Read The Life She Wants for Free Online Page B

was him; she’d know that thick, willful brown hair anywhere. Adam Kerrigan, Riley’s brother. He was with a teenage girl who had to be Maddie, Riley’s daughter. She took a couple of steps, smile on her face, then stopped herself suddenly. What if he hated her? Adam had kept in touch for a while after Emma’s falling out with Riley, but when she married Richard she didn’t hear from him anymore.
    But why should he hate her? Because of what Richard had done? Would he, like so many others, assume she knew what was going on? Or that she had some stash just waiting for the heat to fade? Let’s just find out , she thought. Let’s find out right now.
    â€œAdam?” she asked.
    He looked up, his mouth full of burger. His eyes were round and surprised. He chewed and swallowed quickly and the girl covered her mouth as she laughed at him. He wiped his lips with a napkin. “Emmie Cat?” he asked in disbelief, falling back on an old pet name he’d given her when they were kids. It was short for Emma Catherine.
    The nickname reassured her and made her smile. “It’s me. How are you?” He started to get up. “No, no,” she said with a laugh. “Don’t get up.” And she slid onto the plastic bench at the table across the aisle from him, hanging on to her cleaning rag.
    â€œYou work here?” he asked.
    â€œI do,” she said. “And believe me, I do work. No wonder this place runs on teenagers. They’re the only ones with the energy to keep up. How are you?”
    â€œI’m well, thanks. Emma, this is Maddie. Maddie, meet Emma Shay. We went to school together.”
    â€œAlthough he’s much older,” Emma teased. He was, in fact, three years older.
    â€œHow long have you been back?” he asked. And he asked with a distinct absence of hostility.
    â€œA couple of months. Remember Lyle? He found me a little place I could rent and it seemed like the logical thing to do.”
    â€œOf course I remember Lyle. I see him all the time. How is it? Being back after all this time?”
    She shrugged. “Tough,” she said. “But tell me all about you. I confess, I haven’t been in touch so I have no idea—”
    â€œExcuse me,” Maddie said. “I’m going to take a quick run to the ladies’ room while you two visit.” She grinned impishly. “I’ll try to stretch it out.” And with that, she slid out of the booth and left them alone but for the half dozen customers at the counter.
    Emma smiled. “She’s so beautiful, Adam. And so sweet.”
    â€œShe is,” he agreed.
    â€œAnd how about you? Did you marry?”
    She thought his expression was sweet and maybe a little sad. “I came close a couple of times, but it wasn’t in the cards. Uncle duty keeps me busy enough.”
    â€œIsn’t Jock around?”
    â€œSure, he’s around now and then. He was briefly married when Maddie was very young and...well, no one knows better than you how hard it can be if the chemistry isn’t right with the stepmother...”
    Only too well , she thought. And suddenly she fought tears. Not because she was faced with the child of her best friend and boyfriend. Ex- friend and ex- boyfriend. Conceived while she was away at college. “Wow,” she said, her eyes having gone a little liquid. He would probably think she wept from some long-ago broken heart, but that had nothing to do with it.
    Adam surprised her by reaching out, putting a big hand on her shoulder. “You shouldn’t have stayed so out of touch, Emmie Cat. Fifteen years is too long for old friends.”
    â€œUncle Adam,” she said uncomfortably, looking down and giving her eyes a wipe.
    â€œWell, it turns out it really does take a village,” he said with a laugh. “Riley, me, my mom, Jock—it was a community effort. Worked out pretty well,” he added. “Maddie is an