Page 154 of Whirlwind

“We do, yes—whenwe’re together. I live in Meager, and you live in L.A. for two minutes out of the year and then hop around the world the rest. Long distance doesn’t work, and it certainly won’t work with us.”

“Why don’t we go check out another island for a few days? I hear Corfu has a really interesting history—”

“I have to go home.” Her back straightened. “My family is in the middle of a mess of epic proportions, and I bailed on them.”

“Violet, you didn’t abandon them.”

“I know it was just a week while the toxic dust settled, but now my mom is going to need me more than ever to get through a separation and the divorce, and I need to be there for her.”

“What about what you need? Are you going to follow through with Alessio? Or are you going to let your work go because there’s too much to do in Meager? Are you going to go back to work for your dad?”

Her eyes narrowed. She didn’t answer.

“Are you going back to Ladd?”

“That’s my business.”

Fuck no.

I leaned over the railing, swirling the whiskey in my tumbler. “Do you remember that night five years ago in the back of Pete’s Tavern? I do. I remember everything about it. I remember a gorgeous girl with big sparkling eyes wishing and dreaming big. A girl on fire with her desires. You remember her?”

Her jaw tensed. Inches away from Violet, the heat from her flesh seared mine. I leaned in closer and her lips parted. She felt it too. “Do you remember?”

“I remember,” she breathed, her voice a hoarse whisper.

“She was compassionate and passionate. So smart. She was done with making excuses. She was larger than life to me. And right now, you’re crushing her.”

“Stop it.”

“She wanted to be the wind and the roar.”

Her chin trembled. A tear spilled down her face, and I hardened my insides at the heartbreaking sight. I stopped my limbs from taking her in an embrace.

“You still want all that, Violet?”

She nodded, a sound escaping her lips.

“I know you love your family and Meager, and I love that about you. I really do. I’m not saying turn your back on them. But right now, I’m asking you, don’t you want to be free? Really free?”

“Yes.” Her voice raw.

“You want to be a photographer full-time, not just when you can sneak it in?”

Her chin lifted. “Yes.”

“Come to L.A. with me.”

60

Violet

“What are you…what?”

“Come to L.A. with me.” His tone was firm. He’d made up his mind.

My mind reeled. Athens reeled all around me. My fingers tightened around my tumbler, the amethyst ring making a noise against the cool glass. Beck’s ring. I raised my hand. “Is this what this ring was for? Was it? Because if it was—” I pulled on the ring, but it wouldn’t budge, not one bit.

“No. The ring was a pure gift. This is a … a sudden impulse.”

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