Page 139 of Terms of Exposure
I rolled my eyes, as the phone on the counter lit up with another incoming call. "Probably not."
Emma's expression softened. "Yeah… probably not."
My phone vibrated again.
I feigned a cough, forcing lightness into my tone. "So… this is supposed to be a celebration. A sister catch-up. Enough about me." I wiggled my eyebrows, bouncing in my seat with performed enthusiasm. "How are things with you and Damien?"
Her face brightened at the mention of his name, and acid burned the back of my tongue.
Is this how Emma had felt all those years?
But still I smiled, tried to be the perfect friend, as her gaze went glassy with memories.
"They're amazing," she chuckled, giddy as a schoolgirl with her first crush. "We finally told Jennifer about us."
My mouth fell open.
"No way. What did she say?"
Emma huffed a dry laugh. "She was pissed."
"I can imagine. You've been lying to her for months."
She dropped her gaze, shoulders curving in.
I winced.
Too harsh.
"Anyway," I said, recalibrating, "what did she say?"
"She helped us come up with a plan." Emma smiled softly, looking up. "A plan to help us go public with our relationship."
"What? So soon?"
"It was bound to happen at some point." She shrugged. "So why wait?"
Another buzz from the counter.
"Damn," I said. "So what's the plan?"
"We've been flirting more at the office," she admitted, cheeks tinged pink.
"Flirting? At the office?" I chuckled. "That's got to be awkward."
"I mean, it is a bit," she conceded, covering her stomach with a pillow as she leaned back. "It's hard to pretend we aren't as close as we are. It's like walking a tightrope."
"Mhm."
My phone vibrated again, the screen lighting up with another call.
"Christ, that's like five calls in ten minutes." She looked between the counter and me. "Does that not freak you out?"
"No," I lied, waving her off. "You know how he can be."
But she didn't.
She opened her mouth to argue, but a loud knock cut her off, followed by an angry, familiar voice.
