Page 248 of Off Limits: The Firsts

“Emmy, Emmy?” she asks.

“Fuck off, Grady,” I mutter, knowing he threw me to the wolves to save Grayson’s ass.

But when I meet the expectant eyes of my parents, there is a gravity to Dad’s expression that I haven’t seen since his days on the force. It makes me realize things were probably ten times worse for Emmy than I ever imagined way back when.

As an adult, I can decipher those expressions and understand the things I couldn’t comprehend as a kid.

“Yes. Emmy, Emmy.”

Mom’s face brightens. “Did she contact you on that FaceWorld or InstaGreet everyone is using these days?”

“FaceWorld?” Grady says before letting out an exasperated sigh. “Mom, when are you ever going to catch up with the times? It’s Facebook and Instagram. I told you I’d be more than willing to teach you how to use them if you’d like.”

“And I told you that I’d rather remain happy and oblivious to all the ways people can stalk me online. I’m a cop’s wife, Grady. You keep your personal information off the internet so you can keep your family safe.”

“Yes, Betsy.” Dad nods, trying to stop this bickering before it starts. “So, Grant,” he asks and gives me his investigator’s stare, “how did you connect with her?”

“I saw her in town the other day.” This has my parents sharing another glance. “What’s that look mean?”

“Nothing,” Dad responds.

“Nothing?” I repeat.

“Just surprised to hear she was in Sunnyville. Her mom liked to move around a lot.” Mom’s smile softens. “I used to love that little girl as if she were my own. The daughter I never had. I used to joke with your father that you were going to grow up to marry her someday.”

“Of course you would think that.” I roll my eyes.

“How is she? Was she well?”

I take a long sip of beer and wipe my hands on my napkin before leaning back in my chair and shrugging. “No idea. I was working the crowd at the pub crawl when I saw her.”

“And?” she prompts.

“She saw me, and then she had to leave, so we didn’t really get a chance to talk.” Emmy’s shocked eyes flash through my mind. I’m not sure why I lie to them about it.

“Are you going to see her again?” Dad asks.

“It was so quick, I didn’t get her phone number. Besides, if I wanted to, I wouldn’t know the first place to look for her. She was probably here for the holiday or something and is gone now.”

“You are a cop, dipshit. In case you didn’t know.” The kick to the shin I gave Grady moments ago is returned to me under the table.

“And your point is?” I grunt, glaring at my brother.

“You have all the stalking capabilities you need at the station.”

“Nah, I couldn’t do that,” I reply, but that doesn’t mean the thought hasn’t crossed my mind a time or a hundred.

“Stick with that thought, Grant,” Dad warns. “The last thing you need is to misuse city resources while being considered for the promotion.”

“And the chief speaks,” Grayson adds to lighten the mood with a laugh.

“Do you have more of that cobbler?” Grady asks, effectively shifting the subject, but not before I see one last glance between Mom and Dad that leaves me lost in thought while the conversation moves on.

I was a kid when everything happened with Em, so it was hard for me to reconcile how nice her dad was with what she said happened to her. Now, I’m an adult and have seen things on the job that have taught me that even the nicest of people could do the cruelest of things.

When I apply that knowledge to the little I know of Emerson’s history, I can completely understand why seeing me may have caused some of the memories to rush back.

Chairs shift as the meal ends. The table is cleared. Dishes are washed. Luke helps, but he gets more water on the floor than in the sink. The night wears on.