She grimaced. “Since June. I’m so sorry. I should have called sooner.”
“You were going through some shit. You did what you had to do.” I swallowed hard. There were things that felt inappropriate to say. I’d been sitting in the same city, pining over her, and she just willfully ignored me. I’d choose her every time. She couldn’t choose me? Still, giving her a guilt trip wouldn’t do anybody any favors. Best to reinforce positive behavior. “But I’m glad you called me. It’s good to see you, even if the circumstances suck.”
She smiled. “It’s really good to see you, Colton. Thank you for this.”
“Anytime.” I held her gaze until she bashfully looked away, then rubbed at her forehead.
“My head hurts so bad my teeth hurt. I hate crying.”
Without another word, I reached to cover the back of her neck with my hand, my finger and thumb pinching the base of her skull. Violet moaned. “Fuck, I forgot how good you are at this.”
Her kind words took the sting out of her rejection. I was astarving dog, waiting for Violet to drop little scraps of praise and love from her table. Every nice thing she said inflated me more. “Is it helping?”
She just melted into my touch, eyes fluttering shut. I chuckled before giving her a parting squeeze. “Come on, pretty girl. Let’s get you some sleep. It’s been a big day.”
Vi sat up and yawned. “Just take me back to my car, please.”
I surveyed the woman in the passenger seat.Mywoman. The one who haunted me, the one I couldn’t shake.
The one who got away. The one I had to let get away so she could sort herself out. And now she was back.
Back and broken, but healing. I was frustrated with her, but seeing her like this, I felt like she needed a little more care.
“I don’t feel good about leaving you alone tonight,” I said.
She stared down into her lap, considering this. “Okay.”
I was shocked she agreed, but I was rolling with it. “Okay. My place or yours?”
FIFTEEN
VIOLET
SEPTEMBER | COLUMBUS, OHIO
I unlockedthe door to my apartment with Colton’s hand ghosting over my lower back. He looked too big for the space: the stairs, the hallway, the faded orangey light coming from the outdated wall sconce.
“Okay, welcome to my humble abode.” I swung the door open and tried to see my apartment through his eyes. A dish left by the sink from breakfast. Fruit in the bowl that might need to be gone through. Plants that needed dusting and watering. Shit, what was in my fridge? A container of cottage cheese?
“It’s very you.”
He was being polite. All I could see were indicators of my garbled mental state. “Hey, you don’t have to stay. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
“Vi—”
“No, you’ve got your preseason or something, right?”
“Vi-o-let.” Warm hands landed on my shoulders. “I’m happy to be here.”
“But you’ve got stuff.”
He chuckled. “I can promise you that the preseason is notthat important for me. I think I’ve got a spot on the team. I don’t think they’d send the captain to the AHL.”
I wiggled my shoulders. “Oh, aren’t you hot stuff?”
“Shut up,” he said, giving me a little shove.
“Well. Make yourself at home. I’m going to get ready for bed. Do you want to pick a movie or something?”
