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Violet chuckled. “Hayden thinks the same, so you two have a lot in common.” Her roommate and Hayden first met at the grocery store, and they ran into one another in town quite often. They’d hit it off immediately, not surprising since both could carry on a conversation with a wall. Violet half-expected the two to start dating, but nothing ever happened.
“And that voice!” Dani sighed like a smitten fan. “Hayden’s got a ‘radio voice’ if ever I’ve heard one.” She pretended to shiver. “So deep and masculine.”
“I’ll be happy to arrange something when you get back home.”
“You’re missing my point,” Dani said. “As long as I’ve known you, you’ve always cared more about a person’s character than how they look.”
“Have you ever considered Hayden and I might not be attracted to each other?”
“Sure, but I’m not buying it. Look, you’re both great people, my love life’s in the dumper, and you need to find love so I can live through you vicariously.”
Violet blew out a breath. “In the Land of Disillusion! I guess if you can overlook the snark, the offbeat approach—”
“Hold up. Are you talking about you or Hayden?”
“Now you sound like Lucy and Theo.”
Her friend’s smile spread across her pretty face. “Bless their hearts. How are my favorite Golden Hills residents?”
“Theo’s as sweet as your Grandma Annie’s apple pie and Lucy’s ornery as ever.”
“They’re also great judges of character. If they trust Hayden, then you should, too.”
“When did I say they trusted him?”
Dani sipped her water, avoiding her gaze. “They might have mentioned it to me once or twice. You have to admit Hayden gives solid advice.”
Violet wasn’t aware Hayden knew Lucy and Theo, but why should she be surprised? “Did those two troublemakers ask you to pester me?”
Her roommate burst out laughing. “Right. I go off on a mission trip just so I can pester you via Zoom. I was hoping Hayden might make a move while I’m gone.”
Violet snorted. “There will be no ‘making moves.’ You can’t possibly be gone long enough. I trust Hayden when it comes to having the best interests of our KGOLD listeners at heart. That’s not the issue. It’s the guy’s personal life that’s suspect.”
“Based on what evidence?” Her roommate popped something into her mouth. Fruit? Whatever it was, it was guaranteed to be healthy and low in calories.
“Hayden was spotted having lunch at Daisy’s Café last Saturday with Emory McKellen.”
A frown creased Dani’s brow. “Since when do you listen to gossip? You’ll have to do better than that.”
“You know how Doris and Betty love telling me every Sunday morning what all the single men in the entire Arcadia Valley are doing, so it’s not exclusive to Hayden. They told me Emory looked ‘pretty as a picture,’ and they could just see them on the top of a wedding cake.Together.”
“Was Emory pushing Haydenoffthe cake?” After another bite of her snack, Dani licked her fingers.
Violet couldn’t stop her grin. “Not that Hayden wouldn’t deserve it, but Emory’s a nice girl.”
“Even though she stole Sean from you in high school.”
Violet frowned. “Sean wasn’t invested in our relationship if he could be ‘stolen’ so easily. Besides, that was eons ago, and we’ve all moved on.”
“Not to mention Sean’s flip-flopping from one woman to another. He wasn’t the right guy for you. Neither was Ryan. Now, back to Hayden and Emory.”
“Must we?” Violet restrained her groan.
“You’re talking about Saturday lunch at a busy, loud café filled with soccer moms and sweaty kids, not a candlelit dinner,” Dani said. “Did any of the church busybodies—excuse me,ladies—report that Hayden and Emory were staring into each other’s eyes, kissing, or whispering sweet nothings in each other’s ears?”
Violet coughed after taking a swig of her lemonade. “That would be a no.” What was she going to do, act jealous? She’d read something once that always stuck with her: jealousy is a disease whereas love is a healthy condition. The immature mind often mistakes one for the other and assumes the greater the love, the greater the jealousy.
She wasnotjealous. Neither was she in love, so what was the point?
