Page 9 of Modern Romance November 2024 5-8

Her job at the library had always been her saving grace. She loved her work and her colleagues, considered the regular clients her friends, but last Monday her lack of schooling and formal qualifications had finally caught up with her. The powers that be had decided on a restructure, and an HR woman she had never even met had informed Violet she was being given two weeks’ notice.

The library was herplacein the world. As her family structure had changed, as flatmates had come and gone, her workplace had been her constant.

The news, though not entirely unexpected, had shattered her. Not that she’d shown it. But it had shaken her so much that just yesterday she had asked to use a precious week of annual leave before returning to serve out the final week of her notice.

Financially a poor choice, perhaps—after all, she’d soon have plenty of time on her hands.

Emotionally, it had been her only one.

Violet hid when she was hurt, and this had wounded her.

She hadn’t told a soul—not even Grace, who was all floaty and insisting this marriage totheCarter Bennett had nothing to do with money.

Violet had long been worried that Grace was heading for a financial crisis as she cared for her mother.

She had tapped Carter’s name into the library computer the very second she’d heard it, and blushed at the groom’s reputation. Then she’d sighed when she’d read about his billion-dollar empire and his wrestling for his grandfather’s estate—marriage was the key that would release it.

Oh, Grace...

Still, she thought as she breathed in the late-summer air, it wasn’t Grace’s choice of husband that was filling her with dread. It was the thought of the little ceremony ahead...

When Violet had been around eighteen, things with Mrs Andrews had changed.

It had started with the occasional offhand comment, which Violet had brushed off. Then a couple of rather spiteful things had been said, which Violet had tried to ignore. It had culminated in a dreadful confrontation, when Mrs Andrews had accused her of stealing a necklace—even threatening to call the police.

That had been awful enough, but it had been the doubt from Grace that had hurt the most and almost cost them their friendship.

But Grace had finally broken down and admitted that her mother had become suspicious and terrified of everyone, and then she had sadly been diagnosed with early onset dementia...

Mrs Andrews hadn’t known what she was saying, and Violet accepted that, but her accusation had been so personal, so hurtful, so caustic... Especially from the woman whom she’d adored since she was a little girl.

And the doubt from Grace, no matter how brief, and the glimpse of the knowledge that she might be dropped by her friend had devastated Violet, even if she’d never let it show.

Violet hadn’t really seen Mrs Andrews since, but now she was about to.

Mrs Andrews barely recognised even her own daughter, but Grace wanted one happy photo...one shining picture on her wedding day...with those she and her husband were closest to.

Violet felt ill at the thought of it—terrified, not just for herself but of any confrontation that might ruin Grace’s special day.

Perhaps she should suggest not going in?

It was something Violet was still pondering as the doors to the nursing home opened. It was the groom—Carter. Violet recognised him not just by the morning suit but by her little snoop on the internet, so she fixed on a dazzling smile and, pulling herself from the wall, greeted the man who was—from all she had read—a completely reprobate groom.

‘You must be Carter...’ Violet said—and didn’t addthe man taking advantage of my friend...

Instead, determined to get through this day, she smiled and shook his hand.

Only when Carter had appeared did Sahir get out of the car and approach.

‘Sahir.’ Carter shook his hand. ‘Thank you for being here today.’ He introduced the bridesmaid. ‘This is Grace’s close friend, Violet.’

‘Violet.’ Sahir nodded, and briefly met eyes that were a vivid blue, though they barely met his. Her interest was clearly fixed on the groom.

With the introductions made, Carter caught sight of the box Violet held. ‘We said no gifts!’

‘Oh, people always say that...’ she dismissed, her voice trailing off as Carter turned and peered through the door of the nursing home.

Sahir watched as, with Carter’s back turned, Violet Lewis’s smile faded and her blue eyes narrowed in suspicious assessment.

---