Scarlett Crawford, a widowed mother with a young daughter depending on her, struggling to keep her life and emotions in check, but with the help of her best friend and her big brother she does what she can. But will a chance encounter with an attrac...
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Scarlett
I sat looking at the photo of Andy and Quinn, both asleep on our old couch when she was just two months old, tears streaming down my face.
What was I doing? I'm not this person. I don't sleep with men on the first date, hell, I don't even date. I shouldn't be behaving like this, I'm married, I'm a mother, I needed to be thinking about Quinn. How could I be so careless, bringing Noah home. And in mine and Andy's bed. Oh god.
My mind was racing, tears were falling, and my chest felt like it was being crushed, unable to get enough air into my lungs.
~ ~ ~
Noah
I emerged from Scarlett's bathroom, fully prepared to be cheeky seeing as I was still naked and had forgotten to grab my underwear, but when I looked over and saw that she was sitting on the end of the bed crying and possibly having a panic attack, I was completely thrown.
I rushed over to Scarlett and knelt in front of her, one hand on her knee, the other groping around the floor for my underwear. I found them, hurriedly yanking them on and sat beside Scarlett on the end of the bed. I reached an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into my chest where she sobbed but let me hold her. It was then that I saw she was holding a small picture frame. With my free hand I took the frame from Scarlett and saw a photo of a sleeping man, I could only assume was her husband, with a baby sleeping on his chest. It was a beautiful photo, a lovely family moment really.
And it suddenly dawned on me. It was, indeed, a lovely family moment. One that Scarlett, Quinn and Andy were never going to have again. A lump formed in my throat as Scarlett continued to sob against my bare chest. I put the frame aside and stood carefully, making my way to the head of the bed and pulled the covers back. I moved back to Scarlett and picked her up so that her legs were over one arm and my other was wrapped around her back, while her arms wrapped around my neck for support. I placed her in the bed, bringing the covers up to her chin.
"Is there anything I can do? Do you need anything?" I knelt down beside the bed, so I could see her face, hoping she would be alright soon. She shook her head and sniffled. I looked around the room and saw a box of tissues on the dresser, I grabbed the box. "I'll make you a cuppa."
I picked up my jeans as I went back out to the kitchen, a single tear rolling down my cheek.
~ ~ ~
Scarlett
I must have fallen asleep. I was in my bed in my dressing gown. How had that happened? Then I saw the photo back up on the dresser and remembered I'd had a breakdown. Oh no, Noah! He must have thought I was a mess with too much baggage and left, because I looked around the floor and couldn't see any clothes. Hang on, not even mine.
As I rolled over, I saw my clothes folded neatly on the end of the bed and Noah sitting in the chair in the corner of my room reading a book.
"Hey," I mumbled, "You didn't have to stay. I would have understood, trust me." I felt like an idiot. A guilt ridden, embarrassed idiot.
