Free Wyatt by Michelle Horst Page B

droppin’ down they’ll need to phone someone. I might be angry as hell with you right now but that doesn’t mean I don’t care. Unlike you, I actually do have a heart,” I snap. I don’t wait for her to respond.
    My day gets worse and worse. It’s one of those days where the whole universe is conspiring against me.
    By the time I head out to my car I’m ready to crawl under it instead of drive home.
    Between being called out for dumbass crap and having Scarlett on my mind the rest of the time, my brain feels drained. It really bothers me that she doesn’t want to put Morgan down as her next of kin. Did they have a fight?
    ~*~
    The next day I head over to Aiden’s. I need big brother wisdom. He will be able to tell me what to do. There’s a bike and car I don’t know parked out front. I can’t place where I’ve seen the bike. It looks familiar. A real beauty, all smoky black shades. It must be hell on wheels.
    I knock and when Emma opens, I smile at her. “Hey ya little sista, Aiden home yet?” I ask.
    “Hey,” I give her my trademark bear hug, lifting her off the floor. She loves it. “Yeah, he’s out back. You want me to bring you some coffee?” she asks as I start to head in the direction of the den.
    “I’ll grab some later, thanks,” I call back to her.
    When I get to the den I spot Laurie in Aiden’s arms. I walk over to him and crouch down so I can kiss her forehead. Damn, she’s growing so fast! “Hey, how’s my favorite girl?”
    “She’s doing just fine,” Aiden beams, clearly a proud dad.
    I turn to take a seat and I freeze in my tracks. “You’re here?” I ask and it comes out a little harsher than I meant it too. This is the one place I was hoping not to run into her!
    Scarlett jumps up, looking a little stunned. Okay, maybe more than a little.
    “I didn’t know you would be here,” she says as if she’s apologizing for being here.
    “I didn’t know myself,” I try to explain.
    “I’ll go,” she says real fast and she shoots by me.
    “Scarlett!” It’s only when Morgan calls out to her sister that I notice her. I blink a few times. How did I not recognize Morgan sooner? She’s a kindergarten teacher. I’ve seen her around town so many times, but it never clicked into place. We’ve even spoken a few times.
    Normally my reflexes are way faster than this. I spin around and go after Scarlett but I only catch up with her when she’s already out the front door. Emma looks like she’s gonna cry for us both. I hate seeing that look on Emma’s face.
    When I see Scarlett head for the bike, chills go down my spine.
    “That death trap is yours?” I ask and again I might be doing this all too harshly. I need to revert to nice and easy.
    She swings around and there’s fire in her eyes. “Death trap?” she asks real slowly. She comes at me and stops an inch short of my chest. “Don’t insult my bike, Holden!” she snaps. “I understand you’re hurt and I’m sorry that I’m the one that hurt you!” She takes a trembling breath. “I’m really sorry but I did warn you …” she shakes her head and then goes on, her voice laced with anger and hurt, “in all fairness I did warn you. I told you to go for someone else but you didn’t listen to me.”
    She spins back around and it’s only when she’s getting onto her bike that I dart forward.
    I take the helmet out of her hands and put my hand over the ignition so she can’t start the damn thing.
    “Yes, you did warn me,” I snap back. I need to get this out of my system or it will eat me alive. “But, the way you just left? After the attack and you having the seizure, you didn’t think I might worry?” I ask.
    “I panicked,” she admits. “It happened and I was scared of what would follow.”
    She looks miserable admitting this to me.
    “What do you mean scared of what would follow?” I need her to explain it a bit more so I can be on the same page.
    “It’s nothin’. It happened. I screwed up.