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I needed to accept it, I just couldn’t. And there was no way I could give him up. Not yet. Maybe our time was short. Maybe his intention was to end things. He said he was a relationship type of guy; maybe he would meet someone and end our sessions. That thought alone had me working longer hours, running in circles in my mind while I kept busy with my body. I would wait and endure his distance until I couldn’t do it anymore.
I just couldn’t give him up.
Brunch with my mother that Sunday proved to be a difficult task. I was anxious about the outcome of my divorce. I should have just taken the money. Being free of Alex would be the best part of it. Brunch with my mother had sounded like a good idea at the time. She had driven me to The Carmine House, a beautiful three-story mansion nestled in the heart of Carmine Plantation. It was my favorite place to dine, and on that particular day, I had no desire to appreciate it. I sighed looking over my menu.
“What is it, Vi? You haven’t said three words since I picked you up.” My mother leaned over the table, concern in her eyes.
“Nothing, really, Mom. Don’t worry,” I said, motioning for the waiter. I wanted a Bloody Mary and fast. I just wanted to enjoy this day with my mother, but for some reason, I couldn’t stop thinking about the gray-eyed man who had been punishing both my heart and body. I had two men fucking up my mojo. This was unacceptable.
“Mom, I’ll be honest. I’ve been seeing a man who is absolutely beautiful. He’s smart, funny, sexy as hell, and seems to have a good heart, but I’ve ruined my chances with him.” I closed my menu, my appetite gone, and took an olive from the Bloody Mary just set before me and popped it into my mouth.
“Well, what happened?” My mother was on the edge of her seat. I never gave her dirty details, but I had a feeling all through high school and college and even after, she lived vicariously through me. Having found my father at such a young age, she didn’t have the chance to really date around. Although she seemed content, she stayed curious. And she never pushed me for details, either.
“I lied about living with Alex.” I saw her about to comment and waved my hand quickly to interrupt her. “In my defense, we had only been dating a few weeks and Alex got really sick, delaying me ending it and making him leave. I should’ve done it sooner, but I screwed up.” I shook my head back and forth slightly and closed my eyes briefly. “He found out and was not happy.”
“Can’t start a relationship based on a lie, Violet.” I nodded, wondering why I told her in the first place. I’d condemned myself enough.
“The thing is, we didn’t know each other that well.” Only he’d had his fingers, lips, and mouth on every inch of my flesh.
“Well, did you apologize?” she asked as I noticed a familiar movement from the corner of my eye. I straightened in my chair when my eyes caught a glimpse of the rest of him. There was no mistaking my lover. He had an air of confidence about him. I could feel his presence. I took a long sip of my drink and watched him.
Rhys was being seated in the corner facing away from me. He was with an older couple. I sucked in a breath and my mother noticed my sudden intake of air.
“What is it, Violet?” I quickly averted my eyes, not wanting to give anything away. “Nothing, Mother. Yes, I apologized profusely and he wouldn’t accept.”
“Well, then,” she said, eyeing her menu, “his loss.”
“Yes, I guess so,” I replied, letting my eyes wander again as I held my menu high, covering my face. The couple smiled with apparent adoration on their faces at Rhys. These were his parents. My eyes widened when a very pregnant woman joined them, and I felt my chest fall as Rhys embraced her. I pulled out the straw and swallowed my drink in a few gulps, my face on fire.
Of course he had a wife. Why would he bring me to his home? She must have been out of town or something. We fucked in practically every room, where she lived, in her bed! He’d probably hid all of her clothes somewhere in the house. What an absolute piece of—
“Violet, if you are going to burn the man’s head off with your stare and murder him secretly with your assumptions, at least go over there and introduce yourself to his wife to be sure.” My mother, the absolute she-devil and epitome of an intuitive woman, could not only read me, but could read anyone. This is why I trusted her whole-heartedly with advice and…well, everything else.
She raised a brow at me. “I’m assuming that is the man you were speaking of?”
“He’s married. This can’t be happening.” I looked over to see Rhys putting his head to his wife’s full belly, sweetly rubbing his hand back and forth, the gesture of a man in love.
He’d just humiliated me for lying to him, given me the silent treatment, and made sure I’d paid with my body, though I really couldn’t argue that point.
I couldn’t stop the heat surging through my body.
Tempe
r, temper.
I would kill him, of that I was sure. I stood quickly, pointing to my empty Bloody Mary, and my mother nodded. I walked over as casually as I could, thankful for the vodka coursing through me.
You have the upper hand, Vi. You can do this!
“Hello, SIR!” I spouted in a melody, placed my hands on Rhys’s shoulders and squeezed quickly before removing them. Rhys stiffened in his chair, his head snapping to. I walked around so I was wedged between his parents’ seat and his so I had a full view of the table. He got his eyes from his mother, his build from his father. Both of them smiled at me with a small look of confusion. I looked to the devastatingly beautiful woman on Rhys’s right and smiled.
“Rhys, aren’t you going to introduce us?” his mother asked, shaking her head at her son. “I’m Irene and this is my husband, Hugh.” She held out her hand and I shook it with a smile as the Bloody Mary made its way back up to my chest and lingered.
“Violet Hale,” I said, extending my hand, noting Rhys’s jaw twitch in reaction to my maiden name, “it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
His mother shook it sweetly and I accepted Hugh’s hand as well before moving it toward the woman next to him, smiling as my heart beat in my throat.
“Heidi Volz,” she said, reaching out her hand.
