Something to Talk About(42)
“You sound great, too,” Jo said, no bite to it. Evelyn didn’t respond, and Jo knew she might as well tell her what was happening, because otherwise Ev would simply wait her out. “Emma was concerned about working in my office today, and I didn’t know why and I snapped at her. I didn’t know someone—God, someone had to have leaked that. People are back for two days and we’re in the fucking tabloids again. If I find out who it is, I’m going to kill them.”
“I’d bet Emma saw the article,” Evelyn said, “because it was published this morning and she probably has a Google alert set for your names together.”
“Don’t accuse her of things I know you do,” Jo said, smiling slightly. “Anyway, now I’m going to have to apologize to her in the morning.”
“They always say makeup sex is the best sex.”
“I’m hanging up now.”
“No, no, come on, I’m teasing,” Evelyn laughed. “How is it with everyone back, other than your spat with Emma?”
“Louder than usual,” Jo said. “More distractions. It always takes me a while to get used to it.”
“Tate do anything stupid yet?”
“When does he not?”
“I’m going to meet him when I come visit, okay?” Evelyn said. “I’m coming to set this time, meeting everyone.”
“Have you decided when you’re coming yet?” Jo needled, setting her wineglass down and settling deeper into the cushions of her couch.
“Your birthday, maybe? Or I’ll just show up and surprise you one day.”
Jo would’ve been happy with either.
“I’ll have to see if Sammy’s free, too,” Evelyn said.
Jo knew she was mostly joking—Sam had played Jo’s older brother on The Johnson Dynasty, and Evelyn had fawned over him ever since. Jo was fairly certain that Evelyn started her infatuation as a way to bother Jo, decades ago, but she had kept it up so long by this point that there must’ve been some truth to it.
“You’ll have to fight me for him,” Jo teased. “We’re actually going to dinner on Saturday.”
“Tell him I’m single.”
Jo rolled her eyes and couldn’t help her grin. More of her tension bled away the longer she talked to Evelyn. She felt bad about snapping at Emma, but with context, it all made sense, and it would be an easy fix, apologizing in the morning.
10
JO
Can I take the afternoon off?” Emma asked the next morning before Jo even had a chance to thank her for the coffee.
Jo blinked. Emma took time off only for dentist appointments, holidays, and the one time a year she got sick.
“Of course,” Jo said.
“Thank you.” Emma turned back to her computer before Jo could say anything else.
Jo stood beside Emma’s desk for a moment, but when Emma continued to not look at her, Jo headed into her office and closed the door behind her.
So much for an easy fix.
On a normal day, Emma would tell Jo why she needed the afternoon off. Today, Jo could only assume she’d be at the twins’ baseball game. Jo had to apologize to her before she left for the day. She’d snapped at Emma when Emma was trying to do her job—or, not her job, not exactly. Emma was trying to rein in the rumors, and Jo didn’t bother listening before dismissing her. Emma was doing more than her job, was doing what she could to make Jo’s life easier. Jo hadn’t understood that yesterday, but she did today. She needed to tell Emma.
But all morning, Emma avoided letting any pauses linger in their interactions. Jo would open her mouth and Emma would interrupt with something, and so Jo never apologized.
When Emma dropped off Jo’s lunch, she didn’t stay to eat with her.
“I’m going to head out,” she said instead.
Jo looked up at her and smiled gently. “Have a good afternoon, Emma.”
“You, too, Ms. Jones.”
Jo could feel her smile go strained. Emma turned and left without another word.
* * *
—
Jo considered not going to the game. But Ethan didn’t deserve her not showing up because of personal issues. And it provided another opportunity to apologize to Emma.
Like she did every game, Jo wore her standard baseball cap and big sunglasses and sat in the top row of the bleachers. She scrolled through various apps on her phone instead of anxiously watching the parking lot to see when Emma would arrive.
She saw her immediately anyway. Dani and Ezra raced to the field like they always did, Dylan and Avery moving more slowly, three rottweilers and Jo’s assistant with them today. Emma was in a tank top and shorts, waves of hair past her shoulders and sunglasses on top of her head. It was the most casual Jo had ever seen her. Jo’s breath caught.
She prepared herself for Emma noticing her, realizing where she sneaked off to all these summer afternoons. She expected Emma to freeze, to look confused, maybe even hurt. She did not expect Emma to smile up at her and wave as she climbed the bleachers. Jo attempted her typical nonchalant wave, but her fingers were rigid.
Avery was quiet as she and Emma joined Jo in the top row. She sat next to Jo, Emma on the other side of Avery. Jo and Avery’s eyes met, then Avery’s darted away, back toward her sister.