Page 85 of Fever Dream
Theo opens the front door for me, and I’m about to step into the store when I run smack dab into a hard, warm chest. Strong hands encircle my upper arms to keep me from taking a tumble.
“Shit, sorry!” I say before I’ve had a chance to see who I’ve crashed into. And when I do, I’m met with the face that kept me up all night.
“Hey you,” Emmett murmurs, before his eyes fall to Theo. His cheeks go red as he looks beyond us and sees my entire family—all staring back at him.
He straightens, looking instantly uncomfortable. The awkwardness is palpable, but Theo must be oblivious, because he’s grinning like a loon.
“Bush, fancy meeting you here.” Theo punches his shoulder in what should be a friendly, playful motion. But I know enough to recognize it as a replica of what Emmett landed on him following his championship win.
“Hey, Julia,” Evan cuts in as he sidles up beside Emmett, tossing a supportive arm over his brother’s shoulder and slicing through any tension in his easygoing way. “Good to see you out and about, not just working all the time.”
I offer him a warm smile before sweeping a hand toward my brother. “Evan, this is my brother, Theo. Theo, this is Emmett’s brother, Evan.”
They shake hands, and I take that moment to peek at Emmett, who’s now the same color as a fire engine.I’m sorry, I mouth tohim, referring to the leak. Earlier, I had to excuse myself to the bathroom to read it without being harassed.
He nods, but I can tell he’s upset.
Theo doesn’t seem to notice as he steps back from Evan and rubs his hands together. “Sunday, huh? Big day for the news.”
I elbow him and give him a scolding look. He’s such a little boy sometimes.
We all know what Theo’s referring to, and I breeze past it in the name of polite conversation. “What are you guys up to today? Or do you have big family plans?”
Evan picks up on my strategy and jumps in smoothly. “Em was having a rough morning, so I decided to turn his day around with ice cream after breakfast before Parker could get to him with her bourbon.”
“I’m doing fine,” Emmett says while shooting his brother an annoyed look. “How are you guys?”
Theo makes a show of cupping his ear. “Oh, weird. Jules, I hear this annoying buzzing in my ear, but isn’t this too early to be mosquito season?”
I groan, and from several feet away I hear Winter do the same before she mutters, “Good god, that’s such a dad joke.”
Emmett doesn’t let the snark bother him. In fact, he seems more comfortable with verbal sparring than with making fake small talk. “Don’t worry, Theo. If I were going to suck someone’s blood, it wouldn’t be yours.”
My brother gives him a cocky wink. “Oh, yeah, Emmett? Whose would it be? One of the ten girls getting paid to date you?”
To his credit, Emmett laughs. But then he comes closer, brushing his shoulder against Theo’s, using those extra couple of inches to his advantage when he bends to murmur in his ear. “Nah. It’d definitely be your sister’s.” With that, he tosses me a wink and strides away, calling out, “Later, Jules.”
“Come to family breakfast again soon, Julia!” Evan adds casually before he follows behind Emmett, a thoroughly amused tilt to his lips.
Theo’s mouth opens as though he’s going to try to get the last word in, but I think he’s too shocked to keep up. Instead, he says, “Please tell me you aren’t giving that sleaze the time of day.”
“He’s been nothing but polite.” Okay, that’s a stretch, but there’s always a playful edge to Emmett. I feel nothing but safe with him, and I have stellar qualifications to judge if a guy is a true sleaze. “And I adore his family.”
“Ha! Your professionalism knows no bounds. Good for you for toeing the line when we both know he’s a raging douchebag. You’re a better person than I.”
I don’t respond to that. It’s not the time or the place.
In line, Theo recounts another unpleasant story about Emmett on the road as we place our order and take our number, but I’m not really listening.
Instead, I’m worrying about the man in question.
When we get back to the table with everyone’s ice creams, Theo shoots me a sympathetic look. “I’m so sorry that you have to work with him every day.”
And he means it. There’s a genuine apology in his voice, but I don’t feel right accepting it.
So I just shrug and pull out my phone to check if the bar owner has texted me.Again.
And he has.
