Chapter Fourteen
Scarlett
WADE
I’m making cookies, and I need a taste tester. They’ll be out of the oven in 10 minutes.
SCARLETT
I’ll put my pants back on and be there in 9.
Wade must have been paying closer attention than I thought at the courthouse today. I thought he was busy flirting with Claire, looking like someone who had stepped out of a men’s fashion magazine.
He’d been wearing those dark-wash jeans, a cargo jacket, that big watch, and a ring on his right middle finger. It was no wonder Claire decided to change her personality and be friendly to him.
He looked good. Uncomfortably good.
Which is why going and eating cookies with him like we’re still kids seems like a great idea.
I take off my sweatpants and put on my jean shorts, grabbing a sweater to ward off any chill in case it’s cold when I bike home.
Wade lives in a small neighborhood, only half a mile away. Easy biking distance.
By the time I reach his house only 8 minutes have passed.
I park my bike in his driveway, run up the steps, and knock on the door. I haven’t actually been in this house, but I obviously biked by out of curiosity.
The door swings open, and Wade is standing there. He’s wearing sweatpants and a dark blue T-shirt with flour dust on it.
I grin when I spot the smudge of flour on his cheek.
“Well, hello there, baker boy.” I reach up and wipe the smear of flour from his cheek. My palm brushes against the scruff there, and I’m painfully aware that I’m touching Wade’s face before he’s even had a chance to invite me inside.
“Hello to you too,” he says in a gravelly voice. “Want to come in and try my cookies?”
“Why does that sound like a dirty joke?” I ask as I step inside and kick off my shoes.
“I could make it one,” he offers helpfully as he closes the front door.
My blushing cheeks feel like they’re on the verge of combusting. I need to get back to safe territory.
“Wow! So this is your evil lair!” I look around the room and notice the navy curtains and light leather couch. A large TV is sitting in a gray entertainment center. There’s a small, black wood stove on a light-colored brick hearth.
“It’s really nice in here, Wade. Did you decorate?” There’s a beautiful, large clock hanging on the wall and a black-and-white photo of some snowy mountain that I don’t recognize.
“If that’s what you call hanging a couple of things on the walls,” he jokes as he leads the way into the cute little kitchen. He has a stand mixer on the small island. There are two cookie sheets covered with balls of cookie dough. There’s a pan of freshly baked cookies sitting on the stovetop, and there’s a timer counting down next to it.
“I think I’ve just found heaven,” I say as I reach for a cookie dough ball.
Wade catches my wrist before I can eat it. “Wait! That has raw egg in it.”
I stare at where his hand easily encircles my wrist. It sends a strange trail of tingling up my arm.
Meeting Wade’s concerned gaze, I wink and bend down to where our hands are linked, popping the bite in my mouth.
“I like to live life on the edge,” I say after I swallow the bite.
Wade’s eyes darken, and he tugs my wrist a little, causing me to tumble against his firm chest.
“It’s been a really long time since I’ve given you a noogie.” He keeps a hold on my wrist and wraps his other arm around my neck, pinning me against him.
Flapping my hands ineffectually against his arms, I shriek at him. “You’re going to mess up my hair!”
“It’s okay; I don’t mind looking at you with wild hair.” He chuckles darkly. His hand runs back and forth on top of my head. He’s careful not to hurt me, but he’s rather proud of himself for being a pain in the butt.
I reach up with my free hand and run it up and down his rib cage.
He flinches and immediately releases me, and now he’s the one trying to get away from me.
I wrap both arms around him, tickling his ribs mercilessly.
“Scarlett, you are evil!” The last word comes out in a squeak.
He jerks back and catches my hands in his. I’m laughing too hard to stand up anymore and sink to the kitchen floor in a fit of giggles .
I can’t even catch a breath. “I love your scream,” I manage to gasp out.
Wade bends down, trying to lift me, but he’s still convulsing with laughter and we both end up on the ground, leaning against the cabinet doors.
“Oh, man.” I swipe at the tears running down my face. “I haven’t laughed like that in a while.”
Wade turns his head to meet my gaze. “Me neither.”
My breath catches as I hold the stare. After my cheeks finally relax, I jerk my head away, embarrassed at the way I was leaning toward him.
We used to roughhouse when we were young. This is nothing new. But the way I’m feeling right now? It’s anything but innocent.
We stand up, and I have to stretch. I haven’t been in a wrestling match in at least a year.
