Surviving Emma by Jen Atkinson

Author:Jen Atkinson [Atkinson, Jen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9798614387600
Published: 2020-04-02T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 22

Carter

“You buy’n Dakota something else?” Andy leaned over my shoulder to see the computer screen better. “Didn’t you already spend an obscene amount of money on a bed?”

I shut down the screen with the pink two-wheeled bicycle. “I told you, Emma wouldn’t let me pay her for all those massages.”

“Yeah.” Andy placed a hand where his hips should have been. “That’s awfully suspicious if you ask me. Besides, that was two weeks ago.”

“It’s not suspicious. It’s kindness.”

He pointed at me. “See? Suspicious. Emma don’t know how to be kind.” He sat in the chair opposite me and crossed his legs. “You lookin’ for her love language?”

“Her what?” I shook my head and pulled the screen back up, now that Andy couldn’t see it.

“Mary has me readin’ about love languages. It could be gifts. Is that why you keep buy’n her stuff?”

“I’ve bought a couple things for Dakota. Why would I be looking for Emma’s love language?”

“More than a couple. Every week you’re haul’n dog food over to that place. You’ve been buy’n groceries, too.”

The screen changed from a pink bike to a yellow one with a white seat. I put them both in my checkout—I’d decide after I finished this ludicrous conversation. “How do you even know that?” I asked, standing and striding over to the water cooler. I filled a paper cup and downed it.

“I talk to Virgie Wire now and then.”

“When?” I didn’t believe him. I refilled the cup but couldn’t bring it all the way to my lips.

“Okay, Mary talks to Virgie and I talk to Mary.”

The idea of those three sitting around gossiping didn’t shock me, but it did annoy me—seeing how my private life had become the heart of their gossip.

“Mary and Virgie say you’re lookin’ for her love language.”

“Again with the love language?” I threw up my hands. “I am not looking for her love language.” I didn’t even know what that meant. The water in my cup sloshed over the sides. “Bah.” I groaned, sopping up the spill with a napkin.

“How’s that nest egg?”

Why had I ever told Andy about my savings plan? “It’s fine.”

“You still got twenty-seven K in the bank?”

I threw on my coat. “Is that really any of your business?”

“Hey, you’re the one who told me about it. What’s it for again? Aiden Carter’s grand life plan?”

“I’m starting my shift—early. Maybe you should ask Mary what the technical term is for jelly donut love.” I stormed outside and threw myself into the seat of my vehicle. But in truth, I hadn’t put a dime in savings since I started up with Emma and Dakota. That hadn’t been the plan. Still, I hadn’t taken anything out. I stayed the course. Though it took me a minute to remember that course. Tess and me and our future, right? I would buy that house on Draper Street one day. She always loved that house. Surely, eventually, she’d want to fill the three spare rooms with something other than craft supplies—right? A house

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