Never Say Never by Rachael Sommers (books to get back into reading TXT) 📕

“Here, you can finish peeling potatoes”—Cassie handed her the knife—“while I go get Mom from the airport. Maia, don’t let her near any open flames.”

“You set a fire one time,” Emily muttered, taking Cassie’s place at the counter. Cassie kissed Maia and slipped out the door.

“You okay, Em?” Maia asked after a few minutes. “You looked a little shaken up when you got here last night. Did something happen?”

Emily frowned at the potato she was peeling, thinking about how to answer.

“You know, I do have experience with getting my heart broken by gorgeous women. And I’m always here if you want to talk.”

“I know.” Emily bit her lower lip, then sighed. “I just feel so stupid, you know? Like I shouldn’t be this hung up on someone who doesn’t want me. I’m not that girl. I’m not the one who gets treated like crap, waiting for crumbs while the other person gets their shit together. That has never been me, and yet here I am.”

“You’re being too hard on yourself,” Maia said reasonably. “If you’re expecting your feelings to evaporate overnight, they’re not going to. And you’re not being stupid. Your heart got broken, and it’s okay to give yourself time to heal.”

“But we weren’t even together.”

“Doesn’t matter. Sometimes, the ‘almosts’ and ‘could- have-beens’ are more painful because of what might have happened. It’s hard to get closure on the dream.”

“So how am I supposed to move on?” Emily asked, her voice breaking, and she hated how vulnerable she sounded. Maia wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into a hug.

“Give it time,” Maia said gently. “And try not to think about it too much this weekend.”

“Easier said than done,” Emily muttered, but she vowed to try. She didn’t want to be miserable while her foster mother was in town. “Got anything else to keep me busy?” she asked. She had peeled all of the potatoes.

Maia was kept her occupied, and when Cassie and Sarah arrived, they were sitting down to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Soon they were all squished together on the couch to watch. After, Maia returned to the kitchen to finish up the food, waving off any offer of help.

Sarah scooted closer to Emily on the couch and slipped an arm around her shoulders. “So, sweetheart, how is everything? Are you settling in okay?”

“Yeah, everything’s great.” Emily was not about to spill the details of her love life to her foster mother.

“You like it here?”

“Yeah, I do.” She had fallen in love with New York the first time she visited Cassie and had soon decided to move there herself. “I’m actually thinking of staying a while longer—I’ve applied for the master’s program at NYU.”

She had only sent in the application a few days ago, finally committing to her future, and hadn’t even told her sister. While she might apply to other colleges too, her mind was already made up.

“You have?” Cassie leaped across the couch to wrap Emily in a tight hug. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I wanted to wait till I’d actually done it. Thought about waiting until I got accepted, but it could be a while before I hear.”

“You’ll get in,” Cassie and Sarah replied in unison. Their confidence warmed her heart.

“I hope so.” She wasn’t sure what she would do if she didn’t get in, but that was something she could worry about later.

“And your current job?”

“It’s all good.”

Cassie raised her eyebrows, and Emily glared at her.

“Shall I break out the wine?” Emily asked, eager to change the subject, and escaped to grab the bottle and some glasses.

Emily returned to hear Sarah talking about a relative’s engagement, then with a sparkle in her eye, she turned to Cassie and Maia. “Speaking of engagements, am I going to go to a wedding anytime soon?”

“It’s only been two years,” Cassie groaned, standing abruptly and making her way to the kitchen. Emily knew that Sarah had been pestering Cassie about getting married ever since she had met Maia. “We’ll get engaged when we’re ready, Mom,” but she looked at Maia with so much love that Emily’s heart melted, and she suspected they would get engaged sooner rather than later.

“All right, all right.” Sarah held her hands up in defeat, but as she accepted a glass of wine from Emily, she switched gears. “And how about you, Emily? Are you seeing anyone?”

“Nope.”

“No one?”

“I’ve been busy.” She shrugged. “You know, new city, new job and all. Haven’t really had time.”

Sarah quietly sipped her wine, and Emily escaped to the kitchen to avoid further questioning.

“Go away. I’m hiding in here,” Cassie whispered when Emily leaned against the counter next to her and stole a chip from the bag in front of her sister. “I had to endure a whole car ride of questions about my life—now it’s your turn.”

“At least you have your life together.” Emily waved between her and Maia. “Mine is a fiasco.”

“It’s not that bad.”

“Oh yeah? You think the news of my giant crush on my older boss with a five-year-old kid will go down well with Sarah?”

“It would definitely make the afternoon interesting.”

Emily threw a chip at Cassie’s head.

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding. For what it’s worth, though, she probably wouldn’t care.”

“I’m still not telling her about Camila.”

“Probably for the best.”

Emily reached for the chips, but Maia appeared out of nowhere and snatched away the bag.

“Will you two stop snacking? You’ll ruin your appetites.” She looked at them sternly, her hands on her hips. “Now, stop hiding and go spend some time with your mother. She flew all this way to see you.” The sisters glanced at each other, then scurried back to the couch.

When Maia’s Thanksgiving feast was ready, they gathered at the table, and by three o’clock they had eaten their fill. Emily was in a food coma because she never knew when to stop eating. She stretched out on the floor while the other three sank back into the couch, their feet on the coffee table.

After