“Then why are you picking me up? I’m sure Becky would be more—”
“Nope.” This is definitely not up for discussion. “I’m picking you up for our group non-date date.”
“That doesn’t even make sense,” she protests.
“It doesn’t have to,” I say, going back to her. When she’s within arm’s reach I slide my finger under her chin, lifting it so she looks at me, and then add more gently, “I’m not backing down on this, Kate. Might as well save your breath.”
Kate nibbles at her lip, and I can practically see the wheels in her head turning as she debates what to do.
“Fine.” She stabs her finger in my chest. “But I’m bringing Penny with me.”
Slipping out of my reach, she walks around me and ascends the stairs. Chuckling, I follow after her. She pushes the door and enters, the door slamming in my face, but even that doesn’t wipe the smile off my face. Because whatever she might think, I won this round, and I get to spend Saturday with her.
Chapter Nineteen
KATHERINE
The sound of the doorbell echoes around the house.
“Oh my God, Emmett’s here.” I turn around in a panic, my eyes landing on Penny sitting on the edge of my bed, petting Henry who’s resting by her side.
“Say what you want, but you can’t fool me,” Penny chuckles. “You like him.”
“Oh, hush. I don’t.” My cheeks heat, and I’m grateful that she can’t see my face right now. Not that she needs to see me to know the truth. The words sound like a lie even to my own ears.
“Then why are you so nervous?”
No, Penny can’t see me, but she’s awfully good at reading the tone of my voice and just the overall feeling in the room. Or maybe it’s just me. Maybe I’m that obvious to her, like an open book. I’m not sure how I feel about that.
“I’m not nervous,” I protest weakly.
Just jittery.
Overwhelmed.
Edgy.
Anxious.
But definitely not nervous.
“Right, you tell that to somebody else, maybe they’ll believe you.” Penelope stands up, and Henry follows suit. “I’m going to grab my jacket. See you downstairs in a few?”
“Sure thing, take your time.”
I watch her as she walks out of the room. When we first got here, Penny had such a hard time adjusting to the new environment. She had to use the cane even inside the house and still managed to bump into things more often than not, but she’s finally settling in, and I know a part of it is thanks to Henry. Even when he isn’t officially working, like now, he never leaves her side, steering her in the right direction when necessary.
Closing my eyes for a moment, I utter a silent prayer.
“Katherine, company!” Aunt Mabel yells from downstairs.
Inhaling sharply, I open my eyes and look at my reflection in the mirror. After obsessing over it longer than I care to admit, I finally settled on a cute flower top, and a jeans overalls skirt combination with my red chucks. Okay, Penny decided it’s the best option after I drove her crazy with all the possibilities in my humble closet.
“Coming!” I shout back, pushing my hair behind my ears.
You can do this, I tell myself as I descend the stairs. Everybody is coming. It’s not like it’s a date.
Keep telling yourself that, the other, more stubborn voice says, but I shove it back. I can’t obsess about it because if I do, I’ll start thinking about other things, like how it felt being tackled by him to the ground. The feel of his hard body hovering over mine. The way his warm breath touched my skin.
Yup, definitely not thinking about that.
I stop in the middle of the landing, my hands gripping the railing as my eyes fall on Emmett standing down in the foyer. He must have heard me coming because he lifts his head instantly, his eyes taking me in before they land on mine. His mouth hangs open as I tentatively descend the last few steps, stopping on the final one so we’re on the same eye level.
“Not good? I knew I should have gone for the—”
I start to turn around, ready to dash back upstairs and change, but Emmett grabs my hand and holds me in place.
“You look perfect.”
His words ring in the air, making a shiver run down my spine. I lick my lips, which suddenly feel dry. I know I need to say something, anything, but I’m left completely speechless by the intensity of his gaze. Those dark eyes of his hold me hostage as he swipes his thumb over the back of my hand, making my skin prickle.
“I told her that too, but she didn’t want to listen.”
From the corner of my eye, I see Henry move down the stairs, followed by Penny. Emmett and I pull back from one another instantly. I take the final step, leaving her enough space to get down safely herself.
Penelope was so excited when I told her about the county fair, but that excitement turned to wariness until I convinced her it’s a group thing, and she won’t be intruding on anything. Since then, she hasn’t stopped talking about it. Not that I can blame her. We’ve never been to a fair before so it’s a completely new experience for both of us.
“And she’s not the only one.” Emmett takes her hand in his as soon as she’s safely on the floor and has her twirl around.
You see what I mean? Freaking charmer.
Emmett and Penny laugh at something, I’m not even sure what because I’m transfixed just watching the two of them interact.
How can a girl resist it when a guy is so freaking nice to her sister? He’s killing all of my defenses, one smile at a time, and I’m not sure what to make of it. What to make of him.
Penny giggles as he pulls her into his side. “Between the two of you, I’ll be the luckiest guy around.”
Contrary to me, Penny didn’t have a hard time picking out what she’d wear, choosing to go with her favorite pale pink dress with a delicate floral lace pattern on the hem. With her honey-blonde hair and blue eyes, it makes her look like a doll.
Penny shoves him away lightly. “That’s assuming we let you be our date.”
My heart aches as she giggles. I’ve never seen my sister so relaxed, so carefree, especially not around a boy. And that’s exactly how she is when she’s around Emmett. It’s like he can pull out that other side of her—the side that she’s afraid to show to the world—out into the light. He treats her like she’s just any other teenager and lets her be who she wants to be.
“Oh, now you wound me, Little Adams.” Emmett tightens his grip around her, playfully ruffling her hair. He looks up, his eyes finding mine, a playful smile on his mouth. “I wonder who taught you to be so ruthless.”
“You call it being ruthless. I say you have to work to earn your place.”
“Ruthless,” he repeats, all the while chuckling. “But that’s good. Once a guy comes sniffing around, and he will, be sure to make him work for it.”
“Okay, okay. She’s just thirteen.” I move closer to them and lightly jab my finger in her shoulder. “No boys until you’re twenty, you hear me, Pen? They just give you a headache anyway.”
“Hey, now I feel offended,” Emmett protests.