Page 42 of After All This Time

“I don’t even know. I came here because I needed to get out of the house. My mom is making Noah stay at my house with me. It’s a nightmare.”

“Wait, you two have to stay in the same place with each other? For how long?”

“I have no idea, but he might be dead before I am.”

She laughs. “Yeah, that doesn’t surprise me.”

“Why are you here at Just One More Chapter?”

“Sage wants me to pick up The Silent Patient for her because she’s too lazy to go out and get it herself.”

Out of all the mysteries and thrillers I’ve read, that book is one of the only ones I haven’t read yet. Solely because I know everything that happens in it.

I remember when Mom and Laura would play catch-up with each other.

Laura would talk about how obsessed Noah was with that damn book. It would be to the point where she’d give out major spoilers like they were free samples you’d get at Costco.

I snap myself out of my thoughts. “Sounds like Sage. She’s always been lazy as hell.”

“By the way, if you ever need someone to talk to, I’m here. I know we’ve never been close, but I really want to be. Closer to you I mean. Sage is my only friend, if you want to call her that. It would be nice to have more.” She grins. “Hand me your phone,” she sticks her hand out in my direction.

Giving her my phone, Violet types out her phone number and hands it back to me.

“Thanks.” I smile. “Why is it you’ve been keeping in contact with Noah?”

She takes a deep breath. “I’ve been having him update me about Grayson.”

Oh boy, I opened a can of worms. And I can’t take it back.

“And Grayson doesn’t know about this?”

She shakes her head. “No, and I don’t want him to know. Please don’t tell him.”

“I won’t. You have my word.”

“Thanks.” She pauses for a few seconds. “I should go and get this before Sage has my head. Don’t hesitate to text me if you need anything. And I mean anything,” she says as she reaches out to grab my hand.

I nod, feeling my eyes getting glassy. Using my ring fingers, I wipe away the wetness off my face.

Violet walks away from me to check out Sage’s book.

Why does she want updates on Grayson?

The last time I saw Violet Prescott, it was my senior year of high school.

I was on my way to my English final and saw the two of them walking past each other.

Her eyes were glued on Grayson the entire time, but he didn’t even look at her. It was like she didn’t exist. Her face had heartbreak written all over it.

The rest is unknown and I’m too tired to think right now. This is all making me fucking dizzy.

Watching Violet walk out the door takes me back to when I used to see her all the time at Sweet & Salty.

She exclusively reads romance. That I do remember because it was the one thing we sort of bonded over when we’d run into each other here. And nothing else.

I hope we can become friends and it’s not just because she said that she needs more.

I want to go home, but I know Noah’s going to be there.

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