14. Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Thirteen
Steven
“How can you eat at a time like this?” Scarlett whispers, pulling her hand away once our server is out of hearing range.
“A time like what?” The grin on my face widens, just as my stomach takes that moment to growl, sounding like the battle cry from a warrior.
Scarlett’s eyes narrow.
It’s been days since I’ve had a good meal, and tonight is the first time my appetite has fully returned. I plan on taking complete advantage of it, and eating like my life depended on it.
“Have you seen everyone staring at us?”
“I have.” I shrug. “We’ve caused quite the stir.”
“And that doesn’t bother you?” She squeaks, leaning forward.
“Scarlett, I have people watching me all the time. It doesn’t bother me.”
“You know what I’m talking about.” Meeting her glittering green eyes, a reluctant smile pulls at my mouth. “And it’s not funny.”
“It’s a little funny.”
She rolls her eyes, throwing herself back against the seat cushion.
“You were the one who started this; I’m just being a good friend and helping you keep Ryan at bay.”
Huffing out a groan, she lays her head on the table and mumbles, “You don’t have to pretend to like it so much.”
My mouth gapes, startled. Pretend? I wish this were me pretending.
“And what about our families? What are we going to tell them?”
“Scar.” I place my hand on her forearm and squeeze. “We can always tell them the truth. Let them know about Ryan and that you needed help.”
“But what about the—” Her gaze drops to my mouth, and I swallow hard.
My voice deepens. “We don’t have to fill them in on that part. But I should tell you something…”
“Should I be afraid?”
“Maybe?” A huff of laughter escapes. And her eyes pop open.
“You already told Wyatt and Miles, didn’t you?”
Shrugging, she groans, then covers her face. “Oh jeez. I thought that might be the reason behind how they were acting the other night. I hoped I was wrong.”
“Nope.” The side of my mouth curves. “Not wrong. Expect them to tease us mercilessly.”
“I’m never leaving my house again.”
“Look, this works.” When her eyes bug out, I chuckle. “No, listen to me for a second.”
Her eyes narrow as she crosses her arms.
“You need me until you find Ryan his match, right?” She nods slowly. “And you want time with me to figure out what I’m looking for to match me. This is the best, temporary, solution.”
My eyes are drawn to her bottom lip as she pulls it between her teeth, right before she huffs out a heavy sigh. “Except for your brothers.”
“Yeah, well, they’re beyond my control. Sorry.” She worries her bottom lip again, and I reach across the table, taking her hand in mine. “Scarlett, your entire family did the whole fake dating thing. That’s where your love of matchmaking came from. Do you think they’ll be surprised by any of this?”
“Probably not,” she mumbles.
“Probably not. In fact, they might find it ironic.” When she giggles, I squeeze her hand. “It will be fine. Promise.”
“I thought you said no more promises?” Her cheeks pull up.
“No.” Confusion fills her eyes. “I said you weren’t allowed to make any more promises. I can make all I want.”
“That’s not fair.” She gives me a mock scowl.
“Well, sometimes life isn’t fair.” She stares at me, a flicker of emotion running across her eyes, and she squeezes my hand.
“Okay.”
“Okay?’ She nods, her hand still in mine, and we sit there for a moment. Staring at each other. The air between us is thick, and her hazel eyes sparkle. Hope blooms across my chest.
“Excuse me, lovebirds,” our server says as he tries to place the pizza stand in the center of the table. Scarlett pulls her hand away, and I slowly pull my arm back to my side of the table. “So who’s getting the rest of these plates?”
The rest of dinner passed in a glorious blur of shared plates and her not-so-subtle matchmaking questions. By the time we said goodnight, three days of no sleep had finally caught up with me. And I passed out cold, a smile on my face.
Stretching, I throw a hand over my mouth and yawn. The sun is shining through my windows, lighting up the space, and the birds are singing.
It’s a beautiful morning. With golden opportunities. The most important one being to somehow convince the only girl I’ve ever loved that she is my match. The one and only woman for me.
Scooping my phone from the nightstand, the time says seven-thirty. Plenty of time to shower, head down to The Bleacher Bean, and spend some time with my ‘girlfriend’ before heading out to the arena.
Scrubbing my hand briskly up and down my face, I hope that a solid night's sleep and a few full meals will help my gameplay.
Thirty minutes later, I’m jogging down the stairs, humming. Outside, the smell of roasted coffee beans pulls me in the direction of The Bleacher Bean.
Scarlett, Declan, and I think Millie behind the counter are talking.