The last time was the gift exchange game and I had to beat up my brother to win. It was very normal. Very serene. Very sibling-ish.
Exactly the opposite of what Wade and I just did.
Wade walks over to the oven, checks on the cookies inside, then pulls them out with a hot pad.
It’s eerily quiet after our raucous laughter. I pull out a barstool with a loud scrape and sink onto it as I search my brain for any brilliant silence breaker.
“So I didn’t even realize you were single again until you showed up at my apartment the other day.” And that was the best topic my brain could come up with.
“Yeah, we decided to go our separate ways,” he says as he shrugs his shoulders.
I want to ask why, but I bite my tongue.
Wade smirks at me as he sets a couple of cookies on a plate in front of me. “You can ask.”
“Ask what?” I try my best to have an innocent tone .
“Why we broke up. I can see it in your face.”
I could pretend like I don’t know what he’s talking about…Or I could just lean into it and get the answers I’m craving.
I take a bite of the cookies, moan over the deliciousness, and then ask him, “Why did you break up?”
“She was a travel nurse. And she really liked her job. I’ve always known I couldn’t do a traveling relationship, so we decided it was best to call it quits before it got serious.”
“Were you brokenhearted?”
Wade shakes his head. “Laurel was really nice, and whoever ends up with her will be a lucky guy. But we weren’t anything spectacular together, you know? Not something worth the pain of distance. There weren’t any strong feelings between us. ”
“You don’t want to be your parents,” I say softly. I know it wasn’t easy on him with them being gone so much for work.
“Precisely.” He picks up a cookie and eats it in two bites.
“I guess we’re both having rotten luck with our dating lives.” I pick up another cookie, holding it up in the air.
Wade meets my cookie with his. “Here’s to better dates in the future.”
“Here, here,” I agree.
“Why aren’t you dating anyone seriously?” Wade has the gall to ask.
“Says the man who’s made it his life’s mission to ruin them?” I raise both eyebrows at him.
“Oh, please. You could date anyone you wanted. But it’s almost like you’re self-sabotaging at this point.”
“Having the last name of Fernsby is a little scary to anyone that’s local,” I remind him.
“Yeah, that’s true. Your parents can be intimidating. And overprotective.”
“That’s definitely true. Honestly, I respect their opinions for the most part. But occasionally, it will be something ridiculous—like my date’s favorite football team. It’s moments like those where I think they would prefer to pick my future spouse for me. Like an old-school arranged marriage.” I roll my eyes at the thought.
“You’re seriously letting them dictate who you’re with?”
I shrug. “When I finally find someone I want bad enough, I’ll tell them to shove their opinions in a sock. But honestly? I haven’t liked any of the men enough to say that to my family. Besides, the last time they didn’t like someone and I kept dating him, he nearly killed me. Maybe if I had listened to my brother, I wouldn’t be nervous about cars.”
Wade goes utterly still. “You think that wreck was your fault? The heck it was. Aaron ran into you . He made a choice out of anger, a choice that has hurt you for years, and I get angry every time I think about it.”
“It’s still affecting my family,” I admit quietly. “They second guess every decision I make.”
“Or maybe they’re just in the habit of treating you like a sixteen-year-old and have forgotten you’re an adult now.” Wade folds his arms across his chest and leans back against the counter.
“That could definitely be it. But, like I said, it’s not like I’ve dated someone I couldn’t live without,” I say with a laugh. Still looking for him, in fact.
“What about Liam the other day?” Wade asks as he sets a couple more cookies on my plate. It’s like he’s feeding me straight happiness.
I laugh at that. “Ironically, I think my family would have really liked him. I liked him. But there just wasn’t that much of a spark.”
Wade smirks. “Kind of important to like the idea of kissing the person you’re dating, don’t you think?”
My gaze immediately falls to his lips as I choke out an agreement. How odd . I can’t stop thinking about kissing Wade Hendrix.
This tension I’ve felt…I’ve tried to explain it away. But now, looking at Wade, I wonder if I’m actually attracted to my brother’s best friend.
Maybe I’m just starved for human touch. Yes, let’s go with that.
I hurry and eat another cookie. I need something, anything to distract me from my wayward thoughts. Poor Wade would be horrified if he knew I was thinking about kissing him.
One last date.
I’m going to try just once more before I resign myself to singlehood for the rest of my life. If this date doesn’t work out, I’m going to get myself a cat. It will be the starter cat of my eventual cat hoarding.
