Page 28 of Rags to Royals

“She doesn’t usually get burgers,” Mariah pipes up. “If she didn’t have a good option, probably just a plain cheeseburger, though.”

I take another bite of my burger and chew angrily.

Ruby watches me for a moment. “Did you eat burgers together?”

I nod.

“And she gotmyfavorite?”

“Apparently.”

Ruby and Henry exchange a look.

I set my burger down. “I know. I’ve heard you both. She was pretending to be Ruby. I don’t really know her. I’ve got it.”

Mariah wipes her mouth with a paper napkin. “I know she was pretending to be Ruby in a lot of ways, but she even ate the same stuff Ruby would eat? That’s weird.”

Ruby shrugs. “Maybe she thought it was her chance to try some new things. You know her. She kind of sticks with her usual routine. It’s comfortable and she knows what she likes. Maybe she thought that weekend was a good time to spread her wings and take some risks.”

She meets my eyes as she says that last sentence.

My stomach is a knot of frustration and confusion. Why couldn’t Scarlett just let me knowher? How much do I reallynot know? And if she was just trying new things, taking some chances, butliking it, then do I perhaps actually know her pretty fucking well?

There’s no way I can avoid thinking about all of the things we did. We didn’t just eat burgers. Though yes, Scarlett seemed to enjoy the barbecue bacon cheeseburger. She did pick off the onions and pickles, but she ate the whole damn thing and licked the sauce off her fingers.

But that wasn’t all she enjoyed. She told me exactly what she wanted. She was enthusiastic, eager, and vocal in bed and I fucking loved it. I didn’t have to wonder what she wanted or how she was feeling.

There’s no fucking way she faked any of her pleasure that weekend.

I watch her sister’s face. Is that what Ruby is trying to tell me? That Scarlett was different with me, but that itwasn’tall fake? That I had given her a chance to try new things in lots of ways?

I let it go for the moment, because the person I need to ask those questions of, the person who needs to give me the answers, is Scarlett.

And she’s going to, by God.

The hiding from me is over.

Chapter 6

Scarlett

Istep through the back kitchen door and pause in the mudroom to kick off my work boots and strip out of my jeans and shirt. I toss them toward the hamper where all of my greasy, dirty work clothes go. Then I pad into the kitchen, barefoot, in only my panties and bra.

“Mariah!”

Greta’s car is here so I know my daughter and her girlfriend are not studying at Greta’s house. Which works out well. I need to know what the hell happened with Leah Lawton today.

I know that Leah is a thorn in Mariah’s side.

I also know that it’s my fault.

“I’m in here, Mom!” I hear Mariah answer from the living room.

“Want to tell me why Hannah Lawton is claiming I owe her sixty dollars for a new shirt for Leah?” I step into the living room. “And do I even want to check my email?”

I freeze two steps into the room.

Mariah and Greta are here, and while I don’t make a habit of parading through the house before heading to the shower, me in my underwear is also not a brand-new sight for them.

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