Page 58 of Falling for Love

She rolled her eyes, wiping her hands on a dish towel. “Because I have a blog, remember? And, unlike some people, I actually have discipline.”

“Discipline is overrated,” Beck said.

I chuckled and shook my head.

“What are you doing here anyway?” Vi asked. “You’re usually done with the lodge by now.”

“I’m here for moral support.”

She smirked. “You’re here because you’re avoiding something.”

I paused mid-bite, then shrugged. “Maybe.”

“Uh-huh,” she said, crossing her arms. “Let me guess. This is about Evie.”

I sighed, leaning against the counter. “Alright, Sherlock, you got me. Yeah, it’s about Evie.”

Violet set her camera down and gave me her full attention. “What’s going on?”

Beck laughed and shook his head. “Okay, I’m out. I have enough problems of my own without hearing about yours.”

“Oh, yeah?” I glanced at my brother, knowing his only trouble was making a decision. He was a serial dater, unlike me.

He left out the back door, and I waited until the door shut.

“She’s… incredible,” I said, running a hand through my hair. “She’s smart, funny, tough as nails—and the way she is with Hayden? It’s amazing. But she’s so locked up in her own head. I’ve been trying to show her I’m serious, but she won’t let herself believe it.”

Violet tilted her head, a small smile playing on her lips. “Sounds familiar.”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

She leaned on the counter, resting her chin in her hand. “It means that not too long ago, I was the one standing in my own way, too. Remember how long it took me to let Owen in?”

I snorted. “Yeah, but you had a good reason. He was trying to destroy everything we stood for.”

“Well, there’s that.” Her smile widened. “But Evie’s been through her own stuff. She’s probably scared, Liam. She’s got Hayden to think about and doesn’t want to make a mistake.”

“I get that,” I said, setting the empty plate down. “But what do I do? I’m not exactly the best at waiting. But I know she’s the one. I’ll wait however long it takes, even though I’m not normally patient.”

Violet laughed. “You? Not patient? That’s the understatement of the century.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I said dryly.

“Look. Evie’s got a lot on her plate, but she’s also lucky to have you. Just keep being you. Show her that you’re not going anywhere. She’ll come around.”

“Easier said than done,” I muttered, picking up a cookie from her stash and popping it into my mouth.

“Hey,” she protested. “Those are for the next shoot!”

“You’ve got plenty,” I said with a grin. “And I’m your taste tester, remember?”

Violet rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. “You’re annoying.”

I waved my bandaged hand at her. “I had to get stitches following one of your recipes. I’m owed for that.”

“User error,” she teased. “When do the stitches come out?”

“Two days. And you’re not wrong about Evie. I just… I don’t want to mess this up, Vi. She’s different.”

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