“Tim,” she pressed. “Did Jonah Flynn call you and tell you to give me my job back?”
Tim sighed heavily. “He did. He came into the office in person this morning. He explained about the kidnapping and how the management at Game Town wasn’t holding FlynnSoft accountable.”
“Kidnapping?” Emma was suddenly very lost. “What kidnapping?”
“Flynn’s nephew. That’s what the three million was for. Did he not tell you that? Anyway, he said the whole situation was entirely his fault, that he pressured you into going along with it and that I was a damn fool if I let you go.”
“A damn fool?” All she could do was repeat what Tim was saying because she couldn’t grasp the conversation at all. Jonah’s nephew was kidnapped? What nephew?
“Yes, that’s a direct quote. And since I am not a damn fool, I decided I needed to call and ask you to come back. What do you say, Emma?”
She didn’t know what to say. The fact that Jonah had gone to Tim and stood up for her was amazing. And unexpected. She hadn’t heard a word from him since he left her apartment. After throwing him out like that she didn’t really expect to hear from him until it was time for the baby to be born. He hadn’t had to do this for her. And yet he had.
Perhaps he’d meant what he said that day.
Emma had been too upset in the moment to really listen to his protests. As far as she was concerned it was all just excuses to cover up the fact that he’d been caught. But if he’d really been sincere once he knew who she really was... If he really truly cared about her and their baby... He probably thought she wouldn’t believe him, so he did what he could to at least undo the damage he’d caused.
Jonah knew this was important to her. But the job and her reputation suddenly weren’t as important as they used to be. In that moment, they shifted to a distant second to the future of her family. Her future with Jonah.
“Emma?”
“What?” She realized she wasn’t listening to her phone conversation like she should.
“Will you come back?” Tim repeated.
Emma thought about it for a few moments, but she already knew her answer. “No thank you, Tim. I appreciate the offer, but I think it’s time for me to move on to other things. Good luck to you. Goodbye.”
She hit the button, disconnecting the call before she could lose her nerve. And she did almost instantly. The second she dropped the phone on the couch beside her, she felt the panic well up inside of her. She’d just turned down her job. It frustrated her, but it was a good job. It paid well. What the hell was she thinking?
Was she thinking she didn’t need it because Jonah loved her and wanted her back? If that was the case, she’d just taken a huge gamble. He may have only been trying to be nice. Or to put things to rights. And she’d tossed that gift back in his face. Now what was she going to do?
The chime of her doorbell drew her attention from her worries. What was the point of being in a building with a doorman when people could just trot up to her apartment unannounced? Who could it be, now? People just seemed unwilling to take the hint. She approached the door cautiously and peered out the peephole.
It was Lucy and Harper. As expected.
“What do you want?” Emma shouted through the closed door.
“What do we want?” Harper repeated. “It’s Tuesday at seven, Em. What do you think we want?”
“I’ve called three times today, Emma,” Lucy chimed in. “If you’d answer your phone this wouldn’t be a surprise. It’s girls’ night!”
Shoot. Emma had totally and completely forgotten about girls’ night. With a groan, she unlocked the door and pulled it open. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’ve lost track of the days, apparently.”
Harper’s appraising gaze ran over Emma’s sloppy bun, oversize T-shirt and Eeyore pajama pants. “I can see that. Lucky for you, Lucy picked up everything for dinner tonight, so we won’t starve.”
Emma stepped back to let them in the apartment. “I don’t know if I feel up to this tonight, you guys.”
“Well, too bad,” Lucy quipped. “Alice refuses to pay for cable despite her millions in the bank, so I don’t get this channel at my place. I need to know what happens this week on our show. So I’m not leaving.”
Lucy and Harper pushed past her and started setting up in her kitchen. Apparently this was happening whether she wanted it to or not.
“I’ll go clean up a bit while you guys are getting dinner ready.” Emma cruised through the living room, quickly snatching up tearstained tissues and empty snack cartons, and tossing them in the trash before she headed to the bathroom. She opted for a quick shower. By the time she emerged about fifteen minutes later, she felt a little more human and dinner was ready.
They gathered in the living room as they always did. This time, they each had plates of Greek food from a restaurant down the block from Lucy’s place. Emma took a few big bites, savoring the first real food she’d eaten in days. It was so good it took her a moment to notice the other girls were looking at her with expectation on their faces.
“Where is Violet?” Emma asked, hoping to shift the discussion away from her for the moment.
“She’s been MIA the last couple of days,” Harper explained.