Page 75 of Wallflower
Dylan rolls his eyes with a groan and pushes to his feet. “I need another beer.”
Three throws of the dice into the game, and it’s Violet’s turn to stand at the board. She keeps her eyes on the carpet as she makes her way over, picks up the marker, and accepts the word card from Izzy. I should be watching Finn as he scribbles on our board, but I’m too distracted by Violet. She doesn’t look anywhere but the board while she’s sketching, shoulders hunched against everyone’s shouts. They’re all wildly incorrect guesses until Violet’s expertly drawn lines coalesce into a tall, fancy-looking dog with puffs of fur at its ankles, ears, and tail.
“Poodle!” Daisy shouts.
Violet spins and points at her. “Yes!”
Izzy jumps to her feet with a fist pump and high-pitched whoop while Violet returns to the sofa with pink cheeks, a pleased smile, and an awkward high-five from Poppy.
Finn takes one look at his board and the squiggles that look more like a puddle than a poodle, compares it to Violet’s masterpiece, then tosses his marker at me and drops onto the sofa.
“Let’s call it now. Violet’s got us over a barrel.”
He’s right. By the time the girls have won the best of five games, I’m down a million bucks—and it’s the best money I’ve ever spent. Violet’s shy hand and anxious posture morphed into confident strokes and genuine laughter less than an hour into the evening, and it’s so satisfying to see her bloom.
She draws. She calls out answers. She exchanges secret jokes with the girls and laughs hard enough that she collapses into the cushions. She’s so stunning I sit back and watch her instead of the game, not even caring that our team keeps losing.
She fits.
When it’s time to call it a night, it feels like forever and not hours since I touched her, and I cross the room like a man chasing rain after not drinking for days.
Violet gives me a slightly scandalized look before slipping into the hallway, and I follow her, dragging her further away from the living room until we’re deep inside the house and hidden in shadows.
I pin her against a wall and kiss her neck. “You were amazing in there. My family adores you.”
She moans quietly and curls her fingers into my shoulders, dropping her head back against the wall to give me access to her throat. “It was fun.”
I smile against her skin. “You just won a million dollars. I’ll bet it was fun.”
She chuckles and rocks her hips against my thigh. I bat her knees apart and hitch my leg high enough to give her something to ride, and heat pulses against the denim.
“I don’t remember shaking on that,” she says breathily, “but I’m sure Izzy will collect as soon as she can.”
I lap my tongue against the hollow behind her ear. “Probably.”
The voices in the living room get louder as everyone prepares to leave, and Violet reluctantly pushes against my shoulders. “I need to say goodbye to my dad, and we should help tidy up.”
I grunt because she’s right and because I’m so fucking hard. “Just give me a minute. I’m just going to go to the bathroom.”
Her lips twitch prettily as I try to covertly adjust my jeans. “Okay.”
When I return to the hallway a few minutes later, the house is quieter. I head straight for the living room, then turn toward Violet’s voice in the kitchen. Before I get to her, I hear Charlie’s voice too, and I hesitate. Do I go in and make sure everything’s fine between them? Do I walk away and give them a chance to get to know each other?
Or do I stay hidden in the shadows of the hallway and listen for my cue to get involved?
It’s C. I choose option C.
“Thank you for helping clean up,” Charlie says, “but it’s not necessary. I can take care of it.”
“I don’t mind,” Violet replies. “Actually, I was hoping I might get a chance to talk to you tonight. I want to thank you.”
The sound of water running starts, and then stops before Charlie replies. “Thank me? Why?”
I’m taken aback at how gentle her voice sounds, and I can almost feel Violet’s deep breath in the brief pause before she speaks. “Thank you for agreeing to let my dad stay on the ranch for a few weeks, and for keeping him busy with odd jobs. I’m not sure what Chord told you about our situation, but my dad is the only family I have, and he doesn’t do well on his own. You’ve saved me a lot of worry, but it’s not only that. He’s having a really good time out here.”
“You’re welcome,” Charlie replies, “but it wasn’t a hard ask. Chord explained that your dad needed support, and we’re in a position to offer it.” There’s a beat of silence before she goes on. “Plus, I figured it might make up for my behavior the day you arrived at Silver Leaf. I’m not what anyone would describe as warm and fuzzy—that’s Daisy’s thing—but I like to think I’m polite and professional. I embarrassed myself and put you in an uncomfortable position. I apologize.”
“You don’t need to,” Violet reassures her. “It wasn’t that bad.”
