I groan, burying my face in my hands. “I know, you’re telling me.”
“Look, if you’re asking me whether or not it was a good idea, well, that’s not really my place to say. But I will tell you this: Sometimes you’ve gotta let go of what you think you should do and just… feel it. Right now, you’re caught up in the whirlwind, but the only thing that matters is how you feel about it. Don’t second-guess what you deserve, girl.”
I peek out between my fingers, half-expecting her to burst into another round of wild laughter, but she’s being all serious now, which only makes the situation feel more real.
“I know,” I say quietly. “But what if I… what if I can’t handle this? What if this is all just a big mistake? What do I do when it’s all said and done? I don’t even know where to start.”
I’m in over my head, and I don’t know if I can swim.
Violet studies me for a long moment, her eyes soft but full of wisdom that only comes from years of being a little bit crazy herself. “Dakota, I get it. You’ve got all these feelings. And yeah, you’re juggling three guys who are clearly different as night and day. But here’s the thing, none of that means you’re in over your head. It means you’ve got choices. And sometimes you just have to let go and see where the current takes you.”
I stare at her, trying to digest what she’s saying, but it’s like she’s speaking a different language. One where everything doesn’t have to be so damn complicated.
“What if they all want something different?” I ask, feeling the situation creeping up on me again. “What if one of them wants more, but the others… don’t?”
“You know, in a perfect world, everyone would play by the same rules. But the truth is, sometimes you can’t control what’s going on inside of other people. You can only control how you feel and what you want. If one of them starts getting too…serious, then you’ll figure it out. But you can’t be afraid to feel what you feel just because it’s a little messy.”
I nod slowly, taking in her words. I know better than anyone that life’s not always that straightforward. Especially not when it comes to guys like Clint, Sawyer, and Reid. Each of them has a different way of pulling at me.
But why do they all seem to get under my skin in ways I can’t explain?
“You’re right,” I finally say, taking a deep breath. “I can’t control how they feel, but I do have control over how I handle it.”
Violet’s eyes sparkle with approval. “Exactly. And listen, no matter how this ends up, you’re allowed to make mistakes. You’re allowed to change your mind. You’re allowed to not have everything figured out. But what you can’t do is hide from what you want because you’re scared of what might happen next. I’d bet money they’re all just as into you as you are into them. It’s like… your own personal harem. And honestly? It’s kind of legendary.”
I chuckle, though there’s a nervous edge to it. “You’re really pushing the whole ‘harem’ idea, huh?”
She grins. “Hey, it’s your life, you can call it whatever you want. But one thing’s for sure. You’re not going to regret feeling alive. And those guys? They’re lucky to be part of your world.”
I shake my head, still trying to process it all, but a small smile breaks through. “I’m starting to think I might just need a manual for this kind of thing. A ‘How to Handle Three Sexy Men and Not Lose Your Sanity’ guidebook.”
Violet laughs out loud, slapping the table. “Girl, if you find that book, you let me know, because I’ll be first in line to borrow it!”
I smile at her, finally feeling like maybe everything’s going to be okay. “I think I’m gonna need all the help I can get.”
She raises her coffee cup in a mock toast. “To you, my friend. The woman who might just have three men wrapped around her finger. Don’t mess it up, okay?”
I laugh, the sound light and freeing. “No promises, but I’ll try my best.”
Violet’s grin fades a little, and she leans in, lowering her voice. “Seriously, though, Dakota, it’s time. You’ve got to put on your big-girl pants and tell Clint the truth about Charlie.”
I freeze, my fork hovering over the plate again. “Yeah. You’re right. After last night, I can’t keep making excuses. I need to just do it already.” I sigh hard. “With Charlie still with your mom, I guess now is the perfect time, right?”
Violet nods. “Stop putting it off. Just go do it. Pull off that Band-Aid, girl.”
Am I in a mess? Or is this going to be so much easier now? I guess there’s only one way for me to find out.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Sawyer
“I’m goingto see if Clint is back,” I call out to Reid, who’s covered in soot and determinedly cleaning up the mess the fire service left behind. “See if we can get those cameras up and running.”
Reid gives me a quick nod without looking up from his work. He’s got that laser focus on him when he’s fixing things, as if the world could be burning down around him and he’d still be too absorbed in the task at hand to notice.
Honestly, it’s kind of impressive, if not a little concerning.
I walk toward the front gate, the dust of the day clinging to my boots as I head for Clint’s truck, parked near the barn. It smells of burnt wood, still tinged with the aftertaste of the fire, and I can feel that familiar tension in my chest that’s been there since the first signs of trouble.
