Listening to the sound of beer flowing down the drain, Lando smiled to herself. She shifted down on the mattress and promptly fell asleep.
CHAPTER9
Diane tookthe last turn sharp, and Violet smacked her head against the window, jerking awake. Violet had nodded off toward the end of the drive, the rocking motion of the vehicle lulling her into sleep. She’d sat in the back with Lando, going through some of the data and trying to determine just how far they were going to have to drive for storms in the upcoming weeks since Diane finally conceded and promised they would stay put for a while. They just had to move to Kansas first.
Lando had been a perfect student the entire time. However, after a night of no sleep, Violet hadn’t been able to keep her eyes open any longer. All night she’d been plagued with thoughts of Laura and her baby, Heather. The car scene when she’d arrived had been awful—broken pieces of the vehicle strewn about the roadway, smoke billowing from the other car, but Laura’s had been smashed in the front. Instinctively, Violet had known she hadn’t survived that. She’d held Heather tightly as they transferred Laura to a gurney, kept her near her until the social worker had come and taken her.
Violet had never seen her again. Not until a year ago, and she hadn’t even known it was the same kid—woman, she corrected. Lando was a woman. She wasn’t baby Heather anymore, but a woman who had survived countless traumas and addictions and still seemed to have her head on straight. Violet admired her for that.
The last turn up the road revealed a beautiful whitewashed house. It was two stories, with a red barn just below it on a decently steep hill. Violet sat up a little straighter, blinking the sleep from her eyes. This wasn’t any normal place they typically stayed. Her stomach churned at the thought of how much this was going to cost and what kind of dent it would put in their budget.
Diane was usually fiscally responsible, but this couldn’t be within their range. Worry welled in her chest, swirling the closer they got. She kept her mouth shut because she didn’t want to fight in front of Lando again, as much as she wanted to smartly ask Diane what the hell she was thinking.
Two wooden posts lined the side of the road as they moved in closer, the house coming into better view. The sign over top readIndigo Ranch & Bed and Breakfastin beautifully carved scrawl. This was far higher class than Violet was used to, and if she was going to spend the nights at a place like this, she wanted to be able to relax there, not run out at all hours of the day and night to chase storms.
“This place looks nice,” Lando mumbled next to her, her sky-blue eyes wide as she stared at the same sight Violet did.
Violet didn’t answer, not sure what to say that wouldn’t come out as an angry retort. It was a nice-looking house, and she imagined the inside was just as beautiful.
“Elijah Wilson runs the place. She’s a rancher, but she said we could have two rooms since she had the space.”
Again, Violet didn’t answer. Every thought running through her brain wanted to become an argument, but what Lando had asked her last night kept sticking out in her mind.She didn’t let Diane walk all over her, did she?She did put up a fight each time before giving in. Maybe she really was just a giant pushover with an attitude.
Diane slowed as they reached the front of the house, the well-kept wraparound porch. Violet clenched her fists tightly as they stopped, and Diane rustled around up front. She glanced over at Lando, making eye contact before she opened her door and got out. The air had a bite to it, and the wind brushed against her cheeks and moved her hair. She was used to the wind by that point, enjoyed it because it told her the earth was alive, but today it seemed cold.
They grabbed their bags from the back, Violet leaning into the back seat at the last minute to pull out her laptop. A handsomely beautiful woman stepped out of the front door, shooing an ancient looking dog off the front mat as she went. Her hair was in two long braids down the sides of her head, her plaid cotton shirt tucked sharply into her jeans, and her feet were oddly void of shoes and clad only in socks.
“Come on in,” she said with a smile and a wave. “I’m glad you were able to make it in such good time.”
Diane marched right up to her, holding out her hand. “I am, too. I think we could use the rest.”
Violet clenched her jaw.
“I’m Diane, this is Violet, and Lando is our newest team member.”
The woman’s eyes landed on each of them before focusing back on Diane. “I’m Eli, please. I’ll show you the rooms and then let you do whatever you want. Dinner is set for six, and you’re welcome to join or not. I know with your schedule that it’ll be hit or miss and without warning when you do make it to meals.”
They followed Eli inside, Violet remaining quiet as they stepped through the den. The kitchen was gorgeous, a dream, honestly. Violet was impressed with the eight gas burners, double ovens, and huge fridge. Though, she supposed, if Eli was cooking for people she would need to have all the niceties to survive that.
People lounged in the den near the fireplace but didn’t seem to pay them too much mind. Violet made a mental note that they’d have to keep the noise level down, especially if they were leaving in the middle of the night, so as not to wake the other guests.
As they went up the stairs in the center of the house, Violet tightened her grip on her bag. This place had to be way outside their budget, and she still couldn’t fathom what Diane had been thinking. The first door off the side opened to a small bedroom with a queen bed inside. Diane walked through it and sat on the edge, apparently claiming that room as hers.
Violet spared a glance to Lando and followed Eli to the room next door, which mimicked the one Diane had perfectly, except for the color scheme. One lone queen bed sat in the center of the room. Violet cringed as she waited with bated breath for Eli to mention something about a third room.
“This is the other room that was booked,” Eli stated.
Great. Violet clenched her jaw, her molars grinding as she stared at the sole bed. At least it wasn’t a twin.
“I’ll let you all get settled, but my home is now your home. So feel free to do whatever you want. I just ask that you stay out of the basement. I keep that to myself.”
“Makes perfect sense,” Lando said, a slight teasing tone to her voice, and Violet was glad for it.
She wasn’t sure she could form words at that point. Eli’s retreating footsteps down the hall and then down the stairs echoed loudly in her ears.What the hell was she supposed to do with this?She stood stock still just inside the doorway as Lando moved around her, picking her side of the bed and giving the mattress a little bounce with her ass to test it out.
Violet wanted to cry. This had to be some sort of punishment for pushing back at Diane all week. It had to be. There was no other explanation for it. Eventually she managed to force her feet to move, setting her bag by the far wall.
“This place is fancy,” Lando commented.