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Chapter Forty-two
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2024-12-01 12:22:14
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Side Hustle Chapter Forty-three
WestonI put my arm around Scarlet, smiling as we watch Jackson tear into his Christmas presents. The three of us are wearing matching pajamas, which was Scarlet’s idea. Not mine. She said she bought them as a joke, but was rather insistent on all of us wearing them and taking a picture together last night on Christmas Eve.No sooner than Scarlet gets comfortable against me, she jumps up.“Salsa, get out of the tree.” She grabs the black kitten and brings him to the couch with her. He stays for half a second and jumps down, pouncing on the pile of discarded wrapping paper.Midnight, the mother cat to all the kittens, curiously walks over, batting a plastic bow across the living room. We were only going to take the kitten, but the mama cat really likes me for some reason. She’s a bit annoying, really, and rubs her head all over me purring almost every night when I go to sleep.Scarlet laughs, watching the cats have almost as much fun as Jackson with the presents. I take her in my arms
Last Updated : 2024-12-01Side Hustle Epilgue
ScarletSeven months later…“Thank you so much,” Quinn says, pushing her messy hair out of her face and taking Emma from my arms. “With Archer’s parents up in Michigan visiting Bobby and my own consumed with construction on the hospital, I’m dying.”“It’s no big deal.” I look down at Jackson. “We had fun. Emma was perfect.”Quinn raises an eyebrow in disbelief. Now that she’s over a year and is walking, Emma is a handful. And poor Quinn has been puking nonstop pretty much since the day she conceived her second child. She said she went through the same thing with Emma, making me question her sanity on getting pregnant again.“Is Archer going to be home soon?”“Yeah, thankfully.” We move into Quinn’s house, which is far from neat and tidy like it usually is. I hope when I’m finally pregnant I don’t get hit with morning sickness like this.Right after Wes proposed we started trying in a sense. I knew it would take a miracle to knock me up, but I was hopeful. We had a small but beautiful
Last Updated : 2024-12-01Side Hustle Chapter One
ScarletFor as long as I can remember, there’s been an emptiness inside of me. The more I try to ignore it, the deeper it sets into my bones, seeping down, deep down, until it becomes part of me. It’s easy to blame the emptiness on my shitty upbringing. Having to give up my dreams of a future to take care of my brother and sister. Growing up with an addict for a mother and being the one who found her cold, stiff body after an overdose.But I felt it before then, and sometimes I wonder if the emptiness isn’t empty at all. Maybe it’s darkness, and it’s always been a part of me. And when you have darkness inside of you, you have two choices: hate yourself for it or embrace it.I chose the latter.The bathroom door closes with a heavy thud, and I step up to the mirror, pulling out cherry red lipstick from my purse. I carefully apply it, fluff my hair, and stare at my reflection, avoiding the tiny bit of judgment my moral compass is giving me. That thing’s been broken for years anyway.I c
Last Updated : 2024-12-01Side Hustle Chapter Two
Weston“Dad, catch!”I make a wild dive, over-exaggerating everything to humor my son. He throws the football, which only makes it a few feet before hitting the ground. I slide on the grass, making Jackson laugh.“I won! I won!” Jackson chants, jumping up and down.“Ouch!” Owen shouts from the patio. “Did you break something, old man?”With a dramatic roll on the grass that makes Jackson laugh even more, I grab the football, pop up, and throw it at my younger brother. He’s holding a beer in one hand and lazily reaches out with the other to catch it and misses. Luckily our sister, Quinn, is standing next to him and catches it before it crashes into the house.“Seriously, guys?” She laughs and tosses the ball to Jackson. Shaking her head, she goes back to her fiancé, who’s holding their sleeping baby. Emma looks so small in Archer’s arms, reminding me of when Jackson was that little.They really grow up so fast.“Try to catch me!” Jackson shouts and takes off through the yard. I don’t k
Last Updated : 2024-12-01Side Hustle Chapter Three
