Chapter 108: Busted

EMMA

"Hey!" I tried for a casual, carefree smile. "What're you doing here? Did we have plans that I forgot about?"

He chuckled and met me halfway, leaning down to kiss my cheek and then sweep me into a hug. "No, this was a random drop-in. I have to be at the hospital later today, so I thought I'd drive over early and see if I could take you to breakfast on the way in." He slid me a sideways glance as we walked up the porch steps together. "Imagine my surprise when you weren't here at seven in the morning."

"Oh?" I didn't owe Noah any explanation, I scolded myself silently. We weren't dating, and I was a free woman. It wasn't any of his business-except that he was Noah, my friend, the one in whom I'd confided almost everything for a long time. It felt weird not to tell him. But maybe it would be weirder to tell him. Or maybe I'd just-

"I called the hospital to see if you'd gone in early, but they told me you weren't supposed to be there until this afternoon."

"Yeah, I worked lat