Page 84 of Ewan

“If that’s when you’re done, yes.”

“Okay. I’ll let you know when I’m done.”

With that, I pick up the dog, and we exit the place.

Unfortunately, he walks back to those cars––I think––and I go in the opposite direction.

I feel a quiet nudge to kiss him goodbye, but this isn’t the moment or the place for that.

“Okay. I’ll see you,” I say, gesturing at him and moving backward.

He nods.

“Thank you for the lunch,” I say.

“You’re welcome.”

We go separate ways a few seconds later, and I pace away with a strange feeling in my chest.

Today didn’t quite go how I wanted it to go.

19

SCARLETT

I see Sammy from afar,her hair shiny in the sunlight, her eyes wide with surprise when she casually glances over her shoulder and gets a glimpse of me.

She’s wrapping up her phone conversation as I erase the space between us.

“Hi,” she says, and we hug before she runs her fingers over Mousy’s back.

“Isn’t she the cutest dog?” Sammy says, straightening while I wait to hear the news.

“So…” she starts, her eyes twinkling with excitement. “I got a few more dates from one of my guys.”

“Is this about pole dancing in Long Island?”

“Uh-huh.”

Smiling, she nods in acknowledgment while looking at her phone.

“So, stripping in Long Island…” I murmur.

“That sounds like a great movie title,” she comments.“Yes. Stripping in Long Island. The problem is…” she goes on, moving her finger over her phone screen to open her planner.

She flicks her eyes up.

“I got four dates, and I can only commit to two.”

“When?”

“Mine are today and tomorrow, and yours will be on Wednesday and Thursday. I’m leaving on Tuesday night, so I can’t work the last two days.”

“Is the new owner okay with me?”

“I told him you’re the best. And he knows you've worked there before. I showed him a picture of you in that cute little bunny costume.”

The cute little bunny costume was basically a low-cut bra, short shorts, tons of glitter, bunny ears, and a tail.

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