Chapter Eleven
Scarlett
Lilly is coming to my apartment tonight, and we’re going to have a girls’ night. Normally, we would do a girls’ night with Ashlyn, but she said she has a teething baby, and Carson is working late tonight.
Ashlyn, Lilly, Carson, and I were all in the same class. When Carson and I were younger, we played together some, but as we got older, we got busy with high school extracurriculars and other friendships. Since then, I haven’t spent as much time around Carson. But my friend Ashlyn ended up dating and then marrying Carson when they were just twenty years old. They have two kids now and seem very happy.
A chime catches my attention, and I unlock my phone.
LILLY
I’m standing in front of The Serendipity. Do I just knock on the front door?
I’ve been a terrible friend and haven’t actually hosted anything at my apartment yet, so Lilly doesn’t even know how to get into The Serendipity. I text her back and tell her to wait there—I’ll come get her. I run upstairs and down the hall to the front door. I let Lilly inside, and she walks in with her eyes fixed on the interior of The Serendipity.
“I have never been in here,” she says. “Oh, wow, look at that staircase!” She gestures to the grand staircase that leads all the way up to the fourth floor.
“Please tell me your apartment is up those,” she says with a smile.
I laugh at the awestruck tone in her voice. “Actually, no. I live in the basement.”
She frowns at me. “Please tell me you’re joking.”
“Nope, not even a little.”
“So I don’t even get to go up the beautiful staircase and pretend like I’m someone from the roaring twenties?”
“Actually, it would be more like the thirties.” I look back at the grand staircase with new appreciation. It’s funny how looking at something through new eyes reminds you of the beauty you get to see every day.
“Well, if you’d like the grand tour, I can take you all the way up those stairs and to the roof. There’s a little area up top with a garden space.”
Lilly nods eagerly. “Do you even have to ask? I have been so curious about this building, especially with the way you’ve talked it up. I want to see everything!”
“Well, then, follow me—your favorite tour guide.”
We start up the grand staircase, and she looks at me. “Wait, did you say there are four floors?”
“It’s too late to back out now,” I tell her. “You wanted to see it all, and now I’m going to drag you all the way up to the top floor to see it.”
“I always thought it was just a random building.”
“It’s been apartments for a long time. It used to be a college dorm and then was converted to apartments. The owner sold this year, but the new owner seems to be fine so far. He’s made some things easier on us. He hired a building manager who does a great job, so I’ve got no reason to complain.”
“That’s good. Landlords make or break the deal.”
I don’t know that I agree with her in this case. Normally, I would, but there’s just something about The Serendipity and the way it seems to take care of its residents.
We finally make our way to the fourth floor and then walk up the narrow staircase that leads to the rooftop garden. We walk along the flowerbeds, admiring the work Sophie Stewart has done. Sophie lives on the first floor of The Serendipity and manages the garden space up here.
“Wow!” Lilly says as she looks around. “I can really see why you like this place. It feels like a mix of a throwback and a magical era.”
“I know, right? I knew you would appreciate this the same way I do. I wish I’d had you over sooner.”
She shakes her head. “I know, I wish I had been better at coming over, but I’ve been picking up extra shifts at work.”
Lilly is a freshly graduated nurse practitioner at the hospital in town. Not exactly the time to be taking extra time off.
“Those stinking student loans aren’t going to pay themselves,” she grunts as she sits down on the wooden bench in front of the rose trellis.
“So, tell me about yourself! How have you been? How is work? How’s your brother?”
I watch her with curious eyes. “Well, my brother is in Boston right now, but I’ll be sure to tell him you asked about him.”
Her eyes go wide. “Don’t you dare.”
I smirk at her. I have a feeling that someday, maybe Phoenix and Lilly will connect. I know she’s had a crush on him for a while, but I think he might be oblivious about it. I’m going to have to grab him by the collar and tell him what’s up when he gets home. Tell him that he’d better just date and marry my friend because he’s not going to do any better than her—that’s for dang sure. For some reason, she’s completely oblivious to his many faults.
“What about you and Wade?” she asks as she waggles her eyebrows.
My mouth falls open. “I don’t know that I like your tone.”
“I heard from Carson that Wade has been checking on you. What does that even mean?” Lilly tucks her legs under her and waits for me to spill the tea.
“Wait, why is Carson talking about Wade and me? Why is anyone talking about us? And what are they saying?”
