What Emma Craves by Amanda Abbott Read Free Book Online Page B

characters—including Candace, who had slunk over fifteen minutes prior. Gillian currently had her arm draped around The Cougar’s shoulders, and Candace was as uncomfortable as Emma had ever seen her.
    It was hilarious. Emma hadn’t had this much fun in a long time.
    When Candace had first joined the group, Gillian had gotten Emma’s attention and made a face, inclining her head slightly in Candace’s direction, and Emma had nodded. It had been the Is this the bitch? look. And Emma’s reply had answered, Why, yes, yes, it is .
    Piper elbowed Emma and leaned over. “I haven’t had this much fun at a block party in ever. These people are nuts! The guy next to me just admitted he wanted to try ‘something edgy’ and would I be interested in seeing his glass art collection. Dude, I feel like if I went with him, he’d slice me up and pack me away in his freezer. Since when is glass art edgy?”
    Emma laughed, peering over Piper’s left shoulder. “That’s Steve. He’s fairly harmless as far as I know. He lives at the end of the block. I’ve only met him a handful of times. I don’t think he’s ever been married, and I’ve never seen another car parked out front. So who knows? He could be an ax murderer. My advice is to not go.”
    “Have no fear. It isn’t even a long-shot option. Pigs would literally have to start flying through the air, and the only protection would be his house because all the other ones blew up before we could find a safe haven.”
    Caroline stuck her head into the conversation from Emma’s right. “You guys, Gillian is killing me over there. Look—”
    All three of their heads snapped toward Gillian, who appeared to be giving Candace some much-needed advice in the form of a lengthy oration. Every once in a while she’d slap Candace on the shoulder, and then she’d grip the woman and shake her.
    It was hard not to feel bad for Candace, but instead, Emma felt absolutely gleeful. “I wonder what she’s telling her. I hope it’s how not to be a dirty slut.” Emma pressed her palm over her mouth so she didn’t snort-laugh. She didn’t want to offend people she had to see daily. “We should really get out of here,” she said to the girls once she calmed down. “It’s getting late, and I never anticipated we’d stay for so long. Things are getting weirder by the hour.”
    “We can go anytime, but I have to tell you, I loved being here,” Caroline said. “Your elderly neighbors, the Dwyers, were so sweet to talk to. But the woman who was just sitting next to me is a stone-cold drunk .” Caroline uttered the word drunk like someone else might say the name of a dreadful disease. “She’s got her own monogrammed flask, for heaven’s sake!” Caroline started to laugh, but kept her voice low. “She seems to think it’s normal to have one and told me how she brings it to all her kids’ sporting events. Honestly, it’s so brazen! Who would do that? And who would tell that to someone they just met?”
    Emma nodded. “That’s Tracy.” She said the rest under her breath. “She’s been to rehab twice. She thinks she’s fooling her husband, and us, but we all know. She’s not allowed to drive their kids around anymore.”
    “Oh no, that’s so sad!” Caroline said, gasping, covering her mouth. “Now I feel bad for talking about her!”
    “Don’t worry about it.” Emma patted Caroline’s leg. “She hires these guys who she calls her ‘workmen’ to come over to ‘work on her house.’” Emma winked. “If they’re not male escorts, then I’m the one who’s drunk. How many workmen look like Chippendale dancers? The answer is maybe two.” Emma held up two fingers and chuckled. “There are a few, but they’re rare. Candace is just completely unhappy and always has been. She got married to appease her family. My guess is she gets divorced in the next year or two and moves to someplace like Costa Rica, ditches the alcohol, and becomes a yoga instructor on the