Page 30 of Might as Well

Violet shakes her head. “I met him there.” Her reluctance to admit such a thing is clear.

Graham’s eyes widen and then he barks out a laugh. “You go and do something stupid like that and I’m supposed to believe you know what’s best for me? After everything you’ve done?”

“Graham,” she starts, but he turns and disappears down the hall to his room.

“Babe, I’m so sorry,” I say the moment she turns to face me. I just undid what progress she managed to make. Violet walks over and surprises me when she wraps her arms around my waist and buries her face in my chest.

“I’m so happy to see you.”

Well, that’s a relief, especially since I didn’t tell her I was coming. Even if she hadn’t said it, I’d be able to tell. The moment she leaned into me, I could feel the stress leave her body. I’ve never felt so damn honored. Honored I can be that support for Violet.

“Missed you too,” I murmur, kissing the top of her head. “Up for going out?”

“Yes, give me ten minutes.” She lifts onto the tips of her toes to give me a soft kiss. A moment later, she disappears. I eye her knocking and entering Graham’s bedroom. I’m not too sure that’s a good idea, but their spat, and me making it worse, didn’t seem to impact her mood when we were alone.

It takes her fifteen, but she walks toward me with a bag in her hand. Every fiber of my being wants to smile, but somehow I withhold it. She’s clearly had a stressful day and I don’t need to flaunt how happy I am she’s planning to spend the night with me or that she listened to what I said about staying with me.

I take the bag from her and lead her outside.

“Everything okay?” I can’t help but ask.

“One step forward and three back, but I’m still somewhat moving forward. I’m sorry you had to see us arguing, but I’ve been thinking about what you said. About what Cassie said. And all I did was ask that he let me know where he was going and if he was coming home so I didn’t have to worry about him anymore and things just exploded. He’s been even nastier since you left, something I didn’t think was possible, and I lost my shit.”

I reach over and take her hand in mine, which causes her to look over at me with an apologetic smile.

“I told him about us and reminded him we have the same goal. He’s all I have left and I don’t want to spend the time we have fighting. I apologized again for not calling him when Grandma got sick. I think…” She pauses as if she doesn’t want to jinx what she’s about to say, but she continues anyway. “I think he’s slowly coming around. He’s pissed about you, though. Where are we going?” she asks, realizing we’re not heading to my house.

“When I asked if you wanted to go out, I didn’t mean to my house.” Her cheeks flame. Damn, she’s fucking cute. “I’m glad you’re staying with me, though,” I add before she can second guess if I wanted her to pack that bag. “I’m taking you to the arena.”

Her brows tug together in confusion. “Where you play?”

“Yeah.” I want to bring Violet even further into my life and I feel like I need her to see it the way I do. To see what I love about my job and the team. “I gotta go see Savannah soon, if you wanna come with.”

“Sure. How long are you home for?”

“A week.”

Something is off about Violet with my answer. Before I can ask, she quietly says, “I love you’re doing something you love, but you’ve got me missing you like crazy when you’re gone andwishing you didn’t have to go.” She peeks over at me. “Why are you grinning, Zane?”

“Youreallymiss me.” Her smile and a roll of her eyes can’t be missed when I glance over at her. I squeeze her hand. “You’ll have me all to yourself in the summer.” Not entirely true, but compared to when the season is in full swing, she will. “How are things with Kayla?”

While I was on my road trip, Violet asked for Sydney’s number, which I gave her. Later, she explained she would take Kayla up on her offer and give her a part-time job helping her with the new product she just launched.

“Good. She’s nice and she helps me like I need her to.”

I park in my normal spot at the arena and Violet meets me around the rear. I take her hand and lead her into the belly of the arena. We walk silently as she takes it all in. It can be interesting to people who have never been to this side of it.

After giving her a tour, we head to the team’s bench. I toe out of my shoes as Violet looks around with wide eyes that get wider as she eventually lands on me again.

“What are you doing?”

“Lacing up. Sit down and take your shoes off.”

“Why?” she asks, though she does what I’ve asked.

I pull out a second pair of skates, hoping the pair I borrowed from the practice facility fit her.

“Zane, this is not a good idea. I don’t know how to skate.”

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