Free It Takes Two by Erin Nicholas Page B

he’d come through with flying colors. Now, though…well, the thing about a test was that there was always the chance that you wouldn’t have all the answers. Without all the answers, you failed. “Yeah, okay,” he finally said, because what else could he say?
    He really didn’t want to glue tiny pictures of flowers—or anything else—onto a wooden box. Or anything else.
    “Repeat after me.” Emma leaned in closer. “Decoupage sucks, but being without Isabelle sucks more.”
    “Decoupage sucks, but being without Isabelle sucks more.”
    Emma pointed a finger at his nose. “And when she pulls the glue and the glitter out, you keep telling yourself that.”
    He gave her a short nod. “Got it.”
    Emma frowned and slugged him in the shoulder. “You don’t look confident. You look…worried. You’re going to let her scare you off with the hot glue and plastic gemstones?”
    He rubbed the spot on his arm. “What? No.” At least, he didn’t think he was going to let her scare him off. Though he had no idea what to do with plastic gemstones. He could guess it had something to do with hot glue.
    “Do you know the difference between a scalloped edge and a deckle edge?” Emma asked.
    “Of course not.”
    “You will,” she told him. “But it doesn’t matter. It’s just fancy cutting. Remember that. You have to get that oh-my-god look off your face. Be tough. You have to show her that you’re committed no matter how many crazy things she throws at you.”
    He tried to look confident. “Okay.”
    Emma didn’t look convinced. “Do you know what you do differently to decoupage a wooden box versus a ceramic vase?”
    “Why the hell would I know that?” he asked.
    “You will,” she said again. “But the point is—there is no difference. You take one piece of paper at a time and you stick it on the same way, no matter what shape you’re dealing with. Do not let her intimidate you with this stuff. At the end of the day it’s paper and glue. Period. Nothing to worry about. Nothing to break up over.”
    Shane appreciated Emma’s sort-of pep talk after all. She seemed very determined to keep him in the game, prepping him for the opponent’s strategy and helping him keep perspective.
    He and Isabelle needed to take one piece of this at a time and approach this newly shaped relationship the same way they had approached their relationship when it had been working.
    He had no idea how Emma Dixon, the woman who was allergic to monogamy and commitment, had gotten so insightful about relationships, but she was right.
    He blew out a quick breath. Shit.
    “You been dating a psychiatrist or something?” he asked Emma.
    She shrugged. “I’m just that good.”
    Dooley gave a low whistle. “Damn, I am a sucker for gorgeous, smart women. You still being single means there are a lot of dumb guys in this town.”
    She winked and stretched to her feet. “A lady never kisses and tells how many guys have gotten…smart.”
    The guys all chuckled, but Shane sighed and slumped back onto the mat, throwing his forearm over his eyes.
    Mellow. Relaxed. Calm.
    He wasn’t any of those things.
    In fact, he was more stressed than before.
    Scalloped edges versus deckle edges? Seriously?
    He squeezed his eyes shut.
    Just as he’d suspected, yoga sucked.

Chapter Four
    The mission begins at noon. Code word: Emma.
    Isabelle frowned at her new text message. “Emma!” she called from the kitchen.
    She heard Emma’s footsteps on the stairs. “Yeah?”
    Emma had gotten up to say goodbye, but she was still dressed in the short shorts and tank top she’d worn to bed.
    Isabelle turned her phone so Emma could see the screen. “Do you know what this is?”
    Emma looked at it and nodded. “Yeah.”
    Isabelle waited. When Emma crossed to the coffee pot instead of answering, Iz asked, “What does it mean?”
    Emma took a sip from her cup. “I’m helping you.”
    Oh, boy. “Helping me what?”
    “Keep Shane interested.”
    “Keep