She nodded, refusing to meet his gaze as she sidestepped him. “Excuse me.”
Before he could say another word, she hurried to the rear door of the bookstore and let herself in, locking it behind her just in case. She didn’t expect Archer to come after her. Why would he? He probably pitied her. How many women had Simon done this to? Was this a trend for him? Go to a new town, work on a new story, meet a new woman and hook up, then leave when he was done.
God. How could she have been so stupid? She knew he was leaving, but she at least thought he might give her a second thought once he drove past the town limits.
Then again, he was a nice guy.
A nice guy she never should’ve gotten mixed up with.
“Stupid curse,” she muttered, grabbing her keys and her phone so she could go home and drown her sorrows in a pint of ice cream.
After she packed his crap and set it at the curb.
•••••
“Somethin’ wrong with Violet?” Archer asked whenhe walked into the apartment to find Paige and Simon setting up.
Simon glared at him. “What?”
Archer gestured toward the door. “I just ran into her. Almost literally.”
Simon frowned.
“She looked upset.”
“Did you ask her what was wrong?” Paige prompted.
“I tried. She ran off before I could. Did you?”
Paige put her hands on her hips. “I didn’t see her, or I would’ve.”
“Uh-huh. She was comin’ down the stairs. Had to be comin’ from here, right?”
Paige’s eyes widened as she looked at Simon. “You think she heard us talking?”
Archer moved deeper into the room. “What were you talkin’ about?”
“Mafia bosses and the danger this story presents,” Paige quipped.
Archer looked at Simon. “I thought you said you talked to her about it.”
“I did. She’s not thrilled with the idea, but I think she gets it.”
“So why would she run outta here like her ass was on fire?”
Simon exhaled. “I don’t know.”
“You should go talk to her,” Paige told him. “Better to nip it in the bud now.”
“Nipwhatin the bud?” Simon asked. “She has no reason to be mad at me. Maybe she had somethin’ else to do.”
Archer looked at his friend. They both knew that was bullshit. What little Simon had shared about Violet, Archer had gathered that whatever was going on between them was more serious than a couple of weeks could allow for. It obviously meant something since Simon kept coming up with more excuses to stay in town when what came next could easily be done back in Dallas. Archer had never seen the man want to extend a trip. He was always eager to go home.
Then again, maybe this was Simon’s new home, the place he belonged. Not some cold, lonely apartment that spent more time with the housekeeper than the guy who rented it.
“Go talk to her,” Paige encouraged. “Seriously, Simon. All three of us know you’re never leaving this town again. From the moment you met that woman, your fate was sealed.”
Archer chuckled. “She’s not wrong.”
