff in the backseat. Cain doesn’t have a chance in hell. Is she doing all right with the injury? I still can’t believe she got shot trying to save you.”
“I can. You know how she is if family’s involved.”
The familiar bulk of Jerry’s Ford Expedition was close behind them, and Emma stared in the side view mirror at Cain sitting in the front seat talking to Jerry. What Maddie had said brought that one moment back to her in vivid detail. When Cain had grabbed her and thrown her to the ground to keep her safe, Emma knew she had a chance. Cain was many things, but she had a hard time hiding her feelings from those people she really loved. Lying on the floor of the warehouse that night, Emma had seen enough in Cain’s face to reignite her hope.
“When I got there that night she was so mad at me, but when the chips were down, as they say, her heart overruled her brain.” With a deep breath and one last glance she faced her friend. “So, how long have you known we were coming?”
Maddie let out a long laugh as she looked both ways at the intersection that, with a left turn, would lead them home. “She called a couple of days ago and asked us to play intermediary with your father, since she didn’t want to take the chance of calling over there and having your mother answer the phone. Cain sounds really nice, Emma. I’m happy for you.”
“Thanks, pal. I’m looking forward to spending time with you and Jerry.”
“Sure you are.” Maddie laughed again as Emma’s attention dragged back to the vehicle behind them. “I’m sure you’ll be able to concentrate on what I’m saying or remember my name even if tall, dark, and devastatingly good-looking isn’t anywhere in the area. On another subject, I thought Cain’s cousin was coming with you.”
Emma was about to say she had brought a cousin, but decided to keep that information to herself for now and tell Maddie about the cousin she knew about. “Muriel couldn’t afford to be away from the twenty phone lines she constantly has going and the contacts Cain will need when we get back, so she’s still working. Only she’s doing it from Vegas under the watchful eye of an old friend of the family, Ramon Jatibon’s son Mano. She took her father with her, and the people who work for her are busy trying to find a new office location.”