Stone had done that, Emma realized. Gotten right in the middle of the people he cared about and easily, lightly, effortlessly, changed the entire atmosphere. She had little experience with this. At the hospital, which should have been a place ripe for conflict and tension, it never really happened. Mostly because they were all too busy, but if there was a problem, it was dealt with passive aggressive silence. Same with her family. When her mother and stepfather had fought, they’d done so civilly—behind closed doors.
Here, no one felt the need to hide their feelings. They talked, they laughed, they fought. They loved. Loudly, with no shame in any of it.
Annie had told her they had Stone to thank for that, that he was the central force, and he was good at it. He was good at a lot of things.
Unlike Emma, who was good at one thing, and that was work. She’d always been proud of that, but here in Wishful, she was beginning to realize that there was so much more to life than work.
Serena nudged a drink in Harley’s direction, who took a deep breath and a deep sip, and TJ leaned over the table and took anther shot, putting the two ball in the top left pocket and the four in the middle right.
Nicely done.
He then put away the remaining four balls and pumped a fist in the air while both Annie and Nick rolled their eyes. “Four out of five,” he declared, pointing at Nick. “You owe.”
Serena turned to Harley. “Did you know that fifty percent of all statistics are made up on the spot?”
Harley let out a half laugh, tore her gaze off TJ and turned to the bartender. “I don’t suppose you have a Xanax?”
“Finals?” the bartender asked in sympathy.
“Tomorrow.”
The bartender poured her a double Scotch. “Consider me a pharmacist with a limited inventory. But this should work.” He pushed the shot in her direction.
Stone handed Emma a beer and sank to a seat next to her, smiling at her as she watched Annie take her turn at kicking Nick’s butt at pool. “Want to play?”
Her college apartment had been over a bar, and she and Spencer had spent every single morning playing pool while quizzing each other in chemistry and biology. Like everything she put her mind to, she wasn’t just good, she was great.
“Come on,” he said at her hesitation. “I’ll give you some pointers.”
“If you want pointers,” TJ told Emma, “play me, seeing as I kicked his ass last week. We bet all the paperwork at the lodge for a week, and he’s still at it.”
“I do all the paperwork anyway, you ass.” Stone smiled, quite full of himself. “Besides, I let you win.”
“Then maybe you’d like to make another bet.”“Sure.”
“Okay, think about this, Stone,” Annie said. “Remember, you’re already zero for ten this week alone.”
Stone shook his head as everyone laughed. “It’s a good thing I’m not trying to impress the girl,” he muttered.
The “girl” was looking at him, looking at the guy who ran the business for his brothers, worked with foster kids, kept his family together. Yeah, she was looking, and thinking there went another layer off the mountain bum image. Even though he looked the part; tall and built with that sun-kissed hair and California surfer good looks, appearances were apparently deceiving because he wasn’t a slacker at all. Inside him beat the fierce, loyal heart that would go to the ends of the earth for those he loved.
“Aw.” Annie patted Stone on the back. “If that’s what you were trying to do, honey, you probably shouldn’t have brought her here.”
“True enough.” He set down his drink, stood up and took Emma’s hand. “A game?”
“Do it, Emma,” Annie said. “Show ‘em who’s boss.”
Everyone hooted and hollered at that, cheering for her. No one was looking at her like she was an alien, or politely but distantly calling her Dr. Sinclair. They were cheering, for her. She turned to look at Stone. “What would we play for?”
He arched a surprised brow. “You want to bet?”
Oh, yeah. She wanted to bet. “Unless you’re afraid.”
“Name it,” he said, eyes lit with promised retribution as everyone let out a collective “oooh…”
“Well,” Emma said. “If you’re so good at paperwork, you could do all mine at the Urgent Care. I’d love to have a secretary.” The crowd went nuts at this. “If I win,” she added demurely. And she was going to win.
Still laughing, Annie started to say something to her but Stone put a hand in front of his aunt’s face. Eyes still on Emma, he let out another slow smile. “And if I win?”
Everyone leaned forward eagerly to hear what he planned on claiming as his spoils.
“Maybe she could do your paperwork,” Annie suggested.
Nick snorted and hugged his wife. “I’m pretty sure he could come up with something better than that, babe.” He winked at Stone. “Maybe you ought to ask for free medical care for all your various injuries.”
“Yes,” Serena said slyly. “You can play doctor.”
TJ chuckled and slung an arm over Stone’s shoulders. “I’m not sure the boy knows how to play doctor.”
Stone shoved him off and smiled at the good-natured ribbing. “I can pick my own winnings, thank you very much,” and when everyone looked at him, waiting, he shook his head. “In private.”