“Babe, I’ve been surrounded by athletes my whole life. I’ve heard far worse.” She turns to me, her eyes bright green. “We didn’t mean to drop by unannounced. Roman thought it would be fine.”
“Of course, he did.”
“What are friends for?” Roman shrugs.
“This from a man who refused to admit we were friends for years,” I tell his wife.
Roman rolls his eyes. “I wanted Lavinia to meet you. She needed confirmation that I had friends before she came into my life.”
“I always knew you had friends,” Lavinia says. “It's so nice to meet you,” she says to me. “I’m a big fan.”
Roman wraps his arm around her waist and pulls her toward him. “She’s just saying that, she doesn’t actually mean it.”
“Roman!” Lavinia chides, laughing. “He’s going to send us back before he even invites us into the house if you keep up like that.”
“You’re allowed here anytime,” I tell her. “Him, I’m not too sure about.”
I lead them toward the front porch and up the steps to the house. “Would you like a cup of coffee?”
“Lavinia won’t be coming back without me,” Roman says. “Isn’t that right, Blossom?”
Lavinia smiles up at him sweetly. “I don’t know. It’s a stunning view.”
Roman smirks, leaning down to whisper something in her ear. Jealousy stabs me as I look away and make my way to the kitchen. I had what they have, and I fucked it all up. I was still fucking it up. I left because I thought Scarlett would be better off without me, better off without the family drama that she definitely didn’t sign up for. I’m paying for making that decision for her.
“You have a beautiful home,” Lavinia says, as they enter the kitchen. “It must be so amazing waking up to that view.”
“It is,” I agree, looking out the windows at the mountains behind the house. “Except when it gets dark at five, there’s no one around and every sound makes you jump.”
“Are you afraid of the dark, Connor?” Roman asks with a smile.
“Yeah, I’m a sensible man and I can admit that there are more things out there than scientists have discovered so far.”
I make them both coffee and offer to make lunch, which they decline. So, I suggest we go into town for lunch. They’re only here for the day and then driving back to Whistler where they are meeting Lavinia’s brother and best friend.
Going into town will give me an opportunity to see Scarlett. It’s as I’m thinking this that the front door opens and her voice rings out.
“Connor Fitzgerald Hayes!”
“Your middle name isFitzgerald?” Roman can barely control his laugh.
“It’s actually Frederick,” I mumble, distracted. I set down my coffee cup and round the counter, walking out of the kitchen. The kitchen is directly across from the entrance, and I see Scarlett as soon as I walk out.
Her violet hair is wild and windswept, lips berry red, and she’s looking at me like I’m the enemy of the state. Harvey stands next to her with a little smile on her face that I know doesn’t bode well for me. She’s holding a bakery box that I recognize is from Butter & Bloom.
“You,” Scarlett hisses. She stalks across the foyer, her heels clicking on the tiled floor. “It’s because of you that my sister’s wedding is going to be ruined! This whole town is in love with you and now they’re cancelling our wedding orders because apparently, I’m some kind of villain who broke your precious little heart.”
Scarlett huffs, shoving a piece of hair out of her face, her eyes burning at me furiously.
“Listen to me very carefully, Connor. I don’t care what you have going on for the next week. Unless it’s a life or death emergency, your time is mine. You’re going to help me find a new baker and a new florist and a new spa and I don’t care what you do to make them fit us in at the last minute.Nothingis going to ruin my sister’s wedding. This is happening because of you and you’re going to fix it!”
She shoves a finger against my chest. “I’m not kidding and I’m not going to let you off the hook for this. If a single thing goes awry, I’m going to haunt you for the rest of your life, and the rest of your afterlife, too.” She leans closer, hissing up at me. “Don’t have any doubts.”
God, how I love this woman. I don’t doubt her intentions to haunt me, but in her anger, she probably doesn’t realize it’s exactly what I want.
“Do you promise?” I ask.
Scarlett narrows her eyes. “What?”
