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“I thought so.”
“So… Violet…” He trails off, glancing to the ground and suddenly looking sheepish.
“Yes, Donny?”
He grunts but doesn’t say anything further. I huff out a breath, cross my arms, and wait. I’ll be damned if I’m going to be doing him any favors. If he’s feeling awkward, that’s his problem, not mine. I can stand here all night.
The last time I saw Donovan was right before I went to college. When he turned his back on me and walked away. He left me feeling vulnerable, embarrassed, confused. And mad. Can’t forget mad. He rejected me in the worst way and didn’t even mutter an apology.
What happened between us was a moment of pure animal instinct and chemistry. We were alone for what had to have been the first time. There was some sexy movie on TV. The lights were low.
I’d had a crush on him for ages, and it was like a damn explosion.
His hands were all over me. His mouth was on mine. And as he laid me back on the couch in his parents’ basement, I admitted my secret: I was a virgin.
After that proclamation, he practically ran away. It was like I told him I had some contagious disease. The man couldn’t get out of there fast enough.
“So, uh… I talked to my sister.” He runs a hair through his hair no less than four times and sighs.
“I figured as much. Didn’t think you came all the way out here from your fancy office to rehash old history. So, what’s the deal? You here to offer me the supply room? A coat closet?”
His lip twitches. “I’m afraid I’m fresh out of closets and supply rooms.” He looks down again and scrapes the bottom of his foot across the pavement in front of him before looking up to meet my gaze. “Natalie forgot to let me know you ladies were coming up for the week.”
My stomach drops, but I keep my face impassive. “Which means?”
“Well.” He clears his throat and loosens his tie. “I don’t necessarily have a place to put you. We have a wedding this week and then the end of the summer bash. I’m completely booked.”
“Thank you for coming out all this way to tell me, Donny.” I give him a mock bow and turn to get back in my car, but not before looking over his shoulder. “I should get back on the road. It was not lovely to see you.”
Donovan’s hand shoots out, and his fingers close around my upper arm. As I turn back around, he drops his hand, letting it fall back to his side. “It’s getting dark.”
“A fact that I am very well aware of, which is why I should get going.”
“Violet.” This time, his hand rests gently on my shoulder, and I barely suppress the urge to shove it off.
“Donny.”
He sighs like I’m the one being exasperating. “You should stay.”
“Stay where, Donny? You just said you don’t have a room for me. I’d rather drive back to Nashville than sleep in my car.”
“It’s not safe driving in the mountains at night. There’s no light.”
“Hence the part where it’s night. Don’t worry about it, Donny. I’m not your problem.”
“Violet…” His voice is strained, probably because he wants to strangle me.
“Yes, Donny?”
“Stop calling me Donny.” His voice gets louder, and his hands jut out into the space between us. “I can’t just let you leave.”
“You sure can. Just turn around and march your ass right back into your fancy ass hotel. From what I remember, you’re a real pro at walking away. Pretend you never saw me.” I turn back around, set on getting back in the car, but his hand is back on my upper arm, and I freeze. I turn to give him and his hand a pointed glare. “You need to stop doing that.”
“Look, Violet, I’m not going to pretend to be happy about this situation because I’m not. It’s uncomfortable as hell, but I can’t let you drive back tonight. You can head back first thing in the morning, and I won’t stop you.”
I scoff and shake his hand off me, but can’t come up with a compelling argument. He’s right that it’s getting dark, and the country roads are tough enough when they’re all lit up. That still leaves one question, though.
“Where will I stay?”
