Yep.
“Thank you, that’s super helpful.”
Holden grinned and then it suddenly fell from his face as his gaze landed on my bruises. Wordlessly, he pulled off the scarf he was wearing, despite the warm afternoon, and slung it around my neck. He wound it loosely so that it covered the marks.
“You don’t have to explain anything to them, okay?” he said. “Not a goddamn thing.”
“Dammit, Parish.” My eyes stung as I hugged him tight. “Thanks, man.”
He let me go, and Shiloh took a turn, giving me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Knock’em dead. I know you will.”
Ronan had already said his peace earlier; he gave me a short nod as the three of them left the Shack. Violet and I lingered for a bit before heading out; I knew she had something on her mind. She gathered my medical bag while I shouldered my duffel and picked up my guitar case.
“I wish I could drive you to the airport,” she said quietly as we walked along the beach. “I want to.”
“You can’t skip that appointment, Vi,” I said, brushing strands of raven black hair from her temple. “They need to make sure you’re okay.”
“I know I’m okay.” She bit her lip. “But…does it have to be Evelyn?”
“She has some last-minute advice. Probably along the lines of Don’t fuck this up.”
“But what’s in it for her? She never does anything without an agenda”
“Massive amounts of ad revenue for her vlog,” I said. I didn’t add that Evelyn had said the true purpose for driving me to the airport was to finally tell me the favor she wanted in exchange for helping me. If it was something wildly inappropriate—which I suspected it was—I’d shoot her down and Violet would never have to hear about it and be hurt.
She didn’t look happy.
“You trust me, right?”
“Of course, I do. Evelyn? Not so much.”
I cleared my throat. “I mean, not to point out the obvious, but you’re going to Prom with another guy.”
“You definitely have nothing to worry about, there,” she said with a funny smile, then met my eye intently. “But I mean it. I trust you, Miller.”
“I trust you too, Vi,” I said. And I did, but the idea of River touching her, dancing with her, and taking photos like they were a couple was like rubbing salt in a wound after this morning. Violet was the last good thing that was mine, and I didn’t want to share her.
You’re being a possessive asshole, I told myself. A Chet. Don’t be a Chet.
“I’m going to miss you,” she said as we drove out of the beach area and onto Cliffside Street in her SUV. I’d texted Evelyn to meet me at the Whole Grounds café instead of my apartment to avoid any more shit with Chet.
“You too,” I said. “And I’m sorry to miss your birthday.”
“You and me both,” she said with a sly smile.
Violet parked the car in a spot in front of the coffee shop. She turned to me, kissed me softly. “Break a leg. Call me the second it’s over.”
“I will.” I cupped her cheek and kissed her again. I tried to take a little bit of eternal optimism with me; let her sweetness wash away my bitterness. But my stomach was a tangle of knots and my thoughts filled with doubt and fear.
“I’ll call you tomorrow night. And have fun at the Prom. I know you’ll be so beautiful.”
“I’ll be wishing I was with you.” She kissed me a final time, and then I got out of her car, taking my bags and guitar case with me.
I was walking into the café when a screech of tires sounded behind me. Violet had backed out of the parking spot, then pulled back in. She threw open her door and ran to me, stood in front of me, breathless, with her eyes alit. The pale porcelain skin of her cheeks was flushed, and her red lips parted.
“I love you,” she blurted.
It whacked me so hard in the chest, taking my breath away.