ScarletI pinch the bridge of my nose, gripping my phone so tight in my other hand I think it might break. I sink down on a creaky kitchen chair, looking at the bills laid out on the table. I’m behind on everything, like usual, and I don’t have enough to cover the bare minimum this time.Trying to get Heather the best outcome possible, I skipped the public defender and hired a lawyer, who was able to cut her sentence in half. But the lawyer fees weren’t cheap, and I’ve been without TV or internet all month, making me go over on my data plan, but hey—that bill’s not due until next month. The next to go will be my electric and water, though not by choice.And now I’m dealing with insurance, who randomly decided to stop covering several of Dad’s medications that he’s been taking for the last three years. I’ve been on the phone for over an hour, mostly on hold, of course. I rest my head in my hands, zoning out as I continue to listen to crappy elevator music through the speakers on my pho
Last Updated : 2024-12-01Side Hustle Chapter Four
WestonScarlet stands on the front porch, vivid blue eyes wide. Her blonde hair falls in waves around her face, and I can’t help but notice how beautiful she is. Everything about her is soft and delicate, but there’s a hardness to her I immediately recognize. Blinking, I sweep my hand up and over my hair, pushing it out of my face.I don’t know what I expected—Mrs. Doubtfire perhaps?—but I certainly didn’t expect a blonde bombshell. Though really, Owen got the final say in who Quinn interviewed after she narrowed it down to her top five choices. Still…this woman before me belongs on the pages of a magazine, not living in someone else’s house looking after strangers’ children.She freezes, looking around as if she has no idea what the fuck is going on, and then recovers fast. She blinks, puts on a smile, and comes up the porch steps. Scarlet is the definition of a hot nanny, even in that stupid fuzzy sweater. Perky round tits bounce underneath it as she walks, and it doesn’t look like
Last Updated : 2024-12-01Side Hustle Chapter Five
ScarletA cop.I’m a con artist posing as a nanny for a fucking cop. What the hell did I get myself into? I can feel the blood leave my face at a dizzying rate. Stay calm. Freaking out won’t do me any good now. I need to hold it the fuck together.I squeeze my eyes shut. How did I get things so wrong? I wasn’t paying attention, but how did I miss this? Surely that Quinn chick mentioned she was hiring me for her brother.Her apparently-single brother who just happens to be irritatingly sexy with that whole dark and brooding thing going on. I can tell he doesn’t want me here, that he’s reluctant to accept help, and I’m trying really hard not to find that attractive.“Have you always been a nanny?” he asks after a beat of awkward silence passes between us. Sweat rolls down between my breasts.“No,” I say with a shake of my head. “I was a waitress for a while.” I swallow hard, carefully calculating my next move. It’s not too late to back out and find a family that has money to blow. I cou
Last Updated : 2024-12-01Side Hustle Chapter Six
WestonI sit back at my desk and pull out my phone, logging onto the security company’s app and checking the cameras inside the house again. For the fifth time. This hour. It’s not that I don’t trust Scarlet, it’s just…I don’t trust Scarlet.She’s well aware of all the security measures I have in place at our house, and I haven’t given her the codes just yet. The only place she’s going today is the backyard with Jackson, and there’s no need to arm the house just to be outside.The cameras aren’t at all nanny-cams and show the front, back, and side door, as well as one looking down the steps with a view of the foyer. I can just barely see Scarlet and Jackson in the backyard. She’s chasing him around with her arms outstretched, dragging one leg as she stumbles through the grass.I can’t help but smile, knowing exactly what she’s doing. Jackson is currently obsessed with zombies and loves to be chased by them.“Who are you sexting?” Officer John Wilson asks me as he passes by my desk on
Last Updated : 2024-12-01
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Side Hustle Epilgue
