by Meghyn King
“Hi,” Sofia said again.
Scarlett forced a smile onto her face. She could do this. She could be strong. “Hi, Sofia.” She raised her eyes to one of her tormenters. Sofia had always been the worst, the one who threw words in her face that cut Scarlett like a jagged knife.
Sofia glanced from Scarlett to Ethan, then back to Scarlett. “I didn’t know you were back in town.”
“Why would I tell you?” It came out harsher than she meant it to.
She felt Ethan’s eyes on her, but she ignored them. This was the reminder she needed that Ethan was an Antonelli. He was Sofia’s brother, and another tormenter. It didn’t matter that he never said anything, he’d still laughed at his sister’s cruel remarks.
“I….” Sofia glanced at her brother again. “I thought you might come home for Shiloh’s wedding.” She slipped into the other side of the booth. “I have something to say to you.”
Scarlett raised an eyebrow. Confident, she reminded herself. That’s what she was. “Well, it’s a pity I don’t want to hear it, then, huh?” She turned to Ethan. “Move please, Officer.”
Ethan’s apple bobbed in his throat and he stared at her pleadingly. “Scarlett, please listen to Sofia.”
She laughed. “I’d rather not. I don’t have the time or care for it. Now, move.”
He frowned at her but slid out of the booth. She nodded at him and strode toward the door of the café, willing every ounce of confidence she had into her walk. She wasn’t sure if she succeeded, because she was a mess on the inside.
She strode toward the alley at the side of the building, her breathing sharper than normal. She thought she looked relatively unaffected, certainly not freaking out like she was on the inside, or so she hoped. She’d been ready for a meeting with Sofia, but this had been too soon, and she certainly hadn’t prepared herself for it.
The sound of gravel crunching beneath boots caught her attention, and she glanced up to see who’d entered the alley: Ethan. He hesitated at the entrance.
She gestured for him to come closer and sent him a forced smile.
“I’m sorry if she startled you.”
“She didn’t,” Scarlett lied.
“Okay.” Ethan shoved his hands into the pockets of his trousers as he walked closer to her, only stopping when he was bordering on invading her personal space. She could smell his cologne—a classy mix of spicy, sweet, and floral accents—and it was delicious against the natural musk of his skin.
He laid a hand on her shoulder, his touch soft and comforting.
Her eyes flicked to his handsome face. She remembered when she was a teen, she’d been so smitten. She would cut photos of him out of the newspaper, then stick them in one of her notebooks beside a picture of herself and draw a heart around them. Now she wasn’t far off from being smitten again, but this time he was different. He was somber, less cocky, and she liked this version of him. And she certainly wasn’t going to draw a heart around their pictures—just the thought made her grimace.
She was wearing another sleeveless dress today, which meant she got to feel his rough palm. His hand was heavy on her shoulder, the warmth vibrating against her bare skin. It felt good, and the butterflies started in her stomach again, a never-ending flutter of wings that gave her goose bumps.
“The Strawberry Festival is in a week,” he said.
She liked the change in topic. “I know. I don’t know why Shiloh decided to have a wedding a couple of days after the festival. It’s stupid.”
“I heard she’s bought a strawberry wedding cake.” Ethan sniggered.
Scarlett’s eyes widened. “No! She didn’t… did she?” She hadn’t had time to talk about Shiloh’s wedding plans yet.
“That’s what Rob said.”
“I’m going to kill her.” She groaned, dropping her face into her hands. “A strawberry cake? People will be tired of strawberries after that darn festival.”
“I reckon they’ll be craving it more.” He still hadn’t moved his hand, and Scarlett found that she didn’t want him to.
“I doubt that.” Scarlett pivoted on her heel and leaned against the wall, facing Ethan. She frowned at him. “Why didn’t you give me a ticket?”
He didn’t hesitate this time. He took a step closer until his mouth was a hairsbreadth away from hers. She felt his puff of hot breath against her skin, eliciting even more goose bumps. “Did you want me to?”