Luckily, The Serendipity allows pets. Several of the residents have dogs, and one man even has a parrot—or maybe a macaw?—though I don’t know if I’d know the difference between the two.
I have tried to date many men, and something has been wrong with each one of them. And like I was telling Wade, sometimes it wasn’t my family’s fault. Like Liam. Or Peyton. They are genuinely nice people, but I just didn’t click with them. I tried to encourage Liam to go out with someone else he met, and when Peyton asked me to go out again…I tried to tell him he should get to know more people in town first.
There was no spark with either of them.
I’m starting to think that maybe I am the problem. Here I’ve been blaming everything on my brother and my overprotective parents, but maybe I’m the issue. So I’m going to try one last time. And then I’m going to quit trying.
What was I thinking—that I could find someone to date and marry in six months? That was a ridiculous goal. It’ll take me sixty years at the rate I’m going.
Even Jack never followed up to schedule that dinner after we talked at the courthouse the other day after he and Wade testified. I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up.
But…I met a nice man at the courthouse this afternoon who invited me to dinner. I said yes. Swipe Rite has not worked for me. Friend connections have not worked for me. Work connections have failed me.
So maybe meeting a random stranger on the courthouse steps will be the answer. We’re meeting at a restaurant that’s a little ways from The Serendipity, and we’re just going to have a nice dinner. No pressure. I’ve been texting Wade every day, and he’s been letting me keep it low maintenance with my single emoji responses.
I glance out the window to make sure it’s not sprinkling before I leave for my date.
My phone chimes.
WADE
This is your daily check-in.
I text Wade a thumbs up emoji. And then, because I’m feeling extra sassy today, I send him the sunglasses emoji as well.
WADE
What has you in such a good mood? You’re overwhelming me with your communication.
SCARLETT
I’m going on a date. Should I wear a dress or shorts and a blouse ?
I text him a picture of me in the dress.
WADE
Long pants and that trench coat you have.
That wasn’t one of the options.
WADE
Do you remember those fluffy footy pajamas you would wear to embarrass Phoenix? Maybe you could wear those.
SCARLETT
Very funny. I don’t think so. You’re not being very helpful. I should’ve texted Lilly.
I quickly text Lilly both outfit options. She tells me to go with the shorts and the blouse. She says it looks casual and cute and not like I’m trying too hard.
I take her advice because she has good fashion sense.
WADE
How are you getting to your date?
SCARLETT
I was planning to fly on my witch’s broom.
WADE
Oh, you decided to dust that off and bring it out of the closet, did you?
SCARLETT
It needed a tune up.
I text Lilly back—at least she gave me trustworthy fashion advice.
SCARLETT
I’m wearing the shorts and blouse. Thanks for your help.
LILLY
Good luck!
My phone chimes again and it’s another text from Wade.
WADE
Why don’t you let me drive you to your date?
SCARLETT
Because I don’t want you to ruin it. This one feels like a more natural date.
WADE
Does this feel like it’s raising any red flags for you? Because I feel like there’s a red flag waving. What do you mean by natural?
SCARLETT
This is not a red-flag date. I don’t think. I’ll call you if I have a problem.
WADE
Just give me the guy’s name.
SCARLETT
No.
I ignore my phone chime and continue getting ready. I want to have a fresh face of makeup. This guy was cute and charming. He didn’t come across as either nervous like Peyton or super outgoing like Liam. Not that those are bad things, but just not what I’m looking for in someone I date. I need someone I can relax around.
This guy seemed, well, rather self-assured. Like I wouldn’t have to either carry the conversation or need five espressos to keep up.
My phone chimes again. I glance at it as I pull on my shoes.
WADE
I’m picking you up. I’ll be in front of The Serendipity in less than a minute.
I finish putting on my shoes before I text him back.
SCARLETT
I already left. You might as well go home.
I set my phone on the counter.
WADE
I’m pretty sure you’re lying.
I grab my purse and my helmet off the rack by the front door. I take the side exit out of my apartment, up into the little park. My bike is leaning against the wall. Sometimes I lock it in the basement storage area if it’s going to rain. That way I don’t have to climb on a wet bike first thing.
It’s supposed to lightly mist tonight, so I brought the bike inside while I got ready. And how fortuitous, because now, if Wade happens to be waiting in front of the building he won’t see me leave.
So I unlock the door, swing it open?—
And step outside into a chest.
I gasp as I look up and stare into the disapproving face of Wade Hendrix.