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While driving was no task to balk at, it certainly wasn’t science, and Violet lived in the realm of hard facts and data that could be collected. Diane sat too close to Lando on the opposite bed, their thighs touching. Violet burned.
This was the worst it had ever been for her. Something about deciding to make her move that season must have set it off, because all she wanted to do was stand up, yell at the two of them, and toss Lando out of the room. She was getting all worked up into a tizzy, and over what? A twenty-something kid who had nothing going for her yet?
Violet snorted.
Lando was no competition. She could take on the younger woman any day of the week. She had decades of friendship to back her up. She knew what Diane was like when she was at her worst, and Violet still wanted her.
“Why did you have to get Mexican?” The strong whine in Diane’s tone irked her.
Violet shifted her gaze slowly from the computer monitor to Diane’s pouty lips. God, she could kiss those lips. Clenching her jaw, Violet hardened her stare. “You told me to order what I wanted. Since that never happens, I did.”
“But Mexican? You know it doesn’t settle right with me.”
Violet shrugged. “Your one day of pain for six months of mine seems like a fair trade.”
“What do we normally eat?” Lando chimed in.
Violet could curse. She wanted a fight, an argument, anything to piss Diane off to the point that she’d leave the hotel room. “Whatever she wants.”
Diane huffed. “Healthy food.”
Violet scowled. That was one way to say it. Expensive was another. Rolling her shoulders, Violet tracked the storm that was hours away. It wouldn’t hit until the next day, sometime late morning if her mental calculations were correct. She’d have to double-check that with the computer next, but she’d wait until she had a bit more data to verify.
She lost herself in the numbers as they scrolled across her screen, trying her best to ignore Lando and Diane in the bed next to her. Six months of this was going to push her over the edge. She may just have to move up her timeline on coming clean with Diane about her feelings. As disastrous as that may prove to be, it might be the quickest solution to the problem at hand.
“You should turn in early,” Violet commented, accidentally interrupting the conversation they were having. “Looks like a storm is coming in early tomorrow, so we should be ready.”
Diane nodded curtly. “Will you talk to Lando about the equipment and what her duties are? I think we should get started with it as soon as possible.”
Violet gave her a flat look. As much as she wanted to point out that Diane could equally show Lando what to do, Violet was the only one who could explain why they were doing it. It would be a better educational experience from her, no matter how much she hated to admit it. This was an internship for Lando, and certain criteria needed to be met in order for it to be successful.
“Fine.”
“Good.” Diane clapped her hands. “Then I’m going to try and get some rest. The two of you should do the same.”
Violet grimaced. Diane set her nearly full plate on the desk as she left the room with a wink and a note of good luck to Lando. Again, Violet’s stomach twisted. Long night indeed.
CHAPTER5
Violet standingover her in the pitch black room was the last thing Lando expected. The hand on Lando’s shoulder shaking her was equally odd. Blinking rapidly to clear the sleep from her brain, Lando moved to sit straight upright, Violet shifting to avoid a full head-on collision.
“What’s wrong?”
Violet’s eyes were wide, but it was too dark for Lando to read them properly. “Storm. Get ready. We’re leaving in two.”
“Two?” Lando’s brain was still trying to catch up.
Violet stepped away from the edge of the bed, stripping right in front of Lando. The creamy smooth skin of her shoulders and bare back enticing. Lando swallowed down that thought hard and flung the blankets over her legs.
“Did you wake up Diane?”
“Yes, Miss Priss is up.” Violet dropped her sweats to the ground in favor of a pair of jeans.
Lando had to force herself to drag her gaze away. She grabbed what she hoped was a suitable outfit and stepped into the bathroom, changing as fast as she could. A light brush of her teeth and swipe of deodorant, and she felt mostly ready to tackle her first storm. As she opened the door, Violet stood right on the other side of it with an angry look in her eyes.
“Jesus,” Lando muttered. “Give a girl some space.”
“There isn’t time.”
