Total pages in book: 183
Estimated words: 178343 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 892(@200wpm)___ 713(@250wpm)___ 594(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 178343 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 892(@200wpm)___ 713(@250wpm)___ 594(@300wpm)
“We haven’t thought that far,” I answer for her. “But whatever Violet wants to do is fine with me.”
“I could retire early and watch the baby while you work,” Violet’s mom’s eyes light with excitement.
Kev gives her a double take.
Violet answers, “I don’t know yet. Actually, I got fired on Friday, so I have plenty of time on my hands to weigh out my list of options.” She shrugs and reaches for a spring roll.
“Fired?” Kev sits up straighter. “Why?”
Violet waves her hand nonchalantly, which surprises me.
“I’m suing them. Unlawful dismissal. Discrimination. My boss is a witch and I have reason to believe she made stuff up to make me look bad. I’m not worried about it, but I’m not letting her get away with it either. I think I might take over managing procurement for Killian’s clubs.”
My eyes swing to her and now it’s my face that lights up. “Family business?” I say. “Sounds good to me.”
“You say that now, but we haven’t started negotiating my salary yet,” Violet warns, biting her spring roll.
“Name your price,” I invite.
***
They’ve all just gone home; we’ve walked them to the door. As I lock it and set the alarm, Violet’s eyes have changed.
“What’s happening?” she asks.
“No updates,” I say, taking her into my arms and holding her close.
She melts into me in a way that makes me weak in the knees for a second. The relief I feel at her reaction to me is hitting me in the feels. And then I feel a surge of strength. It’s clear for the first time to me that love can knock you down, and it can also make you stronger.
“I was so scared last night,” she says, looking up at me.
“Soon, you’ll never have to be afraid of that fuckhead again,” I drop a kiss on her throat. “Because I’m gonna take care of it.”
“So, you’re not gonna… you’re not just gonna let him do his time in prison, and… and leave it?”
“I’ve been weighing options,” I say, dropping another kiss on her mouth.
She frowns and as her mouth opens for another question, I put my index finger to it.
“Let’s not worry about it tonight.”
I move my finger and lean in for another kiss, this time touching my tongue to hers.
She pulls back. “Not worry about it? It’s been a nightmarish twenty-four hours, and this is the first time we can talk about it. I wanna talk about it, Killian.”
I sigh and take her hand and kiss it before I walk her to the couch and sit down, pulling her to my side.
“The tree looks amazing,” I say.
The apartment just has this tree in the corner by the window, white lights twinkling, ornaments and other decorations shimmering. The fireplace mantle has a 1970s-style ceramic lit Christmas tree on it and I fuckin’ love the tacky-looking thing. Violet’s grandmother apparently made it in a craft class.
My nan had one too almost the same, except hers was green and this one is white. My kid brother knocked Nan’s over, and it smashed into a million pieces the year before the last Christmas we had with her. We talked that over tonight when Will and I put all the little lights in this one and set it up. It was something we did together every year before Nan died, back when Christmas meant something. We always built gingerbread houses the same day. It was good to share that moment with him. We didn’t build one today, but we did eat some of Violet’s gingerbread while we decorated, and it brought me back to some nice Christmas memories.
The whole night was nice, really. A little bickering between Violet’s parents, but the kind that doesn’t make you feel uncomfortable because it’s not a real fight, just a married couple bantering. They finished each other’s sentences and gently teased one another throughout the evening. And Violet’s mom griping about Mr. Gabriel overindulging and him sticking his tongue out at her when her back was turned was comical.
Cody made smartass remarks all night long and cracked us all up with his dry humor. He and Will hit it off despite that Will’s six years older than him. They seem to have plenty in common and they exchanged numbers with a plan to meet up and work out together next week. Will offered to take him to his gym and show him how to use the equipment since Cody commented he was tired of being a beanpole and wanted to gain muscle.
Violet’s mother blurted at least three dozen baby names throughout the evening and Violet seemed to enjoy it.
Violet seemed happy and comfortable, though her eyes hit me a few times with lots of emotion in them. She ate a big plate of dinner and then, halfway through decorating the tree, she wasn’t feeling well. She didn’t throw up, though, which felt like progress. She had a morning sickness sucker and we all wrapped things up quickly after that so she could rest.