ScarletSeven months later…“Thank you so much,” Quinn says, pushing her messy hair out of her face and taking Emma from my arms. “With Archer’s parents up in Michigan visiting Bobby and my own consumed with construction on the hospital, I’m dying.”“It’s no big deal.” I look down at Jackson. “We had fun. Emma was perfect.”Quinn raises an eyebrow in disbelief. Now that she’s over a year and is walking, Emma is a handful. And poor Quinn has been puking nonstop pretty much since the day she conceived her second child. She said she went through the same thing with Emma, making me question her sanity on getting pregnant again.“Is Archer going to be home soon?”“Yeah, thankfully.” We move into Quinn’s house, which is far from neat and tidy like it usually is. I hope when I’m finally pregnant I don’t get hit with morning sickness like this.Right after Wes proposed we started trying in a sense. I knew it would take a miracle to knock me up, but I was hopeful. We had a small but beautiful
Side Hustle Chapter Forty-three
WestonI put my arm around Scarlet, smiling as we watch Jackson tear into his Christmas presents. The three of us are wearing matching pajamas, which was Scarlet’s idea. Not mine. She said she bought them as a joke, but was rather insistent on all of us wearing them and taking a picture together last night on Christmas Eve.No sooner than Scarlet gets comfortable against me, she jumps up.“Salsa, get out of the tree.” She grabs the black kitten and brings him to the couch with her. He stays for half a second and jumps down, pouncing on the pile of discarded wrapping paper.Midnight, the mother cat to all the kittens, curiously walks over, batting a plastic bow across the living room. We were only going to take the kitten, but the mama cat really likes me for some reason. She’s a bit annoying, really, and rubs her head all over me purring almost every night when I go to sleep.Scarlet laughs, watching the cats have almost as much fun as Jackson with the presents. I take her in my arms
Side Hustle Chapter Forty-two
Scarlet“I think Salsa is a good name.” I give Jackson an encouraging nod.“It is cute,” Quinn agrees.“Do you think Daddy will let Salsa come home with us?” Jackson picks up the kitten and kisses her head. Wes got a little nervous around the time he was supposed to go into work. Instead of having Jackson come back here, I went over to Quinn’s. Jackson and I are staying the night here, and Wes is coming by in the morning.Even though Daisy was arrested and released with potential charges, we have no idea if she knows I’m back. And once she finds out her plans to sabotage the race, drive me out of town, and get Wes back didn’t work, she’ll be pissed. She might do something crazy.Though if she’s smart, she’ll be on her perfect behavior so she can try to convince a judge that she’s worthy of any sort of visitation rights with Jackson, which seem unlikely considering she basically tried to kidnap him.Still, I’m worried. Worried she’ll hurt Jackson and worried she’ll ruin Weston’s career
Side Hustle Chapter Forty-one
Weston“Hey, buddy!” I step past the dogs, holding the bag of takeout a little higher to keep Rufus from sniffing at it.“Daddy!” Jackson comes running. “We have to be quiet,” he says loudly. “Emma just fell asleep.”“Okay,” I whisper back, shuffling into the kitchen. Archer got called in for surgery, so Quinn and the kids came over to our parents, just to be safe.“Hey, Jackson.” Scarlet takes her coat off, smiling down at him.“Are you still sick?” he asks her, taking her hand. Both Scarlet and I pause for a moment until I remember telling Jackson Scarlet wasn’t feeling well and that’s why she wasn’t home.“She’s better now,” I tell him. “Are you hungry?”Mom is sitting at the island counter, which is covered in blueprints. “You didn’t have to bring fast food.” She raises her eyebrows. “I could have cooked.”“I thought Jackson would like a Happy Meal,” I say, and Jackson gets excited. “I got one for Quinn too.”Mom laughs. “She’ll like that I’m sure.”I hand the bag of food to Scar
Side Hustle Chapter Forty
WestonI reach over and take Scarlet’s hand. We’re headed back to Eastwood, and though I should probably be a dozen other things, I’m happy. Scarlet is coming home with me.“Why did you start conning people?” I ask, giving her hand a squeeze.“I realized I could,” she confesses. “It wasn’t like a dream I had when I was a little girl to grow up and be a con artist.”“What did you want to be when you grew up?”She shakes her head. “I don’t know. For a while there, I wanted to work at a zoo, but then things changed and I realized I didn’t have options. Especially after I dropped out of high school to take care of Heather and Jason.”“You did go back, right?”“Right. My dad showed up again and was able to look after them. Luckily, because our mom died shortly after.” She looks out the window, and it hits me how different our childhoods were. “I’ve always worked. I had to. Hell, someone had to, and it sure wasn’t Mom. I busted my ass for my family, and when I realized I could get more mone
