Chapter 34

She’d had things to work on, but she could also see how she’d sort of been exiling herself.

Emmy was so caught up in her thoughts and realizations that it took a while for her to notice the girl bent over the hood of her car.

For a heart-stopping moment, she thought it was Iris. Then sanity returned, and she recognized Riva, short hair gelled tight against her head, looking like she ought to be way too warm in the black T-shirt and black jeans she was wearing.

“What’s going on?” Emmy asked, walking closer. She didn’t sound too hostile. That conversation with Mrs. Figueroa must really have helped her.

Riva jumped about a mile. She couldn’t have looked guiltier if she’d been trying to break into Emmy’s car. “I didn’t think you’d come out here.”

“What are you doing to my car?”

Riva held up a piece of paper, covered with scrawl on both sides. “I was writing you a note.” She shrugged, a sheepish grin pasted on her face. “I didn’t think you’d want to talk to me.”