Part 13 (1/2)
”Perfect. Do I get to sample it before anyone else does?”
Beverly winked at her. ”I won't tell.”
”Won't tell what?” Alaina asked as she walked into the kitchen.
”That Emma is going to sample the roast before dinner.”
”No sampling without me.” She stepped up beside Emma and inhaled deeply. ”Oh, Beverly, that smells divine. How soon do we eat?”
”In about half an hour. Griff should be here by then.”
”Where is he anyway?” Alaina asked Emma. ”Why didn't he come with you?”
”He said he had something to do first.”
”Like what?”
”I didn't ask.”
Alaina shook her head. ”You have a lot to learn about being nosy, Em.” She turned to Beverly. ”You said he'll be here in half an hour?”
”Yes.”
Emma noticed Beverly didn't look at either of them when she answered. ”Beverly? Do you know where Griff is?”
”Alaina, would you make the salad?”
A chill skittered down Emma's spine. Beverly had abruptly changed the subject, which told Emma that Griff's mother knew exactly where he was. She touched the older woman's shoulder. ”Beverly, where is Griff?”
Sympathy filled Beverly's eyes when she looked at Emma. ”Jana was killed eleven months ago today. Griff is at the cemetery.”
It'd been two weeks since her scene with Griff over the master bedroom. He still hadn't opened that door at the end of the hall. She shouldn't be surprised that he'd gone to the cemetery to visit his dead wife, but she was. She felt they had grown closer the last two weeks. The s.e.x was still scorching, yet she thought they had more than s.e.x. She worked alongside him at the restaurant, even though it was little more than framework so far. They watched TV together in the evenings or hung out with his brothers and Alaina. They would prepare gourmet meals together. He loved to cook almost as much as she did. He'd put on some of the weight he'd lost after Jana died and looked even s.e.xier now.
Sometimes they talked for hours. She enjoyed listening to his stories about growing up with his brothers and the mischief they caused. No longer the quiet, sullen man she'd met a month ago, Griff smiled and laughed now. He had a quick wit and a great personality. She couldn't help falling a little more in love with him each day.
She thought Griff was starting to care for her too. Apparently she was wrong. No one would ever take the place of Jana in his heart.
Forcing a smile, she faced her friend. ”Alaina, if you'll make the salad like Beverly said, I'll mash the potatoes.”
She turned away again before the pity in Alaina's eyes caused her to burst into tears.
Griff knew something bothered Emma the moment he kissed her. She'd lifted her lips for his kiss when he walked into the kitchen of his parents' house, yet her lips hadn't softened beneath his the way they usually did.
”You okay?” he asked.
”Just a little crampy.” She laid her hand on her abdomen. ”My second day is always the worst.”
Griff understood what Emma meant. Jana had really suffered with her periods. ”I remember how bad Jana always felt-”
”Please don't compare me to your late wife.”
Her sharp tone surprised him. ”Is something else wrong besides cramps?”
”No.” She handed him a basket of rolls. ”Take this to the table please.”
Only his mother coming in the kitchen stopped Griff from questioning Emma further. The general chaos coming from the dining room meant he wouldn't get the chance to talk to Emma until they were alone again.
She was quiet during dinner, speaking when someone spoke to her but otherwise remaining silent while she ate. As the meal stretched out to dessert, he grew more concerned about her. She always jumped into the middle of every conversation, ready to give her opinion whether someone wanted it or not. The longer she remained quiet, the less he liked it.
He didn't believe her silence came from cramps. Something else had to be wrong.
Emma, Alaina and his mother gathered up the dessert plates and took them in the kitchen. Griff wondered how quickly he and Emma could go back to his house so they could talk in private.
Alaina and his mother came back in the dining room without Emma and carried more dishes out of the room. After the two women made the third trip, Griff rose and went into the kitchen. Emma wasn't there.
”Where's Emma?” he asked Alaina.
She straightened from loading plates into the dishwasher and faced him. His stomach plummeted at the anxious look on her face. ”Alaina. Where is Emma?”
”She went back to your place. To pack.”
If she had said there was a purple gorilla in the garage, Griff couldn't have been more shocked. ”Pack? For what?”
”She asked if she could stay with Rye and me until Sat.u.r.day when Kelcey gets here.”
She was leaving him? ”Why?”
”She just said she couldn't stay with you anymore.”
His whole world had fallen apart and he had no idea why. Griff hurried out the back door and to his van. The tires squealed as he tore out of his parents' driveway. He drove the mile to his house the fastest he ever had. He didn't bother to park in the garage, but left his van in his driveway and ran into the house.
”Emma!”
She didn't answer him. He hurried through the house, looking in every room as he pa.s.sed it. He came to a dead stop in the bedroom's doorway. An open suitcase laid on the bed, bras and panties inside it. He whirled around to see the closet door stood open. Emma was inside, pulling tops from the hangers.
”What are you doing?” He heard the panic in his voice, but couldn't stop it. He didn't want her to leave.
She came out of the closet and began folding the tops to put in the suitcase. ”I think that's obvious.”
”Why are you leaving?”
”Because I can't stay here anymore.”
”But why? Are you angry at me? Did I do something wrong?”
She brushed by him without answering. Griff stood still, unsure what to do. He didn't know whether to follow her or wait until she came back.