“No, but that doesn’t answer my question.” She tilted her head and stared at his lips. They were nice lips. She’d bet her life savings that they were soft and would feel good against her own.
He shifted closer, then paused, waiting for her to meet him halfway, but now it was Scarlett who was hesitating. She had no plans to stick around, and she doubted Ethan had any to leave. And all of this didn’t change who he was to her past self. He had still laughed back then, and no matter how gorgeous he was, how interested they both were, it didn’t change that. But she also wanted him like she’d never wanted anyone before, so much so that her whole body craved him, despite the short amount of time she had been back. She needed it; she needed him
“I don’t do relationships,” she finally said, startling him enough for him to pull back slightly.
“What do you mean?” He seemed surprised, furrowed eyebrows and a frown gracing his handsome face.
“I screw men, but I don’t date them. If you want to fuck, I’m up for it, but don’t expect anything more.” As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt almost free—like she was back to the Scarlett she knew from New York. This was who she was now. She had one-night stands and didn’t shy away from telling her future bed partners how it was. Ethan was no exception. He might have been hot, but he wasn’t her Mr. Right. He couldn’t be.
She didn’t know what she expected, but it certainly wasn’t for him to press his lips against hers. She was right, of course—his lips were soft, and fitted against hers as though they were two matching pieces in a jigsaw puzzle.
Scarlett entwined her arms around his neck and dragged him closer. Their mouths worked against each other’s, and she reveled in how the coffee tasted lying on his tongue. Between the warmth of his body and the sweetness of his kiss, she felt her toes curl and a knot of simmering lust build in her stomach.
He grabbed her hips, tugging her closer, and they ate at each other’s mouths hungrily until Scarlett needed air.
“Jesus.” He pressed his forehead against her own, breathing heavily.
“Nope, I’m Scarlett,” she said with a wicked grin.
“Your mouth is sinful. I’ve wanted to do that since I saw you yesterday.”
His words surprised her, and she cocked her head at him. “Maybe we could meet up later?”
The radio handset attached to his shoulder buzzed, a female voice filtering through. “Ethan, come in. Are you there?”
He sighed and released his hold on her. He reached for the radio, unclipping it and pressing a button. “I’m here.”
“Mrs. Knocker called again. Her chickens escaped.” The woman on the other end sounded amused. “She’s claiming Mr. Ruperts let them out again. If I was you, I’d get over there lickety-split.”
Ethan puffed out a breath of air, his eyes closing for a moment before he answered. “I’ll head that way now.”
“I reckon she’s madder than a hen with its head cut off.”
“I said I’m heading there now, Lisa.”
“Rightio.” The radio cut out.
Ethan glanced from the handset in his hand to Scarlett, his eyes narrowed in thought. Then he reattached it to his shoulder. “I have to go.”
Scarlett wrapped her arms around herself tighter, disappointment heavy in her stomach. “Will I see you tonight?”
He smiled apologetically at her. “I promised Sofia I’d pop around for dinner.”
“Oh.” She straightened up and fixed her dress, even though there was nothing to fix. It looked immaculate.
“You should talk to her, Scarlett.
She’s sorry for what she did.”
Scarlett held up her hand. “I’m not talking to you about this.”
Ethan opened his mouth, as though he wanted to say something else, but sighed instead. He nodded and pointed to the street with his thumb. “I gotta go. We’ll talk later?”
“Maybe.” Scarlett shrugged indifferently but knew deep down she wanted to see him again. Badly. His taste still lingered on her tongue, and no matter how disappointed she was at his rejection, she still craved him. He felt amazing against her.
“I’d really like to see you again.” The stare he gave her sent a shiver up her spine.
“Me too.”
He nodded and with a final glance, left the alley. It was only when he disappeared that she felt like she could breathe again. She fell back against the wall and inhaled sharply. His scent lingered, and she couldn’t get enough of it. The only thing that distracted her from her fantasies was the phone buzzing in her handbag.
She dug it out and sighed when she saw her mom’s name. “Yes, Momma?”
