I fought it—the tears that wanted to surface—only for both of us to freeze with the gasp that ripped through the air.
Richard’s attention jumped over his shoulder.
Emily stood twenty feet away, shock and disbelief and hope in her eyes. “Violet?”
She said it like a question.
Like she couldn’t believe I was there.
I was having a hard time believing it, too.
Richard pushed away from where he had me pinned, freeing my body but there was no chance he could free me from the clutch he had on my soul.
Forcing a bright smile, I swiped at the moisture that leaked down my cheeks. “Emily. Hi.”
“You’re here,” she whispered in that low, sweet voice.
I stumbled away from Richard and toward her. Knees weak and my heart flailing. “I’m…I’m sorry. I-I just wanted to see you. To see your happiness for myself. I didn’t mean to overstep.”
Richard’s sister shook her head. “Why would you say that? I invited you. I wanted you here.”
The low rumble of a moan echoed from behind. There was nothing I could do but look toward it.
At the man who now had his back pinned to the wall, like he was hooked there, being tortured, his brow twisted in anguish.
Wearing a fitted suit and looking like the star I’d always known he would be. A few tattoos leaked out from under the sleeves of his jacket, the man standing like mayhem and chaos.
I tore my gaze away because continuing to stare at him was liable to do me in. Rip out the last thread that was holding me together.
“I’m so happy for you,” I told Emily, the words barely heard through the emotion that clogged my throat.
She came for me, and she wrapped me in her arms and hugged me tight.
Relief gushed from my lungs, and I squeezed my eyes shut as I hugged her as hard as I could, as if it might make up for the lost time.
“Congratulations,” I murmured.
Her arms tightened around me. “I’m happy, Vi. Truly happy.”
She pulled back and took me by both hands, swinging our arms between us. “I missed you so much.”
“I missed you, too.”
Her attention landed on her brother, and it felt as if the two of us had gotten stuck in the middle of a thunderstorm. No place to go but to stand under the ferocity of it.
Their gazes held, and I could feel it when he gave, when he retreated down the hall. Wave after wave of anger hit us in his wake.
She shifted back to look at me, her signature blonde curls bouncing over her shoulders, as pretty as she’d ever been. “I’m so sorry about him, Violet. So sorry that he would act like this.”
A feeble smile wobbled at the corner of my mouth. “Please…don’t be. He brought us together, didn’t he?”
She reached out and played with a lock of my hair. “And he tore us apart.”
“He tore a lot of things apart.”
Her green eyes that were so much like her brother’s searched me, this opalescent sage that made me ache and covered me in warmth. “How have you been?” she asked, studying me for the reaction.
“I’m great.”
It was a lie, but that was okay. Sometimes you had to tell them in order to get by.
Sadness darkened Emily’s expression, and she squeezed my hands in a show of support. “I heard about your mama. I’m so sorry. How is she doing?”
Affection wavered all over my mouth, sorrow and love swimming through the words. “As feisty as ever except for the fact she hardly has the energy to get out of bed.”
“And Daisy?” Emily didn’t wait for an answer.
Instead, her confession flooded out in a rush, “I was gonna come by, you know. I’d already decided once I got back…while we’re here on this break…that I was coming to you. No more of this. No more of you not in my life. It’s not worth living life in regret, and I was hoping you might need me as much as I’ve needed you.”
“I do…I missed you more than I can say.”
I fought for a lighter subject. The last thing I wanted to do was put a damper on her party.
I turned my attention to the rock on her finger that was as big as the one rolling around in my throat. I lifted her hand between us, refusing to let her go now that we had the connection. “Wow…that is some kind of statement.”
Adoration oozed from her pores. “Royce can be…a little over the top.”
“Over the top is just fine as long as he is over the top for you.”
Wistfulness fluttered through her expression. “I found my heart, Vi. He might look my opposite, but he is my exact match.”
“I’m so happy for you. Truly. And the band…I heard y’all struck it big. Got signed with a major label.”
I pinned on the brightest, fakest smile.