When We Are Enough (Valiant Hearts #1)

14. Emmy

Chapter 14

Emmy

W e leave Granny Sloane to her crossword, stepping out into the fresh morning air. Nora leads the way to her car, and we drive the short distance to Main Street, our conversation flowing easily. The two sisters are charming and sweet, so different from Patrick with his intensity—it’s difficult to believe they’re from the same family.

“We’re really excited about Mom’s new exhibit.” Riley glances over her shoulder from the front passenger seat to look at me. Her eyes are so like Patrick’s. “Mom’s been working on pieces that focus on urban landscapes. I’m studying urban planning, and it’s been interesting seeing urban spaces through an artist’s lens.”

“But with the hurricane coming, she’s going to have to postpone it or…” Nora’s voice trails off, and she and Riley exchange a worried glance.

We park on Main Street a few moments later, and a soft knitted cardigan goes on over my jeans and short-sleeved shirt. Fall is well and truly here, and a cooler wind blows down the street, sending leaves fluttering along the sidewalk.

Our first stop is Ruby’s gallery. The space is bright and welcoming, with windows letting in the sunlight and a gorgeous glass sculpture that looks like stormy waves right at the entrance. Ruby greets us at the door with wide arms, even hugging me. It’s a strange, unfamiliar sensation—she’s actually really happy to see me.

“Emmy, let me show you my latest collection.” Ruby gestures toward the colorful canvases on the walls. “These pieces focus on the intersection between small-town living, the natural environment, and urban spaces.”

As we walk through the gallery, Ruby passionately explains each piece, how the elements intertwine and influence one another. The artwork is stunning, capturing the unique charm of Harbor’s Edge while highlighting both the hard, concrete and steel edges of the place, and the unique landscape that surrounds it.

Ruby excuses herself and leaves me to look at her artwork. Riley is working on her laptop at the desk by the front, a look of intense concentration on her face, while Ruby and Nora move to the corner of the gallery, their voices low but the slight echo in the room making their voices clearly audible.

“Have you seen Liam today?” Ruby’s expression tightens with concern, a shadow passing over her face.

“No, I haven’t,” Nora replies. “Is everything okay?”

“Patrick called me early this morning. He’s looking for Liam, who didn’t show up at the Valiant Hearts meeting last night. Liam sent me a message saying he’d be working with Ethan, but his phone is off now, so I can’t let him know Patrick’s looking for him.” There’s a hint of worry in her tone, and Nora nods.

“Patrick is being so hard on him at the moment. We need to get hold of him so he’s not blindsided.”

“Patrick means well,” Ruby replies. “He’s just doing what he’s always done.” Her eyes grow misty. “Ever since your dad died, he’s taken so much on his shoulders. He feels responsible for all of you, you know that.”

Nora sighs. “I know. And I’ll try to get through to Liam and give him a heads up. He better have a good excuse for missing the meeting. All anyone is talking about is the hurricane.”

“Speaking of hurricanes.” Riley looks up from her computer, no doubt able to hear the whispered conversation, too. “The mayor’s office has just released confirmation that Hurricane Karen is headed for us if it continues on its projected path. People are to start sandbagging and shuttering buildings within a few blocks from the water.”

Ruby’s expression crumples as the realization hits her, a wave of worry washing over her face. “Oh, my God. The gallery.”

The looming threat of the hurricane suddenly feels more real, more immediate. Her gallery, with its large windows facing the harbor and delicate installations, is particularly vulnerable to whatever violent winds and potential flooding the storm could bring. The prospect of damage to the place she spent her working life saving for, which houses her art, is understandably overwhelming.

Riley immediately rises from her chair and she and Nora move to their mother’s side, their arms wrapping around her in a reassuring embrace. Without words, they communicate a silent promise of support and solidarity. I can’t help but watch them.

Ruby leans into the comfort of her daughters, her initial shock gradually giving way to a steely resolve. “We’ll need to prepare,” she murmurs as she takes a step back. “We’ll need to secure everything as best as we can.”

“We’ll help you board up the windows and move the artwork to safer places,” Nora says. “We’ll get through this. The gallery is going to be okay.”

“I don’t have to go back to college.” Riley folds her arms across her chest. “I’ll stay and help.”

“No, you need to get back there. I’ll feel better knowing you’re safe.” Ruby’s gaze shifts to me. Her expression softens with concern, and she takes a step closer. “Emmy. I’m sorry. This isn’t what you signed up for. If you want to go back to Philadelphia, I understand. There won’t be any hard feelings. ”

Her offer hangs in the air, laden with her fear of the approaching storm and the upheaval it could bring. Even though going home isn’t an option, Ruby’s words force me to consider the reality of returning—back to the relative safety of my parents’ guest room, surrounded by so much that’s familiar yet at the same time so distant.

The thought of seeing Maddy and our mutual friends, possibly even Travis, expands the pain in my chest, agitating it and making it almost unbearable. It’s an ache I want gone, especially when I’ve been so good at stuffing it away and not thinking about it. I can’t go back to Philadelphia. Not after everything.

My mind switches to Granny Sloane. It hasn’t been long, but we’ve started to forge a connection, a tentative trust growing between us. She’s beginning to open up, allowing me to help her more, to be part of her daily life.

I’m the first live-in nurse she’s ever had, and if I just up and leave, it will make it even harder for her to let someone else in—in fact, knowing her, she’ll just refuse another nurse altogether.

And then there’s Patrick. The thought of not seeing him leaves me with a strange, empty feeling. It’s disconcerting to have him on my mind constantly like this—it’s like a schoolgirl crush, but even more intense.

My thoughts drift, unbidden, to the kinds of things we could get up to. Those hands… his mouth. He’s the ultimate forbidden fruit: the more I tell myself I can’t have him, the more I want him.

I meet Ruby’s waiting eyes. With a decisive shake of my head, any doubts are dispelled. “I’m staying,” I say firmly. “I appreciate your concern, but I think I need to be here—not just for Granny Sloane, but for myself as well. I took this job and I’m going to see it through. You all mean a lot to me, already.”

“Thank you.” Some of the worry leaves Ruby’s face. “We’re lucky to have you with us, especially now.”

Hearing this, something warm blossoms inside me, reinforcing my decision as the right one, and my face breaks into a genuine smile. In response, Ruby, Nora, and Riley immediately envelop me in a group hug, their arms wrapping around me in a tight embrace.

Their bodies press against mine, a tangle of arms, and the sensation of being seen for the first time in a long time hits me. It’s like I’ve been stumbling around in the dark and they found me, light spilling out of them and onto me.

As we start to lose balance, we all burst into laughter. The moment is joyful, yet so profound that I’m surreptitiously wiping at my eyes as we pull back. It’s funny. Until this moment, I hadn’t even realized how dark it had gotten.