“You’re the one who’s not playing fair. I just follow your lead.”
The front door creaks open. I hold Katherine’s gaze for a heartbeat longer, before forcing myself to turn around and face whoever’s at the door.
“Emmett?” Ms. Adams squints at me from the front door.
“Evening, Ms. Adams!” I call out, moving closer.
“Good evening.” She looks at me and then up to the window. “I figured I heard something. You could have come inside, you know?”
“I know,” I try to reassure her. “Kate wanted me to profess my undying love the old-fashioned way.”
“I did not!” she yells from the window.
Ms. Adams’s brows shoot up as she observes us with amusement in her eyes.
“I love to tease her.” I lean closer, but don’t bother lowering my tone. “I’d have come inside, but it’s getting late, and I have to get going. Miguel’s waiting in the car. But could you please give this to Kate?”
“I’m not accepting it until I know what’s inside!” Kate yells from upstairs, leaning out the window so she can see us.
“You don’t have to, but your aunt is.” I give Ms. Adams my most charming smile as I hand her the bag. “Make sure she wears it tomorrow?” I say in a hushed voice so Kate can’t hear us.
“Hey! You can’t do that,” Kate huffs. There is rustling coming from above as she pulls back inside. “I’m coming down.”
“I’m leaving!” No matter how much I want to see her open it, I know if I stay, I won’t leave anytime soon. “Can you do that?” I ask Kate’s aunt.
“Sure thing, hun.”
“You’re the best, Ms. Adams.” With one final smile, I pull back. “Good night.”
“Night, Emmett.”
When I look up, hoping to catch one final glimpse of Katherine, I see a shadow standing in the doorway. I watch it, expecting the person standing behind the door to come out, but it doesn’t happen, so I turn around and walk back to my car.
KATHERINE
“Did he leave already?” I ask, slightly winded as I come to a stop on the front porch. A shiver runs through my body from the cool night air, making goosebumps appear on my skin. While the days are still warm enough, you can start to feel the chill in the air as soon as the sun goes down.
“They just turned the corner,” Aunt Mabel says from the step on the porch.
“Dammit,” I mutter. I’d really hoped I’d get a chance to see Emmett. Maybe even sneak a kiss or two before he had to leave.
“He left you this, though.”
Mabel extends her hand, a plain, middle-sized gift bag in her hand. I suck on my lower lip, looking at the offering. I don’t remember when the last time was that I got a present. And this isn’t just any present. It’s from Emmett.
“Aren’t you going to open it?” Mabel asks, pushing the bag closer.
“You know gifts aren’t actually free?”
I grit my teeth to hold in my irritated response. I tried my best to ignore Mom’s lurking when I descended the stairs, but of course, she had to come out and meddle.
I grab the bag, pulling it to my chest protectively. There is no way I’m going to let her ruin this for me.
“Maybe not in your world.” I look over my shoulder at Mabel. “I’m going to go up to my room.”
She gives me an apologetic smile. I’m not sure what she has to apologize for. We both know how Mom can get. “Sure thing, hun.”
“Hey, I’m not done talking!” Mom protests. I can hear her stomp her foot behind me, but I ignore it.
“Well, I’m not in the mood to talk,” I say, hurrying toward the staircase.
“Well, we’re going to talk.”
Mom catches up to me; her fingers wrap around my wrist and pull me back before I can step a foot on the staircase, spinning me to face her.
“What?” I glare, pulling my hand out of her grip. My wrist stings from the force of her touch, but I don’t let her see my discomfort.
“Mary!” Mabel hisses at her sister. The front door closes shut as Mabel moves closer.
“Don’t get into this, Mabel, it’s none of your business.”
“You’re in my house, Mary. Let’s not forget that,” Mabel says coolly. I don’t think I’ve ever heard her use that tone of voice with anybody. She’s always so nice. I didn’t think she had it in her.
“Only because you stole my girls from me!” Mom yells. Mabel sucks in a breath like she slapped her, but Mom ignores her, turning her attention to me. “But that’s done. We’re going home.”
I blink. Her words echo in my mind, but I can’t wrap my mind around them.
Home.
She wants to…
“We are home,” I say, my voice in complete contrast to my mind, which keeps screaming one word over and over—no.
“To our home, Katherine.” She makes a point of accentuating our like there was ever a place that was home. But there is now. It’s right here. In Bluebonnet Creek, Texas. “Back to California.”
I hate when she uses that tone with me. Like I’m a foolish little girl who doesn’t know better.
“Are you crazy?” I pull back, my fingers clenching the bag in my hand. “No.”
“Seriously, Katherine. You can’t stay here forever. It was nice of Mabel to take you girls in for a little while, until things cooled off, but it’s time to go back home.”
“What home? We’re enrolled in school here. Penny is finally getting the help she needs, being surrounded by people like her…”
“Mary, please,” Aunt Mabel tries to reason, but there is no reasoning with her once she gets this way. I know that better than anybody.
“Don’t you Mary me, Mabel!” Mom turns her attention back to me. “Penny doesn’t need all that.” She waves her hand dismissively. “She has us, and she’s okay.”
“She was not okay, Mom!” I yell, stomping my feet. “She was not okay. She was hurting. She didn’t feel like she could belong, and she most certainly didn’t have the proper help to deal with her blindness. She has all that now. And we finally found a place to call home.”
Mom glares at me, her lips pressed in a tight line. “Is this about that Santiago boy?”
My cheeks heat, but I lift my chin defiantly. “Emmett doesn’t have anything to do with it.”
“Oh, really?” She shakes her head. “It didn’t look like that a moment ago.”
“Leave Emmett out of this.” I grit my teeth. I don’t want her anywhere near Emmett, not even asking around about him. “He doesn’t have anything to do with any of this.”
She observes me for a moment, as if she’s trying to figure me out. Finally, she tsks. “You should know better than that, Katherine. Seriously, do you really think that boy is your forever? Please, like he’d settle for a girl like you.”
Her words shouldn’t sting, but they do. Oh, how they do.
It’s one thing to know you’re not good enough for somebody, but to have it thrown in your face, by your mother of all people?