by Meghyn King
“Oh dear. Was I?” She glanced backward, as though she might have accidently missed a speed-limit sign. “I must have completely missed the limit.”
Ethan’s brows rose, and his lips curled in amusement. “Do you think I haven’t heard it all before, Scarlett?”
Well, at least she tried. She sighed. “How much is this going to cost me?”
“Why are you back in town?”
The question threw her for a three-sixty. She frowned. “For Shiloh’s wedding.”
“I didn’t think you’d come.” He flipped his notebook closed.
Scarlett took that as a good sign. “Why? It’s her wedding, Ethan.”
“You don’t visit here very often anymore.”
She hadn’t visited here since she’d left, but she didn’t say that. “I’m a busy woman.”
Ethan had always been gorgeous, with short, dark hair and tanned, olive skin. His masculine face had won him the girls in high school, and Scarlett could imagine how many women were falling for his charms these days. He was nothing in high school compared to now. She could practically smell his masculinity. Then again, that could have been his cologne.
“You live in New York now?”
She didn’t know where the hundred questions came from, but if it got her out of a ticket, she would play along. “Yes. In Manhattan.”
Ethan whistled. “Big shot. I always knew you’d go far.”
“How’d you know that?” She licked her lips, her gaze trailing over the strong curve of his neck that disappeared into the neckline of the dark uniform, which must be hell to wear out in the hot Louisiana sun.
Ethan smiled. “You had big dreams.”
Not really. Her dreams had always been to escape Ponchatoula, she didn’t care where she ended up.
Ethan nodded at the Mustang. “This yours?”
“No, not this baby. Mine’s at home.” She ran a gentle hand over the steering wheel, the pads of her fingertips caressing it like a lover.
Ethan chuckled, but that’s when Scarlett noticed his eyes flick to her breasts. It was a brief glance, but his gaze lingered long enough that she noticed the way they followed the curves of her tits before he glanced away again.
Her eyebrows rose in surprise. So apparently Ethan Antonelli wasn’t immune to her.
High on that knowledge, Scarlett lowered her eyelashes, glanced at him from beneath them. “I like the uniform, Officer.”
The apple in his throat bobbed and he licked his lips, his gaze trailing down her body. Then he nodded. “I’ll let you off this time, Scarlett, but don’t do it again. I mean it. Do you know how many people have died this year alone because of speeding drivers?”
They were simply words, but the way he looked at her in disappointment made shame flood through her. This wasn’t the Ethan she knew. He wasn’t the football player who allowed other guys to tease Scarlett about her crush on him. This wasn’t the popular kid who laughed alongside his sister when she made fun of Scarlett. This man cared.
“You’re right. I’m sorry, Officer.”
Ethan nodded and rose. He patted the Mustang’s roof. “Drive safely. I’ll see you around town.”
Scarlett watched him in the rearview mirror as he strode toward his police cruiser, his pants pulling tight around his ass. Jee-sus, he had a nice ass. All rounded and muscular, the kind of ass she’d like to dig her nails into while he took her for a ride.
She shook her head. No. Ethan Antonelli was off-limits. He’d made her life hell in high school, and no matter how hot he was, she wasn’t falling into that honey trap. She was only here for Shiloh’s wedding, then she was going home again.
Resolve set, she waved at Ethan as he drove past, and headed toward Shiloh’s house.
Shiloh greeted Scarlett with a bone-crushing hug. For such a small woman, she had the strength of a gym bunny, but Scarlett didn't shy away. She gave it back as good as she got. It felt good to be here, back in Shiloh's thin arms, even if she didn't want to be back in Louisiana itself. Her family was the only thing she missed.
Shiloh released her and gestured to Scarlett's body. "Look at you, Scar. You look amazing."
Scarlett had to agree, she did look amazing, but she put effort into looking better than ever now she was back. She wanted people to notice how stunning she looked, even if it hurt them to admit it. She’d bought new, expensive dresses that accented her curves, and went with makeup that cost her an arm and a leg but achieved the flawless look she was going for. She’d also had the works, from waxing, to visiting her hairdresser, to having her nails professionally done. She had something to prove.
