Page 97 of Taming Scarlet

There was a hint of familiarity.

I’d been here at some point.

But the way the memory was so fuzzy made me think that it was only for a moment, that I hadn’t chosen this location, that I’d been made to stop in for some reason.

I mean… I wasn’t exactly a dive bar kind of girl.

Think.

I had to think.

I’d clearly been here with Gene.

But… why?

“Your birthday,” I said, saying a silent prayer of gratitude for the last second memory. “We came here for your birthday.”

It had been such an unexpected request that I’d felt like I couldn’t say no. Not on a man’s birthday. He’d just wanted to drop in to have a drink with his father.

Who… who owned it.

Right.

That was it.

This was his family bar.

“What happened to it?” I asked, eyes going big and round again. “It was such a great place.”

“It was,” Gene said, nodding, gaze far away. “Dad died. And the bank… well… they didn’t want to work with me on a plan to take it over.”

Meaning he was broke and likely didn’t have great credit.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked. “I could have helped you! I mean, if it’s not too late, we could still bring it back to its glory,” I insisted.

Something I said right then was wrong, though.

I could feel it like a cool breeze suddenly in the air, chilling me all the more.

His eyes slitted.

His jaw went tense.

“I don’t want your money,” he hissed.

“No, not like that,” I rushed to assure him. “I meant, you know, that we could invest in it. For our future.”

Something had changed in him, though.

I’d screwed up.

And each time I spoke, I seemed to make him all the more angry.

“You think you can bullshit me?” he roared, turning on me.

“What? No. I—“

“I’m not fucking stupid. I know when you’re being fake,” he told me. “You’re playing with me.”

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