I shake my head. “That’s not true. We’re in a relationship so of course if you’re upset that impacts me.”
“Fair enough. So how about you share your feelings and then I’ll share mine, and we can figure it out together?”
I blink once, then twice as I realize how smart that suggestionis. “Wow. You’re good. Are you sure you’re not the psychologist in the relationship?”
“Violet.”
“Okay fine. It’s just now occurring to me that hotels make me sad. Because of, ya know, Chicago.”
His face falls, and I can tell I’ve brought his mood down with mine. I should have just kept my thoughts to myself.
“I’m sorry, Vi. I hate that you have that memory of us. Hopefully we can replace some of those bad memories with good ones with weekend.” He winks in an attempt to lighten the mood.
“I feel like it’s so hard for me to move on from things. I just want to live in the moment but there’s a part of my brain I can’t turn off that always brings me back to times I’d like to leave buried.”
Mason wipes away a stray tear from my cheek that managed to fall without me noticing. “It’s okay if you can’t fully let go of the past Violet. All of what we went through brought us here. I just hope you know that I wouldn’t trade a single bad day of mine if it meant I had to give up a good day with you.”
I lean my head up to place a soft kiss on his lips. I want us both to shake off our hotel history and kissing his lips usually does a good job of wiping my mind’s slate clean. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to bring the vibes down.”
His face softens and he rests his forehead on mine.
“We’re here together now Violet, which is all that matters to me. Having you by my side is all that matters to me.”
thirty-eight
. . .
Mason
After droppingour bags off in the room, we grab a quick lunch and head straight to Central Park to see whether Wollman Rink lives up to the hype (Violet claimed the Frog Pond in Boston was better, I agreed to disagree). Violet skates laps around me like a pro the entire time. Meanwhile I tried my best not to have a heart attack every time I think she is going to fall.
Afterward we mercifully dodge a double date with Monroe and her heinous boyfriend. Instead, we meet Monroe at her fancy office, where she catches Violet up on the drama surrounding one of her clients.
“Wait. Wait. So, you’re telling me her husband cheats on her on national television, and the network threatens to fireherinstead of him?” Violet exasperates.
“She was deemed a liability for not being able to ‘handle her emotions’ while working.” Monroe rolls her eyes.
“Welp, we can check the box that reads ‘sexism.’ Also didn’t this happen like years ago? Why are people still bringing it up?”
“Because she’s finally coming back into the limelight to host another reality TV dating show. After her divorce, she wanted to lay low for a while and shifted to producing. Now that she’s decided to show her face again, the claws have come out.” Monroe bites her lip. “I’m really worried the press is going to scare her away from this job. For her sake, she really needs to take it. You can only hide from your problems for so long until they come back to bite you in the ass.” Monroe’s office phone rings seconds later drawing a groan. “Speaking of avoiding your problems…it’s my boss.”
I tuck the crumpled piece of paper into the pocket of my coat after giving it one last read through. I never get anxious with public speaking, mainly because post-game interviews were low stakes. But this was different. Connor deserved so much for all he’d done, and the least I could do was deliver a speech that spoke to his character and had minimal fuckups. This is ultimately what led me to re-read my speech for the hundredth time this week while Violet finished getting ready. Maybe I should have a beer before I get up on stage. Only one. Enough to dampen some of the nerves, without turning me into a complete mess.
“You’re going to do great, Mason. Connor wouldn’t have asked you to do this if he didn’t think you could handle it.” Violet’s voice comes from the bathroom.
I’m cracking open a beer from the fridge as Violet steps out of the bathroom. The strapless, silk floor-length red dress clings to her body like a second skin, with a slit on the side that exposes her leg.
“Maybe you’ll give me a heart attack before I even make it downstairs.”
“I guess I don’t have to ask you what you think about my dress.”
“I think it’s an absolute crime that I’m not going to be able to touch you the way that I want to for the next three hours, Angel.” I walk over to her, bringing her into my arms. I trail a faint line of kisses down her neck and onto her shoulder and marvel at the goosebumps that form on her skin.
“I’m not opposed to leaving early.” Violet’s eyes show a sly glint. “But onlyafteryou’re done with your speech, and we get to congratulate Connor.”
“You drive a hard bargain, but I accept your terms. Let’s get going.” I take her hand into mine as we head toward the elevator.
I booked our room at the same hotel the Rangers’ gala was being held (just in case we needed to make an emergency exit). We make it halfway up to the conference hall when the elevator dings and in enters Rowan with his wife. A smile lights up on the face of my former captain as he clamps a hand down on my shoulder. “Well look what the cat dragged in. It’s good to see you, Mason.”
