Chapter Thirteen

        Everyone was already gathered around Tally’s kitchen table by the time Noah and Emma Jean arrived. Everyone, meaning Luke, Jonas, Fiona, Carter, and Tucker. On the table laid a spread of what Emma Jean knew was some of the best comfort food she’d ever tasted. Growing up, Tally’s mom, Sandy, made a mean chicken pot pie from scratch, and Emma Jean knew that was the same recipe that Tally now used. Her stomach growled in anticipation.

        “Please tell me you’ve got room for two more,” Noah implored as he took in the spread on the table.

        “Of course,” Tally replied, moving to the refrigerator.

        “Awesome,” Noah muttered, pulling out a chair for Emma Jean.

        “Babe, what are you doing?” Luke asked, watching his fiancée set bread and lunch meat on the counter.

        “Making a sandwich.”

        Luke glanced around the table before standing up. “I’ll have a sandwich. You eat the pot pie,” he said in a low voice, but not low enough that Emma Jean didn’t hear him.

        It was then she realized that there wasn’t actually enough food for all of them. “Actually, I’d really like a sandwich,” she said, standing.

        “No,” Noah said, catching onto the issue. “You eat the pot pie. I’ll have a sandwich. I love sandwiches,” he smirked.

        Tally rolled her eyes at her brother. “It’s really not necessary. There’s plenty of pot pie for the both of you to have some.”

        “Sure, sis,” Noah said jovially. “And that means there’s plenty of pot pie for you and Emma Jean. Luke and I will have sandwiches, won’t we Luke?”

***

        Noah knew he was risking payback from Luke who loved that chicken pot pie as much as anyone else who’d ever had the privilege of tasting it, but he was willing to take his chances. Luckily, Luke seemed resigned to his fate of turkey and Swiss on sourdough so long as it meant his woman was able to enjoy the fruits of her labor. Plus, Luke was too much of a gentleman to let the women be the ones to go without. Having been best friends since high school when they played on the baseball team together, the way they treated women was just one thing they had in common.

        “So, how’s the new job?” Tally asked Emma Jean.

        “Kind of great, actually.” Emma Jean granted her best friend a genuine smile that shined so brightly it made Noah’s chest ache with its beauty. “Dr. Fetterman has been so great, and Marissa is nice, too.”

        “You think you’ll go back to school?”

        Emma Jean nodded thoughtfully. “Eventually. I don’t quite have it all worked out yet, but I think I’m going to take some classes online to start with and then go from there. College is expensive, though, so I’m kind of playing it by ear, ya know?”

        Tally nodded. “What about student loans? I’m sure you’d get approved.”

        “Probably. But I also need a car and a place to live, so school may have to take a backseat until I can get back on my feet.”

        “You have a place to live,” Noah interjected. “And a car, whenever you need it.”

        “That’s sweet, Noah, but I can’t rely on you forever.”

        “Yes, you can,” he argued.

        “No-”

        “I want you to, Emmie. That’s the whole point.”

        Noah cursed himself the second he saw Emma Jean shut down.

        “I need to get back to work,” she muttered, rising from her chair.

        “Sunshine, wait.” He was stopped from immediately following her by a hand on his arm. He turned a questioning look on Fiona.

        “A woman like that, going through what she’s been through...she needs to have some sort of control over the situation. Let her have that,” Fiona said.

        “She can have anything she wants. I’ll give  her whatever she wants,” he insisted.

        “Give her what she needs , Noah. She needs to not feel powerless. Trust me.”

        Noah saw something flash in her eyes he couldn’t identify before she dropped her hand and resumed eating. He thanked his sister for lunch and mussed Tuck’s hair before trudging out the door, knowing Fiona was probably right and not liking it one bit.

        The ride back to the clinic was quiet as Noah mulled over what needed to be said. What Fiona said Emma Jean needed to hear and what Noah wanted to say were completely at odds. He had no desire to control her, but neither did he feel confident in setting her free. She was always meant to be his, and that was something he felt in the root of his soul. Letting her go meant she might not find her way back to him, and they’d already lost so much time. So, the question became, did he have enough faith in his own feelings to let her figure hers out and hope that she chose the path that led her back to him? He was about to find out.

        He pulled into the clinic’s drive and stilled Emma Jean with a hand on her arm before she could exit the SUV. “You know I would never force you to do anything you don’t want to do, don’t you, Emmie?”