Scarlett grinned at her sister as she grabbed the material of her fifties-styled dress between her fingers and spun. "It's a new dress."
Shiloh rolled her eyes. "I haven't seen you in five years, Scarlett. It's not the dress."
The doubt was there, a figment of her imagination. Even if Shiloh was her sister, sisters lied, didn't they? They wanted you to feel good, to believe you looked amazing even if it was a lie. But Scarlett had rid herself of those negative thoughts when she left the town’s line so long ago, so she grinned wider.
"What about you, Miss? I can't believe you’re getting married." Scarlett clasped Shiloh's hands and squeezed. "I haven't even met the lucky man."
A flush rose on Shiloh's pale cheeks and her lips stretched so wide that Scarlett expected the smile to break her face. "You will love Rob, Scar. He's so sweet, so romantic. He took the entire family on a trip to Los Angeles."
Scarlett frowned. "When was this? You never told me."
Shiloh's eyes narrowed. "I did. I tried to call you and you didn't answer. So I sent you a message on Facebook. You completely ignored it. Were you trying to avoid me?"
"What? No!" The lie felt bitter in her mouth. She wouldn't have called it ignoring, but there were certain parts of their conversations she pretended she didn't see or hear. Anything involving Louisiana for one, and any mention of Rob was usually linked with Louisiana. She was surprised that she had listened enough to hear Shiloh tell her she was getting married. Scarlett had no choice when it came to a wedding. Her family put up with a lot of her behavior, but they would completely disown her for missing Shiloh's marriage to Rob.
Shiloh brushed Scarlett's bangs off her forehead in a soothing manner. She'd always done that, since they were kids. "It's okay. You don't have to lie. I understand."
She did, and that's what made Scarlett feel terrible. Her family were always so understanding.
"Does Mom know you're home yet?"
Scarlett grimaced. "She doesn't know I made it hom—to Louisiana yet. No."
Shiloh raised an eyebrow. She’d clearly picked up on Scarlett's faux pas but didn't comment. "Well, I'd get my backside over there if I was you. You don't want a whupping."
"I wanted to see you first. It's my little sister's wedding!"
Shiloh rolled her eyes. "I'm only fifteen minutes younger than you and you're still going on about that?"
"Fifteen minutes still makes me older," she teased. She dragged Shiloh into another hug and sighed. "I missed you, Shy."
"Well, you should come home more often. Oh, I'm sorry, I meant you should come to Louisiana more often."
Scarlett rolled her eyes, and smacked Shiloh on the back as she held her tighter. Shiloh smelled like she always had, a mixture of honey and magnolias. It had a calming effect on Scarlett's racing nerves.
"I missed you too." Shiloh laid a soft kiss on her cheek. "You need to visit me more regularly."
"It's a two-way street, Shy." Scarlett released her and smiled. "You could have easily come to visit me, too."
"Oh no. New York is too big for a small-town girl like me." Shiloh winked, and Scarlett rolled her eyes.
"Don't play the small-town card with me, Shiloh Charlotte. It ain't gonna work."
Shiloh poked her in the ribs. "Careful. Your Southern is coming out."
Scarlett paused. She hadn't realized how quickly her accent slip
ped back in. She'd tried so hard to keep it level, that the moment she relaxed around Shiloh, her façade dropped. She chewed on her bottom lip.
"Oh, stop it." Shiloh sighed. "Stop overthinking things. It was only a small slip." She eyed her suspiciously. "Do you hate Louisiana that much?"
The lie sat heavy on her tongue. All she had to do was tell Shiloh that she didn't, that she was worried about something else, but she didn't have the heart to. Shiloh had once been her closest friend, the one who she'd tell her deepest secrets to. She was the first person Scarlett told about her crush on Ethan, and that thought reminded her of the incident from earlier.
"Did you know Ethan Antonelli is a cop?"
Shiloh's lip curled in confusion. "Yes. Where did that come from?" She gestured for Scarlett to come farther into the house. "Come on. I'll make us coffee."
"I really should be getting to Mom's." Scarlett glanced at the time on her phone. Her mom would kill her if she didn't get there before two.
"Don't be silly. I'll message her and let her know you're here." Shiloh was already on her iPhone, tapping away at the screen. "So, what brought up Ethan?"
