****
Scarlet made it through the day. She didn’t know how. Work, phone calls and files to be organised. Richard came out and tried to talk with her. She blanked him. When the week was over she’d have to come back and work here. She didn’t want anyone to treat her any differently or think she’d gained special treatment.
Opal turned up at lunchtime, and she had her company for the next two hours. The young girl always stayed near her when she visited. She asked her opinion on everything, and even with the situation with Opal’s brother hanging over her head, Scarlet found herself smiling at the young girl’s jokes.
“Hey, aren’t you supposed to be in school?” Richard came out asking his sister.
“It’s Friday. I’ve got half-day today.”
“Well, stop nagging my employees. They don’t want to hear about a school-girl’s day.” He turned to leave after ruffling her hair.
Scarlet stared back at him. “Actually this employee likes listening to Opal. It wasn’t that long ago I was a school-girl myself.”
He froze and turned back to stare at her. She knew she’d said the wrong thing. What was the point of caring? The contract had been signed, and when he picked her up tonight for the next week she’d be his.
“He’s so bossy sometimes.”
“What’s up, petal?” Scarlet watched the girl freeze up and looked behind her. She recognised the man as being one of Richard’s oldest friends.
“I’m fine, Tony. You?”
“I’m still alive and looking forward to another day. Is the grumpy dwarf in?” he asked the young girl.
“Why do you call him a dwarf?” Scarlet found herself asking.
“A long-standing joke. Richard was a late bloomer. Tiny as a mouse through high school. Only during college did he sprout up. Well, who is this delightful woman?” Tony took her hand and kissed her knuckles.
No spark. She felt nothing compared to the way Richard made her feel.
“Don’t go hogging my employees.”
Scarlet watched the two men embrace and leave to go into his office.
“He’s so lovely.” Opal sighed.
“Tony is a lot older than you,” Scarlet said.
“He’s like my school-girl crush. You know how loads of other girls fall in love with movie stars, but eventually grow out of it? Well, Tony is mine.”
“You managed to say all that without taking a breath,” Scarlet said with a laugh.
“What can I say? I’m young and in love.”
Scarlet smiled and enjoyed Opal’s company until her driver picked her up and took her home.
Before long the end of the day came and went. Scarlet didn’t bother to wish Richard a good night. He’d made it clear he would pick her up later that night once Harry was picked up from day-care and she’d talked to him about staying with friends.
Harry was tired and having a coughing fit when she collected him from the day-care centre.
She phoned John Barnes, Harry’s doctor, to make sure her son would be fine.
“Administer the inhaler, and if he doesn’t settle in the next thirty minutes bring him in.”
Scarlet did what the doctor requested and breathed a sigh of relief when after ten minutes Harry settled down. She didn’t see the need to take him to the hospital, and so she talked to him about spending some time with friends. Packing up their belongings for a week didn’t take long, and by the time Richard knocked on her door at seven, she and Harry were waiting.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
She nodded and gathered up Harry and his car seat.
“Don’t worry about the car seat. I’ve got one installed.”
Scarlet stopped and stared at him. Why would he go to so much trouble for a boy he wanted nothing to do with? Shrugging her shoulders she accepted his help into the car.
Harry sat between them. Richard continued to shock her when he reached out and began playing a game with her son.
She watched amazed at the transformation in the man who’d hurt her with a contract.
“Where do your friends live?”
“Just on the outskirts of the city in the country.” She held her son’s hand and waited. The journey didn’t last long, and Lily was opening the door to a beautiful country-style house.
“This must be the little guy? Hiya, I’m Lily. How are you doing, Scarlet? It’s been so long since I’ve seen you.” Scarlet shook the other woman’s hand and followed her inside. “The men will talk for a little bit. Let’s go, and have some tea and biscuits.”
Scarlet liked this woman already. With Harry on her hip she followed Lily through to the kitchen. The house was modest and not anything like Scarlet had imagined Richard’s friends to own.
“So you work for Richard? I mean officially now?” asked Lily.
“Yes. I’ve been his secretary I think for one year now, but before then I just helped whoever needed an extra pair of hands,” Scarlet said. Harry went up on one of the chairs near the counter.
“You’re very talkative.”
Scarlet glanced at her baby and then at the woman. She was doing the right thing.
****
“What did you do?” Wayne asked the moment the door closed.
“I don’t know what you mean?”
“Don’t give me that shit. I’ve seen you looking at that girl in there. All the time you can’t tear your gaze away from her. Why are you suddenly needing a babysitter?”
He could never keep stuff from his closest friends for long.
“She’s agreed to be mine—”
“What did you do?” Wayne asked.
“I went after what I wanted.”
“Do you have any idea who you sound like right now? You sound like your father. You remember him? The guy you despise more than anything in this world?” Every word Wayne said spoke volumes.
“Look, I’m not like you. I can’t do the whole commitment shit. Lily is a great girl, but she’s one in a billion. Scarlet is a woman of this world. She understands.” Since the contract had been signed, all Richard had been doing was doubting himself. The damned thing had only been dealt with a few hours ago, and it was already the bane of his existence. The contract was supposed to initiate a relationship with Scarlet, not dominate the whole thing.
“Lily is the woman for me. Why don’t you think there’s a woman out there for you? Your parents? Come on, Richard. Explain to me why blackmailing a woman into this relationship is any different from what I did to Lily? You opposed that, remember?” Wayne said.