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DANNY
“Check, please.” I lifted my hand to catch the attention of the passing waitress. She caught my eye and nodded, smiling as laughter rose from the table.
“No way,” Lucas gasped, rocking in his chair as he chuckled. “You can’t be serious!”
“Hundred percent,” Sebastian grinned over the lip of his coffee cup. “He genuinely thought that bots giving the views was the smartest way. When I asked him how those views translated into sales when they weren’t real people–well, he didn’t have an answer.”
“It’s people like that,” I snorted, “that think because we have money, the rest just naturally accrues.”
“True.” Sebastian smacked his lips together. “Safe to say that interview ended swiftly but it’s no real loss. Scarlett wants to sign a contract.”
I leaned back in my chair, a belly full of noodles, and raised a brow. “To work for you?”
“Sort of. She wants to remain freelance, and I’ll allow that. But she has talent and I think she might be what we’re looking for.”
“Are you sure that’s not because you have a crush on her?” Lucas teased, lazily pointing at Sebastian. “And you want someone sexy in your office?”
“What do you take me for?” Sebastian’s tone was serious but there was a teasing glint in his eye. “I respect her. The rest is just…”
“A bonus?” I asked with a grin.
“Is that why she didn’t text me back the other day? You were busy impressing her with your office?” Lucas rolled his eyes. “I’m a needy guy. I need a warning.”
“I’d scold you for being clingy,” I chuckled. “But I’m the same.” The confession didn’t come with the dire pain I had come to expect. My desire to spend time with Scarlett, to talk to her as much as possible, was one I had come to enjoy.
“Well, when she was with me, she was certainly too busy to reply to her phone.” Sebastian’s smirk vanished behind his cup and the waitress reappeared, setting the bill down next to me. I reached into my pocket and quickly passed her his card, then she vanished with a smile.
“You’re addicted,” I chuckled.
“And you’re not?”
“I am,” Lucas admitted. “I don’t even care. I don’t think I’ve ever felt like this over anyone, and I want to enjoy it, so long as she is still having a good time.”
“From our discussion, she did seem to be. Although she had some apprehension given other circumstances.” Sebastian sighed and glanced between the two of us. We already knew the reason.
“Toby,” I said.
“Yup. She did tell me he invited her to dinner though and they had a decent chat.”
“Camille didn’t kill her?” Lucas snorted. “I’m impressed.”
“This is good,” I mused. “I mean, we all knew she was heading back home once she secured her house, but if… if they’re building a relationship, then maybe she’ll stick around?” Wishful thinking that I had no right to entertain and yet it was there, lingering in the back of my mind like a secret.
“At the very least she’d visit,” Sebastian agreed. “She has a life to go back to but maybe she can have one here too.”
“I don’t know about you two,” Lucas smirked, “but I plan on being the reason she doesn’t want to leave. I’m a fucking joy to be around if you hadn’t noticed.”
“Because your parents have already made such a wonderful lasting impression,” I laughed.
Lucas groaned and rolled his eyes, briefly sticking out his tongue. The waitress returned with the receipt and my card. Coats in hand, the three of us thanked her for waiting on us and left the restaurant. My mind entertained me with the possibility of Scarlett staying in the city, making a life here that we could all be a part of. From the look on the other’s faces, they were sharing the same thoughts.
Out into the bitter February air, I huddled into my coat and turned to my friends. “Shall we head to a bar? I’m not ready to head home yet.”
“I think I could manage another drink or two,” Sebastian agreed, turning the collar up on his coat.
“Anywhere in mind?” Lucas asked as the three of us fell into step with each other. A few bars were tossed back and forth, as well as a few pros and cons about each one, but we never made it to the bar.
After two minutes of walking away from the restaurant, I came to a stop, frowning. Lucas and Sebastian followed suit as the distant tones of an argument drifted up to us from one of the side streets.
