Page 56 of Scarlett and the Big Bad Billionaire
Vivi laughed. “To people in the art world, he is.”
* * *
The next day, Gray came by for his usual Saturday outing with Vivi.
It had been several days since either of us had seen him. He’d had an out-of-state job and had only returned to Eastport Bay last night.
It was still cool and cloudy—not exactly a great beach day. I suggested he take her for a drive to Providence, hoping of course to be invited along.
I also hoped once we were there we could drive by and get a look at the Inksy mural in person.
“I’m not sure she’d be up for such a long drive,” he began, but Vivi cut him off.
“Of course I would. I’d love it. Just give me a few minutes to get ready. Scarlett, you change, too. You’re coming along, and we might want to have dinner in Providence while we’re there. They have some fine restaurants in the city.”
“Great,” Gray said, but he didn’t look happy about it.
CHAPTEREIGHTEEN
WABI-SABI
Gray
Damn. I didn’t mind driving to Providence, but I’d sort of been hoping to keep it local today so I could get in my weekly “date” with Vivi and still have time left over to spend alone with Scarlett.
Not seeing her these past few days had been surprisingly hard. In fact, it had sucked.
What am I going to do when she leaves for good?
I shouldn’t consider that awful eventuality right now. I needed to focus on the time I did have with her.
Since she’d come back into my life, I’d felt more, well,alive, than I had in years.
Seeing her today, my heart raced like a kid about to enter the gates of an amusement park. The prospect of spending all afternoon and evening with Scarlett was tantalizing, even if wedidn’tget to be alone.
“I’ll be right back,” she said to Victoria and me and went to dress for dinner.
“Have you seen the papers this week?” Victoria asked casually.
“No, I didn’t get a chance to look at them since I was out of town.”
“You should. Everyone’s going crazy over the Inksy mural.” She gave me a funny look. “Haveyouseen it?”
“You mean in person?” A muscle in my cheek twitched. “Like I said, I’ve been out of town.”
Victoria waved the newspaper at me until I took it from her. “It’s quite something. There’s a hot gal on that wall who looks just like Scarlett.”
Giving the photo a cursory glance, I said, “Hmm, I don’t really see the resemblance.”
Scarlett returned to the parlor, and I dropped the incriminating paper to the table beside me. Victoria stayed seated.
She hadn’t yet changed out of her teal velour track suit as she’d said she planned to.
Scarlett seemed surprised. “Vivi, you’re not changed yet? You don’t have to—you look great in that.”
Victoria smiled. “You know what? Looking out the window, I’ve changed my mind. The dampness doesn’t agree with these old bones.”
To prove her point, she pulled a knit blanket around her and propped her feet up on the ottoman.
