Page 56 of Worth the Scandal
Justin raises a brow. “Oh, it’s exactly like that. I’m just the only one bold enough to say it out loud.”
We all burst into laughter. Justin Moore is a shameless flirt. He’s funny, charismatic, has a gorgeous complexion and is set to be the next skyrocket this season. Any woman he has his eye on would be lucky as all hell. Just not me.
I haven’t stopped thinking about the night I spent with Asher since I left Asher. Asher is just…Asher and like he has some kind of homing device on me, my phone pings.
Asher: I hope you’re having a great time in the city darling. I just wanted to tell you again I miss you and can’t wait for our first official non agent manager date when you get back xx
I read it smiling like a mouse that got the cheese and drawing attention to myself, everyone on the table has noticed my sudden distraction from whatever entertainment tonight drama they’re chatting about.
“Oh, Scar you’ve got it bad girl,” Jen laughs the first to start off the banter.
“She’s like a lovesick puppy isn’t she,” Shell counters trying to peer over my shoulder.
“I tell you what, he’s a lucky man to have Scarlett Walker smiling like that. I’m almost jealous, nope I am jealous.” Adds Justin raising his glass to a cheers.
“Here here, to Scar being happy and well behaved.” Jen counters with a clink meeting Justin’s mischievous gaze.
“The 8 tequila shots.” says the waiter right on cue carrying a tray with salt and lemon, as if I’m in some perfectly timed sitcom.
“Sorry I ordered them before I knew about the plan here, but now that they’re here they can’t go to waste, right?” Justin smirks grabbing them off the tray and handing out two each to the girls and I, leaving two for himself.
“If I do these shots, will you guys lay off?” pressing a glass to my lips I down the first tequila.
“Fine.” they all agree.
True to their word the direction of the night’s gossip fades away from me and onto Jen’s happenings around town and then to more casual chit chat about Justin’s career moves—got to do a little work at a work dinner. He always opens up more about what he really wants after a few shots, the power of alcohol eh?All in all, night one back in my stomping ground has been a success.
Back at the Hotel—11:47 PM
“You know,” Shell says, face mask half on, “if I didn’t know better, I’d think you were low-key in love with Kingston.”
I pause mid-lotion. “What?”
“Scarlett. You bring him up every ten minutes. He texts you; you light up like the 9:00pm New Years Eve Fireworks. It’s giving… heart eyes.”
“I don’t know what to do with him,” I admit, backing into the bed until my calves hit the side of the mattress, we’ve been having a cute girl’s hangout in the master bedroom. “He makes me feel like everything could be easy—then immediately reminds me why it’s not.”
Shell nods, serious now. “So, what do you want? Business? Or more?”
I chew my lip. The answer to that is easy, but I’ll over complicate it.
“Why can’t it be both? He has been letting me in since the Gala night and I know it’s early days, but I’ve thought about this man for 2 years you know?” The bed clinks under the weight of my body as I throw myself into it dramatically.
Shell lets out a little sigh “Well there’s no harm in seeing where it goes, but just make sure he feels the same way and that you know each other well enough before you go all goo goo and plan some hick town shot gun wedding.” and on that note she leaves me to wander in my thoughts, and drown in a tidal wave of every what if and scenario where Asher and I fuck this all up. And truthfully there’s a few of those to sift through.
I flick off the bedside lamps and lay awake staring at the ceiling. Is this moving too fast? Another question lingers and bounces around in my mind. What did Caleb mean aboutAsher’s past and his secrets? Why did Caleb dislike Asher so much, was it really because he was jealous?
As soon as I’m back in Dawson’s I need to know, I don’t want to start anything on a lie or false pretence.
My phone lights up—a text from Asher
Goodnight darling sweet dreams, I know mine will be
And mine too x.
I really do feel like a lovesick puppy. Is it love? I already know the answer to that question too.
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