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But there was something different in their relationship that I was starting to sense. If Cannon said something Violet didn’t like, all it took was a stern look from her purple eyes and he would mumble a quick apology. She was definitely the dominant one in their new friendship, and I got this weird sense that it was what Cannon needed.
Pushing that thought away, I grabbed a slice of pizza from the box on the floor and snatched the remote from my brother’s hand. “If you’re going to stay, then be prepared to watch old movies.”
“How old? We talking chick flicks from the eighties, or those black-and-white Grace Kelly movies you two are addicted to?”
Without answering, I flipped over to one of the streaming services and clicked on The Breakfast Club.
Cannon grunted but didn’t get up to leave. “I’m okay with this one,” he muttered.
“Should have picked Pretty in Pink,” I grumbled to myself, but I didn’t back out of the choice.
Halfway through the movie, Cannon went to the bathroom. While he was gone, Violet moved to lie on the bed with me. When my brother came back, he flopped down between us and stuffed one of my pillows under his head. Violet hesitated for only a moment before laying her head on his shoulder. He reached out to pull me in close like Vi was, but I slapped his hand away.
Undeterred, he wrapped an arm around my shoulder and pulled my head to his shoulder. “Shut your trap and watch the movie,” he directed when I started to bitch at him to let me go.
After a few minutes, I relaxed, and it actually felt like old times.
Why that made me sad, I wasn’t sure. But it wasn’t all bad.
One movie turned into three, and suddenly, it was two-thirty in the morning and I felt like I was starving. The pizza was long gone, and I wasn’t in the mood to cook for myself.
“I’m so hungry,” Violet complained.
“You want burgers?” Cannon jumped to his feet. “Oreo shake?” My stomach grumbled in anticipation at the thought of a burger, and my brother smirked. “No onions for Vi. Extra pickles for Shaw. Be right back, ladies.”
I watched him leave my room with my mouth gaping open before I turned to my bestie. “Did you perform, like, a lobotomy on my brother or something? Or maybe a personality transplant? Because no way is that the same douchebag from even a week ago.”
Violet shrugged. “Like I said, he’s trying.”
“Huh,” was all I could mutter. “Let’s hope he keeps trying. I could get used to him making a burger run in the middle of the night.”
Chapter 29
Shaw
A few weeks later, I woke up one morning and forced myself to put on makeup. I dressed in a pair of skinny jeans, a baby-blue tank top that matched my eyes, and a pair of heels that made me a good inch taller than my brother. After spritzing a little texture spray in my hair, I scrunched it up and then pulled it into a ponytail before grabbing my bag.
I didn’t have any plans for the day, but I knew I needed to get out of the house. Having locked myself in my room with nothing but junk food for over two weeks, I was in need of some sun and to be around people other than Violet and my dickhead brother.
As I walked downstairs, I heard voices coming from the kitchen. Drawing closer, I recognized the voices and nearly turned to make a run for it.
“Shaw,” Mom called out, as if she could sense my fight-or-flight was engaged and I was leaning heavily on the flight side.
Swallowing a curse, I walked into the kitchen where Mom was standing with Aunt Emmie and Mia. “Where’s Emerson?” I asked, forcing a smile.
“Dad has her,” Mia told me with a grin. “Momma and I were hoping to have a little girls’ lunch together with you and Aunt Dallas since she’s not busy today.”
I nearly groaned. What she meant was the three of them were planning on ganging up on me over salads. I glanced at Mom, hoping she would save me, but she only gave me a stern look that told me she was on the two redheads’ side.
“Yeah,” I muttered. “Sounds like fun.”
“Great.” Mia linked her arm through mine and started for the door. “It feels like forever since we’ve hung out.”
Outside, Rodger was standing beside Aunt Emmie’s huge SUV. As we approached, he opened the back door, and Mia and I climbed into the third row, while our moms took the second. Once we were on the road, I sent a quick text to Violet.
Me: Did you know that Aunt E and Mia were going to ambush me?
Violet: Nope. Not surprised, though. Jagger hasn’t been in a good place.
