“What’s the story with you two?”
Olly turned his guarded gaze to hers. “There is no story.”
“There’s always a story.”
Bringing her right knee to her chest, Scarlett wrapped her arms loosely around her leg and rested the sole of her black lace-up boot on the seat’s cushioned edge. When it became clear that the closed-off man wasn’t going to offer more, she kept pushing.
“Oh, come on,” she urged. “You know pretty much everything there is to know about me, so it’s only fair.”
“This ain’t some sort of quid pro quo, Red.”
Red.
He’d used the nickname a few times. It had infuriated her at first. But now…
It’s kind of growing on me.
“Fine. At least tell me how you two met.” Scarlett flashed him her best puppy-dog eyes before adding a beseeching, “Please.”
A long stretch of awkward silence filled the car’s interior. So long, in fact, she was convinced he was going to refuse her request. But just as she was sure the frustrating man planned to leave her hanging, he released a long, heady sigh and turned her way.
“Your sister and I met about two-and-a-half years ago. She was working at this tiny little coffee shop a couple blocks from where I was living at the time. We clicked almost immediately.” One corner of his full, kissable lifted slightly. “Kindred spirits, Rose called us.”
“I take it you two have a lot in common?”
“Unfortunately.” A slight nod dipped his chin. “We were both working shit jobs. Both have had a few run-ins with the law.” His swallow was audible. “We’d both spent our fair share of time on the streets.”
Scarlett’s throat tightened, her brows drawing together as she reached across the center console and placed a gentle hand on his forearm. “That must have been awful. I’m sorry.”
“Not looking for your pity.” He practically jerked his arm free. “I’m just telling you how it was.”
Her stomach knotted with regret. Pity wasn’t what she felt, but she understood why he’d think it was.
“I’m sorry,” she offered sincerely. “I-I didn’t mean to offend you.”
Another deep sigh reached her ears. “You didn’t.” Olly shook his head, his focus returning to that bright red door. “That time in my life is one I’d rather forget, is all.”
“I get it.” She kept her focus on him. “Well, I don’tgetit. But…you know what I mean.”
“Yeah, I know.”
Sensing he was a breath away from closing himself off to her once more, Scarlett kept the conversation going. “So you and Rose became friends after she sold you a few cups of coffee?”
“Actually, we became friends when I got her fired.”
She felt her jaw drop. “You got herfired?” A small chuckle escaped. “How?”
“It was so stupid.” He shook his head and looked back at her. “There was this customer. Real prick, this guy. Total yuppie with his skinny jeans and collared sweater. You know the type.”
“I do.” Scarlett smirked.
“Anyway, this guy was being a total asshat. Talking down to Rose, complaining about every little thing. But your sister…” Olly’s shoulders shook with a huff of a breath. “It was apparent she was fighting the urge to tell the jerk off, but she bit her tongue and re-made his drink. Three times.”
“Seriously?”
“Yep. But even that wasn’t good enough.” Anger seemed to fill his gorgeous eyes as he presumably recalled the moment. “I was standing right behind this guy, watching and thinking surely the third time’s a charm, right?”
“I take it he still wasn’t happy with his order?”