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“I can see why.” Scarlett’s eyes flit over the short hem and low neckline of Hannah’s dress.
Hannah stiffens. “For such a busy city, it can also feel lonely.” She glances at me—deliberately.
I’m torn between doing something and saying nothing. It’s obvious what Hannah is doing and why. She’s jealous and hurt I married someone else, despite the fact it’s been months since we were in the same state and we were never a couple. What Idon’tunderstand is what Scarlett is doing—why she’s engaging rather than ignoring. At every turn, she’s made it clear she sees our marriage as nothing more than a business relationship, if that. I’d go so far as to say she treats her business partners with more warmth than she’s shown me. And yet—she’s sparring with Hannah rather than walking away. Not possessive per se, but not displaying total indifference either.
“If you’re so desperate for some company, maybe you should go back inside and find some,” Scarlett suggests. “Seeing asweare leaving.”
I smother a smile, not missing the way she emphasizeswe.
Hannah doesn’t miss it either. She sizes Scarlett up, not bothering to cloak her dislike. “I didn’t know you were capable of caring about anything other than business, Scarlett.”
“I wasn’t aware you knew anything about me,” Scarlett shoots back. “Especially since you seem far more interested in my husband.”
Hannah smiles. Small, yet flashy and fake. She looks to me. “I hope to see you around, Crew.” Her smile turns genuine for the first time before she passes us and heads back inside.
I keep studying Scarlett.
“What?” she snaps. I think her tone was warmer toward Hannah.
I smile. “Nothing.”
Scarlett shakes her head before heading toward our car. Roman pulled up at some point during the encounter with Hannah. He climbs out to open the door, but I wave him off and open the door for Scarlett myself. She grumbles athank youbefore climbing into the backseat. I slide in on the opposite side, then knock on the privacy divider to let Roman know we’re ready to depart.
We haven’t even reached the end of the block when she speaks. “You have horrible taste in women.”
I look over. “What does that say about you?”
She ignores me. “I don’t want her in my penthouse.”
I bite back theourI want to correct her with. Instead, I tell her the truth. “It won’t be an issue.”
“I have work lunches at The Carlyle.”
It takes me a minute to realize what she’s saying. Another to wonder how the hell Scarlett knows that’s where Hannah stays when she’s in the city. “That’s not what I meant. She and I are done.”
“Does she know that?”
“Yes,” I reply. Then, for some stupid reason, that feels a lot like the loyalty she doesn’t seem to want, I elaborate. “I told her if she insulted you, I wouldn’t talk to her again.”
Scarlett scoffs. “Don’t do me any favors.”
I exhale loudly. “Now you’re annoyed I’mnotfucking her?”
“No! I just—”
“Areyousleeping with other people?” I finally voice the question that’s been bothering me for weeks.
“Not sure,” she responds.
I gnash my teeth together. “Not surewhat?”
“Not sure you would call it sleeping.”
Fuck.She is. “Who is he?”
“You don’t know him.”
Yeah, right. “I know a lot of people.”
