Page 197 of Ewan

“It was serious,” I say, having a feeling that he and I are going through the same type of problem with our women.

“Okay. You can sleep here.”

“Of course I’ll sleep here. That’s why I came.”

“And I’ll let you in. But you have to tame your enthusiasm around her. It’s not like she and I aretogethertogether, and I don’t need a blunder to ruin everything I have with her right now.”

“You spent Christmas with her.”

“Who told you that?”

He laughs.

“You just did right now.”

I playfully smack him upside the head.

“I said behave.”

“Right. Let me in.”

Hand glued to the doorknob, I review my options.

There are none.

“Dad, we need to go in.”

“Yeah. Okay. Let’s go in,” I say and push the door open before inviting him in.

SCARLETT

I miss mostof their conversation because he’s talking to a man outside the door.

I see nothing.

I only catch the sound of their deep, low voices.

Who is that?

And why are they talking outside the door?

My pulse races as I can’t calm down.

Eventually, the door opens, and two men walk in.

They are about the same height.

The guest has a thinner frame than Ewan, but he is still muscular.

I fall back into the kitchen, rush to the oven, and get busy with the tray when their steps ring in the door, and I push upright with a rehearsed grin.

“Oh. Hi,” I say, staring at the young man who looks just like Ewan.

He’s like... what? Twenty?

Oh.

He’snineteen?

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