He's not done, though.
"I told your mom you were fine and that I would make sure you stayed that way. I can't fucking do that ifyou block me at every turn with all your damn boundaries and walls!"
"They're there for a reason," I say, my voice dropping into hurt territory.
Jamie throws his hands in the air like he's done with my bullshit. Maybe he is, hell knows I would be at this point.
When he turns his back to me, more of my pain slips free with my tears. "I've made some really horrible mistakes in my life. You don't know?—"
He whirls around, eyes wild, and fists his hands, forcing my heart into my throat. "Of course I know what happened! That was national newsseven years ago, Violet!"
I can't breathe. All I can feel are my toes twitching, begging me to run.Of course he knew. How dumb can one person be? I'm such an idiot.
"Seven fucking years. It's time to move the fuck on."
I’m done. Done with this conversation, done with Jamie thinking he knows what I’ve been through. There is no moving on from the trauma my family endured.
Pushing past him, I bolt for the door and snatch my keys from the small table in the entryway.
"Violet, wait!"
Jamie's voice is far away and completely disappears as the blood rushes through my eardrums. He did what he had to do when faced with someone who's ruined lives.
Jamie has officially pushed me away.
Twelve
JAMIE
Ihave never felt like such a fuck up in my entire life. There has never been anything so profound, so important for metomess up. Which is why when my dad calls me right after Violet leaves, I'm tongue-tied.
"Jamie? What's wrong?" my dad asks, sounding gruff. Mom's voice is muffled in the background, but I can tell she's concerned.
Groaning, I flop my head back on my couch. "I fucked up, Dad."
"What did you do? Is Violet okay?"
My parents have known about Violet for years and are constantly asking about her. Not in a pressuring way, but with a need to check in and make sure she's doing well.
Violet doesn't know how invested my parents are in me winning her heart, and it's going to stay that way until I get her to meet them. Mom will wrap her in a hug and give away all my secrets, I just know it.
"I—" My throat clogs with emotion.
"Is she with you?" Mom asks and tells my dad to put me on speakerphone. "Let me talk to her."
At that, I smile. Lucy Murphy is the kindest woman in existence. Who I know for a fact is going to ream my ass when she hears about what I said to Violet. My mother already considers Violet her own in a way.
My smile fades as I sigh. "She left. I said some shit I shouldn't have and?—"
"What did you say?" Mom cuts me off, her tone as harsh as it can get. Last time I heard it, she was scolding one of the MC brothers for his vulgar language at the tattoo shop when ladies were present.
What a day that was...
"Jamie!" Dad snaps, and I'm suddenly grateful we aren't on a video call.
Fuck."I told her she needs to get over what happened to her mom."
Exactly as I predicted, my parents demand to know the full story. I offer them part of it and explain my feelings on the matter. They provide ideas of what she must have been thinking, which makes me feel so much fucking worse.
