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I narrow my eyes, forgetting I’m meant to be Sarah, and I say, “I’m not out to catch a rich man. And if I was, I’m sure there must be easier ones.”
My words slap me in the face. Did I just say that to his mother?
“You, Scarlett, are a handful for him. So, tell me about this career.”
And it just goes downhill from there.
Most of the time with Faye passes in a nightmarish blur. I keep putting my foot in it. I told her I’m not into fancy restaurants or the latest fashions. I did bring up Fashion Week, but when she pressed me about my favorite runway houses, I panicked.
It was more than obvious I’m not really into all the things Sarah was brought up to be, or at least be good at.
Falling in love with Hudson, that’s easy. Way too easy.
But having to pretend that to his mother when I do? It’s too much, and I failed.
Now what am I going to do?
There’s only one week left before everything just might come crumbling down in that stupid test sprung on us and what that means to Hudson. And what failure means to me and therefore Danny if, well, I can’t pass.
What if in that test they find out I’m not some rich girl? What if that’s how Hudson finds out the truth? Even if I do love him, I may as well not because there is no future for us. There wasn’t before and there certainly won’t be if we pass this thing or fail.
No future, regardless of him knowing the truth or not.
And if I thought I could pull it off and have him get everything he wanted and the payout for Danny, I’d just do it, but after that…I’m not too sure.
I don’t want him to lose those things he wants.
So what the hell do I do?
There’s nothing to do.
Except tell him.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Hudson
Scarlett is waiting for me on my doorstep when I get home that evening.
I stop as I reach her, and she rises to her feet. It’s already dark out, but New York always shines, and between the streetlamp on the curb near my home on its old, tree lined strip and the soft light from my outside light I can see her perfectly.
She takes my breath, she really does. Her dark honey hair is beautiful always, but in this light, it’s spectacular, and the way she defiantly lifts her chin is something I can feel down in my bones.
I unlock my door and the smart lights bloom as I gesture inside.
For a moment, Scarlett hesitates, something darkening the light of her hazel eyes. Maybe it’s the makeup. It’s slight, but she usually wears none. I don’t even know why I notice.
“She liked you,” I say, putting her out of her misery, because I decide that’s what it is.
Scarlett steps inside but doesn’t speak, just closes the door and hugs herself.
“My mother, that is,” I clarify. “She liked you before, but this time she wanted to have a real one on one, and I don’t know what you said or did, but she told me she thinks you’re a perfect match for me. I’ve no idea what that means in all this, if anything, but well done.”
Scarlett moves then, reaching for me and grabbing me and pulling me to her. And then she rises up and kisses me. A shock, like an electric current, runs through me from that contact.
It’s not just the kiss, it’s the fact she does it. The touch of her lips on mine isn’t light. It isn’t overtly sexual. It’s something else I can’t put my finger on, something that tastes a little bittersweet, and then I stop thinking as the kiss changes, morphs into passion.
And I’m there for it. Seems I always am with her. She smells like those flowers and morning dew. Clean, not too sweet, yet somehow evocative and seductive and it slides through me, warming me.
