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CHAPTER25
Violet
I’m smiling from ear to ear when I leave the house to go to work.
“Hey,” Zelda calls from across the street where she’s watering her garden. “You look like you won the jackpot.”
I open my car door. “I think I may just have.”
She turns the hosepipe on the roses. “Morning sex?”
“Ew. No, and even if that was true, that would be TMI. Leon is taking me to Zanzibar.”
And he loves me.
He loves me.
I still can’t get over it. But I don’t tell her that, because normal people fall in love before they get married. We did the whole thing backward.
“That’s so cool.” She sprays the water over the flowerbeds. “You totally deserve to be spoiled.”
“Thanks. How’s your sperm donor selection progressing?”
“The interviews are booked for this weekend.” She adds jokingly, “I’ll show you the mugshots on Wednesday night.”
“I look forward to it,” I say, getting into the car with a wave.
She returns the greeting when I drive past. My heart squeezes as I take in her slender frame in the rearview mirror. I’m happy they found a solution. I can’t help but think about Leon and me. I’m not sure if children are in the cards for us, but the thought doesn’t scare me half as much as it used to.
Forcing myself to focus, I concentrate on the road. For a change, the traffic isn’t a nightmare. This week, I’m working from nine to six while Annie is taking the eight to five shifts.
I arrive at work early enough to order coffee and croissants at the bakery. Carrying the breakfast to the kitchen, I stop at Vero’s office on my way. She motions me inside with a jovial, “Good morning,” when I knock on her open door.
“Thanks again for Friday night.” I put a latte and a croissant on her desk. “I can’t thank you enough for introducing me to Ethan.”
She puts down her pen and gives me her full attention. “Ethan told me he’s meeting with you again. I’m glad it worked out.”
“Nothing is for certain, but he sounded optimistic.”
“I can safely say that’s a good sign. Ethan is rarely optimistic.”
“I hope I can return your kindness in some way.”
“No payback necessary.” Her smile is radiant, making her beautiful face look even more gorgeous. “I do realize that I haven’t done myself any favors, seeing that I’m about to lose a talented tattoo artist.”
“I could still help out here,” I say quickly. “That’s to say if Ethan decides to give me a chance.”
“No.” She studies me with a friendly expression. “If you get a deal with Ethan, you should pour yourself into the new venture wholeheartedly. We’ll find someone else.”
“I appreciate your consideration.”
She tilts her head. “I had a fairy godmother once. I’m only paying it forward.”
“I admire you for that.”
Shooing me away, she says, “Go on. Your coffee is getting cold.”
I give her a grateful smile before delivering Annie and Joseph’s coffee and having my own in the kitchen. While I’m sipping the strong brew, I pull the envelope from my pocket and read Leon’s message again.
I love you.
The words set off a fluttering in my stomach. It’s almost too good to be true, and that scares me. My life has never been perfect. I’ve learned not to get my hopes up, because experience taught me how much disappointment hurts. I became distrustful of anything happy or good because it never lasted. In the end, I believed I didn’t deserve luck or kindness.
When Leon forced me to marry him, I thought our marriage would be a prison just like my mom’s. On the contrary, Leon has set me free. He not only accepts me regardless, but he also likes me. He loves me. He encouraged me to follow my dream and to chase my ambition. Instead of locking me in his house, he gave me wings.
