Nichs was still riding high on his good mood when his phone buzzed. It was Richard.


    No one really knew what Richard was up to these days-he hadn''t kept in touch with any of themtely. But that wasn''t unusual. The Warren family was tied up with the government, and sometimes Richard''s whereabouts were so hush-hush he couldn''t tell anyone.


    Feeling extra cheerful, Nichs answered with a grin in his voice.


    "Well, look who finally remembered my number. What''s up, superstar? You calling to drag me out for drinks?"


    Richard sat in his car for a moment, thinking. Then he just asked, "How''s it going with you and Scarlette?"


    Nichs practically beamed through the phone. "Couldn''t be better! She was so sweetst night-kissed me first, brought me water. Stuff I used to dream about, honestly. Colin, I think I want to marry her. I''ve even worked out how I''ll tell my parents, how I''ll tell the Greenard family-whatever it takes, as long as she''s in."


    "She brought you water? So you just slept in all day?"


    Nichs didn''t catch anything weird in the question. He justughed, still rxed. "Yeah, what about it? We were both exhausted. I''ve been workingte for ages, barely sleeping. Anyway, what''s with the sudden phone call? You never call unless it''s serious."


    Richard rubbed his temples, thinking Nichs was the kind of guy who''d help someone count money even if he was the one being sold.


    "Nichs, maybe you should get your IQ checked at the hospital."


    With that, Richard hung up.


    Nichs stared at his phone, frowning, totally baffled by Richard''s out-of-nowherement.


    He set the phone aside and tried to rey everything fromst night, but nothing seemed off. Scarlette had just been extra gentle, that was all.


    Couldn''t she just have made up her mind to be with him for real this time?


    He shook it off and decided to wait for her toe back.


    About an hourter, Scarlette returned, carrying afternoon tea.


    Nichs felt a little awkward-afternoon tea wasn''t exactly his thing-but since she''d brought it, he tried a couple bites anyway, then started trailing after her.


    "When did you leave? How long were you gone? And what''s got you so busytely? Didn''t I say you need to answer every single one of my calls? Scarlette,e on, why are you ignoring me? You were so sweet to mest night!"


    Scarlette scooped up some cake and popped it into his mouth, her eyes crinkling with a smile. "Is it sweet?"


    He went quiet, the sweetness spreading from his tongue all the way to his chest. He couldn''t help it—he pulled her in and kissed her, not wanting to let her go. Sometimes he wondered if he owed Scarlette in a past life or something-how else could he be this crazy about her for so long?


    Scarlette tilted her chin just as her phone rang. It was work-something about a contract with Carrie''spany.


    "I had to run out for work. I need to sign a contract in a bit. Aren''t you going to work today?"


    "Not today. I want to stay with you."


    Scarlette frowned. "No, you can''t."


    When it came to her job, she neverpromised.


    Nichs''s face fell, but the lingering


    S his mouth-and the


    on her neck—helped him


    swallow his frustration frustration  s


    "Alright. You go. I''ll just stay here and wait for you."


    Scarlette finally rxed. She grabbed her contract from her study, but before leaving, she shot him one more warning.


    "Stay home and don''t cause any trouble, okay?"


    But Nichs wasn''t about to just sit around. As soon as she left, he followed, trailing her by car.


    Richard''s words had nted a seed of doubt in his mind.


    He didn''t want to suspect Scarlette, but he wasn''t stupid. After all these years of her keeping her distance. Was it really possible she''d gotten se affectionate overnight?  s


    He watched her car pull up at an office building, where a senior staff member came out to greet her.


    Nichs parked a little ways off and waited, not going any closer. He stayed there for an hour.


    Eventually, Scarlette came out, walking with the samepany staff member as before.<fnb62a> ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? find·novel</fnb62a>


    Nichs finally rxed, the tension draining out of him. He even thought about calling Richard to ask what that weirdment was all about. For a minute there, he''d almost doubted Scarlette for no reason at all.  s