Page 27 of Dangerous Encore
"It was fucking crazy." I still can't wrap my head around it. "She wants me in thefamily."
Violet's eyes light up. "That'sgood."
I nod. "Reallygood."
"Did shemeanit?"
"Has your mom ever not meantsomething?"
"True." She stares back at me. "I asked her to say something, but I wasn't sure… I know the rest of myfamily—"
"Orange Countyelitists."
"Yeah." She presses her forehead against mine. "My parents really do love you. Not that it would have stopped me, but it's goodtohear."
"It is." Weird, but good. Really fucking good. My parents… just my dad now. He loves me. Mom loved me. But they haven't been a part of my life in a meaningful way for a long time. "She said she worries about myschedule."
"Oh." Violet's voice drops. Her shoulders tense. She says nothing, but it's written all overherface.
It's the elephant in the fucking room. It has been for a longtimenow.
I stare back into her gorgeous green eyes. "I worry aboutittoo."
She stares back atme. "Yeah?"
"I hate being away from you. I want to carry you in my pocket everywhereIgo."
"So I can always be in yourpants?"
I can't help but laugh. "I love your badjokes."
Her lips curl into a smile. "Excuseyou."
"It's hard for me too, Vi. But I'm the one making that choice. I get that I'm asking a lot of you. I hate that I'm asking so muchofyou."
"Ethan…"
"I wish I could tell you things willchangesoon."
She runs her fingers throughmyhair.
"That things will change, period. You deserve someone who's around allthetime."
She shakesherhead.
"You never thinkaboutit?"
"Of course, but Istill—"
"Let mesaythis."
Shenods. "Okay."
"I love you more than anything, Violet. More than music. More than the band. More than the fame and the money and the adoration. I want to be with you every fucking second I can. I would do anything to make you happy. If it was really what you wanted, I'd stop. But I… I wouldn't be me." I struggle to keep my voice steady. This is the truth. I can't deny it. But that doesn't make telling her any easier. "I still have too much to do. Too much to prove. Too muchtosay."
Her voice is a whisper. "Iknow."
"I'd hate to be without you, honey, but I'd rather be without you than be the lead weight draggingyoudown."
