Chapter 24
Matt
I’ve had the week from hell. I didn’t want to call Scarlett due to the circumstances; I wasn’t sure whether I should involve her or not.
I was already on my way back to Washington when I got her voicemail.
I was planning on seeing her tomorrow, but the message left me thinking I should’ve reached out to her sooner.
I need to make things right between us. She was obviously a little mad.
Here I am waiting at her house, straight from the airport.
She starts walking up the pathway. Her hair is blowing away from her face. Her dress looks hot as fuck. Her eyes are glowing. She’s a fucking siren.
She’s also a little pale and shaky.
“What are you doing here, Matt?” she asks with a scowl.
“You sounded mad. Thought I could cheer you up.” I smirk with my hands in my pockets.
“ You are the reason I’m mad! Don’t even think about giving me you’re cute little grin.”
“You like my grin?” I keep it in place.
She stares at me, crosses her arms over her chest, and hunches over.
“I know, I know. I didn’t call. I can explain.” I try to show her I mean no harm by showing her my palms toward my head. “You don’t look too well.” I frown. “You okay?”
“I’m fine. I think you should go.”
“Let me explain.”
“Just—” She turns away but retches as she runs inside the house, leaving the door slightly ajar behind her.
I don’t know if I should go in or not, but her friends left and there’s no one to take care of her.
I also don’t want to leave her feeling mad at me when I can fix it.
After waiting a few minutes, I decide to check on her.
“Miss Scarlett?” I yell into the house. I don’t hear a response. I step inside, lock the door, and make my way through the house to find her.
It’s an inviting place—small and clean. She wasn’t kidding about her cleaning routine.
I don’t see a thing out of place and it smells like lemons.
Last time I was here I didn’t pay attention to the details.
I was occupied with other things. I follow the hallway to the door at the end leading to the bedroom.
I knock on her bedroom door and enter. I still don’t see her, but I hear her throwing up in her bathroom.
“Miss Scarlett, are you alright?”
“Oh no. You’re still here?” She tries to hide her face.
I suppress a chuckle and watch as she tries to avoid another retch. I come closer and pull her hair back, careful to not pull.
“Y’all drank too much, huh?” I ask.
“You shouldn’t be here,” she says between dry heaves. “ Why are you here anyway? I thought you were ghosting me.”
Yep. Definitely should’ve called, but I had shit to handle. I didn’t know what to say without bringing up family drama, and I didn’t know if I should involve Scarlett or not.
“I’ll tell you what happened in the morning. We should talk once you feel better. Being sober would help too. I’m here because I wanted to see you tonight. I just got back.”
“I wanted to see you or at least hear from you days ago. Would’ve been nice to have at least a text.” She lowers her head onto the edge of the toilet. “Fuck, I need a shower. Showers always help,” she mumbles.
“I’ll start it for you.” I walk away, wishing I wasn’t such a moron, and go to start the water. She’s still slumping over the toilet when I get back to help her.
“Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get you undressed.”
“Shhhhh!” she says, holding a finger over her lips. “I’m sleeping.”
I shake my head. Does this happen often?
I guess she’s young. This is “fun” to do in your twenties. I never really partied like this, though. I was focused on making money and not being like my dad.
“Come on. I’m not letting you sleep on the toilet,” I tell her.
A faint snore signals I’m talking to myself. No way she passed out that quick. I start undressing her, but leave her bra and undies on. The dress didn’t cover much anyway. She doesn’t protest as I lift her to standing, stirring her from her sleep.
“Listen here, buddy,” she slurs. “I’m getting over you! Sure, I’ll admit, sex with you was the most amazing thing I’ve experienced, but whatever.” She stumbles. “It’s just sex. No way there’s room for you up here.” She points to her head, poking herself in the eye. “Ow.”
Oh boy .
“That was the most amazing sex?” I smile, teasing her as I lean her against the wall in the shower.
“Like you don’t know how good you are in bed?” She gives me an eye roll to match the snarky attitude. “Sex doesn’t mean anything if you don’t call.” She looks around. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m helping you.” I grab the removable shower head and rinse her off.
“Showers are the best,” she says in a whisper.
The corners of my mouth lift to my eyes. I’m happy she isn’t paying attention to my face. She has me wrapped around her finger. I can’t think of the last time I wanted to make an effort to take care of someone who wasn’t family.
I’ve missed her. I’ve missed those eyes you get lost in, her smell I want to drink, and her limber body. I haven’t stopped thinking about her. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget her.
“Move towards me, sweetheart. Let’s get you to bed.”
She does as she’s told after leaning on me. My white shirt has a wet mark. I grab a towel to dry her off with her still leaning against me.
I guide her to the sink and get her toothbrush ready. I have plans that involve her mouth once she’s sober. We need to get it clean right now. I hand her the toothbrush.
“Oooooh! Karaoke!”
She grabs the toothbrush and begins singing a song I can’t make the lyrics out to; she’s way off-key. I’d say a cat was dying if I didn’t see her singing for myself. Something about her getting over a guy.
What the hell?
“Just brush your teeth.” I help her move the brush in circles.
That song better not be about getting over me. Fuck that.
Once she has brushed her teeth, I throw her over my shoulder.
“You can’t just pick me up. Where have you been? No calls, no texts, and then you just show up here. I don’t care how hot your body is. Or how pretty your face looks. Or how good you smell. It doesn’t matter.” She swishes her hand along my back, smacking me on the forearm.
I plop her down on the bed. She grabs a pillow, and, to my astonishment, begins hitting me with it. She can’t be serious. I grab the pillow out of her hands.
“You really shouldn’t abuse someone taking care of you, you know.”
She laughs and grabs another pillow, then she puts it behind her head. She goes to sleep without a care in the world.
Unbelievable.
I take off my shirt and put it over her, removing her wet undergarments after she’s covered.
Then I pull the blankets over her and turn the lights off.
I grab a big bowl from the kitchen, just in case she doesn’t make it to the toilet.
There’s a chair in the corner I sit down at.
I want to make sure Scarlett will be okay and I need to know the moment she wakes up so I can explain what’s been going on.
I’ve been sleeping in an uncomfortable setting the past five nights, what’s one more?