Page 183 of Ewan

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EWAN

Monday evening

Florida

Things were all rightlast night despite the little awkward moment we had yesterday afternoon.

Scarlett did her best to look unaffected, but even if she wasn’t, I was for sure.

I knew I didn’t pick this place for nothing.

I hadn’t just come up with this idea to fly her to my brother’s house.

He hadn’t lived here in a while. This place used to be his vacation home, and he couldn’t part ways with it, not even after the tragedy happened.

He couldn’t rent it out, either.

Too many memories to be tarnished by the presence of some strangers in his house.

He repeatedly told me I could come down here and use it whenever I felt like it, but I didn’t want to do it as well.

I’d spent a couple of Christmases here before with him and his family, so it wasn’t like the walls carried no memories for me.

He renovated it twice. Changed the interior and furniture, and redid the kitchen and the pool.

The interior looks different than before.

Even so, I’ve always booked a hotel room, rented a house, or used our property in Miami when I traveled here.

It felt like a sacrilege to walk into this house.

But somehow, traveling here with Scarlett was the only thing that popped into my head after dropping her off at her place on Saturday morning.

I didn’t have grand plans for Christmas, but I knew I wanted to spend it with her without making it look too formal and raise a bunch of questions.

Seeing the surprise on her face made my day. I hadn’t seen a woman so happy in a while.

I knew she’d like the place. And I also knew I’d face her questions.

The questions came, and I told her what I could. What I thought would not make her run for the hills.

Is it fair to her that I can’t say everything about my life?

Definitely not.

But telling her everything and seeing her flee because she sees no way out would break my heart.

I’m sure that moment will come.

It just won’t happen tonight.

“How do I look?”

Her voice rings behind me.

I shift in my seat and glance at her dress.

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