It’s two in the afternoon, and I’m starving. I’ve spent most of the morning and into the afternoon fixing the rail fence on the western side of the property. A guy pays me to put his horses out to pasture there. Sounded like a good deal until the horses started rubbing up against my fence and pushing it down. What I make in profit, I’ll end up spending on fence upkeep.
My stomach’s been growling for the past half hour, and I’m breaking for food. The doughnut I had earlier with Marshall and Glory wasn’t enough to get me through the day.
We met for a half hour. None of us saying anything worth listening to. Me talking about school, Marshall asking more questions about school, Glory wondering aloud if me and Marshall would be more cordial if she scrubbed our auras clean. At least we shared one moment on the same page as we sat staring at Glory like she needed medication.
We left with the agreement that we would meet again at Glory’s. Marshall seemed pleased I was trying.
As I approach the house, I squint at the figure on the swings. Probably V. No doubt she’s pissed I cut out on hanging with her last night, and no doubt Leo told her that he had left me with Scarlett. But as I get closer, it’s not short blond curls but long black hair. It’s Scarlett.
She sways on the swing, her toes dragging along the ground. A soft smile lights her up when she spots me, but there’s a question there. The hesitancy I had chased away last night.
It makes sense. Last night, her walls were torn down; she let me in and now she needs to know nothing has changed in the morning light. I don’t mind offering her proof. In fact, I’ll offer her proof every second of every day. I even dreamed about offering her proof last night.
In two large strides, I reach Scarlett, and her eyes widen as I encircle my arms around her waist, lift her off the swing and pull her close. The breath rushes out of her body and before she has a chance to utter a word, I lean down and kiss her.
Her tense muscles quickly melt, and within a second, Scarlett’s kissing me back. Her lips soft, her hands cautiously roaming, a test to herself and me if she’s allowed to touch. She’s allowed. She’s more than allowed. Her touch alone is causing me to go up in flames, but Scarlett and I are in new territory and that requires patience.
Ignoring the urge to kiss her deeper, to lose myself in her for as long as humanly possible, I pull back. She gasps for air, a blush touches her cheeks and she falls into me, hugging me tight. I enjoy her embrace, inhale her sweet scent and kiss her head.
“What was that?” she asks.
“I figured that would be the easiest way to answer any questions. Plus I like kissing you.”
She draws back and that shy lift of her lips makes me want to kiss her again. Scarlett eases to the swing and fidgets with the rusting metal chain. “I like kissing you, too.”
“I can live with that.” I wink at her and wonder if her parents would notice if I kept her here. “You’re daring, Tink, but sneaking out during the day? That’s hard-core.”
“Dad took Mom and Isabelle into Lexington to go shopping.”
Interesting. Her parents don’t leave her alone much. “And you rebelled?”
“No, Dad said he’s going to give me space. It’s his attempt to show me he’s changed.”
“Space?”
“Space.” She worries her lower lip. “He also apologized for forcing my date with Stewart. Do you think people can change?”
She’s asking if her dad can change, and I’m not the right person to ask, but there’s a growling inside me. A warning that I’ve heard these words before and the fallout caused a scar on my back and blood in my nightmares.
It’s the middle of the day, blue sky, sun shining, but a darkness creeps into my peripheral vision. The ghosts who haunt me, they whisper in my ear and threaten my sanity. People can’t change. No one can change. But I see the hope in her eyes, and I don’t want to be the one to snuff it out. “I don’t know.”
Scarlett’s lips flatten, and she looks to the ground. I don’t want the demons of her dad to haunt her. Not now and not with me. “What do you want to do with your few hours of freedom? We can head inside if you’d like.”
Scarlett glances at my trailer, and I have to hide my smile at how her face turns crimson. Don’t have to be Glory to know she’s contemplating me and her alone in a bed.
“Or we can walk to Glory’s,” I suggest. “She wants you to practice palm reading on me.”
“You’re going to let me practice on you?”
Because that’s how much I like her. “Yeah.”
She laughs and the sound soothes my battered soul. “Then let’s go.”