I’ll grab a quick breakfast before the company transport arrives to take me home. Although it’s only eight a.m., the breakfast hall is almost empty. Everyone must have been keen to get home and reclaim their weekend now the retreat is over. I grab a bacon sandwich and a giant cup of coffee, the first bite hitting my empty stomach like salvation. After last night, I’m ravenous, and I scarf it down quickly, washing it down with gulps of coffee that are strong enough to jolt me halfway back to life.
I’m about to head to reception to drop off my room key when Elliot appears in the doorway, looking like death warmed over. His usual polished demeanor is nowhere to be seen—his shirt iscrumpled, his hair slightly disheveled, and his complexion has a definite green tinge.
“Morning, Elliot,” I say, pausing by the fruit cart to grab an apple for the journey.
“Good morning, Violet.” His voice is hoarse as he scans the empty room with confusion. “Where is everyone?”
I shrug. “Seems like they had better things to do today.” My gaze flicks over him, noting the dark circles under his eyes. “You okay? You look like you lost a fight with a bottle of tequila.”
He groans, rubbing a hand over his face. “Whiskey, actually. Richard Morgan is a savage.”
“With the amount Richard drinks,” I say, a grin tugging at my lips. “Everyone will need to check into rehab by the time the contract is signed.”
Elliot forces a weak smile before reaching for the coffee jug, filling his mug to the brim. “How are you getting back? Do you need a ride?”
“No, it’s fine. My transport is here now,” I say, shifting the weight of my bag higher onto my shoulder.
His eyes sweep the room again. “Where’s Chase and Austen?”
“I think they left.”
His expression darkens. “Typical Chase.” He spits out the name like it leaves an unpleasant taste in his mouth. “If you worked for me, I wouldn’t abandon you in the middle of nowhere.”
I press my lips together, suddenly embarrassed on my behalf. Elliot doesn’t know the half of it.God, I’m such an idiot.
I fell for Chase’s charm hook, line, and sinker. Perhaps he does this wherever he goes—says all the right things, makes you feel special, and then vanishes before morning.
Millie’s voice echoes in my head, smug and infuriatingly right.He ruins women, Vi. Makes them think they’re special, then moves on.
And that’s exactly what he did last night—made me feel special.
Until I woke up alone.
“You know, you should come work for me, Violet.” He leans against the nearest table, watching me closely. “I’d pay you a hell of a lot more than Chase.”
I blink, taken aback. “That’s...unexpected.”
“I’m serious.” His eyes meet mine with conviction. “Think about it.”
I hesitate for a fraction of a second before forcing a smile. “I’ll keep it in mind.”
Before he can say anything else, my phone buzzes with a message. My transport is here.
“Well,” I say, turning toward the exit, “guess that’s my cue.” A pang of guilt pricks my conscience as I glance at Elliot, slouched and miserable. I’m leaving him here alone. “Take care of yourself, okay?”
He lifts a hand in a lazy wave. “Safe trip, Violet.”
The company car is warm, a stark contrast to the chilly morning outside. As the driver pulls onto the winding road leading away from the retreat, I watch the landscape roll past—the jagged peaks of the mountains in the distance, their tips still dusted with the remains of winter, the frost-kissed fields stretching endlessly beyond the tree line. Eventually, exhaustion wins out. My eyelids grow heavy, the gentle hum of the car engine lulling me into a dreamless sleep.
By the time we reach home, the sun is higher in the sky, and the retreat seems like a distant memory.
I pull open the front door, dropping my bag on the doormat. Gracie stayed overnight at her best friend Gabi’s house as they had a game this morning, so the apartment is eerily quiet. Loneliness creeps in like a shadow. These are the times I miss Mom the most. All the things I took for granted. The smellof her home-cooked food wafting through the door. Her gentle humming from morning to night. Even the constant nagging about my messy bedroom. I didn’t realize it, but I was the luckiest girl in the world.
Kicking off my sneakers, I dive onto the couch and scroll my phone, my eyes drooping. I’m still tired from a busy day yesterday and an even busier night.
As I drift off, my mind replays last night in vivid detail. Chase on top of me, his hand caressing my face, his worshipping gaze locked on mine. The way he ground into me so softly, almost like we were making love, has the confusing mix of emotions rising to the surface. I swallow them down; I don’t want to be that person who gets hung up over some stupid fling or whatever that was.
The slam of a door has me jolting up. I squint, shielding my eyes with my palms, when Gracie switches the main light on.