Side Hustle Chapter Thirty-nine
ScarletI sit up, eyes waking up before my mind. I’m uncomfortable with stiff legs and an aching back, and for a split second, I think I fell asleep sitting up on the couch. Then I blink and realize my eyes are still sore and swollen from crying.Yes, crying.The room is dark, and I sit up, stretching my arms over my head. I didn’t mean to fall asleep in the stiff armchair next to my father’s bed at the nursing home. After leaving Weston’s house, I walked into town, took Eastwood’s only taxi to Newport, and was able to get an Uber to drive me up to Chicago.I didn’t know where else to go other than the nursing home. Dad was having a bad day and just sat in his chair not really paying attention to anything. So, for the first time in my entire life, I spilled my guts. Said everything I ever wanted to say. Confessed the bad things I’ve done as well as admit just how deep my love for Weston goes.And Dad just sat there, staring blankly in my general direction. A little empathy would have
Side Hustle Chapter Thirty-eight
WestonI can’t move. Not yet, not while my mind is going a million miles an hour. Scarlet wouldn’t steal them. She’s not a bad person. She’s not a con artist or a thief. She’s Scarlet, a quirky girl from Chicago who likes paranormal romance, drinking tea, and looking at the stars.She’s the woman I love.But the boxes…I shake my head and move through the small foyer, going to the other side of the house. The boxes came from the basement, and maybe she put them back. I run down the stairs, getting hit with cool, musty air, and pull the string light at the bottom of the stairs. The basement is cold and damp most of the time, typical of older houses in this area. We use it for storage, and the washer and dryer are down here too. I go around the stairs to the storage section and see the boxes neatly put away. I pull one out and open it. Everything is inside.And now I’m feeling bad for even doubting her. I put my head in my hands and let out a breath. What the hell am I doing?“Daddy?” Ja
Side Hustle Chapter Thirty-seven
Weston“What about this one?” I ask Jackson, picking up a pink teapot with little purple flowers painted along the base.Jackson shakes his head. “Scarlet isn’t really a girly girl, Dad.”“Good point. It’s too pink for her. Too bad I didn’t think of this around Halloween.” I push the cart forward, browsing the shelves of a home decor store. We needed to go grocery shopping, and Scarlet said she wasn’t feeling well. Telling her to stay home and rest, Jackson and I set out.Something is off with her, and I’m sure it has to do with Daisy showing back up. I don’t want Scarlet to think that old feelings came back the moment I saw my wife. It did the opposite, and if there was any good that came out of this, it’s knowing that I can look at Daisy and feel absolutely nothing.Scarlet is the only one I want.“That one!” Jackson leans out of the cart and narrowly avoids knocking a glass candle holder off the shelf. “It has a skull on it.”Smiling, I carefully move things out of the way and find
Side Hustle Chapter Thirty-six
Scarlet“What’s all this?” I ask, looking at the papers and boxes cluttering the living room. We just got back to Weston’s house. In the daylight, things never seen as scary as they do in the dark. And the more I think about the universe wanting me to meet Weston, the better I feel about this whole situation.“Family heirlooms. Jackson, don’t touch them,” he adds quickly.“Why are they out?” I take off my coat and move to the couch, curiously picking up an old book.“You-know-who wore her mother’s wedding dress at our wedding.” He looks uncomfortable talking about it. “She wanted it back and I wasn’t sure what box it was in.”“Oh. This stuff is cool.”“You like Civil War history?” he asks, looking a little amused.“If I’m being honest, I don’t know much about it. But I love antiques. Wait, all this stuff is from the Civil War?”“Some of it is. Not all is that old. It’s been in the Dawson family for years and gets passed down to the oldest son. Jackson will get it someday.”“Can I see
