Page 10 of Finally Moore

“Fuck… I mean, fudge… yeah, I better get back before Logan burns down the kitchen.” I did not intend on being gone this long. Granted, I hadn’t planned onanyof today happening. “Well, it was nice meeting everyone. I’m sure I’ll see you around.” I wave as I do my best to make a quick but polite escape.

“Of course you will, silly.” Scarlett laughs, the gesture more nervous than amused.

Oh, that’s right. Crap, in the panic about the impending lunch rush, I kind of forgot about the whole being engaged thing.

“We’ll see you when you get home tonight,” she reminds me, and we do an awkward shuffle of me going in for a hug and her going in for a kiss. After a few attempts, she lands a peck on my cheek.

“Yeah, I’ll see you both when I get home tonight.” I pat Bruce on the head, and even he gives me a look that says:Really, dude? You’re not fooling anyone.

“I can’t wait to learn all about you, Scott,” Scarlett’s mother calls after me. Despite the nice tone, there is something ominous about the way she says it.

I slide into my car, and when I park a few minutes later, I’m relieved to find that autopilot has kicked in and guided me back to the café safely. Because, I honestly have no memory of driving here. Instead of checking in on Logan and Gia and making sure that my business is running smoothly, I turn down the hall and lock myself inside my best friend’s office.

“Are you okay?” Jax looks up from his computer. When I don’t immediately answer him, his mouth drops into a frown. “Scott? What happened?”

“I returned the cat.”

Jax lets out a sigh. “Dude, you had me scared for a second. Not cool, man.” I continue to stare at him, my shoes cemented to the spot and my mind in overdrive. “Did it go okay? Returning the cat, I mean?” he prompts, and I nod yes. “Okay, then why do you look like you just walked in on me and your sister having sex?”

Under normal circumstances, the imagery would be as effective as smelling salts and wake me from the deepest of comas. But these aren’t normal circumstances. So I utter the only words that come to mind. “I’m engaged.”

Chapter four

Scarlett

Couldtodaygetanyworse?Probably, but I really don’t feel like testing the fates any more than I already have. If Scott wouldn’t have gone along with my insanity, I’m not sure what I would’ve done.Scratch that. I know exactly what I would’ve done. I would’ve dropped dead from embarrassment with my epitaph reading: Here lies Scarlett Rhea Valentine, died due to her own stupidity. But let’s face it, according to her Kindle history, she didn’t have much hope of dying with dignity.

Good job putting that out in the universe. Especially since it’s still early enough in the day that it just might happen. Because after I pull up my big girl panties and gather up the courage to step through my most-loved establishment to beg a man I hardly know to pretend to be in love with me, I might as well call the county coroner and give them a heads up that there’s a fresh body to collect.

It’s eight in the evening and based on the near empty Main Street, I assume Scott’s dinner rush is over and they’re in the process of cleaning up. Hopefully, he’ll be up for chatting after he closes. Much like me, I know he wakes up at the ass crack of dawn to get his day started, and with the expanded restaurant, he’s been working later.

For someone who claims to not really know the man, you seem to know a lot about his schedule,my inner voice chimes in.

What can I say? I’m observant. It’s not like I went out of my way or anything to learn it. He’s usually my first stop in the morning, and on book club nights, I’ve noticed what time he wraps up for the day. Pre-restaurant, he would be out the door shortly after we started, but since opening, he’s been hard at work long after we’re done.

Taking a deep breath, I fill my push-up bra with all the confidence I can muster and enter the café.

“Scarlett!” Tilly shouts from a nearby table.

“Oh, hi.”Crap,I wasn’t expecting her to be here. Okay, I washopingshe wouldn’t be. But I swear she and Jax never leave this place. “You’re out late.”

“Yeah, Uncle Jake and Aunt Letty have the boys, so we got an impromptu date night,” she says. I look around but don’t see her husband anywhere. As if reading my mind, she clarifies, “Oh, he’s in the kitchen teaching Scott some new recipe or something.”

“Isn’t the point of a date night to be on a datetogether?” I tease.

Tilly shrugs before taking a bite of her dinner. “Yeah, but I see him all the time anyway. Besides, have you tastedthis?” When I shake my head in response, she gasps, “Oh my god, come here! You have to try it.”

I glance back to the kitchen. I came here with a certain mission in mind, but if Scott’s helping Jax with something, it doesn’t really feel like a good time to discuss our current…situation.

“Sure.” My butt hardly hits the chair before she shoves the fork in my face. I take a bite and the flavors immediately explode on my tongue. “Holy fuck, that’s delicious. What is it?”

“It’s this new special Scott’s trying out. He says next year he’s going to do this whole around-the-world theme. This one’s from Spain. It’s called…”

I steal her utensil and proceed to eat her meal as Tilly attempts to pronounce whatever she thinks the dish is called. Yeah, I know. It’s pretty shitty to steal a pregnant woman’s dinner. But this is seriously one of the best things I’ve ever put in my mouth—and I do meanever.

“Shoot, it’s like papaya or something. Scott!” Tilly hollers across the restaurant.

“Oh, that’s fine.” My heart races at the thought of him coming out here. Whatever courage I had deflated the second I saw my friend in the audience. “You don’t need to—”

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