He grinned at me. “Is that old?”
“No, no.” Now I was blushing. “You just … you look about thirty.”
His grin turned flirtatious. “Well, thank you.”
“Those are some good genes,” Ivy added.
Sebastian laughed, and it sounded a little embarrassed now. “If I’d known I would spend the meal being complimented by beautiful women, I would have arrived earlier.”
“Oh, I like him,” Iris decided, making us laugh.
My laughter was cut off, however, when a wave of nausea rolled through me.
Oh no.
I took a breath, trying not to be obvious about it … but the tide rose anyway.
“Excuse me.” I shot from the table and hurried to the back hall to the Greens’ powder room. Seconds later I was on my knees, throwing up my meal in the toilet bowl.
Groaning, I wiped my mouth with toilet paper and then flushed it all away.
“Emery?”
I looked up from the floor to find Iris in the doorway.
“I think I ate something bad yesterday,” I promptly lied.
She nodded. “I knew you were looking pale.”
“I’m sorry, Iris. I need to go home.”
“Ira will take you.”
“No, I brought my car. I don’t want to have to come back for it.”
“Ira will get it to you.”
“Iris, I can drive myself home.”
Her eyebrows rose.
I’d never used that tone with her. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I like you assertive.”
I smirked and pushed to my feet.
Once I’d said goodbye to the concerned Greens and Sebastian Mercier, I felt guilty for feeli
ng so relieved about getting into my car. But I just wanted to be alone.
Feeling exhausted and looking forward to curling up in bed, the last thing I expected when I pulled up to my driveway was to see an unfamiliar truck already sitting in it. I looked from the truck up to the porch and another wave of nausea hit me.
Oh my God.
Jack.
Jack was back.