Page 73 of Restorations

This feels like a new beginning.

37

VIVIENNE

Asher is giving me the cold shoulder this morning, and I don’t blame him after last night. I know that wasn’t easy to talk about. It wasn’t easy for me to say, but I’m starting to see things more clearly now than ever before.

Perhaps it’s easier for me since I wasn’t close to Colt. I’m essentially an outsider, but we had a lot in common. I did horrific things when I acted out against my own family’s pressure.

Baz is busy eating his breakfast, and Asher is keeping his distance, hovering by the coffee pot in the kitchen when Lola and Hayden walk in. They both look bright and shiny, basking in their new love that seems as old as time.

“Well, good morning, family.” Lola is definitely cheery.

Asher grunts a hello and then places his mug on the counter. “I’m going to go get ready.” He shoots me an icy glare. “I don’t want to be late. Can you get him ready?”

I want to remind him that I'm usually responsible for that, but I let him stew in his anger for now and just nod. “Yes.”

He turns on one foot and leaves before Lola comes to the table to sit in front of me. “What is going on with you two?”

I turn to look at Baz and thankfully, Hayden takes a cue like a champ. “Can I help him get ready today?”

Baz looks excited and jumps up. He’s really taken to Hayden. I give him a thank you smile and nod. “I suppose.”

Baz takes Hayden’s hand and leads him out. I turn back to Lola, knowing her radar has detected conflict and she’s not going to let it go. “I’m in timeout with Asher.”

She sighs. “What happened?”

I feel that same nervous feeling creeping up. “I think if I tell you, I'll be in timeout with you too.”

She raises one perfectly manicured, blond eyebrow. “Well, now I have to know.” She smiles. “It can’t be that bad.”

“I love Asher.”

She laughs, but then rolls her eyes. “You told him again? What did the asshole say this time?”

He completely freaked out the last time. “That’s not why I'm in timeout. He’s actually handled that well.” I lock eyes with her. “I think he loves me too.”

“He definitely does.” She’s always one step ahead of all of us.

“But . . .” I fight through the nerves, “he’s holding back. It’s like he’s scared to be too happy.”

She nods her head sadly, obviously understanding that well. “I get that.”

“I know you do.” I look out the window overlooking the pool and then turn back to Lola. “I think he needs to talk to Penelope—really talk to her. I think there was so much more to the story.”

“Penelope has taken the blame for a lot of things.”

“I may have said that it was never going to be any of you who ended up like your father,” my voice grows quieter, “that it would have been Colt, if anyone.”

Her jaw nearly drops, and her eyes widen. I see the pain written all over her face because she knows it’s true. “You said that to Asher?”

I nod once. “He doesn’t realize how good he is.”

“He never did.” She smiles sadly, playing with a new ring on her left finger that I'm just now seeing.

“Are you engaged?”

She smiles. “We have been for a while. It was always pending.”

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