Page 8 of House of Scarlett
“Does he do this often?” The question pops out before I can stop it.
“Sometimes. He likes to walk. Says it helps him clear his head. And since he likes you and you left the club, I thought he’d be here.”
There are so many things I want to say, like,he doesn’t like me and he doesn’t want to be anywhere near me, but this isn’t the time, place, or audience.
Roux bumps against my leg, and I reach down to pet her instead of spilling my guts to my one-night stand’s sidekick.
“Where do you live, Bump? What should I tell the taxi driver?”
He frowns. “You don’t want to help me find Gabe? I thought you would want to help.”
Jesus Christ. How to handle this?“I don’t think he’d be very happy to see me right now,” I say for lack of a better explanation.
Bump studies my face. “You look pretty with no makeup on. Q says I should only look for girls who look pretty without makeup, because otherwise you could go to bed with a ten and wake up with a two. You’re still a ten.”
God, this kid.
I swipe at a lock of wet hair that’s escaped from the towel on my head. “Thank you, Bump.”
“Gabe shouldn’t have gone walking tonight. He should be here with you. Even Jorie would agree.”
“Who’s Jorie?” I ask, mostly just to be polite, but also because I’m still pathetic and desperate to know anything about Gabriel—even though I just promised myself I was putting him out of my head and life. But, unfortunately, the musicalSouth Pacificwas wrong, and you can’t wash a man right out of your hair.
He frowns, running a finger absently along the streak of missing hair on his head. “My sister. She’s dead.”
I jerk back and stare at him. “I’m so sorry for your loss.”
He shakes his head. “It’s been a long time. That’s why we came to New York. She and Gabe were going to get married and have babies, but ...”
When he trails off, I can fill in the rest myself.But they couldn’t because she’s dead.
Jesus. Hell.
Gabriel was in love with Bump’s sister, and thenshe died.
Right there, when I thought it was already broken, my heart cracks again. He lost the woman he loved, and the pain of that revelation socks me hard. For Gabriel first, but then also for me.Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t compete with a dead woman.
“I’m so sorry, Bump,” I tell him again as I reach out to bury my hand in Roux’s rough coat.
“You don’t need to be sorry. That’s only if something happens to Gabe. He’s the closest family I got.”
“He’s a tough guy. I’m sure he can take care of himself.”
Bump shrugs. “People are looking for him. Bad things will happen if they find him.”
The matter-of-fact nature in which he delivers this news rattles me to the core. “What people? What bad things?”
Another shrug, but it’s easy to see whatever he’s got going on in his mind is agitating him. He scratches his bicep under the wrinkled sleeve of his T-shirt. “I should go. Roux and I need to find him.”
“Just ... wait.” I grab my phone and find Zoe’s number. She answers on the second ring.
“Scarlett? Are you okay? Your friends left and they were ... upset.”
“I’m fine. Bump’s here, though, and I think you or Q need to come get him.”
“Bump is where?” She’s rightfully confused.
I explain, trying to keep my tone upbeat, so I don’t make Bump feel awkward. “He’s petting Roux in my living room.”
