Page 87 of Scarlett and the Big Bad Billionaire
“Yes. I think itisgood, actually. It’s for the best that you’re leaving tomorrow,” I said.
At his hurt expression, I explained. “I’m afraid I did it again. It’s not your fault. We tried the casual sex fling-thing, but as it turns out, I’m just not built for it. If we keep at this, I’m not sure I can survive it. So, let’s just call it now, okay? You’re leaving tomorrow. The timing is perfect.”
Gray stepped closer, trying to enfold me in his arms again. “Don’t do this. Please. I have work. You understand that.”
I wiggled away. “Yes—I do. I have work, too. Which is why in two weeks, after the auction, I’m leaving. We’ll never see each other again. So it makes no sense to continue this… whatever it is we’re doing. We might as well stop it now. The fling is officially over.”
His brows pulled together. “I don’t want it to be over.”
“Well, if there’s one lesson I’ve learned in life, it’s that we don’t always get what we want,” I said.
Vivi appeared across the cavernous, echoey space, stopping me in my tracks. She must have just gotten off the elevator—which we didn’t hear because we were on the lower level—skinny dipping.
“What’s that dear? Leaving? Where are you going?” My elderly grandmother suddenly seemed to have the hearing of a bat.
Tugging the robe tighter around me, I smiled and went to her.
“I was telling Gray I have to leave soon, go home, go back to work. And he’s leaving tomorrow for a job out of state. He’ll be gone for a while. We were saying our ‘goodbyes.’”
“No,” Gray said sternly. “That’snotwhat we were doing. We were just discussing our scheduling challenges, but we’ll work it out.”
“There’s nothing to work out,” I insisted. “It’s late, Gray. You should go home and pack.”
“Scarlett… please.”
Vivi made a small sound, almost like a baby’s cry, then she staggered back a couple of steps, clutching her chest.
Gray and I both rushed toward her.
“What’s the matter Vivi?” I yelped.
Gray put his arm around her for support. “Are you okay?”
She shook her head, appearing confused. “I’m not sure. I feel funny. I think it’s my heart.”
“Is that why you came downstairs?” I asked with concern. “You weren’t feeling well?”
Now I felt horribly guilty for engaging in aquatic woo-woo instead of going to check on her when we’d gotten back from the detention center.
She didn’t answer me, just shook her head and went limp in Gray’s arms. He lowered her gently to the floor and put his ear to her mouth while feeling for a pulse in her neck.
My hands covered my lips, which were trembling. “Oh my God. What’s happening, Gray? Did she have a heart attack?”
“I’m not sure. She’s breathing. Call 9-1-1.”
I looked around me in a panic. “My phone’s in my purse. It’s up in my room.”
He pointed to the office door across the hall. “Use the house phone.”
I ran to the office and called for an ambulance. It arrived within minutes, and Gray and I climbed into the back of it with Vivi for the ride to the hospital.
She looked okay to me, like she was simply sleeping, but what the hell did I know?
An EMT was also in the back with us. He put an oxygen mask over her face and started an IV line.
He asked a steady stream of questions about her age and general health, her diet and hydration level—things I wouldn’t have had a clue about before coming to stay here.
I answered them all, clutching one of Vivi’s hands while Gray cradled the other. Once our gazes caught and held for a moment, but I looked away, back to Vivi.
