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I move back over to where she’s sitting, just as Rueben releases her second foot from its sneaker.
I touch his shoulder, and he lets out a sigh, because he knows what I’m about to say.
“We’ll get you a blanket,” I tell Scarlett. “And we’ll leave you to rest.”
“You know, I could kind of use a nap myself,” Rueben starts.
“She’s not going to sleep if she can feel you staring at her from the other couch,” I remind him.
He sighs, putting her foot down. “Fine. Have a good nap. I hope you’re feeling better when you wake up.”
“Thanks,” she murmurs, as she sorts the cushion next to her.
I usher Rueben out of the room and close the door.
He looks ready to protest, or beg, to get to stay in the room with our future mate.
I shake my head, pre-empting him. “Go grab her a blanket out of the cupboard upstairs.”
“Yes, Cap,” he mutters as he moves toward the stairs.
It takes him all of six seconds to get a blanket.
I take it out of his hands, provoking a pout from his lips.
“Go finish the kitchen floor.”
He frowns as he moves away from me, muttering under his breath as he goes into the other room and picks the mop up off the floor.
“I’m doing it,” he calls out when he catches me looking in on him.
He’s not doing it well, but it was already done, so I leave him to it.
I open the door to the lounge and Scarlett lifts her head from the cushion.
“Blanket,” I tell her, putting it over her bottom half, and letting her arrange it herself.
“Thanks,” she says, giving me a smile that seems sad.
“If you need anything else …”
“I’ll ask,” she assures me, her voice quiet.
I nod as I close the door, leaving her alone in the dark.
I don’t buy Scout’s weird feeling that this isn’t Scarlett.
She’s the same woman we all felt a connection to. Circumstances and events can change people, and everyone grows up and develops in different ways. She’s not a whole other person just because she’s showing her softer side to us now.
This Scarlett is our Scarlett.
She’s just showing us her heart now that it’s been bruised a little.
Everything happens for a reason, and I have to believe she’s here because she’s finally ready to have a pack of mates that she can call her own.
Chapter forty-six
Scout
