6. Scarlett
scarlett
. . .
My workday was over, and I had just sat down to try and figure out what to do for the rest of the night. My sisters were going to karaoke night at the brewery and had invited me, but I’d declined, promising them I’d be up for brunch on Sunday. Again.
It was crappy of me. We were on Coral Watch, making sure she was okay after the breakup, but after a week of going out, my introverted self needed a recharge. Badly.
The doorbell rang, and I chewed on my bottom lip. Anxious excitement prickled at the back of my neck as heat rushed through my body.
I had a feeling it was another delivery. One I wasn’t sure I was excited or nervous about receiving. Something had started to happen, and I had no idea why or how, but gifts had been arriving daily for the last week.
After coming home from our impromptu slumber party at Coral’s house, I’d been shocked to find I’d not only left the door unlocked but had a package at the door. When I’d opened it, I’d smiled. I hadn’t really thought anything of it since I was positive it was Coral or Raven who had ordered the cutest little figurine. It was a pink coffee cup holding hands with a croissant that had a black beret and mustache. It was kitschy but totally me, and it fit perfectly in my office. A piece I would be able to see every single day while I worked because it sat right above my double monitors in my home office.
Then later that day, I got an order for a phone charger. Something I needed but was pretty sure I hadn’t ordered despite having put it on my cart online.
That’s how it started.
Little, simple things I needed but hadn’t had the time to order.
I’d figured maybe I mentioned them to one of my sisters or Onyx even, but I was pretty sure they wouldn’t send me the sweetest throw blanket. Something I had seen on Instagram while I was scrolling late the night before. It was a deep red with big white roses printed over it. The material was so soft and plushy with the cutest ruffled edge. But like magic, the next day, it was on my doorstep wrapped in a mint-green box. Just sitting on the front step, without a note or anything.
It was weird but sweet. Cute even.
And I should have told someone. My sisters or brother. Hell, even my parents, or maybe the police. At the very least ask my sisters if they were behind it.
But I didn’t. I didn’t mention it to a soul.
Don’t get me wrong, I was pretty creeped out that somehow, somewhere, someone was obviously watching me, but I didn’t feel threatened. All the gifts that kept arriving were small sweet little gestures.
The doorbell rang again, and I ran my fingers through my hair before standing up and heading to the front door. I opened it, surprised to see a tall, built gentleman on the other side.
“Hello, can I help you?” I asked. His head tilted, and something lit up behind his dark eyes just before his lips twitched with a hint of a smile.
“Are you Scarlett Trejo?” I nodded. “I have a delivery for you, if you can please sign.” He handed me the clipboard, and when I glanced behind him, my eyes widened.
“Excuse me, I didn’t order––“ I didn’t finish my sentence because the guy had taken the clipboard and was already walking back towards his truck.
An Edilbe Arrangements truck. My favorite.
He walked back and handed me the cutest arrangement. Different fruits were cut up into the shapes of flowers. My brows bunched when I noticed not only was it beautiful, but it was literally all of my favorite fruit and only my favorites.
“Are those roses?” I accidentally asked out loud when my eyes caught sight of the beautifully cut-up strawberry. Almost too adorable to eat. Almost.
“Yes, ma’am,” he confirmed, and I blushed. “Enjoy and don’t forget to hydrate.” He weirdly added as he hurried off to the truck.
I kicked my door shut as I carried the arrangement to my coffee table. I looked at it slightly perplexed, wondering who the hell could have sent it.
That’s when I saw it. A note on top.
I rubbed my shaky hands on top of my legging-covered thighs before I reached for it. Slightly sure and worried that whatever secret admirer I had would end up being one of my siters admitting they’d pranked me and how I should go out and meet someone. Though, if I was honest, there was only one particular someone who called my attention. The same someone who had been making it hard to fall asleep without rubbing myself to sleep to thoughts of him and all the deliciously sinful things he could be capable of.
Scarlett.
Hope you have a sweet day as well as a sweet treat.
Your secret admirer.
Secret admirer.
“Who the hell could be my secret admirer?” I wondered. I didn’t go out enough to meet anyone.
I didn’t even talk to people online or have guy friends. The only men I might slightly talk to were my brother’s friends, but that was mostly to give them my drink order or small talk about the brewery.
“Who could it be?” I said out loud. No one came to mind. I was completely blank. I knew who I would want it to be. Who I’d love to find out was my secret admirer. It was crazy and way out of this world. There was no way.
Even so, my lips twitched, and I relaxed back onto the couch. I let myself daydream for a minute. My eyes fluttered shut as my thoughts drifted to the one and only man who had driven me to the edge of bliss time and time again.
All without ever touching me.
The one man who plagued my dreams and free moments. One I had been thinking about every night since I had bumped into him at the start of the new year.
Suddenly, I sat up straighter and chewed on my bottom lip. I looked around, getting that feeling I hadn’t been able to shake off for the last couple of weeks. That feeling someone was watching me. Closely. I shook my head and dropped the note onto the couch next to me. I was being ridiculous.
I was home, not out and about. It was all in my head.
I should just introduce myself to Austin’s brother. More than likely, the man would open his mouth and say something stupid like every other man ever had. Or he would look at me like a fly he would like to swat away.
“This has to be one of Raven’s stupid jokes,” I muttered to myself, convincing myself she was pranking me.
But prank or not, I was going to have a sweet treat! The delicately cut-up fruit arrangement was my favorite. Something only someone super close to me would know. Maybe it wasn’t Raven but all three of my annoying sisters?
The arrangement cost a pretty penny, and it wasn’t like Raven, as a twenty-one-year-old, would have the money to toss on a joke. But then again, my baby sister’s sense of humor was sometimes a little wonky, so who knew?
Either way, I decided to pour myself a glass of white wine, turn on one of my favorite movies, and snack away the rest of the night.