Page 53 of A Soft Kiss in Summer
“I know I could make you happy, Violet, if you’d just give me the chance.”
Violet pulled her hand from his own.This was getting so ridiculous, it was starting to grate on her nerves.
Meeting his gaze, she made sure to hold it and leaned toward him.“Edwin, I’m going to tell you something that will be painful to hear, but it needs to be said.”She took a deep breath and let it out.“When I came here with my father as a child, I was told proper young ladies were nice and kind, so I was as nice and kind to you as I could be.All the times you talked about marriage, I never said anything because, well, frankly, the idea of marrying you wasn’t something I wanted to think about.
“I had listened to my parents tell me and my sisters how they met and fell in love instantly and I knew I wasn’t going to settle for anything less, so marrying you was never something I entertained.I liked you Edwin, but only as a friend and telling you that wouldn’t have been nice or kind of me, so I never said anything.
“And my feelings haven’t changed and I’m sorry, Edwin.Were I not married to Josiah, I still wouldn’t want to be your wife.”
His demeanor changed in an instant.The calm look on his face morphed into one of fury and she jolted when his hand shot out to grab her face, his fingers digging into her cheek.“You think you’re too good for me?”
She jerked her head back, dislodging his tight hold on her face, and stood, knocking her chair over in her haste.“I never said that.”
He slowly stood, every line on his face etched in anger, and she took another step backwards.“You don’t have to say it, Violet.Your actions speak volumes.”
They stared at one another, Edwin’s angry glare causing the hair on her arms to stand on end, and she jumped again when something banged against the front door.They both turned to it, the doorknob rattling.
The relief she felt at seeing Josiah lasted long enough to realize he was on the other side of the door, still jiggling the doorknob, because Edwin had locked her inside with him.
Skirting around her fallen chair, and the others sitting around the stove, she made a wide arc around Edwin and headed toward the door.Surprisingly, Edwin never made a move to stop her.
The lock on the door was simple, but she fumbled with it while staring at Josiah.His gaze was locked on Edwin, and as long as she’d known him, she’d never seen that particular look on his face.When she finally got the door open, he grabbed her and pulled her into his chest.
“Why was the door locked?”he asked, his chest rumbling under her ear as he spoke.
Edwin had turned to face them.“Because the store isn’t open yet, and I didn’t want to turn customers away.”
His explanation made perfect sense, but something about the look on his face told her it was a complete lie.
ChapterSixteen
Furious didn’t begin to express what he was feeling right now.Waking up to find Violet gone had sent him into a panic, and he wasn’t sure why.She was a grown adult, able to take care of herself and she didn’t need a chaperone to walk the streets of this town, but that didn’t stop him from flinging his clothes on and stomping into his boots while hurrying down the stairs.
He’d ran to the doctor's office.He’d like to say he checked in on Archie and Bonnie while there, but when he didn’t see Violet, he rushed out without a word.
His feet carried him to the mercantile and, seeing her inside with Edwin, had given him a small measure of relief—until he’d turned the doorknob and found it locked.That small detail sent the panic screaming back.
Edwin was still talking, but he hadn’t heard a word the man said.It was hard to concentrate on anything the way Violet was shaking against him.What had Edwin done to her?
“Can we go, please?”
Violet’s softly spoken words finally tore his gaze from Edwin.When she pulled away, stepping around him to head up the sidewalk, he had no choice but to follow.
“What were you doing here, Violet?”
“Asking about that preacher.”She paused and looked at him.“No one in this town has heard of Reverend Peele and Edwin said he didn’t even live here.”
He pushed his hat back and scratched his head.“Why are you looking for the preacher?”
She glanced at her feet a brief moment before looking back up.“To get our marriage annulled.”
Since the day he stood under that willow tree by the banks of the creek and said his marriage vows, he’d thought of little else but getting their marriage dissolved, as they’d said they would, but hearing her say she wanted it ended left him feeling—out of sorts.
Why, he didn’t know.
He didn’t want to be married.He didn’t want the responsibility that came with it or the danger.He’d even told Violet as much the night before.
So why did hearing her say she wanted to end the marriage leave him feeling so strongly against it?
