Page 50 of The Confidant
Because really, just standing close and holding Scarlett’s hand right now was a win.
The elevator stopped and opened up to my parents’ penthouse. I flicked on the lights in the small entryway and we both sat on the bench to take off our shoes. Then I asked, “Do you want any popcorn?” Even though I wasn’t hungry at all.
At least…not hungry for food. I was definitely craving something else, though.
“I’m good,” Scarlett said. “I am a little thirsty after that walk. Could I have a glass of water, please?”
“Sure.” As I led her down the tiled hall toward the kitchen my parents had just had completely redone, I tried not to think about how I’d been thirsty in a different way for about ten months.
Don’t get your hopes up, Hunter.
We each drank a glass full of water in the kitchen. After refilling our glasses, we carried them into the open living area that was attached to the kitchen and dining room.
“When did you say your parents would be back?” Scarlett set her glass on one of the coasters my mom had bought on a recent trip to Spain before taking a seat on the cream-colored couch.
“They usually don’t get back from these charity dinners until after midnight.” I set my glass next to hers and grabbed the TV remote from the drawer in the cocktail table.
“So we have a couple of hours then,” she said.
“Yep.”
To watch a movie. You’re only counting on watching a movie…
I stayed standing while I turned on the TV, trying to figure out in my head how close I should sit to Scarlett on the couch.
She was sitting on the middle cushion, which was where she usually sat when we watched movies at my house in the past. But should I hug the arm rest like she usually did whenever we watchedThe Officeback at school?
Or should I just kind of plop down right next to her?
“You planning to sit?” She looked up at me expectantly.
“Yeah, of course.”I’m just over here overthinking everything because I don’t want to mess this up.
But when she patted the cushion next to her, I made the split-second decision to just sit in the middle of that cushion.
Not too close to the arm rest, not close enough to Scarlett.
“So you saidYou’ve Got Mail?” I asked, hoping to sound nonchalant as I opened the movie-streaming service.
“Unless you were hoping to watch something new.”
“You know I can’t get enough of that banter between Kathleen Kelly and Joe Fox.”
“Me either.” She smiled, and even though we’d already spent an hour and a half together, I still couldn’t get over how beautiful she looked tonight.
Man, I really hoped I didn’t mess anything up.
17
SCARLETT
This is perfect.
Hunter and I were about halfway through one of my all-time favorite movies. At first, we had sat stiffly next to each other during the first ten minutes, but then Hunter put his arm around me and we settled in comfortably on the couch.
It was so nice being close to him like this again. He felt good. Smelled good.
We were walking the tricky line between friendship and possibly going back to something more… and it felt amazing.
