Page 51 of Made for You

“I guess. But don’t you ever wish you could just go five minutes down the road and have a movie theater, a big bulk grocery store instead of driving an hour plus?”

“Nope.” I pop the P. “Small town life is where it’s at. I’ll take the hour drive over the traffic and crowds any day. And all the residents of Balsam Cliffs would agree.”

Something I say offends him because he spends the rest of the walk not talking, and pouting. It was almost like a light switch was flipped on his personality from the beginning of the afternoon to the end.

Luckily when we get back he goes right to his room and Emma is at the front desk.

At least I will have someone around as a buffer between us for the next day until he checks out for the weekend and goes back to New York.

Having to pack Violet up with gear to go out with Alexander was a fucking punch to the gut. But I know I have to let her go. I have to let her do it so she can see I’m not trying to control her or her life.

Fuck that sucked. But I trust her.

Her confession that she’s a virgin sparked something inside me. A deep need to have her as only mine. And for some reason the way to do that was to let her go with another man. With some instructions to make sure she is thinking about my body on hers while she’s with him.

I can’t wait to see if she actually didwhat I asked.

I’m also thinking about our conversation. It gave me a secret thrill that she asked Emma for the name of the furniture designer for the inn. I should have told her it was me, but the moment didn’t feel right.

My phone vibrates on the table, and Cooper’s photo flashes across the screen.

“Hey Coop.”

“Hey. What are you doing?” Cooper and I are most alike, he was still a jock, but it wasn’t his personality like the others. He often chose to spend time in the dark room with his photographs.

“Just working in the barn. Where you at?”

“The Highlands. It’s beautiful, man. I’ll send you some photos. But I’m coming home soon. Just wanted to let you know.”

Cooper doesn’t own a house here. But every time he comes home we mark off a cabin for him.

“You got it. I think the only cabin available is cabin five though. You good with that?”

Cabin five is a massive three bedroom cabin. We reserve it mostly for families.

“Yeah. I can always move if you need it.” I sit on one of the chairs I’m building. Good time as any to test it out.

“How long you staying?” He usually says he’ll be gone in a few days.

“Uh, that’s a little up in the air right now. I’m tired, man. This constant traveling is killing me. I need a break.” He sounds tired now that I hear him say that.

“Well, I’ll be happy to have you back. You know that.”

“Will you be happy? From what I’ve heard you haven’t been too happy with any of us.” Fuck. I deserve that.

“Yeah. I recently learned I needed to make some personality changes. I found out from Violet that I was being called the town’s grumpy recluse.”

“Violet? Sweet Violets Violet?? I can hear the shock in his voice.

“Yeah. She’s back for good. She’s currently living at the inn and using our kitchen. We’re all much better fed now that she’s here.”

“No shit. Is that the woman Hunter was talking about you being with?” The higher pitched his voice gets I can tell he’s interested in this gossip.

“Yup. But don’t worry I already fucked it up. I got tooalpha-holeaccording to her, and now she’s out snowshoeing with another fucking guy.”

“One. What is an alpha-hole? Two. Who the hell is she with?”

“I tried to tell her she was mine in front of the guy, a guest from New York staying here during the week.” I sigh.

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