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"And now she's gone." I flicked my eyes toward the sky, hoping they wouldn't give in now.
But Ashton just tapped my chest. "She'll always be right there." Then his own. "And here. It's all we get, sweetie. A few decades on this earth, then it's someone else's turn. Right now, it's yours. C'mon, let's tell Gran goodbye, then I'll take you back to the hotel."
My teeth found my lower lip. "Gonna stay?"
"Yeah. All night if you need it. Won't even complain about smudged mascara for at least two days."
His teasing broke through my sadness enough that I smacked him lightly. "Waterproof, bud. I came prepared for a funeral."
He dodged, but only to slide his hand to my lower back and guide me forward. All the rest had made their peace and moved to the side. We were the last. Even the pastor was packing up his things.
Ashton lifted his magenta flower. "Thanks for everything, Gran. You were always there when I needed you, and all you ever wanted was for me to pay it forward. I always wished you'd been my mother and I'm going to miss you. Wind to thy wings, ya old bat."
My eyes were starting to sting, but I blinked them clear again while Ashton tossed in his flower. All that was left was me, then she'd be gone forever. Taking a deep breath, I clutched my tiny bouquet of violets.
"Thanks, Gran. For everything. I'm gonna miss you so much. I promise I'll always be your little Violet. I'm not gonna let anyone tear me down, but I'll keep doing the right thing, just like you always said. I'm gonna make our dreams come true. Bye, Gran. Maybe I'll see you on the other side." Then I tossed the flowers.
Four little violets tied with a lavender ribbon landed atop the pile of neon carnations. The image was seared in my mind. Like a scream of defiance, the array of colors was a silent declaration of allegiance. It meant so much more than anyone knew. This was our eternal pledge. Those bright flowers were a public acknowledgement of who Gran had really been, and it meant so much more than a simple gay pride display. It meant she'd turned colors into something that could bind together a flock of wayward kids and make us all into something better.
"I hope heaven has rainbows," I whispered. "You deserve nothing less."
"Yeah," Ashton agreed, steering me away. "C'mon, babe. Let's go home."
Home was another hotel in another city - for now. I had two months left on my latest tour, but I’d be back. When I was done, I’d return to the house where I’d grown up. It wouldn't be the same. Southwind had been empty for almost two years while Gran battled cancer. Right now, it was nothing more than an empty reminder of my childhood, but we'd made plans. Gran's will made it clear that the house was mine, and she'd asked me to make it a haven for those who'd lost their way.
She'd basically cut everyone else out of her life except me and those kids she'd turned into success stories. But when the cancer had gotten bad, Gran hadn't wanted to bother us. She'd been convinced that her pseudo-family wouldn't be able to take the pain. The reality was that Gran hadn't wanted us to see her lose. Cancer was the only thing that had ever been stronger than that woman.
Considering what we'd managed to overcome while she was alive, that was saying a lot. The two of us were the black sheep of the family, so we'd made our own. Back then, it had been me and Gran against the world. Then the rest had wormed their way in, proving that family wasn't born, it was made. Now, the plan was to make sure I paid it forward. That was all Gran had ever asked of us. For me, that meant following in my grandmother's footsteps.
"Thank you, guys," I told my friends.
A Black man with a crimson-red tie stepped closer, resting his palm on my shoulder. "This is the only family most of us know, Violet. I had to come."
The others nodded in agreement. A few eyes were damp.
"But," Crimson continued, dropping his voice, "we still have each other. So long as we keep that, we'll be fine. Call me if you needanything,hun."
"Yeah," the woman with chartreuse trim on her black dress agreed. "Anything, Vi."
Nodding, I let Ashton turn me away, guiding me back to our car. Halfway there, across the grass, a man walked toward us. Like everyone else, he wore a suit. Unlike my friends, there was no color, but he had a black cowboy hat and well-polished boots instead. Basically, he looked like some outdated television oil tycoon. I had to fight the urge to roll my eyes.
"Miss Dawson?" the man called, begging me to wait.
Under his breath, Ashton growled, but he still stopped. When I turned to face the man, my friend's hand stayed possessively on my back, his body pressed into my side. It was kind of nice to have a little bit of muscle to back me up.
"Can I help you, Mr...?" Lifting a brow, I waited for him to offer a name.
"Paul Simmons. I was your grandmother's neighbor. Heard you inherited the property."
"I did." I kept my voice calm, level, and sweet. I knew plenty about this guy, but he probably didn't realize that.
His brow furrowed, obviously expecting more from my answer. "Well, I figure a girl like you isn't interested in some run-down farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. Just wanted to let you know that I'd be happy to offer you a fair value for the place. Be kinda nice to have some extra acreage that butts right up to mine."
Ashton leaned closer. "I don't think this is the place, Mr. Simmons."
The rancher dipped his head, not even bothering to remove his hat. "You're right. Unfortunately, I don't see Miss Dawson and I bumping shoulders in the near future."
Because we were from two very different worlds. Paul Simmons probably had on his only suit. I had a closet full of clothes just like this. There was a good chance he hadn't ever left the state - and certainly not the country. I'd spent years traveling the world. He hated anything new or different. I hated men just like him.
