AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yeah, I think so. All depends on how much my sister has packed. She leaves at the end of the month for Oregon State.”
“Well, maybe if you don’t have to help your sister, we could go for coffee or dinner . . . a movie . . . ?”
Violet stared at Sean. They had been bumping into each other for months, and she’d never gotten that vibe from him. Never experienced the desire for more than just a casual hi and bye. And even if she could afford to date someone right now, it wouldn’t be Sean. Not after learning exactly what explosive passion felt like. She couldn’t go back to settling for a pleasant time with someone who was just there to stave off the loneliness.
“I’m sorry, Sean. I’m actually seeing someone,” she lied.
“Oh, well, can’t blame a guy for trying.” He gave her a hesitant, awkward smile before escaping back to his cubicle.
Violet left the building with a heavy sigh, cursing Dean Sparks for basically ruining her. Before, she would have been completely satisfied to settle for a date with Sean, just to get out of the freaking house for a few hours. Now, it was as if every other man’s flaws and shortcomings had been magnified. Sean was nice and funny, but he talked a lot and about boring things, like weird facts and historical references that were too random to be interesting.
Instead, she’d rather sit at home and fantasize about a man who wanted a relationship less than she did and was now completely taboo. There was no way she could hook up with Dean while Casey was at Alpha Dog or even after. If her brother wasn’t pissed off now, he would be if Dean started coming around. It was completely off the table.
An hour later, Violet stumbled up the steps to the house with her hands full of groceries, still thinking about Dean. She had been trying to protect the both of them, but she should have just called to let him know that an FWB thing was out of the question.
Do you really think he cares? He probably has girls lined up to be his booty buddy.
That thought was terribly unpleasant, to say the least.
Violet, already irritated by her train of thought, hollered for her sister. “Dais! Can you help me put away the groceries?”
No answer besides rock music thumping through the ceiling. “Figures.”
It was a little after four in the afternoon, and Violet glanced around the kitchen at the dirty dishes still in the sink with disgust. All summer long Daisy had slept the mornings away, hardly lifting a finger to help with the cleaning. At night, she was either working at Safeway or out with her friends, but Violet was done letting her get away with being lazy. Violet hadn’t wanted to be an annoying nag for the remainder of time Daisy was home, but apparently, that was the only thing her sister responded to.
Dropping the groceries in the kitchen, Violet pushed the play button on the answering machine. She kept the house phone for emergencies and people she didn’t want to have her cell phone number.
“Hello, Miss Douglas, this is Mrs. Paulsen with Child Protective Services. I stopped by today to do a home visit and speak to you about Casey, but it looks like you were out. Please call me as soon as you get in so that we can connect before Casey’s release. My number is 916-555-9087. Thank you.”
Perfect. This was just what they needed; after years of having CPS ignore them, they were right back under their microscope.
Violet started putting the cold and frozen stuff away first, grumbling at the way her day had gone, when a loud bang upstairs startled her, and she jumped a foot in the air.
“Daisy, you okay?”
No answer, and the music had stopped.
Worry shot through her like a bullet, and she headed for the stairs. Climbing them swiftly, she reached Daisy’s room and turned the knob, but it was locked. “Daisy?”
“What?” Daisy answered, her voice muffled.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Working out,” Daisy said, giggling.
Violet heard a deep chuckle join hers and closed her eyes, counting to ten. Her sister was seventeen, almost eighteen, and she was already aware of how Violet felt about her boyfriend, Quinton Harris. The guy was a druggie loser, but Daisy had spent the last six months trying to convince Violet that she was wrong about him. That he was a good guy. Violet thought her sister was blind, but too much arguing just seemed to drive her sister closer to him.
Still, she did enjoy making the worm squirm. A twenty-two-year-old guy should know better than to mess around with a seventeen-year-old.
“Well, tell your exercise partner he’s got two minutes to get his ass out of this house or I’m calling the cops, and if you want me to rent that U-Haul for your stuff, you better finish doing the dishes like you promised.”
Muffled cursing and scrambling came through the door, warming Violet’s heart.
“Douche bag,” Violet said, loud enough for him to hear.
“Bitch.”
Violet heard Daisy snap at him to not call her sister a bitch, and she grinned.
