12. Scarlet
TWELVE
SCARLET
“How’s it going, S?” Cara, one of the nurses I work with asks, as I trudge into the break room in search of coffee.
“Another freaking day in paradise,” I mutter, not bothering to look her way. I’m exhausted and overwhelmed and honestly kind of want to cry.
Cara’s like a freaking emotional hawk though—one second of eye contact and bam, you’re the mouse being plucked from the field as she picks apart your entire psyche. It’s as amazing as it is awful.
Amazing when it’s someone else’s life. Awful when it’s yours. And I’d really, really like to avoid her latching onto all of the many things keeping me up at night.
At this point, I’m not sure who’s dominating more of my time—Ellis or my stalker. Something shifted between the two of us over the weekend. Don’t get me wrong, Ellis still gets on my nerves like no other, but he was… softer on Sunday when he went with me to the station. Dare I say, even caring.
My brain’s having a hard time processing the change in dynamic between us. Add in my stalker, and I don’t even know how to feel. Scared, confused, overwhelmed. Fucking all of it. Total emotional overwhelm.
“Hmmm…” she hums softly.
If I didn’t know better, I’d say she sounds disinterested, but I damn well do. She’s trying to bait me into spilling my guts, but I’ll pass. I like all of my secrets exactly where I have them—locked safely away in the recesses of my mind, thank you very much.
“You don’t sound particularly blissful, my friend.”
Because I’m not blissful, I think bitterly. I’m on edge and exhausted. Sleep doesn’t exactly come easy these days. But I’m not about to drop all of that on Cara. She’s a doll, but we’ve never gone that deep.
“Just in need of caffeine,” I mutter, feeling confident in my reply. Wanting a coffee on a Monday morning is totally normal.
“You’re in luck.” She wags her brows. “Check the fridge.”
I stalk over to it and fling the door open. Right there, sitting front and center, is a slim can with my name on it, literally, on a sky-blue sticky note. “You brought me an energy drink?”
“Mmhmm. The newest flavor, too.”
I snatch the can out of the fridge, and sure enough, it’s one I’ve never tried before. “Thank you.” I pop the tab and gulp it down. “You’re a lifesaver.”
“Figured you could use it after the weekend you had.”
I tilt my head, wracking my brain trying to figure out just what she’s referring to. God knows it could be a plethora of things, none of which she should have knowledge of. “What do you mean?”
She leans back against the counter and grins. “You know, after your big night…”
My big night…
“Do you mean… sleeping with Ellis?”
Her spine stiffens as she all but turns to stone. “I’m sorry. Run that by me one more time.”
My cheeks burn like I’m only inches away from a bonfire as the implication of my words sinks in. “Not like that, Cara!” I whisper-shout, wishing like hell the floor would open up and swallow me whole.
“I’m gonna need you to spell it out for me then, babe. Because…”
“Atlas asked him to watch James, too. We had to share the pullout couch. It was no big deal.” The heat in my cheeps amps up as my thoughts wander to what is a big deal, because Ellis-fucking-Wilder is packing.
Like, majorly so. And while a big dick doesn’t make up for his shitty attitude, it certainly has my imagination running all kinds of wild.
“Well…” Cara spins to face me, crossing her arms over her chest while grinning like a madwoman. “That sounds like a load of bullshit.”
“What?” I mimic her pose, minus the smile, because this is no laughing matter. “It’s not.”
“Lie to yourself all you want, babe.” She narrows her eyes. “But don’t lie to me.”
“I’m not lying, Cara.” I’m absolutely lying and I hate it. I wish I could unload on her, ask her opinion, do the whole girl talk thing. But she’d probably run screaming and never talk to me again. She’s a work friend, and I need to remember that.
I glance down at my watch to hide my guilt and note I still have ten minutes left until I can officially clock in. The one time I don’t hit any traffic just had to be today.
“We shared a bed…” And I had the best sleep of my life wrapped in his strong arms and woke up to what felt like a baseball bat pressed against my ass. “…and the next morning, everything was business as usual. The only person making a big deal out of this is you.”
“Hmm…” is all she says in reply.
“I think I have a stalker.” I slap my hands over my mouth, wishing like hell I could take the words back. Cara doesn’t want or need me weighing her down with my shit.
