I’m tempted to tell her I love her again, because I never really do know what the day will bring. I suppose the danger is there for anyone who leaves the house: car accidents claim the lives of many every day, but it’s a little different when you’re leaving the house to go running into danger.
“I’m gonna go give Jackson a kiss goodbye,” I tell her and hurry up the stairs, sneaking into his room so I don’t wake him. I pause in the doorway, looking at his handsome little face. We finally took him to get a haircut, and the shorter locks make him look older. He’s four and a half already. Time is fucking flying by.
“See you later, buddy,” I whisper. “I love you.”
If Scarlet weren’t here, I would have had to wake Jackson up already, fight with him to eat breakfast and get dressed, and probably deal with a tantrum or two as I get him to put his shoes on and get buckled into his car seat. I’d drop him off with my mom before heading into the station, tired and most likely irritated from dealing with his attitude. It’s inevitable that all parents feel frustrated with their own children. I still get frustrated with him. But having him on a solid schedule where he’s developed a routine and gets plenty of sleep has been so good for us.
“Can you call me when you’re done?” Scarlet asks before I head out the door. “So I know you’re okay?”
“Yeah. I will.”
“Thanks.” She brushes her blonde hair over her shoulder. “I’m going to sit here worrying, you know.”
“I do. And not that I want you to worry, but it’s nice knowing you are. If that makes any sense at all.”
“It does. You know that I lo—that I care a lot about you.”
Was she going to say she loves me? I look into her blue eyes and my heart hammers away. Fuck this. Life is too short to live cautiously when it comes to matters of the heart.
I stride over, take her in my arms, and plant a big kiss on her lips.
“Scarlet?”
“Yeah?” She fastens her arms around my neck.
“I love you.”
Her lips curve into a smile and her eyes get misty. “Are you sure about that?”
“Yes,” I chuckle. “I’m very sure. I am in love with you, Scarlet Cooper.”
“I didn’t think I’d ever love anyone, because I was convinced love didn’t exist.” Her eyes flutter shut, and my heart starts to beat faster and faster. “Then I met you, and I realized that love is real, and I don’t just mean romantic love. You have so much love for your son…and your family…every one of you.” She swallows hard, having a hard time with the words. Tipping her head up, she locks her eyes with mine. “I love you, too, Weston.”
We kiss, and my heart explodes with happiness. For the first time in years, everything is perfect.
“Look at him,” Scarlet whispers, leaning in. “He totally wants her!”
“Do you think she knows?” Quinn whispers back. We’re sitting at the bar at Getaway, and are currently watching Logan painfully try to get out of the friend-zone with fellow bartender, Danielle.
“She messes with her hair when they talk.” Scarlet slides her drink in front of her and looks at Danielle. “And they’re so flirty, you’d think so. How long has she worked here?”
“I think like a year,” Quinn answers. “Or at least that’s about how long ago he started mentioning her. As his friend, of course.” She slides her drink in front of her and takes a sip. “I have to pee. Want to come with me?”
“Sure.” Scarlet slides off her bar stool and follows Quinn to the ladies’ room. Dean ended up joining us after the movie, and he and Archer are playing pool. I grab Quinn’s drink, not wanting to leave it sitting on the bar unattended and join them.
“Ditching the girls already?” Dean asks, glancing up from the pool table.
“They went to the bathroom together.”
“Oh. Scarlet and Quinn have become good friends.”
“Yeah,” I say, not meaning to smile as much as I do. “It’s nice.”
“I guess,” Dean says flatly, and I look at Archer and roll my eyes. We both know what he’s getting at. Kara is—for some stupid fucking reason—annoyed at the new friendship. If she weren’t so uptight, we could all hang out together and it’d be fun. Though I suppose when I stop and think about it, it’s kind of a weird situation.
Archer and Dean have been best friends for years. Quinn is marrying her brother’s best friend. My girlfriend is now good friends with my sister, so when those two hang out and we double-date, Archer comes with.
Whatever. We’re all family now.
“How’s Bobby?” I ask Archer.
“He’s doing all right. Supposedly he made a breakthrough during group therapy yesterday. Like he did the last time he was there. And the time before that.”
“I’m sorry, man. That’s rough.”
“You can’t help someone who doesn’t want to help themselves.” He moves around the pool table. “Speaking of help…you are taking a cat, right? Quinn mentioned that you wanted one for Jackson.”
“I did, and I’m considering it. Scarlet would like it too.”
“Getting her a pet already?” Dean trades his pool stick for his beer. “Are you ready for that type of commitment?”
He’s joking, but my answer is serious. “Yeah. I am.” I look in the direction of the bathrooms, hoping to see Scarlet walking out. “She’s perfect.”
“It’s nice seeing you happy,” Dean tells me. “We all like Scarlet, which is a welcome change from—what the fuck?” He cuts off and almost drops his beer, eyes going wide. “Daisy.”
He doesn’t have to say the words for me to know. The look of horror on his face says it all. Daisy is here, and I turn just in time to see her stop in her tracks. We make eye contact, and she doesn’t so much as smile. Then she turns and makes a beeline to Scarlet.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Scarlet
“I swear to you, it burned my mouth,” Quinn says, and we both laugh. “I told Archer I would never go down on him again if he eats spicy food. I know he likes it, but for the sake of a blow job he’ll give it—what the fuck?”
She grabs my arm and comes to a dead stop.
“What’s wrong?” I face Quinn. Her green eyes are wide, and it’s like she just saw a ghost. Following her line of sight, I turn and do a double-take. The annoying eavesdropping woman from the visitation room at the prison is standing a few feet from us.
Is this a strange coincidence or is she—
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Quinn demands, and a darkness that I’ve never seen before comes out in here. “Get the hell out of here before I beat your ass.”
The annoying lady puts her hand on her hip and shakes her head. “Nice to see you too, Quinn.”
Wait a minute. She knows Quinn?
“Get out of here,” Quinn says through gritted teeth. “Now.”
“Or what?”
“I’ll force you outside myself.”