The VIP Room(126)

Emma didn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing the fear swim across her face. She walked away with her head held high, her shoulders strong, her spine straight. But she was scared. More scared than she’d ever been.



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“He was cute.”

“Is he your boyfriend?”

“Emma doesn’t have a boyfriend.”

Emma glanced at Sophie even as she pressed the rounded inserter against her abdomen. “You say that like I’m not capable of having a boyfriend.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

Emma popped the trigger, and the long needle that threaded the catheter under Sophie’s skin pushed into her body. Sophie didn’t even wince.

“If I wasn’t so busy going to school and keeping down a job, I might have time for a boyfriend.”

“When’s that going to be?”

It was a good question. Emma carefully pulled the needle out and bent the needle before tossing the trash into her purse for later disposal. Then she handed the insulin pump to Sophie to prime the tubing.

“What are you going to do for the rest of the afternoon?”

Sophie looked at Jill and Jill shrugged. “Probably just wander around the mall, check out a couple of the shops.”

“You should go to a movie.”

Sophie shook her head. “Nothing good out.”

Emma dug through her purse and handed her a ten dollar bill. “Make sure you eat something decent. And bolus for it.”

“Yes, mother,” Sophie said in her most annoying voice as she jammed the pump into her pocket and headed for the door, Jill behind her.

“Meet me at the store at five.”

Sophie just waved her hand as she slipped out the bathroom door.

Emma turned to the sink and just stood there a moment, staring at her reflection in the mirror. She was only twenty-five years old, yet she felt decades older. Though, she didn’t look anywhere past her age. There wasn’t a wrinkle to be found on her round, pale face, though she would be happy to get rid of some of the spattering of freckles across her nose. Her eyes were still clear, still that pale blue that always seemed to catch people’s attention. And her hair…she’d never been good with styling her hair, but Martha made her go to this salon a few weeks ago and they’d cut it in a style that flattered the shape of her face instead of making it seem wider than it really was. She liked it because it was easy to care for, but she could see now that it made her look a little classier than she was, a little more sophisticated.

It was funny, but she almost didn’t recognize the pretty girl staring back at her from the mirror.

“Kids will wear you out.”

“Hmm?” Emma turned, unaware until that moment that she wasn’t alone.

“I heard you with your daughter. You wouldn’t know it from the way she was acting, but there’s a lot of love there. I could see it in the way she looked at you.”

“Thank you,” Emma said, a little shocked that her eyes filled with tears.

The woman just smiled, patting Emma on the arm as she walked away.

Emma turned her attention back to the mirror, her thoughts rebelliously turning to Dante Caito. He was the man responsible for all the crap that was happening in her life. So why couldn’t she stop thinking about the way he smelled, the way it felt when she touched him?

Maybe Sophie was right. Maybe she needed to make time for dating sooner rather than later.





Chapter 9





Several days later, Emma was checking the mail when Mrs. Remy approached her.

“Have you heard the latest?”

Emma shook her head, too busy wondering how the electric bill could be fifty bucks more than it was last month when the weather had been so mild over the last few weeks.

“Those of us who have leases through the end of the year? They’re going to court to have us evicted sooner, saying that the building is a danger and needs to be torn down as soon as possible.”

“What? Can they do that?”

Mrs. Remy shrugged. “They can do whatever they want. They’re corporate America.”

“That’s not right.”

Mrs. Remy laid her hand on Emma’s arm. “There’s no point in getting upset. The only recourse we have is to hire lawyers and fight them in court. But who can afford a lawyer these days?”

“It’s not right,” Emma said again, but Mrs. Remy was already shuffling back to her apartment, mumbling something about big business under her breath.

Emma went upstairs and paced her small living room, anger building up so tightly in her chest that she almost couldn’t catch a breath. She couldn’t believe this was happening. Now they couldn’t wait until after Christmas to throw these poor people out into the cold? Now he had to ruin their last holiday in their homes, ruin the one thing they have to look forward to?

She couldn’t stand it.

And it was all her fault. If she had just kept her tongue, if she hadn’t lost her temper… She had to do something.

She stopped pacing, and her eyes fell on the television. And then she remembered the technology expo. Wasn’t that this week?

A small smile slid over her lips. She knew what she was going to do.



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