“Not if you don’t want me to, I won’t. But, Em, it might help to talk about it with Bri and Cal.”
She shook her head. “It won’t.”
“Would you just think about it?” Not only was he uncomfortable keeping this from Bri and Cal, he thought it was important for Em’s healing to open up about losing the baby.
“Nope.”
Josh sighed. There was no sense in arguing with her. He knew from experience that, once Em’s mind was made up, there was no changing it. “I’ll take Gus out.”
“Thanks. Just watch him around the bushes. I spotted a mother raccoon and her babies in the backyard yesterday.”
“Good to know,” he said, attaching the leash to Gus’s collar. But as soon as he opened the door, it was clear the goldendoodle had other plans, half dragging Josh to the side of the house. “Not tonight, boy.”
He gave a light tug on the leash. Gus tugged back, and they played tug-of-war for a couple minutes before the dog sat on the lawn and whined, a pathetic look in his eyes.
Josh crouched beside him. “What’s wrong, buddy?” The dog hadn’t been himself since the accident, and after Em’s confession at the river, Josh now knew why. “He’s gone, boy. Brad’s not coming back. But I’m here, and so is Em.” Josh patted his chest. “Come on, give me a hug.” Gus did as he asked, licking Josh’s cheek as if he understood.
While he waited for Gus to do his business, Josh called his parents. The last thing he needed was for them, specifically his mom, to hear from someone else that he and Em were dating.
The call connected on the fourth ring. “Sweetheart, are you okay?” his mom asked, sounding breathless.
“Yeah, are you? I didn’t wake you, did I?” He glanced at his phone. It was ten o’clock.
“It’s date night. Your dad and I were—”
“Stop right there, Mom. I don’t need or want to know what you two were up to. I’m just calling to let you know that you might hear a rumor about Em and me, and it’s—”
“Phil, pick up the phone! Joshie has news about him and Em!”
“Mom, no, it’s not what you—”
His mother talked right over him. “You don’t know how long I’ve waited for you two to come to your—” His mom broke off, paused, then shouted, “I might’ve kicked it off the nightstand when—”
He groaned, raising his voice to cut her off. “Mom, Dad doesn’t need to get on the other line. Em and I aren’t dating. We’re just pretending that we are so that everyone will stop trying to set her up, and…” He trailed off, thinking it best not to mention his dating reputation needing a reboot. “I’ll take her on a few practice dates so she feels comfortable. But no one can know that we’re fake-dating, other than you guys and Cal and Bri, okay?” He prepared for his mother’s disappointment.
“Hmm, it probably has been a long time since Em went on a date. I imagine it will take a lot of practice dates for her to feel comfortable again, don’t you?”
“I guess,” he said slowly. “Mom, are you laughing?”
“It was your father. He tickled me. Stop it, Phil.”
Josh didn’t hear his father in the background, but just in case the tickling progressed to something more, he said, “I’ve gotta go. But you’ll keep it quiet, right, Mom?”
“My lips are zipped. We’ll do our part too.”
“Umm, you don’t need to do anything.”
“Of course I do. We have to show everyone that we’re fully supportive of your blossoming relationship with Em. Everyone in town knows what I’m like. They won’t believe you two are an item otherwise. They’ll expect me to have you both for a family dinner. Maybe go on a couple of family outings. Yes, that should do the trick. I’ll send you and Em some dates.”
“No one will expect you to have us for dinner.” He purposely didn’t mention the family outings. He hoped she was joking. “You never invited any of the women I’ve dated this past year for dinner.”
“Why would I? I knew they wouldn’t last. But you know, son, you’ve acquired a bit of a reputation. This arrangement you have with Em will benefit you as much as her. You need time to figure out what you really want, and I’m sure spending time with Em will help you see the light.”
At the sound of an approaching vehicle, he turned. The lights from Cal’s Jeep nearly blinded him as he pulled in behind Josh’s truck. When the spots finally cleared from his vision, he couldn’t help but notice that his best friend looked a lot less enthusiastic about Em and Josh’s plan than his mother sounded.
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Mom.” As he went to disconnect, he heard her say, “They’re fake-dating like in the movie we watched last weekend. And we know how that turned out.” He heard their gales of laughter just before the call ended. It was not a good sign. Then again, maybe they were tickling each other.
Bri and Cal got out of the truck and walked up the driveway. “Josh, what are you doing out here holding a leash?” Bri asked.
“I’m waiting for Gus to…” He glanced behind him. There was nothing attached to the leash. The dog was gone. “Crap. How did he do that? I clipped his leash to his collar.”
Bri gave his arm a commiserating pat as Josh turned on his phone’s flashlight. “I’ve done it before,” she said as she walked toward the front door. “You probably clipped the leash to his fur instead of his collar.”
“Don’t tell Em I lost him, okay?” He was almost positive Bri nodded as she walked into Em’s and returned to searching the bushes with his flashlight.
Cal crouched beside him, shining his cell phone’s flashlight under a bush. “So, you and my sister?”
“Are fake-dating, and I told you why. It’ll be good for her, Cal.” He straightened and headed for the road, calling for Gus. Quietly.
Cal followed him. “Unless she falls in love with you.”
Josh turned, shining his flashlight in Cal’s face. “Em? Fall for me? We’re talking about your sister, right? The woman who looks like she wants to throw something at me every time I open my mouth.” She hadn’t acted that way tonight though.
“You’re right. It’s just that Bri looked a little too happy at the thought you two were dating.”
“Probably because she knows it’ll be good for Em to get out of the house and have some fun with someone you trust,” he said pointedly.
“Yeah, but…” Cal grimaced. “You’re right. I know you’d never do anything to purposely hurt Em. It’s just that I’m worried about her. I can’t shake the feeling that she’s keeping something from me.”
If Cal knew what Em was keeping from him, he’d be beyond worried. “She nearly died last weekend. It’s a lot for anyone to process, including you. Just give her some time. I’m sure she’ll be fine.” Josh intended to make sure that she was, and when he set his mind to something, he didn’t give up.
“Now let’s find Gus before Em finds out I lost him,” Josh said, shining his flashlight into the bushes on the left side of the road.