Not to mention, blurting it out to her when I’m hiding it from Nora makes me feel rotten. Ellis swears we’re doing the right thing by not telling them how far it’s gone. He says they have enough on their plate right now, and, while I’m conflicted on it, I think he’s right, too.
“Explain.” She crosses her arms and narrows her eyes at me, doing that freaky Cara thing where she somehow manages to sneak past my walls and see inside my soul. “Immediately.”
“Well. Think isn’t the right word. I definitely have one.” I shrug, trying to play it cool. “Um, you know, some notes, flowers on my windshield, knowing things they shouldn’t.”
“Things like what?” she hisses. “What does that even mean?”
God, I regret opening my big mouth. “They might have watched me at Nora’s while I was there to babysit and they might have threatened to hurt Ellis.”
“Holy. Shit.” She tunnels her fingers into her hair, tugging on the dark strands before redoing her ponytail. “Did Nora’s husband lose his mind? You said he’s overprotective, right?”
“That’s putting it mildly.” I lick my lips. “But, no, he didn’t, because Ellis covered for me and lied to him.”
“This is… a lot to process, babe.”
“Yeah.” I knew I shouldn’t have said anything. For all my preaching about boundaries to my mother, I sure blew right through our work-friend barrier. “Sorry. It’s just…” I shiver as I take another sip of my drink.
“Terrifying? Violating? Creepy as fuck?” Cara asks in rapid-fire succession.
“Yeah.” I nod, my voice a mere whisper. “All of the above.”
“Please tell me you went to the cops?” She sets her can down on the counter, plants her hands on her hips, and lasers her eyes into mine like she’s trying to see directly into my brain. “If not, I’ll take you after work.”
“Ellis took me yesterday.” I’m in for a penny at this point, might as well be in for a pound. And if I’m lucky, she’ll still talk to me.
“Oh, did he now?” Her voice straddles the line between worry and humor—both at my expense.
I roll my lips together and nod.
“Want to elaborate?”
“Not really.” Because what can I even say?
I can’t stop thinking about the most infuriating man in the world.
The man who went from hating me to vowing to protect me in the blink of an eye while still trying to scrape me off his shoe.
The man lying to his best friend for me.
The man who is literally living rent-free in my head these days. Yeah, I think not.
“Are you safe?” she asks, her stare never once wavering from mine. “At home, I mean.”
“Yeah, yes.” Uncertainty pricks at my subconscious, because am I really? “I think so, anyway.”
“Well,” she draws out the word, “my couch is always open.”
I’m half tempted to take her up on it, but Fefe Fluffington aside, I’m sure she’s only offering to be polite. That’s just who Cara is. She’s good people… friendly with everyone in the office and beloved by all. A total darling, through and through.
“I appreciate the offer. I’ll, um, let you know if anything changes.”
She heaves out a heavy sigh. “No. You won’t, S.”
I’m wracking my brain for a reply, because she’s right—I won’t—but her watch chirps, effectively ending our conversation. “Gotta go.” She drains the last of her drink before crunching the can and tossing it in the trash.
She’s frustrated, and I hate it, because I don’t know if she’s upset on my behalf or because of me.
“Okay,” I whisper. “Thanks for my drink.”
“Anytime, babe.” She shoots me a sad smile that makes me feel about two inches tall. “Promise me you’ll be careful, yeah?”
“Promise.” I flex my fingers around the slim can, the aluminum crinkling in my hold.
“I mean it, Scarlet.” Her brows dip inward as she glares at me. “Shit like this can go from zero to sixty in the blink of an eye.”
“Lay off the true crime,” I quip, trying—and failing miserably—to alleviate the tension crackling through the break room.
Her nostrils flare as she exhales sharply. “I-I’ve gotta go.” She turns and stomps out of the break room without another word.
I plop down into a chair and groan, pressing my palms into my eyes.
“Everything okay?” a familiar, but out of place, masculine voice asks.
My head snaps up and I lock eyes with one of the last people I ever expected to see here. “It’s Clint, right?”
He beams. “Yup.”
“Not to be rude, but what are you doing here?”
