Page 105 of Protect

“Super Rowan!” Hollie calls out as she runs back into the room.

Troy looks from me to Hollie. “Super Rowan?”

“He’s my friend and Mommy’s. He is in the forest with the fire!” she says, and I internally flinch.

“He’s my friend, yes. My good friend.” I look pointedly at Troy to make sure he understands I’m not hiding my relationship from him but talking about it in front of Hollie isn’tappropriate. “He knows someone who works at the stadium, so they gifted us last minute tickets in the staff box,thankfully,”I add.

“And he’s a firefighter? Hotshot?” Troy asks, looking back at the photo. I nod.

“Like Uncle Jacob,” Hollie says. “But he’s not in heaven.”

Troy and I lock eyes for a few seconds as it registers with him that I have someone in my life, someone close enough to have spent time with Hollie too.

“Come on, Hols. You’re all packed up,” I say, handing Troy her bag. He takes it but says nothing before looking back at the photo on my fireplace.

I almost feel bad as a knee jerk reaction, and then I mentally slap myself.

Troy has a way of always trying to be the victim, but I stand tall now, we’re divorced, and we’ve been separated for over a year. Did he think I would stay single forever?

I hug Hollie and walk with them to Troy’s SUV at Hollie’s request.

When I buckle her into her car seat in the back, Troy already has the air conditioning running and her favorite music playing through his speakers. I kiss her goodbye and shut the door, and Troy is waiting beside me.

“Have fun, have her home by seven, okay? I need to get her in the bath and to bed on time,” I say, moving to walk past him.

“Violette?” he says, grabbing my arm. I pull away, he lets me. “Just…is this serious?” he asks, and I instantly know he means Rowan.

“Troy, we’re not having this conversation. We’ve barely spoken in over a year, what difference does it make?”

“I don’t know…I guess, just somewhere in the back of my mind I thought there might be another chance for us someday.”

I think, but can’t be sure, that my mouth falls open in shock. Because why Troy would ever think there was a possibility of us getting back together isbeyondme.

“Troy, that ship has sailed,” I say gently.

He nods. “You’re right. We can talk more another time.”

Or not.

He starts to move to the driver’s side of the truck.

“Violette?”

I stop and turn to face him when I’m halfway up my porch steps. “Yeah?”

“What are you doing tomorrow? Could I, uh, come get Hollie again?”

Okay, that time I know my mouth fell open. I blink.

“I could take her for an early dinner. I’ll go home after my shift, have a nap and then drive back up for three?—”

I blink again. “Uh, sure, I switched with Bonnie tomorrow so I’m taking her afternoon shift. I work till eleven so Hollie will be with my mom if you want to pick her up there. I’ll let my mom know to expect you.”

“Awesome. I’ve been missing Mae’s disapproving glances so that should be fun,” Troy jokes.

“She just doesn’t like it when you cancel on Hollie any more than I do,” I fire back.

He nods. “I’m going to do my best to change that, and Violette?” he says as he climbs in and closes the door.

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