Parchment & Pearls

28. The Silent Treatment Does Do Some Good

But by the way Cruz was looking at me, smirking...well, he told one.

"Hattie, come sit," Emmy called, waving me over when she saw me standing in the doorway.

No one noticed my hesitation either, not even how I moved my chair slightly closer to Emmy whenever I sat down. She did, though, but didn't mention it. She gave me a look that said I'd be talking to her later, but I needed to do that anyway.

Sitting next to Drake...well, I really just wanted to move my chair right next to his. But with that kiss replaying in my mind every time I looked over at him, it really wouldn't have been a good idea. His eyes were always on me, though. And, after we all finished eating and were just talking, so was his hand. He reached over and grabbed mine under the table, resting them on my leg. I glanced over in shock before pulling my hand from his. He didn't move, though, resting his hand on my knee then. But again, I pushed him away.

"Stop," I murmured.

"We need to talk, Hattie," he said quietly. "I need to explain..."

"Not now. Later."

"How much later?"

I sighed, closing my eyes as I shook my head. "I don't know."

I thought no one had seen the exchange, but, of course, Emmy had. Even before I looked over at her, I could feel her eyes going back and forth between us. But when I did, that smile of hers said she knew something had happened.

"Hey, Hattie," she said. "I want to show you something, if you don't mind. You want to come?"

"No obvious at all, Em," Drake snorted, watching as we stood up.

"Shut up, Drake. I've already given you a piece of my mind this morning...want another?"

"No, ma'am," he smirked.

"That's what I thought," she snorted. "Now, come on, Hattie."

Reluctantly, I followed her through the dining room doors and down the hallway toward John's office. She would look back every few steps, only to slow her pace and match hers with mine.

"What's going on, Hattie?" she asked before we even got to the office door. "You've been awfully quiet this morning over breakfast."

"I'm fine."

"You're not fine, babe," she said, opening the door. After we were inside, she closed and locked it. "There. Now, it's just you and me. Tell me the truth, Hattie."

No use in keeping anything from her...

"Drake and I got in a sort of fight last night...and I accidentally told him I'm still in love with him."

Whatever Emmy was expecting me to say...well, it definitely wasn't that.

"Oh, my God, Hattie. You didn't," she whispered, though a slow smile spread across her face.

"I did," I groaned, throwing myself in one of the chairs in front of John's desk. "It didn't help that he kissed me the next moment either. Well, it was sort of mutual. Okay...very mutual. And so good."

She let out a low whistle. "Dang, Hattie. But what about your break with Beau? Is that officially over now or what?"

"Oh, yeah. Didn't tell you this yet...but we broke up just before they left. Sorry."

"You okay?" she asked. "Well, I guess you are, since you're already together with Drake..."

I gave her a look. "I'm not together with Drake."