Scarlett sighed. She shouldn't have said anything, but her curiosity had gotten the better of her. She followed Shiloh into the kitchen and took a seat at the breakfast bar as her sister flittered around, making them coffee in two brightly colored mugs.
"He pulled me over just as I passed the town line.”
Shiloh threw an amused glance over her shoulder. “What did you do?”
Scarlett rolled her eyes and ran a finger over a scratch in the wood of the bar. “I may have been speeding a little.”
Shiloh threw her head back and laughed. “I bet that cost you a pretty penny.”
“No, he let me off with a warning, actually.” She scrunched up her nose. She’d have preferred a ticket, because she didn’t want to owe Ethan anything.
Shiloh spun toward her, the coffee machine forgotten. She gaped at Scarlett. “He only gave you a warning?”
“Why is that such a surprise? Because he bullied me in high school?” Scarlett rolled her eyes. It probably didn’t hurt that her dress accentuated her breasts, giving him a view from where he’d stood beside the Mustang.
“No, because he’s Ethan freaking Antonelli. He doesn’t give anyone a warning. He fined his sister for driving five miles over the speed limit. Arrested his uncle for drunk and disorderly after a few drinks at the bar. Ethan doesn’t give people warnings.”
Scarlett frowned. “Maybe he did let them off and the rumors were wrong. You know what this town is like. A bunch of gossipers who can never get anything right.”
Shiloh shook her head furiously. “Oh no, Scar, these aren’t rumors. He’s a stickler for following the law. Josh told me himself that Ethan arrested him and threw him in lockup for the night. He was so pissed about it. Ethan’s momma told me how he arrested Sofia. I’m telling you, Ethan doesn’t give anyone a warning.”
“He liked the look of my tits. Maybe he wanted a blowjob as payment.” Scarlett rolled her eyes.
Shiloh cringed as she grabbed the mugs and handed Scarlett the bright pink one. “I wish you wouldn’t speak like that. Don’t you dare in front of Momma.”
“I would never.” Scarlett stared into the mug. The coffee was as dark as her soul, just how she liked it.
“Anyway, maybe Ethan was shocked to see you?” Shiloh sat on the stool beside her and took a long sip of her coffee. She moaned. “God, that’s good. Rob only likes the best coffee. I think that’s why I accepted his proposal.” She laughed at her own joke.
“Well, Ethan was quite shocked, but he recognized me immediately.” Scarlett took her own sip and understood immediately why Shiloh had moaned. It was delicious and drowned her taste buds with pure pleasure. She wouldn’t say it was better than sex, but it was darn close.
Shiloh smirked. “Maybe he has a crush?”
“If he fined his uncle and sister, I doubt a crush would stop him from giving me a ticket.” Scarlett sighed. She didn’t know why she was thinking about him so much. He’d been one of the reasons she hated high school. He wasn’t the main offender when it came to her bullying, but he certainly didn’t stop it either, especially when her secret crush on him was spilled to the entire school. He let it happen, and went so far as to laugh with his friends at Scarlett’s obvious attraction to him. Ugh. She shouldn’t be thinking about him.
“Are you sure you don’t have a crush on him?” Shiloh raised a blonde eyebrow and leaned forward on her elbows, as though she expected Scarlett to divulge her darkest secrets.
“Absolutely not,” Scarlett snapped, a little too quickly. It wasn’t hard to admit that Ethan was as gorgeous as he was in high school. Those sharp cheekbones and sweet lips could make any girl swoon.
“I don’t believe you.” Shiloh rested her chin on her fist and grinned widely. “I remember when you told me about your crush on him.”
“I still don’t know how the rest of the school found out. I kept it to myself until I told you, and I didn’t think I was that obvious.”
Shiloh’s grin disappeared and her hand trembled as she tucked a stray tendril of hair behind her ear. “I’m sorry that happened to you, Scar.”
Scarlett shook her head. That’d only been the breaking point to an extensive list of horrible moments in her school life. But the teasing about her crush on Ethan? That was what led her to her choice to leave for New York. “It’s fine. I’m over it.”
Shiloh stared at her, her light eyes analyzing Scarlett carefully. She must have found what she was looking for because when she finally tore her eyes away, she stared contemplatively into her mug.
