Page 109 of Love & Other Disasters

“Okay. Has it helped?”

“Yes, it’s made me work on myself and become who I want to be. I don’t let my sister, my mom, or anyone run over me. I’m living on my terms now. And if you want to give us a shot, then it must be long-distance. I’m getting my CPA certification.”

“That’s great. Do what you need to do, Violet. I love you and want you to be happy.”

She stepped back against him, wrapping her arms around his waist, needing him up against her again. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“Oh god, Violet, I’ve missed you too,” he said, arms folding around her.

“When do you go back?” she asked into his shirt.

“Tomorrow afternoon.”

“Grab your bag. I’m not wasting a second of our time.” She pulled free and walked toward her house, waiting on the porch for J.P. to catch up.

When he took the three steps in a single bound, she giggled pushing through the front door and there sat her sister on the couch. Jill stared at them with a smile spreading across her face.

“Well, well, dinner with one man and dessert with another,” Jill laughed. “I’m just bustin’ your chops.” She looked at J.P. “You waited, good. You’re not as stupid as I thought.”

Violet wasn’t about to give any energy to Jill.

“We’re busy,” she said, grabbing J.P.’s arm and pulling him down the hallway.

“I bet ya’ll will be,” Jill called. “Don’t forget the condom.”

J.P. stopped outside of her bedroom. “I don’t have any,” he whispered.

“Why?”

“I wasn’t thinking. Or all that confident…”

Violet sighed, knowing what she had to do. “Jill,” she called.

“There’s a box in my bedside table,” Jill replied. “You’re welcome.”

Violet’s bedroom remained unchanged from the last time he’d been there. A welcomed familiarity washed over him. J.P. tossed his bag onto the small tangerine colored chair in the corner and placed his shoes on the floor beside it. The only difference was now an auditing textbook and CPA exam study guide sat on the desk, and he knew she’d do well.

J.P. lit a vanilla scented candle on her bedside table and returned the lighter to the drawer. He sat on the edge of the bed as Violet came in and pushed the door closed behind her, locking it. The box of condoms in hand, she smiled, her cheeks blossoming pink in the dim light.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” she whispered. Her dress hugged her breasts bringing attention to them. She looked gorgeous, like the night they met, and he wanted to run his hands under that skirt.

“I’m so glad that I am,” his voice rough.

She crossed to him, and placed the box on the nightstand, then paced around in front of him. “It’s stupid that I’m nervous,” she giggled. “It’s not like I don’t know you. We’ve done this before.”

“There’s no rush. Let’s just talk”

“But I didn’t want to waste any time.”

“Waiting until you’re comfortable isn’t a waste of time.”

She smiled, her shoulders relaxing. “Okay, I’m going to wash my face, I’ll be right back.”

Once Violet left, he changed into a pair of shorts and climbed into bed, propping up against the headboard. J.P. checked baseball scores and email on is phone. Since he wasn’t even positive she’d take him back to begin with, he would not obsess over her hesitance to get physical. He had shown up at her door after months of them not speaking. And he didn’t expect things would click back into place at once.

Violet came back, face cleaned of all makeup and wearing her night gown. And she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. That silky chestnut hair out of its bun flowed around her shoulders. She climbed into bed and sat next to him.

“Here’s the thing,” she said, “I could so easily get carried away with you tonight. I’ve loved you for a while now. And losing you hurt. But here you are saying all these wonderful things. And now that you’re not my boss, and we could be together, we don’t even live in the same state anymore. I know you have to be there now, I get it. But how do we do this?”

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