“What are you doing tonight, darling?”
Scarlett was screwed, and not in a good way. She knew it already.
Scarlett shouldn’t have been surprised by anything her mother did. She knew that. Yet when she walked into her parents’ house, clothed in a beautiful sequined dress that glittered under the soft lights of the hallway, she was surprised to find Lois Harper standing beside her mother in the dining room, wineglass already in hand.
A young man hovered next to the older ladies, looking anything but impressed to be there. His face was unfamiliar, but it wasn’t hard to guess that he was Lois’s son. He had the same high cheekbones, lightly freckled cheeks, and sharp, angular jawline. His hair was a darker shade of brown than Lois’s, but their light turquoise eyes were identical.
“Scarlett, there you are.” Her mother’s heels clicked on the polished tiles as she hurried toward Scarlett. She cupped Scarlett’s elbow and led her farther down the hallway toward Lois and her son. “You remember Lois, my good friend. This is her son, Jeremy.”
Scarlett smiled politely. “Of course I do, Momma. Hello again, Lois.”
Lois clapped her hands together and eyed Scarlett up and down. “Look at you, Scarlett. You’ve grown into a beautiful young woman. I remember when you were still in high school.”
“That was the last time I was here,” she replied, trying to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. Her mother’s friend was a kind lady, but she was the biggest gossip in Ponchatoula. Unless she wanted everyone to know her business, it was best not to say much to Lois Harper.
Her mother sent her a warning look but kept the wide smile on her face. “Anyone would think she was avoiding her own family, Lois,” she laughed.
Lois slapped her hand over her mouth and giggled.
It was all Scarlett could do not to cringe at how fake it was.
“Do you remember my son, Scarlett? This is Jeremy.” Lois pushed him forward, as though offering a sacrifice.
She knew that feeling well. Quite often, she was the sacrifice that her own mom offered up.
Jeremy didn’t look pleased to be there, but he flashed her a cute smile anyway. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Scarlett snorted. “Probably not as much as I’ve heard about you.”
His smile grew bigger and dimples dipped into his cheeks. “Want to make a bet on that?” He was adorable and certainly had a boyish charm about him, but he wasn’t Scarlett’s type. She knew her mother well, though, and if she refused to play her games, she’d never hear the end of it.
“Lois, maybe we should head to the dining room?” Her mother shot her a wink and guided Lois out of the room.
Scarlett huffed. “Can they be any more obvious?”
“Apparently not.” He carded his fingers through his auburn strands and sighed. “I’m sorry about my mother. She’s been trying to set me up with women since I was seventeen.”
“That’s the story of my life. According to my mother, I need a good old-fashioned Southern man.” She deepened her Southern drawl to make a point.
Jeremy threw his head back and laughed. “Are you the well-mannered Southern girl I’m searching for?”
Her eyebrows rose in surprise. “That what your mother’s after for you?”
He nodded with a snort.
“Oh, honey, I’m the furthest from a well-mannered Southern girl she can find. I can give her some names if she wants.”
Jeremy groaned into his hand. “Please don’t.”
She grinned. “Why, I heard Mrs. Fuller is searching for a prize stallion—I mean, a Southern gentleman, for her daughter.”
He paled. “I reckon you shouldn’t mention that to my mother.”
“I’m not that cruel. No one wants to be the unlucky man who has to marry Janine.”
Janine wasn’t a bad person, per se, but she wasn’t one that men lined up to marry either. And it wasn’t because of her looks. She was a beautiful woman, but had the personality of a bullhorn to contradict that beauty. When she entered a room, she wanted everyone to know about it, and she kept that attention by talking as though everyone were ninety-year-olds with hearing loss. Between Janine and her mother, the men of Ponchatoula were hiding in the shadows to avoid them.
“We should head into the dining room before they start spying on us.”
Jeremy rolled his eyes with a grin and held out his arm, gesturing for Scarlett to go first. She smiled at him and made her way into the dining room. As she expected, neither woman could pretend they weren’t spying, because they were too close to the entrance, and as soon as they saw Scarlett, an awkward conversation bloomed between them, as though they were pretending they’d been talking the entire time.
