Page 10 of House of Scarlett
I sigh, accepting he couldn’t be more wrong. “No, Bump. He wouldn’t.”
His head jerks back. “But helikes youlikes you. A lot. More than any girl I’ve ever seen. If you told him whatever he did made you sad, he won’t do it anymore. I don’t like driving over the bridges, so we take the tunnels instead if we can. I don’t like water. It makes me sad. I bet he wouldn’t want to make you sad either.”
I think of the way Gabriel’s voice sounded when he told me he couldn’t have me. It was gut-wrenching. “I don’t think Gabriel and I will be seeing each other again.”
Bump’s eyes go wide. “But why? You don’t like him?”
A lump the size of a Volkswagen rises in my throat. “Right this second, I’m not super happy with him, but no. That’s not why.”
“He probably thinks Jorie would be mad that he found you, but she wouldn’t. She’d like you. You could’ve been mean to me after what I did, but you weren’t. You’re good people, Ms. Scarlett. I hope you see Gabe again. You make him smile when no one else does.”
A horn honks out front.
Bump’s head jerks toward the window, and the dog stands from where she’s been lounging at our feet. “Is that for me and Roux?”
I walk to the pane and see a black SUV out front. “Yeah, that’s for you and Roux. Do you want me to walk down with you?”
He shakes his head. “No, I’m not a kid. I just act like it because I got shot in the head. See you around, Ms. Scarlett. I hope you stop crying soon. It makes me sad.”
Damn, he noticed.I guess shower tears aren’t so stealthy after all.
He offers me a weak smile before giving Roux’s leash a tug, and they disappear out the door the same way they came.
Five
Legend
There aren’tenough miles of street in Manhattan for me to walk off the guilt of what I did tonight, so I walk all the way home to Jersey. Q is dropping Bump off at the service station when I finally show up.
Bump drops Roux’s leash and runs toward me to clobber me with a hug. “Thank God you’re okay, Gabe. I was worried about you. You went walking in the dark and you didn’t take Roux. You always gotta take Roux. She keeps you safe.”
I didn’t know it was possible to feel any worse than I do already, but Bump’s actions and outburst are another kick to the gut.
“I’m sorry, bud. I’m fine. I promise. Nothing got me.”
Bump holds on for a few more beats before finally letting go. When he looks up, tears shine in his eyes, reflecting light from the streetlights hitting his face. “Promise me you won’t do it again.”
Bump takes promises seriously, so I’m wary of giving them to him. He will hold me to them for years, and I’d hate to disappoint him for the rest of my life if something prevented me from keeping it.
“Only if I really, really need to and Roux is busy, okay?”
He shakes his head and swipes at the moisture in his eyes. “Okay. I can handle that. I’m going to bed now. Can Roux come with me?”
“Yeah, bud. She can stay with you tonight.”
He nods and pats Roux’s head. “He’s okay, girl. He won’t leave us too.”
It’s a sucker punch, but I deserve it, and so I stand silent as Bump leads my dog to the door and disappears.
“What the fuck happened tonight?” Q asks as soon as Bump and Roux are gone.
I stare at my best friend. “I fucked up.”
His black eyes rake over my face. “You fucked her.”
When I nod and say nothing, Q pushes for more info.
“So, what happened?”