“I’m here for your wedding and then I’m going home.” Scarlett shrugged and drained the last of her coffee.
“New York isn’t your home,” Shiloh whispered, twisting her mug in her hands.
“Yes, it is. Louisiana hasn’t been my home in a very long time.” Scarlett rose from her seat and sighed. “I need to go. Mom will have her panties in a wad if I don’t get there soon.”
Shiloh shot up from her seat and grabbed Scarlett’s hand. “I’m sorry, Scar.”
She frowned. “For what?”
“Fo—”
The front door clicked open and closed and the sound of heavy footsteps filled the otherwise quiet house. “Shy, love, are you home?” A man entered the kitchen and paused at the sight of Scarlett and Shiloh.
Scarlett smiled. It wasn’t hard to tell that this was Rob. She’d seen pictures of him on Facebook, and Shiloh’s descriptions over the phone told her that this man couldn’t be anyone else. Rob was handsome, in a classic sort of way. He was tall and wide, with his well-fitted dress shirt and business suit straining over bulging muscles. He had a square jaw and a straight nose, short strawberry-blond hair, and dark russet eyes. He was also clean-shaven, typical of a high-end businessman, and it was obvious in the way he dressed he had money behind him.
“You must be Rob. I’m Scarlett, Shiloh’s big sister.” Scarlett held out her hand.
“Twin sister,” Shiloh grumbled.
Rob shook her hand and grinned. It transformed his entire face from a serious-looking man to the big goof that Shiloh had explained him as. “Pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard so much.”
“Hopefully not all bad things.” She sent Shiloh a narrowed glance.
Rob laughed. “No. From what I’ve heard, Shiloh was the rebel.”
Scarlett smirked. “I could tell you some stories, Rob.”
“Unfortunately, Scarlett has to go and check in with Momma.” Shiloh laid a hand on Scarlett’s back, practically pushing her toward the front door.
Scarlett laughed and waved at him. “Bye. Lovely to meet you. We’ll talk soon.”
Rob chuckled in return, then yelled his goodbye before Shiloh could guide Scarlett outside and toward the yellow Mustang.
“Can we go out for coffee tomorrow?” Shiloh asked as Scarlett rummaged through her handbag to find her
keys. She made a noise of triumph when she found them. She really needed to tidy up her bag.
“Of course. Maybe we could get some brunch?”
Shiloh’s lips curved into a smile. “I’d like that. At the Coffee Corner?”
Scarlett rolled her eyes at the name. She knew that place far too well. “Does that place still stand? I thought Amber would have retired by now.”
“She has,” Shiloh said. “But someone bought it from her.”
“Who?”
“Not sure.” Shiloh said it too quickly, and Scarlett narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
“Fine. At ten?”
When Scarlett unlocked the car and opened the door, Shiloh held it open for her as she dropped into the driver’s seat. “Ten sounds good. Why do you drive these monstrosities?”
“Monstrosity? I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that, or I’d have to cancel our brunch.” Scarlett started the ignition and the beautiful creature she sat in roared to life. She grabbed the door away from Shiloh and closed it with a final wave. Then she reversed out of the driveway and headed toward her mom’s house.
Her mom and dad greeted her with tight hugs and a splatter of kisses. It took an hour for her mom to leave her alone long enough for her to be able to breathe easily. Unfortunately, that’s when she had to inform her mom that she’d be staying in a hotel.
“Please tell me you’re pulling our chain, Scarlett Rose?” Her mom’s gaze flew to Scarlett’s dad’s, pleading at him through her pointed stare. She knew William Prescott had more sway over Scarlett than she did. Scarlett was her daddy’s little girl.
William sighed. “Scarlett—"
“Daddy, don’t. This is what I want. I’m only here for the wedding.”
“Which is all the more reason for you to stay with us. It’ll cost you a fortune at the Ritz. Just last year, Todd raised the prices to a ridiculous amount. It’ll be free to stay in your old room.” Mara Prescott was a force to be reckoned with. When she didn’t get things her way, she fought for it even more. So when she put her hands on her wide hips and glared at Scarlett, Scarlett knew she was in trouble.