“Of course you can, sweetness. I’ll even let you have my bed. Or we can snuggle together like we did when we were little and eat popcorn and watch ridiculous movies.”
“That’d be great.” Stupid wobbly voice. Charlotte pulled out the extra toilet paper she’d snagged earlier and handed it to her. After blowing her nose she took a few deep breaths, thankful her sister wasn’t prying too much into what happened. She deserved to know part of it.
“I think Mom got to him.”
“Damn her. I wish she’d mind her own business. Me flirting with the waiter should have taken all the pressure offyou and Scott.”
“She did admit Scott was better than that, but only a tiny bit.”
“What if I say something to Dad?” Charlotte offered. “I think he actually likes Scott.”
“He does. But Char, I want a guy who’ll stand up and fight for me. Who won’t let what others think or say keep him from what he wants. I guess Scottisn’t the one.”
As Charlotte sat next to her, hugging her, her mind drifted to all their times together. Scott certainly felt like the one. The fact was he didn’t want her badly enough. Or perhaps he simply didn’t want her in any way except the physical, and that would never be enough for her. Not now.
* * * *
“What are you doing here today?”
Heather’s voice was shrill but she had hoped not to see Scott in the building. She’d spent the last few days attempting to convince herself she didn’t have strong feelings for him and she wasn’t heartbroken over his actions at the party. Failure hadbeen imminent.
The silence was more than awkward. Scott’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he took deep breaths and tried to look anywhere but at her.
“I thought I’d check out what was here and why someone doesn’t want us to know what’s in there.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t come here Sunday or yesterday. It’s not like you were following me around any longer.” Sure, remind him of the fact he’d been chasing after her like a puppy thelast few weeks.
“I have a company to run and I’ve been helping Jack with the addition for their house. I could say the same to you.”
“Yeah, well, Charlotte kept me busy Sunday.” Not that she’d tell him her sister had bugged her incessantly about trying to get back together with the gorgeous hunk while she’d cried her eyes out. “And I had a ton of clients that needed my attention and a closing that tookfar too long.”
Looking around the space cluttered with debris, she flicked the switch on her flashlight. “And I had to find a tool that might work to get the lock off. I couldn’t ask Jack because I figured he’d want to know what it was forand tell you.”
“That’s what you brought?” He indicated the small kitchen hammer inher other hand.
Shrugging she said, “I figured you’d have already broken in and I’d just come see what you found.”
“I can handle this,” Scott said and hefted a large cutting tool. “If you have better things to do with your time.”
“I own half this place and have as much right to be here as you. Plus, it was my house they blew up, in case you’d forgotten.”
“No, I haven’t forgotten. Fine, use this flashlight and shine it over here.” He handed her a much larger, industrial-strength flashlight to use.
The muscles in his arms and back flexed as he worked the large cutting tool. She wouldn’t think about how she’d touched those muscles as they held her and...No, mind on business.It took a few minutes and some grunting but the lock snapped. Manipulating it off, Scott then took a crowbar and shoved it under the trap door. As he pushed, Heather moved closer to see what was under the metal panel.
The cover clanged and shook when Scott dropped it open. A dark hole greeted them, and when she flashed her light inside they saw a set of stairs leading down intoa darker space.
“You up for this or do you want me to check it out?” His eyes sparkled with a dare and it was almostlike old times.
“You aren’t leaving me up here while you go and have all the fun.”
“Suit yourself. Ladies first.” He swept his hand still holding the crowbar in front of him, indicatingthe dark hole.
“I’m taking this, though,” she said, indicating the huge flashlight shining in front of her. Damn her bravado and pride. It looked terrifying and someone didn’t want them down there. All she could picture was some scary-ass clown jumping out with an axor a chainsaw.
The stairs creaked as she pressed her feet onto them. Scott’s presence behind her was the only thing helping her keep her shit together. Everything was black as pitch with the exception of where the beam flashed. A long narrow hallway spread out in front of her and she kept putting one foot in front of the other. It ended at a half wall, the space behind even darker than before and only aboutfour feet wide.
“Do you want a chance to lead now?” Her voice quivered and she cleared her throat. The grin on Scott’s face almost made her take back her offer. But she honestly wasn’t sure she wanted to climb over that wall and into the space by herself.
