Page 34 of Scarlett and the Big Bad Billionaire
As we walked down the front steps toward the driveway, I said, “So, I guess you’ll be moving in here.”
She nodded. “I have a hotel reservation, but only for two nights. I’m not sure how long this will take, but Vivi asked me to stay here with her, and the hotels around here are incredibly expensive.”
“Makes sense then.”
“I really didn’t expect all this.” She looked a little dazed, as if the reality of the situation was just now hitting her—with no gloves on.
“I’ve got two weeks’ vacation time,” she said. “If it takes longer than that, maybe I can work remotely?”
“You know… I can handle everything alone,” I offered. “I’m already here, and I don’t mind.”
“No,” she blurted. Then in a quieter tone, she said, “No thank you. She’s my grandmother, and I should handle it.”
“Right. Okay, well I’ll come by as often as I can get away from work to help out.”
“Don’t go out of your way or anything. I mean, I’m sure you’re busy,” she said.
Ah. She’s trying to get rid of me. Not so fast there, Red.
“It’s no trouble. I live close by, and my work hours are pretty flexible. So… I guess we’ll be seeing a lot of each other.”
“I guess so.” Scarlett didn’t look too jazzed at the prospect. “Hopefully, it’ll all go really quickly, and we can both get back to our lives.”
A cab pulled into the drive, and she took a step toward it.
“Scarlett.”
She twisted back to face me. “What?”
“Howisyour life? You know… after your wedding fell through and all?”
What Iwantedto ask was if she’d gotten over the broken heart and whether she was dating someone or engaged again, but under the circumstances it seemed kind of crass.
Her expression frosted over. “That’s none of your business.”
“I’m sorry,” I said. “And… I’m sorry I left without saying goodbye. Trust me when I say I didn’twantto leave—especially not that suddenly.”
I probably shouldn’t have, but I added, “Especially not when you looked so spectacular with your hair spread out across the pillowcase and the sheets pushed down to your waist.”
She flushed a bright red and shook her head as if trying to dislodge bothersome thoughts. “That was alongtime ago, and it wasn’t real life. Anyway, I’m over it.”
“You were really upset that I left?” Not sure why that idea pleased me, but it did.
She hesitated before answering. “I was—at first. Because it was rude, that’s all. Then I realized what a good thing it was that weweren’tgoing to keep in touch. Because that’s not who I really am—I’d never done anything that crazy before and haven’t since then. I was in a weird place. And I’m a completely different person from the one you met three years ago.”
“So am I.” Andthatwas the absolute truth.
When I’d met her in Greece, I’d been riding high, at the top of my game, loving what I did, loving my team and placing implicit faith in our leader.
Things went downhill pretty quickly after that, and a lot of damage had been done. I’d had to harden my heart to do some of the things that had been required of me on the job, and I’d accrued my share of scar tissue.
But I’d worked through it, fought my way back to health, physically and mentally. I wondered what kind of battle damage Scarlett had suffered over the past few years—and what kind of scars it had left her with.
“So why don’t we start over again?” I suggested with a smile and a hand extended toward her. “Gray Lupine, home security specialist and unlikely friend of eccentric old ladies. It’s nice to meet you.”
She took my hand—reluctantly—and let it go after a brief clasp.
“Scarlett Hood. Prodigal granddaughter. And apparently your new watchdog. And, Gray, Iwillbe watching,” she warned before getting into the cab and slamming the door shut behind her.
