Page 148 of Never Not Friends

Mom turns. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know what I’m going to do about Vinny. I’m not doing anything right now, but—” My heart starts pounding like it knows I’m crossing a line I’ve never dared cross before. “You don’t get to decide this for me.”

Her eyebrows shoot up. “Emma, I’m not trying to decide anything. I’m trying to protect you. Juliet is your best friend. I’d just hate to see you do something that can make repairing your friendship harder than it’s already going to be.”

“I don’t need your protection or your interference.”

“Interference?”

I wasn’t planning to dredge up old feelings I’ve held onto for twelve years, but I guess everything’s coming out now, for better or worse.

I set the groceries on the kitchen counter then turn to face her. “The only reason I broke up with Vinny in the first place was because you told me to. You interfered back then, and I let you because I didn’t want to disappoint you, but I’m not doing that anymore.”

Her expression changes. “Emma, I⁠—”

“Look, I’m not blaming you. I made those choices, and I followed them with so many other bad choices after the breakup and over the last twelve years. I know that. But I don’t want to keep repeating the same mistakes. I don’t want to keep making choices based on what everyone else wants me to do or what I think they want me to do. I just have to be honest about my feelings from now on.”

She doesn’t answer.

And, for once, I don’t rush to make the silence more comfortable.

I just start opening cupboards and putting the groceries away.

EMMA

I’ve walked from my house to Juliet’s front door approximately eight thousand times.

Tonight is the first time I’ve considered turning around halfway there.

But I don’t.

I’m committed.

Because it’s been eight days since the wedding, and Juliet is finally home from Hawaii, so I keep walking.

The porch light is on. So is the living room light. Juliet’s car is in the driveway. She’s home. Even if she doesn’t answer.

I stop at the bottom of the steps and take a deep breath. Usually, I’d walk right in, but I think I lost those privileges when she found out I’d been lying about my feelings for Vinny all these years.

So I knock.

Footsteps sound inside, then the door opens.

And there she is.

Her blonde hair is piled into a messy knot on top of her head. She’s wearing shorts that show off her suntanned legs and an oversized T-shirt.

For one agonizing second, she just stares at me.

“Hi,” I say.

“I was wondering when you’d show up here.”

I’d almost rather she slam the door in my face.

Almost.

“Well, I knew you got home late last night, so⁠—”