“I’ll lose my job.”
“It doesn’t matter. You won’t be working here again. It’s too far to come from the lake house. If you insist on stacking shelves, you can get a job closer, but you really should focus on your studies.”
She quirks her lips in the corner while trying her best to give me a glare. She knows I’m right. I may come across as a domineering asshole, but I mean well, and I’ll be damned if I stop her from getting an education.
“Hurry up, Vi. My patience is wearing thin, and my cock is growing by the second, thinking of all the things I’m going to do to you.”
“My stuff is in my car.”
“Well, what are we waiting for?”
“Yaz will you cover for me?”
Yaz lets out a sigh. “Sure. I knew he would worm his way back into your pants, eventually.”
Vi whispers to Yaz. “Thank you. I’ll call for my stuff tomorrow. Oh, and it’s bigger than a worm.”
“Ugh, gross. Get out of here.”
Holding back my satisfied grin, I interlace Vi’s fingers with my own as we walk down the aisle. “Is she still shooting daggers at my back?”
Vi giggles. “Yep. She’ll come around. Yaz takes a while to warm up, that’s all.” She reaches her hand out to take the flowers. “I take it these are for me?”
“I haven’t paid for them yet. I just picked them up from the stand when I walked in. Thought they’d make me look good.”
“They are pretty impressive. You can pop them back in the stand. I have everything I want right here.”
What have I ever done to deserve this woman? I’m going to thank my lucky stars and the angels in heaven every day for this precious gift. Not only have I got a second chance at love, but a second chance at life.
52
VIOLET
Summer
“Iwant you to take that position at uni.” Kane’s fingers trail up and down my arm as I lay against his chest. The gentle rock of the boat soothing us both into a lullaby.
“I’m not going. I don’t want to leave this place, ever. Don’t make me.”
His arms wrap tighter around me. “I won’t force you, but I’ll still be here when you’re done. I’m not going anywhere.”
“I can do an open university course. I don’t need to be away from you.”
“It’s not the same. You haven’t lived, Vi.”
“How can you say that? Being with you is the most alive I’ve felt in my whole life.”
“All nineteen years of it.”
“Don’t mock me, old man.”
His chest rocks beneath me with a silent laugh. He takes my hand in his, entwining our fingers. “Are you afraid I’ll forget you, is that it? Meet someone else while you’re gone or change my mind about us?”
“I just miss you. I won’t be able to go months without seeing you.”
“You think I’ll be able to stand that? I’ll be seeing you most weekends. Whatever it takes to make sure you get a proper education. There’s nothing wrong with stacking shelves but in ten years’ time I won’t have you regret us because you didn’t get an education.”
“All right, I’ll accept, but promise me one thing. You won’t push me away thinking you know what’s best and thinking I need to hang out with people my own age.” I’ve never fit in with kids my own age. None of them liked the same things as me. I was always a loser and anime geek. Yaz is the first real friend I’ve had in years.
