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“We’re supposed to be serious about each other, remember?”
“You know, it’s kind of unfair, really. Every single aspect of my life must change,” she said, voice rising, “while you have zero repercussions for yours. Everything is just business as usual.”
I shrugged. What did she want me to say? I couldn’t deny she was right, but it’s not like she wasn’t getting anything out of it either.
“True.” I drummed my fingers over the steering wheel as I pulled up to a generous three-story brick house. “But you are getting my attorneys out of it, which means your family will escape this lawsuit unscathed. Remember that. Also, there are other advantages.”
“Like?” She placed her hand on the door handle and arched a brow.
“Getting me as arm-candy?” When I winked, she scoffed and started to open the door, so I rushed to add, “Plus some modicum of fame. I mean, it’s exposure for your designs, right? You’ll gain a ton of followers and people will see how amazing you are. Hell, I’ve seen your style posts on Insta, and your feed is every bit as good as people doing this for a living. Dating me is only going to take your popularity on social media to a whole new level, which can only help you with your career. You might even be able to monetize your account during college as a way to make money.”
Scarlett pursed her lips as if contemplating it before she slowly leaned toward me, staring me straight in the eyes, and for one incredulous moment, I thought she might kiss me.
My eyes drifted to her lips while my heart crashed into my ribs. Muscles tense, I waited for it, my stomach tight as a fist.
Then she poked me in the ribs, hard, and said, “I don’t care about fame.”
I let out a shaky laugh and just barely fought the urge to run a hand over my face.
Damn, I was a new level of pathetic.
“Well, you might not care, but one day, if you become a big name in fashion, you’ll have industry fame. At least that’s the end game, right? So maybe you should care a little more.”
She hummed in response. “Goodnight,” she said, stepping out of the car.
The slam of the car door echoed in the night. Somewhere in the distance, a dog barked as she hurried up the walkway to her house.
Reluctant to leave, I waited as she pulled out her keys at the same time the door swung open, and the light from inside illuminated the silhouette of a short and slightly plump figure. If the sound of the voice spilling from her house was any indication, it was Scarlett’s mother. And she was beyond excited.
Her tone rose above the sound of my idling engine. Waving her hands and motioning inside, I could only make out two things: “Thorne Roberts” and “television,” and when she abruptly stopped and gazed out at my car, she let out a high-pitched squeal.
I knew I liked her.
Laughing, I stepped out of the car as her mother made her way out of the house and down the front porch to meet me. Her pink bathrobe flapped in the wind until she wrapped one arm around her waist, securing it. I had no way to know what had gotten her so wound up, but if I had to guess, the news about Scarlett and I went public. Public enough that her parents heard.
Looks like Scarlett was wrong to be worried.
I shot Scarlett a look that said,told ya so.
Scarlett hurried after her mother, hissing at her to stop and calm down, and I flashed her a smug smile when her father suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
I smiled, hand extended in greeting, when her dad’s eyes widened in recognition. “You,” he ground out, then spun around and disappeared inside the house.
I swallowed.
Something told me Dad wasn’t as elated, and when he returned a second later with a baseball bat clutched between his hands, I knew I was right.
He launched himself off the front porch, a Louisville Slugger tight in his grip.
“Oh shit,” I muttered.
Only a few feet away, he pulled the bat back like Babe Ruth, ready to clock a home run with my head.
I took a couple steps backward, hands raised, eyes wide as Scarlett ran to him. “Dad, what in the world?”
“Steven,” her mother joined in. “What has gotten into you?”
“You touch my daughter?” her father yelled, and when he pushed right past Scarlett, she turned to me with wild eyes.
