Emma's Secret: A Novel

thing had heatstroke. She practically slept all day yesterday.”
    “Lexi said it was the best birthday ever. She loved her golf clubs.”
    Alexis had told her the same thing, but knowing she was bragging about it to Laurie felt good. Peter promised to take her out golfing this weekend, and the kid couldn’t wait.
    Megan took another sip of mocha and enjoyed the velvety chocolate taste as it slid down her throat. A gentle breeze played with her hair as Laurie continued to fidget in her seat.
    There was a giant elephant standing on the table between them, but it seemed neither one of them was willing to acknowledge it. Megan had hoped Laurie would bring it up, but from the way her friend avoided her gaze, she was probably having as hard a time thinking of how to do that as Megan was.
    “All right, we need to talk about this,” Megan finally blurted.
    “Oh, thank God! I wasn’t sure…” Laurie played with the cup in her hand before glancing up.
    “How to tell me you were dating Riley?”
    Laurie nodded before quickly shaking her head. “We’re not dating. Not really.”
    Megan gave her a look that said,
You’ve got to be kidding me
.
    “I just don’t understand why you wouldn’t tell me. Seeing you guys kissing wasn’t exactly…Well, let’s just say I wasn’t exactly prepared.” Megan worked to keep her tone level, questioning instead of accusing.
    Laurie closed her eyes and sighed. She leaned back in her chair, setting the coffee cup on the table, and folded her hands together.
    “I didn’t know how to tell you,” Laurie hedged.
    Megan leaned forward. “We don’t keep secrets from each other. Even when it means hurting the other person. Remember?”
    Laurie’s gaze dropped to her hands. “Meg, I…I’m sorry. If it had been anyone but him…”
    Megan sat back. “What does that mean?”
    “I know you have feelings for him.” Laurie lifted her head.
    Megan shook her head. “Had. Had, Laurie. I was vulnerable, hurting, and I took the easy way out instead of turning to Peter. You were the one who called me on it, remember?” She’d never forget that day when Laurie confronted her about her growing feelings for Riley. It was Laurie who had forced Megan to see what she was doing, to realize that if she didn’t stop looking to Riley for comfort, she was going to destroy her marriage. That was when their motto of “the truth, even if it hurts” had really come into existence.
    “Still.” Laurie shrugged.
    Megan pushed to her feet. “There is no still. You can’t use me as an excuse for not telling me.” She leaned against the deck railing and stared at her friend. She watched a wide range of emotions play across her face, from disappointment to anger to understanding. She probably mirrored those same emotions on her own face. This was another perfect example of her seeing her own needs and not looking outward to others’. She should be happy for her friend. Megan knew Laurie had been lonely since Kris’s death. And honestly, she couldn’t have found anyone better than Riley. They would be a good match.
    Megan leaned her head back and stared up into the clear blue sky. “I probably should have told you we were coming by instead of dropping in on you like we did.”
    “Yeah, that would have been nice.”
    Megan heard the smile in Laurie’s voice.
    “I like him, Meg.”
    Megan let the words sink in and was surprised to realize they didn’t bother her.
    “So are you dating or aren’t you?”
    A sheepish grin grew on Laurie’s face, and she tilted her head to the side. “It’s been a long time. I’m not sure I know how to do the whole dating thing.”
    Megan leaned forward and lightly touched Laurie’s shoulder. She couldn’t even begin to imagine the range of emotions Laurie was feeling. It would have been less awkward if perhaps she’d found someone other than Riley to date, but it was what it was. There was no going back. If there were, Megan would have done many things differently, including not leaning on someone who wasn’t her husband. But mistakes happen, and this was her best friend, her family. They’d been there for each other through thick and thin, each held the bride’s bouquet while the other said
I do
. Megan had held Laurie’s hands after Kris’s death, and Laurie stood beside Megan when she refused to give up on finding Emma. They’d once made a pledge, back when they were teenagers, that they’d never let a guy get in the middle of their