        She frowned. “I don’t think you’d try to force me, Noah. But I don’t think we’re on the same page, either.”

        Noah pulled a deep breath in through his nose. “Maybe we should talk about that. Tonight, after work.”

        “You promised to take me grocery shopping after work.”

        “I did,” he agreed. “We’ll get some groceries, then we’ll go home and talk.”

        She hesitated, looking uncertain about whether she really wanted to have that conversation.

        “C’mon, sunshine, it’s me. Nothing to be afraid of.”

        “Alright,” she nodded. “See you at six,” she said before climbing out and leaving him with a feeling of unease he tried to ignore.

***

        Emma Jean’s afternoon went by in a blur. The clinic was a furry flurry of sick or injured cats, dogs, and at least one floppy-eared bunny that Emma Jean was sorely tempted to sneak into her purse and take home. She realized she was developing pet fever and made a mental note to make a trip back over to Tally’s to spend time with the horses and cats.

        By the time six o’clock came, she was ready for a hot bath and bed. Dr. Fetterman had instructed her to go home at five o’clock when he left the clinic for the DelRey farm to check on the baby goat that had been born that day, but she couldn’t bring herself to cut out early when she still had work piled on her desk. So, she spent the last hour of her work day updating patient records and helping Marissa prepare for the next morning. Wednesdays were surgery days for Dr. Fetterman. Spays, neuters, and other minor procedures were scheduled starting at seven o’clock and ran until lunch time. The afternoons, however, were reserved for house calls for the large animals under his care, and that was when Emma Jean figured would be a good time to implement the next phase in her plan.

        Noah arrived just before six to take her to the grocery store as promised. The ride there was rife with anticipation as they both thought about what they were going to say during their talk later. Upon entering the store, Emma Jean grabbed a shopping cart and made a beeline for the produce section, filling the cart with all manner of things leafy and green before executing a U-turn and putting half of her bounty back.

        Noah watched her with amused curiosity.

        The two of them together headed for the deli counter, stocking up on various lunch meats and cheeses before Emma Jean turned to Noah and said, “We’re getting a roast. And some chicken.”

        “Okay.” He had no intention of arguing with her. She could get whatever she wanted so long as she was the one cooking.

        “Potatoes. Pork chops. Rice.” She was muttering a list to herself as they moved along, each of them throwing odds and ends into the cart.

        Once she deemed them to be done, Noah helped unload the cart and then bagged the groceries as they were rung up, chatting up the familiar face at the register.

        “Hey, Jess, how have you been?”

        “I’m good, Mr. Hawkins, how are you?”

        Noah made a sound of disgust. “I’d be fantastic if you’d stop calling me Mr. Hawkins.”

        “Sorry, Noah. Hard to forget my upbringing,” Jess laughed.

        “Hogwash. You’ve been like a sister to me and Tally for years now, and you’ve never once called me ‘Mr. Hawkins.’” He narrowed his eyes at the young lady who served as his nephew Tucker’s babysitter and Tally’s lifeline, particularly before Luke came back from his time in the military and she was a single mom trying to do it all on her own.

        “Maybe I just wanted to remind you of your age,” she said, dangling the bag of gummy worms between her fingers.

        “Cheeky wench,” he muttered. “I didn’t know you were working here.”

        “It’s only seasonal. I pick up shifts after school on the days that Tally doesn’t need me.”

        “Speaking of school...how’s that going? Got plans for after graduation?” He spoke as he bagged up the last few items and placed them in the cart.

        A huge smile spread across Jess’s face. “School’s great. And...I got accepted to the University of Montana.”

        “Ooh, go Grizzlies! That’s amazing. What’s your major?” As Noah spoke, he noticed Emma Jean lifting her debit card toward the card reader, so he stretched his much longer arm out and swiped his card instead.

        “Hey,” Emma Jean hissed, though he ignored her.

        “Elementary education,” Jess informed him, still smiling.

        “That’s great, Jess. Really,” he said, sliding his debit card back into his wallet.

        “Congratulations, Jess,” Emma Jean added sincerely, though she was glaring at Noah.

        “Thanks, guys.”

        Letting Jess turn her attention to the next customer in line, Noah took control of the cart. “Come on, sunshine, let’s get home. There’s a talk we need to have.”