He rocks back on his heels. “It’s actually my first day.” He hooks his thumb over his shoulder, pointing toward a janitor’s cart behind him.
It’s then I notice he’s wearing the standard issue navy coveralls all of the janitors and maintenance crew wear at Lake Fortune Obstetrics and Gynecology.
“Oh, wow. What a small world.”
“My mom always says the same thing.” The corners of his mouth twitch upwards.
“Mine too.” I laugh. “Well, congrats. I think you’ll like it here.”
“Do you?” he asks, suddenly serious.
“I do. I love it. The hours are good, and the people are even better.”
“Glad to hear it. Any tips?” He’s so adorably nervous, I can’t help but smile.
“Just don’t pilfer any of the labeled items in the fridge or snack cabinet and you’ll be golden.” I bite down on my lower lip. “Learned that lesson the hard way.”
“Duly noted.” He takes a small step backwards. “Well, I better get back to it. Wouldn’t want to make a bad first impression.”
“Definitely not.” I take another sip of my drink. “I look forward to see you around the office, Clint.”
I make a note to introduce him to Cara—you know, once she’s speaking to me again—as he saunters out into the hallway, whistling as he goes. I can’t help but feel like the two of them would really hit it off.
A small part of me wants to fire off a text apologizing for being a snot, but I’m too chickenshit to actually do it. Instead, I scroll through Picstagram.
“No.” I swipe open my text thread with Cara. “I’m not a little bitch. I’m going to own my shit.”
Me: Sorry for brushing you off earlier. I know you were just worried about me. I appreciate it… and you.
There, it’s done.
I wait a minute or two to see if she’s going to reply, but when nothing comes through, I lock my screen and slump back into my chair, wishing like hell I could snap my fingers and start my morning over.
My five-minute alarm sounds, and I stand, tossing my can into the garbage before heading to clock in.
Except two steps down the hall, my feet slide out from under me, and I go flying. I brace for impact, but strong arms wrap around me before my ass ever hits the floor.
“What in the fu—”
“Scarlet!” I turn at the sound of Clint’s voice in my ear—and I mean right in my ear, thanks to the way he’s gripping me around my middle and holding me close. “Are you okay?”
“Peachy,” I growl, as I try to stand on my own, but my feet once again slip out from under me.
I’m being a rotten bitch to everyone around me and I hate it. I really need to get a grip. It’s not Cara or Clint’s fault that my life is one giant clusterfuck right now.
“I’ve got you,” he murmurs, as I finally manage to right myself and push out of his embrace.
“Thanks, Clint. But maybe get a wet floor sign, too?” I grumble, torn between frustration and embarrassment. Now my ankle hurts, and I’m late clocking in. If I waste any more time here with him, I’ll put everyone behind, and the only thing worse than a grumpy doctor is grumpy patients.
Pink blooms across his cheeks as he takes a step back. “Sorry ’bout that.” He tips his head to the right. “I was actually just grabbing it.”
I suck in a big breath before heaving it out, sending the wisps left out of my ponytail flying. “Sorry for snapping. It’s been a weird morning after a weird weekend, and now I’m… holy shit, I’m so late.”
He looks down at his feet and back up at me. “Well, I won’t keep you.”
“Bye, Clint.” I flutter my fingers in the dumbest wave to ever exist. “Have a great first day.”
He grins. “It’s already off to a good start.”
Luckily, my hallway delay doesn’t derail the day. Nope, that honor belongs to Dr. Snider’s Bernedoodle puppy who made a break for it when she opened the door to leave for work.
Upside, Mouse only managed to make it two blocks before Dr. Snider caught up to him and wrangled him back home. People are a lot more understanding about having to wait when an adorable dog is the culprit.
By the end of my shift, I’m barely holding it together. I’m exhausted. I’m hungry. And I’m terrified.
It’s garbage.
The literal only thing I want is to scarf down a Hot Pocket, cuddle up in bed with Fefe for a bit, and sleep.
But if last night’s anything to go by, sleep is going to be hard to find. I got maybe three hours total last night. Every little noise set me off.
Who knows, maybe luck’ll be on my side, and I’ll be too worn out to stay awake cowering under the covers like a little kid hiding from the boogey man.