Scarlett rolled her eyes and glanced at Jeremy, who’d entered the room and was standing at her side. “What did I tell you? Spying.”
“We were absolutely not spying, Scarlett Rose.” Her mother huffed at her and waved her hand toward the table. “Lois, Jeremy, please take a seat. Scarlett and I will serve dinner.”
Scarlett knew an order when she heard one. She sent Jeremy a look of exasperation that made him laugh and followed her mother toward the kitchen.
“We weren’t spying,” her mother whispered furiously as she headed toward the oven.
It took all her willpower not to roll her eyes again. “Momma, we’re not stupid.” She snatched the oven mitts of the bench and pulled out the fried chicken from the oven, where it had been staying warm. “You need to stop this.”
“Stop what? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I’m not interested in a relationship with a Southern man.”
“But you are interested in a relationship?”
Scarlett closed her eyes, willing herself the strength to deal with this, as she slammed the dish on the stovetop. “Momma, stop it. What do you want to hear? The truth?” She spun toward her mom, hands on hips. “Fine. I like dick. A lot. But I like it when it’s not attached to emotions. I like one-night stands.”
Her mother’s eyes widened, and her face flushed a deep red, almost the same color as her hair. “Scarlett Rose!”
She shrugged. She had nothing to be ashamed of, and while she had kept most of the truth from her mother, it was no use hiding it from her anymore. Not when she kept trying to matchmake her. “I’m only here for three weeks, Mom. It doesn’t matter who you set me up with, I’m not interested. I’m going home—to New York.”
“Scarlett—”
“Stop, Momma, you promised me you wouldn’t do this. You promised Dad you wouldn’t.”
Her mother had the decency to look ashamed, glancing at her feet. “You’re right. I’m sorry, darling.” She cupped Scarlett’s cheek and petted it with her thumb. “I’m just worried about you.”
“I know you are, but I’m an adult. You need to start treating me like one.”
“That’s such a hard thing to do.” Tears flooded her mother’s eyes. “When you’re
a mother, your children are your life. You only want the best for them. I’ve only ever wanted you to find a gentleman who’d treat you right.”
“Well, I don’t need a man to make me happy, I can do that just fine on my own.” Scarlett kissed her mom’s cheek gently. “I love you, Momma.”
“I love you too, darling.”
“Now come on, let’s go entertain Lois and her poor son.”
Her mother giggled, and they got to work on the dinner, dishing out a serving of Southern fried chicken and vegetables onto each plate.
Back in the dining room, Scarlett settled one in front of Jeremy and winked. “Dinner is served.”
Her mother placed Lois’s down and they both sat.
“So, Scarlett, I heard you have a fancy job in New York.” Lois leered at her. “Surely, there’s no better job than being a mother and wife.”
“Mom.” Jeremy sent her a warning glare.
Scarlett laughed. Lois wasn’t the first woman to tell her that, and she wouldn’t be the last. Older Southern women were stern about their old-fashioned ways, and her mother was no different, so she wouldn’t have expected Lois to be either, especially as Lois was the mother of three men. Her eldest two were married, with stay-at-home wives and children, so she didn’t expect any less from her.
“Being a mother and wife is a beautiful job, Lois, but it was never the goal in my life. I’m a financial planner in one of the top finance companies in America. I get paid handsomely, and I have plenty of opportunities for promotion. I’m very proud of what I do.”
Lois didn’t seem to like that answer. She stared at Scarlett through narrowed eyes, but didn’t reply, instead choosing to pick up her utensils and start eating.
Scarlett and Jeremy shared a look, his apologetic more than anything, but she just smiled at him. It wasn’t his fault.
Lois and Mara talked between themselves, gossiping about the latest relationships, and news regarding people they barely knew. It was all Scarlett could do not to roll her eyes. Instead, she excused herself so she could use the bathroom.
