Page 56 of The Flirt

My entire body heated up. "Yes, we did," I whispered.

He put a hand on the counter, looking down as if steeling himself. He was about to tilt closer, I was sure of it, but then Bella ran toward us.

"Dad, I love my hair. Did you watch how Scarlett did it?”

“No, I didn’t.”

She pouted.

“I’ll explain it to your dad,” I said quickly and made a mental note to buy her some hair clips like mine. They were nothing fancy, but they did the job of keeping stray hairs in their place. “Now, why don’t we all enjoy some pie?”

“Yes,” Chad said, trapping me with his gaze and making me simmer. “Why don’t we?”

Chapter Fourteen

Scarlett

On Saturday morning, I woke up with a grin. Yep, that's right. Not a smile but a grin. I was going to a luncheon with a sexy guy in the Garden District, and I was seeing Lafayette Cemetery.

I jumped out of bed, still grinning. I’d already laid my outfit out last night. Even though I’d been dead tired by the time I got back from the restaurant, I didn't want to waste any time in the morning choosing it. It hadn't been easy to pick an outfit that was okay for both a cemetery tour and a fancy brunch, but I was happy with my choice. It was a fluffy spring dress made entirely out of cotton, so even if it got warmer later on, I wouldn't perspire too much, I hoped.

While I went through my morning routine, I kept thinking about Chad. Were we going on a date? Was he just trying to show me around?

Oh, Scarlett, don't try to foresee what might happen. You've never really been good at that, so why even try?

Besides, the whole point of moving to New Orleans was to start over, and I was determined to do just that.

My pink dress was usually a killer with high heels, but I didn't want to wear out my feet so early in the morning, which was why I dressed in flats and took a huge tote bag with me, putting the high heels in it. My plan was to get off the cable car two stations earlier and walk to the cemetery so I could admire the Garden District. I needed good walking shoes for that.

I strolled to the cable car, soaking up the gorgeous sunny day. Then I broke into a run when I noticed it pulling up to the station.

It was such a different experience riding on Saturday morning rather than during the week. It was almost empty, and I easily took in my surroundings, daydreaming about the rest of the day. It was going to be amazing. I could feel it in my bones. And even though the trip to Lafayette from Loyola took a long time, for me it was almost like a tour in itself. I just sat back, enjoyed the ride, and wondered when my life had changed for the better.

Once I got out of the streetcar, I consulted Google Maps. I chose a specific route because there were several mansions that were definitely on my must-see list. I oohed and aahed at the gorgeous homes along the streets.

The architecture was absolutely gorgeous. I loved the Victorian style, but I also enjoyed the homes with the Greek-style columns. The gardens were living up to their name too. The manicured lawns and lush trees turned this place into a paradise. The humidity might not be fabulous for my hair, but it truly was magic for the plants.

One particular home stole my heart. It had a pink facade with green balconies and a wrought iron fence with some sort of exotic shrub all along it. It was high enough that I couldn't really see inside in the garden.

According to Google Maps, my walk to Lafayette Cemetery should’ve taken twenty-five minutes, but since I stopped every few feet, it took almost forty.

There was a small group in front of the cemetery when I arrived. The place was eerily quiet. A plethora of magnolia trees offered shade along the entrance.

I felt like I’d stepped right into an episode of The Originals. The place had a haunting energy even in broad daylight. I could only imagine what it felt like at night.

"Welcome, welcome," our tour guide said. "I’m Esther! We're a small group today, which I prefer. It’s why I always take the morning tours. Many people prefer to come late in the evening to get the full haunted experience, but let me tell you, we're going to have the full experience this morning too. The cemetery is fascinating at any time of the day."

We all huddled around our guide as we walked inside. She started by explaining why the graves were built aboveground in the first place—to avoid them being flooded.

I was fascinated with the mausoleums and the tombstones. Some had intricate motifs or even sculptures.

"It’s a mix of Gothic Revival and Greek Revival," the guide continued. "I’ll point out what’s what as we walk through the cemetery."

A particularly captivating tomb had a big statue in the shape of an angel in the center. Other tombs had columns around them or even iron rod fences. Esther regaled us with stories about the families who built them.

My feet were aching a bit. Maybe walking for so long before the tour wasn't the best idea; my feet weren't going to be happy when I changed into heels. But there was nothing I could do about that now.

As we approached the end of the tour, a movement outside the front gate caught my attention. I snapped my head in that direction, and sure enough, Chad was there, pacing. I sucked in a breath. How could I feel his presence from ten feet away?

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