Chapter 2-1
877 Words
Chapter 2
“Hey,” Scarlett said, sliding next to me at the kitchen counter, which doubled as the bar.
“Hi. Having fun?”
She nodded, her bright eyes shining with excitement. “This is great. It’s been a long time since I’ve been at a party like this.”
“Yeah? You like it?”
She nodded again. “I do. I spend a lot of time alone, so having a bunch of people around is a lot of fun. You don’t?”
I shrugged. “I work in a bar. I’m around a lot of people all the time.”
“True, but not like this. These people are all friends and they’re funny and not begging you for drinks.”
I chuckled. “You’re right. This is a lot more fun than working. And they do seem pretty great.”
“They are. And they’re all so close. I can’t even imagine being as close to as many people as they all are. It baffles me the way they talk.”
“About what?”
Her pink cheeks gave me a clue. “Just everything. They know what’s going on with each other. It must be nice to have so many good friends. I feel like I have Bri, and that’s about it.”
I nudged her with my shoulder. “I’d like to think you have me, too.”
She looked up at me. “Do I?”
I nodded and was rewarded with a wide grin.
“Good.”
She nudged me back then rejoined the group of women talking and laughing. I smiled at the pure joy on her face. She was always beautiful, but when she smiled, she made everything around her better.
“I thought you two were together?” Ethan asked.
I glanced at Scarlett again then shook my head.
“But you want to be.”
It wasn’t a question, and we both knew that. “We went out a few months ago, and we’re starting to talk again, but not enough for me to say we’re together.”
“She’s crazy talented according to Olivia.”
“She really is. It’s impressive. She’s overworked, though. She doesn’t take time off.”
“Do you?”
I chuckled. “No, but I work two jobs.”
“So?”
I shrugged. “I worry about her.”
“When Olivia was pregnant, she decided to work right up until she had the baby. She refused to take any time off. Her boss is the guy over there in the blue shirt. Wyatt and I both tried to talk her into taking some time. She was older for a pregnant mom, and with two other kids, she didn’t have any downtime.”
I nodded, wondering where he was going with the story.
“Me telling her to take a break didn’t do a damn thing. She ignored me. The harder I pushed, the harder she pushed back. All I could do was rub her feet and her back and run her baths and help out with the other kids. She went into labor at work. But I couldn’t be pissed at her because we had a healthy baby boy. And she was fine. She knows what she’s capable of. No matter how much I wanted to force her to sit on her cute a*s and do nothing, she knew what she could handle. I’m guessing yours does, too.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, I imagine she does. That doesn’t make it easy.”
“Just wait until she’s pregnant with your kid. You’ll lose your f*****g mind,” Ethan said.
I sucked in a sharp breath, the thought of Scarlett pregnant and building a family overwhelming me. Her round belly filling up with our child. I wasn’t sure I’d ever look at her again without imagining that.
“Don’t get too far ahead of yourself,” Ethan said, bringing me back to reality. “If you’re not sure that you’re together, you can’t start picturing her pregnant.”
I grinned. “Am I that obvious?”
He clapped me on the back. “Only to a man who did the same thing. From the day I met Olivia, I knew she was going to be mine. It took her a little longer, but I convinced her.”
“Oh yeah? How?” I asked with a smile.
He grinned back. “I showed up at her house with sushi and forced my way inside so I could get to know her. I didn’t realize she had kids until I came face to face with them turning up their noses at my choice of seduction food.”
I snorted. “You didn’t.”
He nodded. “I did. But I paid for their pizza and charmed the kids and it all worked out in the end.”
I laughed softly. “Well, Scarlett doesn’t have any kids I can charm. I think I’m stuck charming her.”
He grinned. “Judging by the number of times she’s looked over here since she walked away, I’d say you’re well on your way.”
My gaze snapped to Scarlett and caught her watching me. Her cheeks turned pink and she looked away quickly. The other women said something to her, and half of them turned to look at me. I glanced back at Scarlett and grinned when I saw her cheeks were even redder.
“See what I mean?” Ethan said.
I couldn’t help my s**t-eating grin.
“Yeah, you’ll be fine.” Ethan clapped my back and walked away to pull Olivia out of the crowd. He nuzzled her neck and said something that had her cheeks turning pink. She nodded and tilted her head up for a kiss.
I wanted to be able to do the same to Scarlett, to claim her as mine, but I couldn’t. Not yet. Not until she was really mine and I was really hers.
One day.
- Writer
