Emma was soaking all this up, aching because she missed her parents. These guys bickered and fought and loved as crazily as her family did. “I’ve got this, Alison.”
“You’ll make him promise?”
“Want it in writing?” Dale asked dryly.
Alison didn’t take her eyes off Emma. “I’ve got him,” Emma said. “Go.”
Alison nodded and turned to leave, but then hesitated. “Thanks. You know, for doing this for me.”
The words sounded like they’d been torn from her throat. “You’re welcome,” Emma said. “But I’m not doing it for you. I’m doing it for Dale.”
“Understood.”
When she was gone, Emma and Dale finished eating and then did the dishes together, joking that Emma’s good right hand and Dale’s good left made them one whole person. Dale entertained her the whole time by telling bad dad jokes that continued to the bedtime routine. She waited in the hallway while Dale showered.
“What’s the difference between snowmen and snowwomen?” he yelled from the bathroom.
“I give up.”
“Snowballs!”
Emma laughed in spite of herself and was grateful when he came out fully covered in pj’s, top and bottoms. “What now?” she asked him.
“I’m going to go watch my shows in bed, where I hereby solemnly swear I’ll stay put. I’d ask if you could join me, but that’s on the list of things I’m not supposed to say to anyone, especially females.”
“You’ve got a whole list?”
He nodded. “It’s in the notes app on my phone. Alison and Simon keep adding to it. Mostly Simon. He’s got a lot of stupid rules. Stuff like no more online poker games and no driving. He’s ridiculously strict.”
“Sounds like maybe he learned from the best.”
He scrubbed a hand over his jaw, his expression rueful. “Yeah.”
“Good night, Dale.”
“Night.” He started into his bedroom, then turned back. “I like you for him, you know. You’re sweet and kind, but I suspect you’ve got a backbone of steel.”
“Along with some platinum and titanium,” she quipped.
“Tough too.” He smiled. “Yeah. You’ll do.”
“It’s not like that.”
“Uh-huh.” He walked into his bedroom and shut the door. “Night, Coma Girl,” he said through the wood.
Emma smiled. “Night, Dale.” She turned to leave and ran smack into Simon.
“Hey,” he said, putting his hands on her arms to hold her steady. “What are you doing here?”
Good question. She couldn’t remember what excuse she’d given herself to knock on his door knowing he wasn’t home. Curiosity? Nosiness? “Wanted to thank you for the lights,” she said. “They’re lovely.”
He smiled and she soaked him in. Dark jeans, a button-down. Jaw dark with sexy scruff. Eyes holding a look of hunger . . . all of it hot as hell.
“Where’s Alison?” he asked.
“She got a business call and had to leave.”
“Shit. I’m sorry.” He shoved a hand through his already tousled hair. “She should’ve called me, not conned you into helping.”
They hadn’t talked since they’d kissed, and she was trying really hard to concentrate on his words, but her gaze drifted to his mouth of its own volition.
“Emma.”
She loved the way her name sounded like a growl on his lips. “Hmm?”
With a low groan, he shifted in close, sandwiching her between the wall and his body. His hands slid along her jaw and into her hair, causing a delicious full-body shiver as he tilted her face up to his.
Yes! Kiss me again!
Simon stared into her eyes, then at her mouth, and with another rough groan, he stepped back, letting his hands fall from her.
“What?” she whispered, her lips tingling from the kiss he hadn’t planted on her.
Expression intense, he held her gaze. “You’re really okay with this?”
Emma’s life goals and fears had changed after the coma. Once upon a time, she hadn’t wanted to make waves. Now, she just wanted to live, waves and all. “If you mean more of the heart-stopping kissing and what hopefully comes after that, then yes please.”
He gave a rough laugh. “Heart-stopping?”
“Like you don’t know.”
Emma felt her pulse kick into gear when Simon pressed every inch of him into her—and he had a lot of really great inches—and finally kissed her. She was well on her way to forgetting her own name when he stopped.
She made a sound of protest and tried to pull him back into her, but he resisted. Meeting her gaze, his voice was husky but quiet. “I’m sorry.”
“For . . . ?”
“I’m thinking blueberry pancakes,” Dale said, and Emma nearly jumped out of her skin.
“Hey,” she said, pointing at Dale. “You promised.”
Dale looked sheepish. “I got hungry.”
“Dad, can you give us a minute?”
“Sure, but hurry up. You’re holding the kitchen hostage.”
Simon let out a breath, brushed a kiss to Emma’s temple, and put space between them. “I can’t let him cook for himself, he tends to set off the fire alarm. The fire department isn’t thrilled with us.”
Emma shook her head and squeezed his hand, even if she’d wanted to climb him like a tree. Which was fantasy anyway. Her reality was that she hadn’t been with anyone in so long, she wasn’t actually sure she remembered how. “It’s okay.”
Simon nodded, but looked surprisingly, and endearingly, unsure as to whether she was being honest about understanding. So she went up on tiptoes, gave him a soft good-night kiss, smiled when he groaned and reached for her, and backed away from him. “See you,” she whispered.
His solemn expression softened. “See you.”
For the first time ever, Emma climbed the stairs with a smile. Halfway up, she started to doubt what had just happened. Started to think maybe it hadn’t been about Simon’s dad, but about . . . him purposely putting the brakes on.
Then her phone dinged an incoming email and distracted her. All day she’d been trying to load her email but she’d not had enough reception. She glanced at the screen. The first email was from her bank and she could see the first two lines in preview. It started with: “We regret to inform you . . .”
She tripped on the next step and nearly went down. Nearly. She caught herself.
Hog whined and nudged.
“I’m fine.” But the truth was, she was the furthest thing from fine.
Chapter 12
Step 12: Be open.
The next morning, Emma unlocked and opened Paw Pals, pretending she wasn’t an inch from a panic attack about her uncertain future. It’s not uncertain at all; you’re going to have to move to Florida and live with your parents.
She moved woodenly through the building, turning on lights, booting up the computer, filling water bowls, reloading the snack bins, making sure everything was still spotless from the previous night’s cleaning. In the back, surrounded by the adorable, colorful play yards, she stopped to just take in the fact that this really wasn’t going to happen for her, this future she’d hoped for, the one that would’ve put her on her feet, given her a purpose and a hope.