Something to Talk About(37)

“I’m not being weird!” Avery sounded way too panicked for someone who supposedly wasn’t being weird.

Emma narrowed her eyes. “What’s going on?”

Avery sighed heavily. She leaned on her elbows on the kitchen island across from Emma’s stool.

“I don’t know how to explain this to you,” she said.

“Okay, you know you’re going to have to explain it immediately now because otherwise I’m going to freak out about all the bad things it could be,” Emma said. “Do you have cancer? Did Dani and Ezra read Harry Potter and decide Hufflepuff was a bad house? Are the dogs okay?”

“I’m going to pretend I’m not offended that you made me having cancer sound like the least bad of those situations,” Avery said. “But no. None of that. It’s . . . what it is, is . . .”

Emma’s chest tightened with worry. “Ave.”

“Jo’s nephew is on Ezra and Dani’s baseball team.”

Emma blinked. That didn’t seem that bad. “Okay?”

Avery flailed her hands a little like Emma wasn’t understanding. Emma flailed back at her.

“Jo’s nephew is on Ezra and Dani’s baseball team and I’ve been sitting next to her at every game.”

“Wait, what?”

Avery moved from leaning on her elbows to a more upright position, leaning on her hands instead.

“I haven’t told you because I was trying to get you to come to a game,” she said. “I thought it’d be funny to see your face when you saw Jo. I know I let it go on for too long.”

Emma pointed her toes toward the ground, then switched and flexed them toward the ceiling. It didn’t help the squirmy feeling in her body.

“Okay?” she said. “So you’re, like . . . friends?”

“No,” Avery said, immediately amending, “well, maybe. Sort of. She also—you know how Molly called in sick Monday and it was a bit of a disaster?” She went on without waiting for Emma to respond. “I was late to the game, and I guess Jo asked Dylan why and he said bakery emergency and—I don’t know. I’m sure she heard us bickering about it all game. So she came to Floured Up in the morning and made me an offer.”

Jo came in late Tuesday. She hadn’t explained why.

“An offer?” Emma asked.

“She wanted to cover the salary of a worker or two,” Avery said. “To help. We worked it out so she’s just covering the difference between what I can pay a new pastry chef and what I should be paying them.”

Avery was watching Emma, like maybe she thought Emma was going to bolt. Emma pointed her toes again, shrugged at her sister.

“Okay.”

Avery furrowed her eyebrows. “Okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Just okay?”

“I don’t know, Avery, what else do you want me to say?”

“I don’t know. How you feel about it? Is it okay? Do you forgive me for not telling you?”

“I mean, of course it’s fine you’re friends with Jo,” Emma said. “Or business partners or whatever. I don’t know why that wouldn’t be fine. It’s none of my business.”

“Emma.”

Emma didn’t say anything.

“Of course it’s your business,” Avery said. “I’m your sister and you’re her—she’s your—” Emma didn’t like the way Avery paused. “She’s your boss. It’s weird. I mean I feel weird about it.”

“About which part? The being friends with her without ever telling me, or her supporting your business?” It came out snappier than Emma intended.

“All of it,” Avery said. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”

“It’s fine,” Emma said dismissively.

It was. Avery didn’t have to tell her everything. And if she had gone to a game, she would’ve found out. Maybe Avery was right and it would have been funny. It was good that Jo was helping with the bakery. Avery was successful enough to need to hire another person, and Jo’s help allowed that to happen. That was better than fine.

Except Emma also inexplicably felt like she was going to cry.

“Em.”

“Seriously, Avery.” Emma laughed. It came out fake. “I’m really excited you’re hiring a new person. I’m so glad the bakery is doing that well.”

Avery’s smile came slowly, but it was sincere. “Yeah. It’s kind of great.”

Emma hopped off her stool and went around the island to hug her sister from behind. Avery let her, for a moment, before turning around in Emma’s arms to squeeze her back. Emma sank into it.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner,” Avery murmured. “I thought I’d convince you to come to a game and it’d be a funny surprise, but it got out of hand. I didn’t mean to hurt you and I won’t do it again.”

Emma had never been good at holding grudges against her sister.

“Thank you,” she said.

“I’m sure it got out of hand for Jo, too,” Avery said. “She probably didn’t know how to tell you.”

That Emma didn’t believe as easily. She closed her eyes and pretended water wasn’t welling in them. A deep breath, then she pulled away from Avery’s embrace.