Knots Between Us

“Hey, Emmy, come on! At least finish your breakfast!” Emma’s mom called after her, holding out a plate of toast and eggs. “Sorry, Mom, can’t do it. Connor’s probably waiting for me. I’m already late, and he’ll lose it if we miss the bus again.” Emma stuffed a bite of toast into her mouth as she slung her bag over her shoulder. “Your dad would’ve given you a ride back.” “Yeah, I know.” Emma kissed her mom on the cheek and dashed out the door. She hurried down the muddy dirt road leading toward the city—the only main road in her small hometown of Leiper’s Fork. At the crossroads, she spotted Connor leaning casually against the white fence of her family’s stables. His brown hair was tousled by the breeze, and his eyes were fixed on his phone. Emma smirked when her own phone buzzed in her pocket. She quickly typed back a reply, and Connor looked up with mock annoyance in his bright green eyes. “You’re late… again,” he sighed, straightening to his full height. “You know my mom—she never lets me leave without food in my stomach.” Emma smiled as she joined him. Connor laughed, draping an arm over her shoulder as they started down the road toward the bus stop. They were still joking and chatting when a sleek black car barreled past, sending a spray of muddy water across them. Emma caught the worst of it, freezing in shock as the cold muck soaked her clothes. “Hey! Slow the f**k down, you asshole!” Connor shouted after the car. He glanced at Emma, then quickly pulled a t-shirt from his bag. Handing it to her, he began wiping the mud from his own shirt. Inside the car, Sebastian cursed under his breath. He hadn’t been paying attention, and by the time he noticed the puddle it was too late. He winced when he heard the shouts behind him and caught sight in the mirror of a boy gently brushing mud from a girl’s face. Guilt gnawed at him. Great. Just what I needed. First the jet’s fueling issues, now this circus of a trip. He tightened his grip on the wheel. All I want is to finish my business and get back to New York. As if on cue, his phone rang through the car’s Bluetooth. “What?” he snapped. “Bash?” came the soft voice of his sister, Danielle. “Yeah, sorry, Di. What’s up?” “Um… who are you yelling at now?” she teased. “No one. Just having a rough day. What’s going on? Everything okay?” “Nothing major, it’s just… well…” She hesitated. “What, Di?” His irritation sharpened. “He locked Yonja out on the balcony while he trashed your closet. The poor girl was stuck out there for hours until she finally quit.” Sebastian pinched the bridge of his nose. Another one gone. Five nannies in two years. His four-year-old son had become nearly impossible to manage. Therapists, special programs, endless sessions—none of it seemed to work. Once cheerful and talkative, the boy had suddenly shut down and replaced words with tantrums and defiance. “That’s it,” Sebastian said flatly. “When I get back, he’s going into a facility that specializes in kids with special needs. We can’t keep doing this.” “Bash, he’s still just a baby. He’ll grow out of it,” Danielle pleaded. “Baby?! Di, I’m serious. Just hire a temporary nanny until I return.” “Fine,” she sighed. “Until then, I’ll take him home with me.” “Wouldn’t it be easier if you stayed at my place?” “It’s not about what’s easier for you. You just don’t like the idea of me being alone.” He stayed quiet for a moment. Danielle had been living with brittle bone disease all her life. A simple stumble could leave her with a fracture, and he hated the thought of her struggling on her own. “Can you blame me?” His voice softened. “You’re all I’ve got.” Silence lingered before Danielle let out a weary sigh. “How long are you going to be in Tennessee?” “A week, maybe less. As soon as I finish the designs, I’ll be on the next flight out.” “All right. I’ll keep myself busy.” The line suddenly cut out. “Di? …Di, you there? Son of a—” He cursed under his breath and jabbed at the GPS. Nothing. Fields stretched endlessly on either side of the road, the horizon empty. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Come on. Gracie’s isn’t far,” Connor said, trying to cheer Emma up as they trudged along. “We can clean up there. Shortcut through the old Martin farm.” Emma nodded, grateful for his effort to distract her from the mud stiffening on her clothes. By the time they reached Gracie’s—the only store in town—her outfit had dried into crusty patches. She groaned. “Of course,” Connor muttered. “Guess who else is here.” Emma followed his gaze and froze. Parked right outside was the same sleek black car. As if on cue, a man in an immaculate black suit stepped out of the store, frowning at a folded map. Too distracted to notice, he stepped straight into a muddy pothole and cursed loudly. “Damn, karma’s a b***h,” Emma said before she could stop herself. “You bet it is,” Connor chuckled. The man’s storm-grey eyes snapped toward them, sharp and assessing. He looked like he was about to retort, but his phone rang again. With a muttered curse, he barked into it, then stormed to his car. His glare lingered on Emma for a beat before he slammed the door shut and sped off. “What a jerk,” Emma muttered under her breath.