He just nodded, his eyes locked on the kids. "Yeah, I know. I also know that when the big fish start fighting, it's the little ones who always end up getting hurt. I don't want to lose you, Violet. Not at all, but if I have to choose..."
"You have to choose Faith," I finished for him. "Trust me, I know. I also don't blame you for that."
"She just doesn't have anyone else," he tried to explain.
I grabbed his arm. "Luke, Iknow.In case you forgot, my mother dumped me here and fucked off. I'm actually agreeing with you. If you ever have to choose, then Iwantyou to choose her. It's not like we're going anywhere, and I've already waited thirteen years."
He just turned, caught both sides of my face, and kissed me. "I love you, Violet Dawson, for that and all the rest. So let's make sure I never have to choose, ok?"
"That's the plan," I swore, then leaned in to steal another kiss.
Chapter Fifty-Two
After that talk with Luke, I called Cessily. She admitted that the lack of response counted as a denial in her book and agreed that it was time to get in touch with Cobalt. The court date was coming too fast to keep waiting. So, once the house was quiet, I scrolled down through my list of contacts. I didn't have his name in here, just his color. I figured it was safer that way.
The phone rang twice before it was answered, "Caruzo."
"Cobalt, Violet," I said.
He chuckled, the sound warm and well-practiced. "I'm in my underwear in a hotel and watching bad TV. You're good, Vi. What can I do for you?"
"I need a string pulled," I admitted. "Berto, I have this boyfriend..."
He sputtered, making it clear he'd been drinking something. "You do?"
"Ok, it's a little more complicated than that," I admitted. "His name is Luke Barrett - "
"The dad?" Berto asked, breaking in. "Yeah, he was there when I stopped in once. Vera said it was a personal project."
"Yeah, well, I'm dating him, he still has the little girl, and the custody battle is nasty. He's Emerald now."
"Hence the message about activating the rainbow," he realized. "Ok, what can I possibly help with? Vi, I don't have any pull in the courts."
"No, but this is a clusterfuck. Paul Simmons wants to buy Southwind because we're sitting on land and water. City can't expand without water, and he sees a fortune in reselling both. Luke used to work for him, told me to cut hay - and helped make that happen - so we wouldn't lose the ag exemption, and Simmons fired him. Now, Simmons is helping out the kid's mom in the custody case as some kind of revenge. But wait, Berto, there's more."
"Ah, shit," he grumbled.
"Simmons also set up a group of locals to beat the shit out of the queers in town, and by that I mean Ash. Luke was with him, jumped in because he was sure they were going to kill Ash, and he got arrested. Things are very hinky, the pastor's mom owns the grill where it happened, and she's given us videos that prove they were the victims not the instigators. Cessily's all over it, but an arrest for assault is a big deal in a custody fight."
"And where do I come in?" he asked.
"The cops won't drop the charges until after the court date because Simmons is owed a few favors," I explained. "I need someone to give them a little pressure."
He just chuckled. "So Ash and Cy both live there now?"
"And Luke, and the girl, whose name is Faith. Getting to be a full house."
"Got a spare bed?" he asked. "Because I'm in the district doing some town halls. I should be done by, oh, dinnertime tomorrow, and I'd love some home cooking. Think one of those boys can make food happen?"
"I'm sure they could," I promised.
"Then I'll save on the hotel tomorrow night and come home. I don't know what I can do, Vi, but I'll do it. I'm just a state-level politician."
"Which is a lot to people in Cats Peak," I reminded him. "When are you going to try for Congress?"
"One more term," he assured me. "Granted, my campaign manager says it's not going to happen unless I'm married, but I like bucking trends, and I'm not going to put a ring on the finger of a woman who does nothing but smile pretty. No offense."
"I do a lot more than smile pretty," I assured him, knowing he was picking on me. "I also bite."
