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“What are you talking about?”
The biggest shit-eating grin I’ve ever seen overtakes her face. “Mom and Dad are out on a date right now, thanks to me.”
My heart, my breath, time itself seems to stop for a moment at her words. I have to make a conscious effort to suck air back into my lungs and pray that restarts my heart.
“Are you okay, Vi? You look a little green.”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I say rather weakly. “So you did it? Your mom and dad are finally getting back together?” Is this why he rejected me? He’s just been waiting until the right moment to get back together with Amanda. I should have known. Bianca’s been telling me for weeks that they were right for each other. I thought it was just the wild fantasies of a child who will always want her parents to be together. If they’re out on a date then I guess those fantasies weren’t so wild after all.
They’re probably laughing together about me right now.
“Well, I wouldn’t say they’re back together yet. But I think this is a pretty good start. They’ll both be at the party this weekend and maybe after a few drinks... well who knows, right?”
I silently nod my head at her while she turns back to the task of gathering her supplies. I desperately want to cry but won’t allow myself. Not just because I’m standing here in front of Bianca but because I won’t let him control me that much. We were never together. We had one sexually charged moment because we were both horny and drunk and one kiss that I forced on him. Crying would make something more out of the situation than it is. No, this doesn’t warrant my tears.
“Well, I’m going to head back to my room and work on my paper. Good luck tonight.”
Bianca glances over her shoulder at me, smiling. “Thanks, Vi. I’ll see you when I get home.” I don’t bother responding and trudge down the hall back to the solitude of my bedroom.
FIFTEEN
Dante
“A little help, please?” I rush over to where Archer Clarke, billionaire hotel mogul and friend, is currently carrying two twenty-five-pound bags of ice through my front door.
“I got it,” I say, taking one of the bags from him so he can walk inside unimpeded. Behind him is Hollie, who is his girlfriend now, I guess, and her sister Paige, who doesn’t look particularly thrilled to be here. “Thanks for helping out you guys.”
“Of course,” Hollie says with a smile, setting down a bag of decorations. “You know I’d do anything for Bianca, and I come with two helpers.” She indicates to both Archer and Paige.
“Where should I put this?” Paige asks, holding out a bag of miscellaneous party supplies. I motion to the kitchen table with my head while I lug the bag of ice to the kitchen counter. The three of them start busily working away at unpacking what they’ve brought, and I can’t help glancing past them to the front door, waiting for Violet to walk in. I move closer with the intention of shutting the door but give a quick scan of the front yard for any sign of Violet or her car. Finding nothing, I close the door and head back to my helpers.
I shouldn’t be surprised that Violet isn’t here, she’s managed to avoid me all week. She’s still coming in and working. I know because she leaves me notes about what she’s done and things that I need to handle, but the girl must have some kind of sixth sense for when I’m going to be here and when I’m gone.
I want to ask Hollie where she is. I know that I shouldn’t ask, I shouldn’t care that she’s not here yet. Apparently, a week without Violet has made me a weak man. Was it only a month ago when I was satisfied with only seeing her on random occasions?
“Uh, Hollie? Where’s Violet? I thought she was going to help set up.” That sounded calm and collected, right? Not like I desperately need to know if she’s ditching the party in order to avoid me.
Hollie looks up from where she’s mixing some kind of bright pink drink in a pitcher. “Violet’s bringing a date tonight so I told her she should stay home so she could get ready. I think we can get everything done without her.”
She has a fucking date?A week ago her tongue was in my mouth. A week ago I watched her come while I stroked my dick. And now she has a fucking date? I take a deep breath and try to look casual, but I must not be doing a very good job because Hollie is looking at me strangely.
“Uh yeah, of course. There’s not that much to do and you brought Archer and Paige.” Her eyes stay on me another moment before smiling and turning back to the drink she’s concocting.
I know that I have no right to be angry she has a date. After all, I’m the one who said that nothing could happen between us, but she’s moving on just a little fast, isn’t she? I tamp down the urge to jump in my truck, drive over to her place, and demand an explanation that isn’t owed to me.
I feel like I’m crawling out of my skin, that I’m covered in fire ants and there’s nothing I can do about it. Instead, I carry a bag of ice outside to the patio where Archer is already packing drinks into my large cooler that I use for camping. When I slam the bag to the ground with just a little too much force he looks over at me with a shit-eating grin on his face.
“So, Violet, huh?” he says.
“What about her?” I snap unintentionally as I tear the bag of ice open, spilling half of its contents. “Fuck!”
“Are you finally going to admit that you’re into her?” I pause in my fiddling with the ice to straighten up and look at him.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Please, Dante. We’ve been friends for a long time. You’ve wanted that girl for a while now. Seems to me, from the expression on your face when Hollie told you she was bringing a date tonight, that things might be coming to a head.”
“Whatever. I’m too old for her,” I grumble.
