“What about you?” Jake asked. “Do you think things will get serious with Max?”
He was the only path left to take, and we got along perfectly. How could he not be my match?
“Max is great,” I said. “I could see us having a future together.”
Jake finished his beer and stared into the distance as if something was on his mind; his expression was a mixture of sadness and anger. I wanted to ask him what was wrong, but he stood and glanced down at his empty cup.
“I’m going to grab another beer.” His conflicted green eyes met mine. “Would you like another one?”
All I could do was nod and feel my heart ache the second he walked away. Why did I feel like that?
“Lydia!” Violet shouted, her smile bright as she rushed up into the gazebo. I watched as Ben walked alongside Jake to the brewery booths. Violet sat beside me and I could feel her electric energy.
“Are you and Ben having fun?” I asked.
Violet nodded. “We are. I went ahead and told him which pics of his we wanted in the gallery.”
“Is he happy about our choices?”
Her smile widened. “He’s ecstatic. I’ll get them printed and framed on Monday. He’s going to stop by to see where we put them.” She sat back and looked up at the twinkling lights above us. “If only someone from one of those nature magazines would stop in. You know they’d love his work.”
“Yes, they would,” I agreed. “Let’s keep our fingers crossed. Ben has a talent that everyone in the world needs to see.”
Violet cleared her throat and met my gaze; there was an uncertainty in them that gave me pause.
“Violet, what’s wrong?” I asked her.
She shook her head. “Nothing. It’s just . . .” She paused momentarily and puffed out a breath. “Okay, here’s the thing. What would you say if I told you that Ben and I might make plans to get together this week?”
“Like a date?” I questioned, lifting my brows.
“Yeah . . . maybe.” She flung her arms in the air, her voice shaky with nerves. “Okay, so yeah, a date. Is that okay? I know you met him first. So, if you like him that way, I’ll back off. The last thing I want is for a guy to come between us.”
Watching her flail around with her words made me burst out with laughter. I liked Ben and he seemed like a great guy, but there wasn’t a connection between us. Obviously, there was one with them, and I wasn’t about to stand in the way.
Violet stared at me as if I’d lost my mind. “What’s so funny?”
The universe worked in mysterious ways; if only she knew what I went through to bring Ben into our lives. I wanted to tell her I traveled through time, but would she believe me? Who knows, but I wasn’t going to find out.
“You and Ben are getting along great,” I said, taking her hands in mine. “I think you look cute together. I haven’t seen you smile so bright in a long time.”
Violet clutched her stomach and sighed. “I have never had this feeling in my stomach before. It’s exciting, but also scary. I don’t want to get hurt again.”
I squeezed her hands. “You can’t be afraid to take chances.”
Her lips pursed. “Oh yeah. You might want to practice what you preach, sis.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
She giggled and shook her head. “You say you can’t be afraid to take chances, but what are you doing with Jake? I don’t see you taking chances with him. Are you afraid?”
Her words caught me off guard.
“No,” I answered quickly, not even attempting to think more on what she said. “Jake and I aren’t anything. Besides, it’s Max who I’m interested in.”
Jake and Ben chuckled together as they walked up the steps into the gazebo, carrying our drinks. My eyes met Jake’s and that warmth inside me grew.
Violet grabbed my arm and leaned in close. “Tell that lie to someone who’ll believe you. I see what I see. Maybe it’s time you open your eyes.”
