THE NIGHT WAS an endless darkness of sobbing that didn’t concluded until the sun rose the next morning and Violet was forced to get the kids ready for Joel’s wedding.
She dragged her exhausted body away from the couch to face the day...she couldn’t go anywhere near her bed, the sheets or the smell.
It was ironic that Ryder had briefly related her bed to belonging to Joel, but she hadn’t ever felt that way about her bed. But now, after two weeks of Ryder being in her life, and in that bed, he’d stolen the comfort it had once given her and replaced it with piercing memories of his touch, his kiss, his low, sexy chuckle that made even her insides smile.
Eliza dropped the kids off early Saturday morning and they raced down the hall to shower.
Violet had prepared a kettle of tea after taking a long shower and soaking her face under a cold washcloth. She’d thought the puffiness under her eyes and the angry words passed between them the night before would pull her mother in for an entire day of reliving their regretful, pathetic, so-called lives. Of course, with the Eliza twist, always able to make a con look like a pro. However, after shutting the door her mother said, “I can’t stay long. I have an appointment.”
Violet didn’t even ask for what. She didn’t care.
“I’m sorry about last night,” Violet said immediately. “I don’t blame you.”
“It’s alright if you do. I blame myself every day.”
“I’m sorry I said those things about Corbin. I know you were protecting him. Momma, we all know you were protecting him and us the best you knew how. I didn’t mean those things. I just...”
“Love Ryder.”
Violet nodded.
She’d turned and started toward the kitchen. Eliza followed her and slipped onto a stool beside her. “Sweetheart, you should go talk to Ryder.”
“I don’t want to hurt him anymore than I already have.”
“You will hurt him more if you stay away. Violet you’ve dreamed about finding love your entire life. A love nothing like mine and your father’s and I wished it upon you. For years, watching the loveless marriage between you and Joel tore my heart. Your responsibility toward your children was incredible. Your respect, your determination, is stronger than mine ever was. You are stronger than I ever was.”
Her mother was misinterpreting the meaning of strength. “I cheated the first day of my marriage. That’s anything but strong. It’s weak.”
“Joel wasn’t a peach, Violet. I should have stopped the wedding.”
“Momma, it’s not your fault.”
“It wasn’t my resolution either. Anyway, I have to go. I have a meeting,” she said like she’d forgotten. Eliza hugged and kissed her daughter, before slipping off the chair. Eliza cupped her face and pulled her forehead to her lips. “My child, you are stubborn,” she said. As if Violet had a choice.
Eliza left and Emma entered. Her ready-to-tackle-the-day face fell when Violet looked up at her. “What happened?” Emma set her iPad on the counter. She touched Violet’s cheeks and rubbed under her swollen eyes. “Does this have something to do with Joel returning to the pavilion with a couple of black eyes?”
A couple of black eyes? Ryder had found him again. Of course he did. This was the exact reason she had to keep her secret to herself. Her stomach fluttered thinking that Ryder protected her unconditionally, even when he didn’t know what he was protecting her against.
“It’s a long story,” Violet said, not about to get into it with the kids down the hall, her heart dying more every moment, and the smell of Ryder still lingering on her skin from her sleepless night with his suit jacket. His suit jacket.
She glanced at the wrinkled material lying on the couch. Why did he go and give her that reminder of him?
“I assumed Joel got what he deserved and you and Ryder retired to your suite for the night. I’m sorry Violet, I didn’t realize something had happened.”
Violet touched her arm. “Life happened. It’s fine.” It was so far from fine.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“Do you want to talk about Grayson?”
Emma retracted and sat on a stool, sending her sister an inquisitive blue-eyed look. “Fair enough. I’m not going to even ask how you know about him.”
“Fair enough.”
They sat in silence until Parker and Sophia were ready to head over to the salon. Violet tagged along, dropping the kids off at the salon with Emma, and then heading up to Joel’s room.
With a heavy hand and unsure what Joel’s reaction would be, she knocked on the door. There were a lot of mistakes in her life and cheating on Joel was one she needed to resolve before she could move on. If she could ever move on. Joel was right about Parker and Sophia looking at him like he’d destroyed their family and Violet hadn’t corrected their opinion. She owed him a sincere apology for that night.
Joel opened the door and stared down at her with two black eyes. “You look like shit,” he greeted.
She raised an eyebrow at him. “You don’t look much better.”