"One last thing," I say. "I'm taking your new intern out for lunch, and I promise to have her back in an hour. I have this friend from college who I think will be perfect for her, so I'm setting them up on a blind date."
Slater checks his watch. "You know what? There's actually a meeting that Ms. Duke has to take down minutes for—-"
But I'm already walking away, and a moment later I hear Slater curse under his breath.
Wow!
Everyone who knows Slater Stanford knows that the guy could've been the next Pope if not for his highly active sex life. Slater never ever swears, and so for him to drop the F-bomb just because I'm hooking his intern up with another guy?
"Bye, Slate," I call out before quickly pulling the door shut behind me.
I turn around...and nearly bump into Scarlett, who's looking at me rather warily.
"You two sound so close."
It's my first time to see Scarlett acting jealous, and I have to hide another smile as I curl my arm around hers. "Join me for lunch, will you?"
Fifteen minutes later, and we're at the salad bar across Scarlett's workplace, and the younger girl is still looking at me like I'm the Antichrist.
"Stop looking at me like that," I chide her with a laugh. "I'm on your side, I promise."
"I'm not so sure about that," she mutters. "Didn't you tell me before that you had a crush on one of your brother's friends?"
My cheeks turn pink at her words. Now that she's mentioned it, I do remember telling her something to that effect a long time ago, but what I never got around to admitting was who exactly that person was.
"Is it Slater?"
I shake my head. "Nope."
"I have a hard time believing you," Scarlett mumbles.
"And why is that?"
"Because you're usually shy as a mouse with my uncle," Scarlett says accusingly, "but with Slater—-"
"Exactly," I say meaningfully.
Her eyes widen.
"I've known both of them for approximately the same length of time," I say ruefully, "and yet while I'm obviously comfortable around your boss, you typically see me tongue-tied around Nic."
"Oh my God."
I can only sigh. "Oh my God indeed."
"You're in love with my uncle?"
"Ten years and counting."
"Oh my God."
"And now that particularly embarrassing fact has been made clear—-" I look at her pointedly, and the younger girl's shoulders slump.
"You've probably guessed it," Scarlett says gloomily, "but I've fallen in love with Slater."
"Are you sure it's not just a crush?"
"It's love," Scarlett says firmly.
"But you've always said older guys weren't—-" I stop speaking when I see Scarlett wince.
"I can't believe how many people remember me saying that," she says with a grimace.
"It probably has to do with the fact that it's something you loved to say over and over," I point out gently, "every time you and your uncle were butting heads."
Scarlett is staring at me like I've just given her the keys to the universe.
"Oh my God, Zee. I never thought of it that way. I really thought I wasn't into older guys, but it was really just because I was often mad with my uncle for being so controlling...and so I ended up thinking they're all the same."
"Slater can still be quite controlling, though."
Scarlett gives me a mischievous little smile. "Maybe to others, but..."
I can't help laughing at the way the younger's voice trails off. "If your uncle ever hears you talking like that, he'll kill you and Slater. You know that, right?"
"He doesn't know anything about my feelings for Slater." Scarlett looks at me nervously. "And you won't tell him either, won't you?"
"I promise I won't say a word," I say carefully, "but...are you really sure it's not just a crush?"
Scarlett groans. "Is it really so hard to believe that I'm in love with him? I know we don't seem compatible at first glance, but..."
The younger girl takes a deep breath, and after a moment, everything comes pouring out.
She tells me how she's fallen for Slater at first sight, and how she's finding new reasons to love him day after day.
I'm privately appalled when I learn how often Slater chews her out in front of the other employees, but I end up holding my words back when I see the way Scarlett's eyes are actually shining with happiness.
"Most people never bother to tell me off," Scarlett explains, "because they've already judged me as someone shallow and unable to take things seriously. But when I told Slater I really do mean to work hard, he took my words at face value, and he's the only guy who's ever done that."
Scarlett suddenly reaches for my hands, and I look at her, startled. "Scar?"
"I really am in love with him, Zee—-"
I squeeze her hands, telling her honestly, "I believe you."
"And you know, I've really done my best to seduce him—-"
I choke and choke, unable to believe how easy it is for Scarlett to admit such a thing.