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“Scarlett, I flew across the country to see you. Can you at least give me the opportunity to explain some things?” His voice is pleading, the playfulness gone.
I stand there for what feels like an eternity. Staring into the blue eyes that I once thought held my future, my happiness.
“Why?” I ask, seeing him flinch when he registers the pain in my voice.
“Why did I leave?” He reaches out to brush a stray hair away from my face.
“Why should I hear you out? Why are you really here? And yes, Westin, why did you leave?”
Nothing could have ever prepared me for the swell of emotions that overtake me finally having the opportunity to ask the one question that I have wanted to ask for the last ten years.
“I will tell you anything you want to know, Scar. I will answer every question. I will do whatever you want. Just give me a chance.” His voice lowers. “We were friends once, weren’t we? What’s the harm in trying to be friends again?”
“Friends?” I eye him wearily.
“Friends.” He tips his chin.
He’s playing at something. I just don’t know what his angle is yet. But if I want a chance to figure out why he's here and what exactly he's after, I guess I’m going to have to play along.
“Are you hungry?” My question comes out of left field.
“Why, are you going to feed me?”
“I haven’t eaten since this morning. So really I’m going to feed myself. But since you’re here.” I shrug.
“Well in that case, I’m famished.” A smile slides across his lips. The same smile that I swore, at the age of sixteen, I could look at forever. The smile that made every problem in the world seem a little less important.
Even though I know he's twenty-eight years old, right now in this moment, he looks a lot like theboyI fell in love with.
“Come on.” I turn around, sliding my key into the lock before pushing my way inside.
Once inside, I flip the light switch next to the door and make my way to the counter, tossing down my keys and bag before turning back to face him.
I watch as he turns in a slow circle, looking around the bakery.
“You own this?” His gaze finally makes its way to me.
I have a feeling he already knows the answer, but I answer him anyway.
“Me and Aunt Kari. Yes.”
“Wow. I can’t believe you actually did it.” He makes his way to where I’m leaning against the back counter, elbows resting on the spotless glass as he gazes at me with an intensity that leaves me feeling squeamish and antsy.
“I did,” I say, not able to feel anything but extremely proud as I look around my little bakery.
When I look back at Westin, his eyes are fixed firmly on me.
“I had almost forgotten how beautiful you are,” he says after a long beat of silence.
A warm sensation starts at my scalp and slowly makes its way down my body.
It’s so easy to get lost in the depths of his eyes and the weight of his words, but I know I can’t let my guard down so easily. I’m fully aware of my lack of judgment in this man's presence. What happened a week ago should make that abundantly clear.
I blush at the memory, quickly pushing away from the counter before making my way toward the kitchen. I can feel Westin behind me, but I don't turn around to confirm he’s there. Instead, I open the industrial sized refrigerator and start rummaging through the contents for something to eat.
Considering it’s a bakery, my options for real food are limited. But given that there’s not a chance in hell I’m going to invite him upstairs, I’ll have to make do.
“What do you want to eat?” I glance back at him.
