Page 32 of Corrupt Idol

She glanced at him as he navigated the city with ease, thanks to his GPS. He looked calm, cool, collected while her image of a mature, adult Violet was in tatters. He got a front row ticket to the mess she had made of her life while he was still standing tall. She was so frustrated, she wanted to cry, but she’d be damned if she showed anymore weakness.

“You want to talk about it?” he asked.

“No,” she said through clenched teeth.

The cab was uncomfortably intimate. Knowing that they would have to spend almost twenty-four hours in the small space made her palms sweat.

When they pulled up to the house, Trent came outside to help disconnect the trailer so they could load the truck. When they finished, Trent drove her Jeep onto the trailer. As the sun set, Jesse parked the loaded moving truck on the street so they could leave bright and early tomorrow. Reese pulled up as Jesse hopped out of the cab. Reese looked from the truck to Violet and fanned her face as her eyes filled with tears.

“I can’t believe you’re leaving!”

“I know. I can’t believe it myself.”

They walked into the house with their arms around each other.

“You know you have to visit regularly,” Reese said.

“Yes, I know.”

Reese pushed her toward the bathroom. “Get dressed. We’re going out.”

They piled into Abel’s SUV and headed to her favorite Mexican restaurant. Meg and Trent took their own car since Meg was spending the night at his place. As soon as they were seated, she ordered a margarita. Meg and Reese ordered sangria’s while the guys ordered beers. The girls didn’t need to look at the menu. They got a variety of dishes they were going to share amongst each other. This restaurant was their go-to for celebrations, breakups, and pick me ups. After the week she’d had, she was looking forward to good food and company… Minus Jesse.

She spent most of the meal ignoring him and trying to cram in as much quality time with her friends as possible. The more drinks they slugged back, the more emotional they became until Jesse put a stop to it.

“She’s done,” he told the waiter.

“He’s a kill joy,” she explained to her friends.

“You’re gonna feel like shit on the road tomorrow,” he said.

She scowled at him. “I can handle it.”

“I don’t feel like stopping so you can throw up on the side of the road.”

“He’s right,” Reese said and slid a glass of water in front of her. “You have a long drive ahead of you.”

Which is why she wanted to be shit faced. That long ass drive in a confined space with him? Hell no. Despite Jesse’s interference, she was feeling pleasantly fuzzy as she said a tearful goodbye to Meg and Trent. Apparently, Jesse hadn’t been watching Abel as closely as he’d been watching her. Abel and Reese were giggling and tipsy when they left, which made him the designated driver.

She must have fallen asleep during the drive because she woke draped over Jesse’s shoulder. She thumped his buns of steel.

“Can walk,” she groaned and began to giggle. Everything looked so weird upside down.

Her world spun as he set her on the bed. She clutched the covers because her head was spinning.

“Oh, God.”

“You’re plastered,” he said as he slipped off her shoes.

She grunted and closed her eyes. She felt like she was on a rocking ship, which was actually quite pleasant. She was about to drift off when her body jerked.

“What the—?”

“You need your jeans off.”

“Why?” she grouched.

He didn’t answer. He pulled them off and then unbuttoned her wrinkled blouse.

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