Page 114 of The Flirt

Chad

Once we were alone, I asked my ex, "What are you doing here, Sarah?"

"I came to meet your girlfriend."

I closed my eyes. "Bella told you."

"What did you expect? She was bursting at the seams with joy."

Fuck yes. I was glad my baby was happy.

"I don't really care who you’re seeing, but I’d like to know before you introduce someone into my daughter's life, especially if she's been at your house."

I stilled. "Are you having me watched?"

She laughed. "Don't be ridiculous. You don't matter to me. But she got Bella Hedwig-themed curtains, and I'm guessing that wouldn't be possible unless she'd been in the house.”

"I don't appreciate you coming here and ambushing Scarlett."

"So overprotective of her, aren't you? What exactly do you think you need to protect her from, me or your family?"

"She happens to like my family," I say.

"Or she's just faking it, you know, to get you to—"

"Stop right there."

"I just wish you’d waited longer before you told Bella."

"Why?" I asked.

She rolled her eyes, leaning back in the chair. "Come on, Chad. She's what, twentysomething?"

"She's thirty."

"Yes, and you’re thirty-five. Doesn't seem like a huge age gap, but it kind of is. You think she's going to stick around New Orleans forever?"

"She likes the city, and she likes me and Bella."

"Be that as it may, she's been here for a very short time. You got Bella’s hopes up. It’s not fair. What if she lets her down?”

Even though Sarah and I didn't see eye to eye on many things, I couldn't deny that she was right. But Scarlett and I weren’t having a fling. It was so much more.

"I have a good feeling about this," I said.

"Yes, well, we had a good feeling about each other, too, and that went to shit, didn't it?"

"Sarah."

She shook her head. "Look. It’s your right to date. I always thought your idea to be single was batshit crazy."

I frowned. "You spoke to Julian?"

"No, I overheard your brothers talking. I don't think I've actually had a conversation with them in years, and that includes when we were married. They were all too... much." She rolled her eyes. "This is just like you, isn't it? You go from zero to full-on involved in no time. I sincerely hope you know what you’re doing and that you won't break our little girl's heart."

"I’d never do that," I said.

"Let's hope so. What time are you dropping her off on Friday?"

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