Page 94 of House of Scarlett
Now it’s my mouth hanging open. “You slept with Chadwick?”
Her brittle laugh could peel paint. “Only once. You’d only been dating a few months. My husband and I were having a rocky time getting through his affair, so of course I had to get payback. I should’ve chosen better, though. Too bad you didn’t hook up with Gabriel Legend sooner.”
This fucking bitch.Bad Scarlett whips her earrings off and is ready to fight, but I stay composed.
“Get out of my store. I won’t tell you again before I call security to have you escorted out. I saw some paps out there earlier. I’m sure they’d eat it up. I may even give them a quote.”
She looks around the room, decorated with treasures from all over the world. “Like I want any of your secondhand trash, anyway. Come on, Tiffany. This place is so cluttered, it gives me hives.” She struts toward the door with her friend trailing behind like an obedient puppy.
I wait until she’s out of earshot before I whisper, “You hoity-toity fucking bitch.”
Unfortunately, I must not whisper quietly enough, because Tiffany glares at me over her shoulder.
I flip her the bird and sink onto the sofa. Amy finds me a few minutes later with my head cradled in my hands.
“Um ... Scar? Are you okay? Because Lucy Byers just said some really ugly things as she stomped out of the store.”
I lift my head to look at her. “She won’t be making another appointment, and if she tries, refuse.”
“What happened?” Amy asks.
“She just wanted to run her mouth, and I wasn’t in the mood for it.”
Amy’s eyes widen, but she nods anyway. “Okay. No problem. Losing one client is no big deal.”
“She didn’t come to buy, so I’d hardly call her a client. She just wanted dirt on me and Gabriel, and to let me know that my ex-boyfriend cheated on me with her, while we were together.”
“Shedid not.” Amy’s hands ball into fists on her hips as she whips her head toward the door, like she’s contemplating going after Lucy.
“She did, but I don’t even care anymore. She and Tiffany can go buy secondhand trash somewhere else.”
Slowly, Amy turns back to me, but the militant expression on her face tells me plenty about her loyalty. She’d definitely shank Lucy for me. That’s enough to make me push Lucy Byers and her high-class cheating ass out of my head. At least, for now.
“Who do we have left?” I ask.
Amy lowers herself onto the couch beside me. “She was our last appointment of the day, and your schedule is clear for the rest of the afternoon and evening. Is there anything I can do for you?”
“No, I’m fine. I need to go look through my closet and see what I can find for Meryl’s gala on Saturday night.”
Amy’s eyebrows shoot up to her hairline. “Oh crap. You don’t have a dress sorted out already? Do you want me to call that designer back from the other day and see if they have anything that could work on short notice?”
I shake my head. “I think I’m done with people for today, but thanks. I’ll find something, or I’ll call Harlow. She’s always trying to loan me dresses.”
“Okay. Just ... don’t let that bitch get to you. You’re better than that.”
I think about the urge I had to punch Lucy Byers in the face, which was new and different for me. Maybe Gabriel is rubbing off?
I sure hope so.
I’m tired of being the girl who is too polite to stand up for herself. That might not have been fun, but at least I’m proud of how I handled it. I am nobody’s doormat.
“I’ll be fine. Especially once I see Gabriel.” When Amy’s gaze dips, I immediately wonder why she isn’t meeting my eyes. “Is something wrong?”
“I know it’s not my place to say, but ... are you sure taking him to the gala is a good idea? It’s not really his scene, you know.”
I rise from the sofa. “Everyone needs to stop assuming he doesn’t know how to handle himself. Everything will be fine, Ames. Just wait and see.”
Fifty-Eight
