Page 79 of The Obsession
Me: K
The rest of the lawn will have to wait until I return. I fucking hate leaving a job half done, but I’m going to need to shower and change before I head out.
When I enter the house through the back door, I follow my nose to find the girls. They’re in the kitchen, and I have a feeling they’re baking a cake because my home smells just as sweet as Emily.
A smile tugs at my lips when I see them. Peach isstanding on a chair that’s been pushed against the counter, and Emily is standing beside her. Their backs are to me, so I take a moment to observe them.
“I do, Emmy,” Lil’ Peach demands, reaching for the spoon she’s holding.
Emily steadies the bowl for her, laughing softly when a cloud of icing sugar puffs up and coats Peach’s cheek. I love the patience she has with my baby girl.
“Careful, sweetheart. We’re making a cake, not a snowstorm.”
Peach giggles, and Emily leans in to place a soft kiss on her hair, and something warm settles in my chest. This is what she should’ve had all along. Someone patient. Someone gentle. Someone who actually shows her how to do things. It’s moments like this that make me hate my sister’s addiction because it forces her to be absent from Peach’s life.
I clear my throat so I don’t startle them. “Looks like you two are up to something dangerous.”
Emily turns towards me with a smile, and Peach spins around on her chair, beaming.
“I bake cake,” Peach announces proudly, reaching for one of the little cupcakes on the tray so she can show me, but her tiny hand fumbles. The cupcake slips right through her fingers and hits the floor with a soft thud. Peach freezes, and her bottom lip begins to tremble as she stares down at it. “I sorry, Emmy,” she whispers, her voice already breaking before the tears spill over.
My chest tightens at the sight, but Emily is already moving, calm and steady. She crouches beside Peach, gently brushing the icing sugar from her cheek.
“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Emily says softly. “We have plenty.”
Peach sniffles, uncertain, so I step forward and reachdown to pick it up, peeling off the wrapper and shoving the entire thing between my lips.
“Mmm, delicious,” I mumble through a mouthful. Peach smiles, and Emily winces. “Five-second rule,” I add with a shrug, earning myself an eye roll.
Peach’s tears are now gone, replaced with that bright grin that always knocks the wind out of me. She wipes her face with the back of her hand, leaving a streak of icing across her cheek.
Emily sighs, but there’s a smile tugging at her lips. “You’re unbelievable.”
“Hey, it worked,” I reply. “Crisis averted.”
Emily’s eyes are still on me as she straightens, and when her gaze drifts lower, taking in the fact that I’m shirtless, a faint blush rises to her cheeks.
She clears her throat and tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear, pretending to focus on the cupcakes again. “You, uh … finished mowing already?”
“Nearly. I have to head out for a while. Are you okay to watch Peach?”
“Of course.”
“Dante called. I’m going to have a quick shower first.”
As I turn to leave, my phone starts ringing in my pocket. When I pull it out, I see Lucia’s name flashing on the screen. I answer the call with a, “Yeah?”
“Hey,” her voice comes through bright and breezy. “I’m heading over to the Mancinis with Romeo to see Arabella and my baby niece. We thought we’d go for a swim since the weather is nice today. Do Emily and Lil’ Peach want to come hang with us?”
I glance back at the girls. Peach is leaning forward, tongue poking out in concentration as she presses tiny, colourful, candy-covered chocolates into the frosting one by one. Emily is smiling at her like she’s doing the most important work in the world.
“I’ll put the call on speaker, and you can ask them yourself,” I say, holding out the phone towards Emily. “It’s Lucia.”
Emily takes it, raising an eyebrow. “Hi, Lucia.”
“Hi! I’m heading to my sister’s house,” Lucia says. “We’re going to hang out in the backyard and swim. Do you and Lil’ Peach want to come join us?”
Peach looks up at Emily, eyes wide and hopeful.
