This Love

Chapter 16

SCARLETT PARKER

"One vanilla soy latte and a breakfast sandwich," I hold both items out to Emma with a smile on my face.

She narrows her eyes at me. "What's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

Reluctantly, she accepts both items but couldn't be more skeptical. "Why are you so, like...happy?"

I scoff. "Why would I not be happy to go and get my nails done and go shopping with my best friend?"

"Yeah, but you're smiling," she sips her coffee and points at my mouth. Now I can't stop.

"I'm not smiling," I laugh and raise my own cup to my lips to try and hide it. Maybe keeping Harry a secret is going to be harder than I thought, but how the fuck else am I supposed to act after he texted me first thing in the morning to ask if I still wanted to see him tonight? That means I was his first thought when he woke up.

"You're creeping me out," she chuckles as she grabs her purse so we can get going, deciding she'll eat in the car.

Ignoring that, I ask, "Should we do nails or shopping first?"

"I think shopping," she gets into my car the normal way by using the door while I climb over it to sit in the driver's seat. "We can finish with nails and have that be the relaxing end to our day."

"You got it, babe," I start the engine and steer the wheel with one hand to get out of my parking spot.

On our way to Oxford Street, she vents to me about her nannying job, and I listen to every word even though I can't even fathom why anyone would want to work so closely with kids the way she does. Especially those kids. I met them once, and they aren't exactly the "little darlings" you would expect. And I guess that's because the parents are supposedly terrible. That's usually how it goes, isn't it?

"Have you thought about quitting or finding another family to work for?" I ask.

She makes a sound of uncertainty like she doesn't want to put in the effort. "I've thought about it, but this family pays me really well and I just don't really feel like starting over and having to learn a whole new routine."

"That makes sense," I steal a parking space as someone else pulls out. "Didn't you say they're going on vacation this summer, though?"

"They are, yeah," she smiles like she already can't wait. "They're going to pay me five days a week even while they're gone, so it's like I'm getting a paid holiday too."

"Fuck yeah," I laugh as we climb out of the car. "That's the kind of job I need to find–one that'll pay me to do nothing."

"Speaking of which, how is it at Pleasing?"

I tilt my head from side to side, opting to leave out the story of me punching my VIP customer. "It's been fine. Nothing great or terrible to report."

"So then what are you so happy–oh my God!"

I jolt as she whips around to face me. "Jesus, what the fuck?"

"It's Harry! Of course!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" I still act shocked with my hand over my heart.

Lowering her voice back to a normal level, she says, "He called off the engagement with Gabrielle, that is why you're so happy."

"Oh," I laugh like the thought just came to me, "I called that the second they got engaged, remember? I'm not happy for any particular reason, it's just a nice day."