Lilly shakes her head as she reaches out a hand to touch the climbing roses next to her. “Honestly, I don’t know. I guess we’re just curious how you’re all doing and why he’s checking on you.”
I mutter something under my breath—something I probably shouldn’t say out loud. It’s really Phoenix’s fault. He’s the one who instigated this, and now people are wondering what’s going on.
And nothing is going on, because Wade is ruining any of my chances of finding love.
“Because he’s been showing up and ruining my dates. It’s been awful, Lilly. I don’t know what to do.”
She sits up abruptly. “What do you mean he’s been ruining your dates?”
“I mean just what I said. He has literally shown up on my dates. I went to Amor Serendipia. Wade and his roommate just came into the restaurant and sat down with me and my date.”
“What? That’s so strange. Why would he do that?”
“I’m beginning to think my brother knighted him before he left and called him into the service of making my life miserable. ”
She looks at me in confusion.
I explain, “Phoenix told Wade to keep an eye on me. You know, since I was looking forward to actually being able to go on some dates unhindered for the six months Phoenix is gone.”
Lilly nods slowly. “Your brother is next-level when it comes to interfering in your love life.”
“Which is why I would love it if you would just keep him out of this. Wouldn’t that be great?”
She laughs. “Well, maybe you should just date Wade. That would take care of your problem.”
“No. Absolutely not! What kind of water are you drinking there?” I point to the water bottle that’s constantly glued to her side.
“The normal kind. You should try it sometime,” she claps back.
It’s also a fair clap back because I really don’t like to drink water. It doesn’t taste good. I’d rather have a soda.
“You should think about it. Carson, Ashlyn, and I were talking about it the other night when I was at their house. We think you guys would be a really cute couple. I know it might seem weird since you guys grew up together but maybe think about it.”
“He thinks of me as a little sister!” I can feel my cheeks warm up because I can honestly say I don’t think of him as a brother. But I’m not about to admit it to Lilly. “How weird would that be?”
“I see you didn’t deny the possibility, so that must mean that you are attracted to him and that you could possibly see him as something different.” She jumps on my lack of defense. Sometimes I hate that she knows me so well.
Doesn’t matter what I say. She’ll find some way to turn it around .
“You have to have at least thought about it,” Lilly says with a laugh. “That man is gorgeous.”
I shake my head slowly. “I’m not going to pretend with you. I think Wade is one of the best-looking people I’ve ever seen. I also think there’s no way we could ever look at each other in a non-platonic way. Even more so now that he’s stepped into this weird brotherly role in my life. He’s not acting like someone I could date. He’s acting like Phoenix.”
Lilly sighs. “Well, that is unfortunate. Let me think about your problem. Surely we could find someone for you to date he would approve of.”
“This isn’t the 1800s. I don’t need his approval.”
“Then why are you answering to him?”
I shake my head. “I don’t know.”
“Which is exactly what I mean. I think there’s more between the two of you than you even realize.”
I turn very slowly to stare her down. “Lilly?”
“Yes?”
“Drop it.”
She sighs and cracks open the water bottle, taking a long drink. “How was your Swipe Rite date?”
“Married.”
She chokes on her second drink of water. “What?”
“Yup.”
“My dad had a friend who knew him! Said he’d drawn up their new house plans and did good work! He didn’t say a word about his marital status.”
“Given the man’s obsession with architecture, I’m sure he did do a good job. But he’s still very married.”
“Dang. I’m sorry. I feel like I failed you on that one because I told you he’d be worth meeting,” Lilly mutters. “Let me think for a minute.”
She pulls her phone out and starts scrolling.
“Okay, what about this guy?” She flips the phone around. The man is wearing a jacket, jeans, and hiking boots. He has a nice smile on his face, looking right at the camera.
“He’s cute.”
“Perfect. This is my cousin who just moved to town. I’m setting you up.”
I sigh and lean back to rest my head against the back of the bench. “I’m thinking about becoming the next great Miss Bates. But I don’t think Jane Austen would even think my life exciting enough to immortalize in writing.”
Lilly laughs. “Now you’re just being morose. We’ll find you somebody. Or maybe you’ll realize they’re closer than you think.” She winks at me.
It’s frustrating that it sends my thoughts back to Wade. The man I can’t seem to get out of my head.