Chapter 102 — Madison

Since Kade had bailed on me, I met Emily for lunch at the Skyhouse.

She waved from across the room as though I didn’t know where to look for her.

Emily was dressed casually in jeans and long t-shirt with a leather jacket.

“I didn’t think about it being your day off,” I said, sliding into one of our favorite booths against the far wall.

“It’s not,” she said. “I’m working from home today.”

“Oh. How are you doing that?”

Emily was a high school teacher.

She shrugged with a little smile. “Even high schoolers are learning online today.”

Something was going on with Emily, but I was too bummed to delve into it right now.

In fact, I was trying hard to keep a smile on my face.

Since I made the schedule myself, I knew that Kade had no flights today. Yet, at the last minute, he’d canceled.

And he’d been vague about it. Some kind of meeting, he said.

Emily leaned forward.

“But enough about me,” she said. “You’ve been keeping a low profile.”

“Things have been crazy,” I said, looking toward the door.

Emily tapped her fingers on her water glass as she studied me.

“How’s Kade?” she asked.

My gaze snapped back to her. “Good.”

“You two are back together, aren’t you?”

“Stop smirking, Emily,” I said.

She sat back and nodded. “I knew it was going to happen. I called it.”

A server I didn’t recognize came over with a basket of bread and we both ordered a salad.

“Stop it,” I said, after the server left. “We’ve just been hanging out. It can’t go anywhere.”

“Never say never,” Emily said, taking a slice of bread. She slapped butter on it and took a bite.

“What’s up with you?” I asked.

“What?” Emily slid the bread in my direction.

I shook my head. “You never eat bread like that.”

“You’re trying to change the subject.” Emily held up a finger. “Not working.”

I took a piece of bread and broke off one of the edges.

“You do know I’m leaving soon, right?”

“How could I not?” Emily asked. “You remind me all the time.”

I looked at her blankly. Then scrunched my face.

“I do, don’t I? You must be sick of hearing about it.”

Emily reached over and patted my hand.

“Not sick of it. Just worried about you. Worried that you’re making the wrong decision.”

I took a deep breath.

The server brought our salads and refilled our water glasses.

“Emily,” I said after he left. “It’s my dream job. You know that.”

Emily shrugged. “I know. But as your best friend it’s my job to tell you when you need to think something through. Right?”

“Of course,” I said, staring at my plate and absently stirring my salad. Then I looked up at her.

“But weren’t you supposed to tell me this three months ago?

“Maybe,” Emily said. “But I didn’t want to tell you wrong.”

“So what makes you think you’re right now?”

Emily smiled.

“I can see it in your face,” she said.

“What are you seeing?” I asked, though I was afraid of the answer.

“I see a lot of things. But mostly I see doubt.”

I wanted to tell her she was imagining things. Seeing what she wanted to see.

But I knew she was right.

My best friend was putting into words what I’d been feeling for some time.