He shakes his head. “That would have beena lotof water.”
“I had a change of clothes,” I grit through my teeth.
“Ms. Stone, good morning.”
Both of us turn to the door. Apparently our bickering served as our announcement.
“Hi, Sofia.” I smile and step inside. “I’d like you to meet my… er… dad.” I bite my tongue instead of sticking it out at him. He hates to be called anything but Oscar.
“Welcome, Mr. Stone.”
He leans in and kisses Sofia on each check. “You as well, Sofia. Call me Oscar, please.”
She nods. “Both Mr. Moore and Nolan left this morning for a quick trip. They’ll be back in a few days. Mrs. Moore is in the dining room. Can I get you both some breakfast? Coffee? Tea?”
“No we’re—”
“I’ll have a cup of coffee…with caffeine. Thank you, and anything you happen to have to eat would be lovely as well. Scarlet’s fridge is a bit… disappointing.”
I roll my eyes.
“Very well.” Sofia returns a smile and a polite nod.
“Behave.” I point my finger at him.
He shrugs. “What?”
We make our way to the dining room.
“Scarlet! Good morning.” Nellie smiles, wiping her mouth and imparting her orange-red lipstick to her white napkin. “It’s been a few days. Nolie said you were under the weather. I was worried it was AIDS since hearing of Liberace’s death last week.”
My eyes flit to Oscar, and I give him a slight head shake. His last minute decision to job shadow me left no time to explain Nellie’s situation.
“I don’t have AIDS. I was spending time with Theo before he left town.” Since Nolan and Harold left town, I see no reason to lie to Nellie. “I’d like you to meet Oscar Stone, my dad.”
Nellie looks past me like she hadn’t noticed him. She perks up and nearly stumbles, scrambling to her feet. “Oh my… well, welcome, Mr. Stone.”
And there it is, the predictable head-turning that happens in the presence of Oscar. Although, I didn’t expect it from Nellie. She’s blushing and… flirting.
“Oscar. Please. So lovely to meet you, Mrs. Moore. Scarlet has told me wonderful things about you.”
I did?
She giggles. “Call me Nellie, honey.”
Honey?
Oscar leans in, depositing a soft kiss on both of her cheeks, lingering a bit longer than he did with Sofia. Nellie grabs the side of the table to steady herself, causing her teacup to rattle against its saucer.
My name is Scarlet Stone, and I was raised by a womanizer.
I’d say he’s putting on a show because Oscar Stone is a showman—a con artist—a thief. But that’s not what I sense right now. He genuinely is taken with her—bedhead, gaudy lipstick, and all.
I shouldn’t be surprised. He sees past the surface of people just like I do, and Nellie is truly beautiful. But the woman asked about Liberace and AIDS. Oscar used to prefer his woman sane and unmarried, or so I thought.
“Nellie, would you like me to do your hair and makeup this morning?”
She flutters her eyelashes at Oscar while he continues to hold her hand that’s not gripping the table cloth.
