Barely Breathing (The Breathing #2)(168)

"Oh, it's okay," I offered lightly, creeping up a step at a time before she could get a good look at me. "We'll figure something out."

"If you want to take him to a nice restaurant, I would be happy to pay for it."

"That's very nice of you," I assured her, taking another step. "But it'll be fine."

"Emma?" Sara bellowed from the third floor.

I smiled awkwardly at Anna and turned to run up the stairs. "I'm coming!"

When I reached her, I found Sara folding the flaps of a cardboard box full of decorations.

"I have an idea," she burst out, standing up to face me. "You can..." She stopped. "Omigod. You had sex."

My entire body flushed, and no matter how hard I tried not to, a huge smile spread across my face.

"I can't believe it," she gaped, rushing over to hug me. Then she barraged me with, "Did it hurt? Did you... uh, bleed? Are you sore? How do you feel?"

"Um," I stared at her in shock before I fumbled, "Just a little... no... yes... and..." I smiled wide with my cheeks aglow; I didn't even have to answer the last question.

She squealed proudly, "I can't believe you had sex! This is so amazing. It gets better, I promise." Then she rolled her eyes in frustration, "And I'm so mad at you right now because we don't have time for you to tell me all the details."

"I think I just told you more details than I ever expected to," I admitted, leaving out that it was probably the most incredible night of my life and that I wasn't sure how much better it could get. "Anyway, what's your idea?"

"Okay, here's your grocery list. Go shopping now. Then come back here. You can shower, and I'll do your hair before we leave to decorate the barn," Sara rattled off instructions, barely taking a breath.

"Jill, Casey, and... Analise," she said her name with a snarl, which made me laugh, "are meeting me here in a couple of hours, and then we're going to the Mathews' to decorate.

"You can bring the dress with you and change right before Evan arrives at seven. That should give you time for a couple of tries, in case you burn anything."

"Thanks," I shot back with a mocking grin, "but where am I going?"

Sara hesitated with her lips pressed together. "Decatur Street."

"What?!" I stared at her, certain she hadn't just told me that I was supposed to surprise Evan with a romantic dinner in the same house where I'd seen a man get nearly pummeled to death, and where my mother tried to kill herself. I shook my head. "No way, Sara."

"I'm sorry," Sara grimaced, "but there isn't another choice if you really want to cook for him. Otherwise, you'll have to go to a restaurant. I mean, it's only a house, Emma. She's not going to be there. She was admitted into that program for the next six months. There's no one there."



       
         
       
        

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," I groaned under my breath. I'd been planning this dinner all week. The logistics had been sorted out carefully. We were supposed to have dinner on the deck overlooking the pool while Sara and Jared set up the barn for the surprise party after. It was my turn to actually do something for him, but this wasn't part of the plan.

I considered just scrapping the dinner and taking him to a restaurant. But every time I thought of this night, it was more about the look on his face when he discovered I'd actually cooked for him than anything else. I didn't want to lose that over a... technicality.

"Fine," I huffed, "I'll cook there. But where should we eat? That kitchen is the least romantic place on earth."

"How about the backyard?" Sara suggested. I shook my head, feeling nauseous at just the thought of being near the ashes of the rocking chair.

"Umm, I can put the kitchen table on the porch, I guess," I considered with a shrug.

"That's perfect," Sara exclaimed. "Let's look in the closet downstairs. I'm pretty sure my mom has a ton of table cloths you can use to cover it up."

"How many people are coming?" I asked, following Sara down the stairs.

"Uh, everyone," Sara answered with a sarcastic tone. "You put me in charge of inviting, so of course they're all coming."

"But you just invited them yesterday," I stated in amazement. "That was the plan―to invite last minute so no one would ruin the surprise. We figured maybe half would come."

"Well... we figured wrong," Sara shrugged. "It probably has something to do with seeing the Mathews' place. No one's really been there before."