Page 48 of An Endless Memory

“I can’t imagine why you’re into him.” Violet’s murmur was laced with teasing sarcasm.

She was holding Kellan. Cali had taken her on a frenetic tour of the place as if Violet hadn’t spent as much time running through the yard and buildings as me before I moved in. Now she sat with me and Poppy and Clover while Cali dominated my parents. Jasper had cruised by the food, grabbing a handful of chips or veggies and beelined for Alder and Eliot.

Eliot could handle himself, but I hoped he didn’t have to. I liked the way he’d stood up for me. The way he reacted to my family was worlds different than Carter. Instead of being defensive, he’d cooperated. He wasn’t isolating me, and he’d made the picnic a success. If I got nothing else from this marriage, other than the house, I’d learn what a true partnership was like.

“Are you saying my husband’s hot?” My sister had never had a good thing to say about Carter. She was already more complimentary about Eliot.

“He’s not my type, but he doesn’t make me want to wash myself like Carter.”

“Oh my god, Violet.” It was never fun to hear how epically bad my choice had been.

Poppy wrinkled her nose. “Carter did have that Cadillac-salesman vibe.”

“No, it’s the hair gel that gave him that oily feeling,” Clover added.

“He was a mistake, okay? You were all correct about him. Go ahead and say I told you so.” I chugged from my can of sparkling water, wishing it had anything more than zero proof. I should’ve listened to them. Carter had gotten to me by making me feel like I had to be more sophisticated and savvier than a girl from Billings who loved her family and animals.

“We didn’t want to be right,” Violet said quietly. “We were afraid that we were though.”

I gave her a reassuring smile. “I think I was afraid you were right too.” I’d fallen in love with Cali as soon as I’d seen her. I’d seen my chance to create a home like what I’d grown up with and I’d seized it, red flags be damned.

Clover clicked her tongue against her teeth. “I don’t feel like Eliot will tell you he’s fucking his coworker when you tell him you don’t like his attitude.”

“He’s not that limp dishrag, that’s for sure.” Violet peered at Eliot like she was sizing him up. “Carter would’ve whined about how mean we were being yesterday.”

Clover snorted. “He wouldn’t have entered the house.”

“Probably would’ve driven away hoping we didn’t see him,” Poppy added. “But not your man. He was ready to throw down for you. ‘You’ll need to talk on her schedule,’” she mimicked Eliot’s deep voice.

“He was not.” I bit back a giggle. They’d never given me a hard time about Carter.

Poppy flashed me a smug smile. “He was like, ‘Lily’s not home,’ like he was going to demand we wait.”

“He did not.” But Eliot had told me he was going to put a stop to the discussion if I hadn’t arrived.

“He so did.” Clover snickered and put her hand to her mouth. “Pissed Violet off.”

Violet’s eyes flared. “I was not upset.”

Clover held her hands up. “I know you don’t like the stick up your ass getting twanged?—”

“Clover Jean Duke, you do not talk to me like that.” Violet’s voice got lower the angrier she grew. “You never give Alder a hard time about being an uptight prick.”

“Because we all know how he used to be.”

Violet snapped her mouth shut, then sighed. “Fair. But someone’s had to watch out for you three and your bad decisions, and I’m not talking about cutting bangs yourself.”

Poppy ran her hands along the brown strands framing her face. “Hey, they’re almost grown out.”

Violet eyed Clover. “The tattoo.”

Clover winced. “It’s classy and I stand by it.”

“Is that why Jasper asked me if there was a place in Billings that did cover-ups?” Violet challenged.

“Why don’t we do this?” I blurted out before Clover could answer.

Poppy blinked. “What?”

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