Page 62 of Hot to Trot

She pressed the button that lit the screen. John had called but had not bothered with a message. She allowed her finger to hover over the little telephone icon. Should she call him back and see what he wanted?

No. If he wanted her to return the call, he would have left a message.

She flopped back on the bed, deciding against food, and wondering why she hadn't thought about John in days. For thepast year, she'd allowed him to trickle into her thoughts the moments before she closed her eyes at night and those sleep-soaked moments when she awoke. For the past week, she'd had Adam on the brain. Not John.

Strange.

It was as if losing her necklace had allowed her to empty out the hurt and open herself to something more... something like the serious police chief who hid a dazzling smile and totally hot body beneath his starched shirts.

She yawned and tucked her head against her folded forearms.

Too bad she had to keep her hands off him. She really wanted to find out how he felt beneath her touch. Longed to see those clear eyes cloud with passion, those straight white teeth nip-

She yawned again.

Did this mean she was officially over John? She was pretty sure she was, but was she falling for Adam? Maybe. But it was something. Lust? Like? Potential for something like her sister had with Brent?

Maybe she'd think about all these things later. Like her chosen namesake, she'd think about it tomorrow.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

"SCARLET!"

The voice penetrated the fogginess of her consciousness. She was at Disney World, watching Cinderella dance with the big character who wore the tiny green hat. She had been pointing out where her Japanese tour group could buy cotton candy before they boarded the tour bus. Her plane would leave in thirty minutes, but she still had to ride the water ride that took her through Norway. And she wanted cotton candy.

"Scarlet!" The sound of knocking succeeded in waking her.

Scarlet sat up and rubbed a hand over her face. Where was she? Oh. Yeah. Her aunt's inn. Oak Stand. "What?"

"Open the door," Rayne called with another insistent knock.

She slipped off the bed, twisted the lock, and threw open the door. The harsh light of the hallway had her blinking. "What?"

"Oh, you were asleep."

"Crown you the Queen of Obvious," Scarlet grumbled.

"Sorry to wake you. Adam is downstairs. He wants to talk to you."

Scarlet's stomach tripped. Adam. Hadn't she just dreamed about him? No. It was Disney World. "What does he want?"

"l don't know. He seemed kind of pushy about it. Want me to tell him you'll call tomorrow morning?"

She shook her head. Her ponytail felt lopsided and her mouth thick with sleep. She may have even drooled on the Battenberg lace throw pillows. "Give me a minute and I'll be down."

After she brushed her hair, scrubbed her teeth, and smoothed out the ugly navy top, she headed down the stairs. No one was in the foyer, but she heard voices from the family den.

"Okay, I'm up. What's the emergency, Chief?" Adam looked up from the leather sectional where he sat beside Henry, who had fallen asleep reading a sports magazine. Brent munched on popcorn and watched soccer on TV.

"No emergency, but I would like to have a word with you, if that's okay?" As usual, Adam's question wasn't really a question. It was a command.

Brent didn't look away from the television.

"You mean, privately?" Scarlet asked, wondering if it was a good idea to be alone with Adam. She didn't trust herself after John’s weird call. She felt vulnerable, apt to seek comfort, toss all those good intentions over her shoulder.

He glanced at Henry who sat up blinking. "That would be best."

"Let's go out back."

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