Declan says something that makes both Scarlett and Millie laugh, and I clench my jaw. Stomping to the entrance, I pull open the door, bells jingling loudly, causing everyone to look in my direction.
My gaze falls on Scarlett and Dec. Scarlett’s face lights up and everything inside me rolls. Dec is wearing a smirk that I’m determined to wipe off, and I know the exact way to do it.
“Good morning, Millie.” I nod toward her before my gaze shifts over to Scarlett.
My strides toward her are purposeful, determined. A spark of uncertainty, followed by excitement, crosses Scarlett’s eyes, and the corner of my mouth rides up.
“Morning, cupcake.” My arm slips around her waist with an ease that seems well practiced as I pull her close.
Her eyes are questioning, but her body moves toward me easily, her hands resting on my chest. My gaze falls to her mouth, only to watch it fall open slightly.
Cupping her cheek, I run a thumb over her mouth before letting my lips follow.
Staking my territory.
When I pull away, I ask, “Did you sleep well?”
Scarlett’s eyes are bright, cheeks flushed, and her breath is choppy.
Behind me, I hear Declan snort, and Millie clap. A satisfied grin covers my face.
“What are you doing?” she whispers through gritted teeth.
Pushing her hair behind her ear and putting my mouth right next to it, I whisper, “Saying good morning to my girlfriend.”
“So the rumors are true. You two are a couple.”
“The rumors are true.” Scarlett skirts around me, clearing her throat, her voice higher than normal.
I can feel Declan’s eyes slowly moving back between the two of us and analyzing the situation. When I pin him with my gaze, a satisfied smile resting on my mouth, he grins that annoying grin before turning back to Millie.
“Thanks Mills, it’s great as always!” He raises his cup in silent salute. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“I’ll be here.”
He nods before turning and heading toward the exit. “Bye, Scarlett.” He throws over his shoulder, just before he says my name like an afterthought. “Steven.”
Watching him walk away, I try to process what I just witnessed. Declan Graham being…kind?
That’s not possible.
“Steven.” Scarlett nudges me, snapping me back to the present. “Millie asked if you want your regular.”
“Oh. Sorry about that. Actually, Millie, could you make it a decaf today?”
“Decaf?” Scarlett rests her hand on my forehead. “Are you feeling okay?”
My mother doing the exact same thing a few days ago has me chuckling. Swiping her hand away, as I did to my mother, I snip, “I’m fine. I just slept really well last night.”
“Oh.”
“Plus I’m wondering if the caffeine was throwing off my game the last few practices. I figured I’d try a day without it.”
Scarlett nods before looking down at her cup, swirling it in her hand.
Millie slides my coffee across the counter, and I reach in my back pocket for my wallet.
“You know your mother would fire me if I made you pay, right?” She laughs nervously.
I shrug sheepishly. “Doesn’t mean I’ll stop trying. Are you ready to go, Scar?”
Her head whips up, and her eyes are wide. “Oh, yeah. I’m ready.”
Reaching my arm over, I take her hand with mine and interlock our fingers. My cheeks pull up when she glares at me, and I lead her to the door.
Scarlett pulls me to a stop as she turns back toward the counter where Millie is wiping it down. “Will I see you later?”
The bells jingle overhead as I open the door.
“Maybe. I’ll see how the day goes.”
“See you tomorrow,” I say, dragging Scarlett out the door.
When she tries to pull her hand away, I hold tight. “Millie can still see us.” When she stops tugging, my lip curls up.
Stopping at Duncan’s Donuts for Dogs, I let go of her hand so she can unlock the door.
“Wanna tell me what that was all about back there?” She snaps over her shoulder, heading to the back room to grab her apron.
“What was what?” Sipping my coffee to keep her from seeing the grin that wants to spread.
When she sticks her head out the door, eyes wide, I snort. “Can’t a fake boyfriend say hello to his fake girlfriend?”
She snorts and disappears behind the wall before yelling. “We need to talk about some guidelines.”
If the guidelines include me not being able to kiss her whenever I want, I may have to pass. But that’s not what I say.
“Your game, your rules.” I hear a refrigerator door open and close, metal banging against metal before Scarlett reappears carrying trays for the display case.
“Did you see how Declan acts around Millie? Do you think he likes her?”
My brows shoot up. “So we’re not talking guidelines right now?”
“Oh, we’ll definitely talk about that, but first I need your opinion on Declan and Millie.”
His words from the other day come back to me about a special person. When I thought he was talking about Scarlett. No. When he intentionally led me to believe he was talking about Scarlett. “How often does he go to The Bleacher Bean when Millie’s working?”