Violet

The dining room at Woolton had been set up buffet style so we could eat dinner when we liked, but we were all too busy talking and catching up and we had to save ourselves for a Thanksgiving feast tomorrow anyway. Even though there were only six of us and the kids, it seemed as though the entire house was full. As much as I complained and bitched about my brother and sister, I couldn’t ever remember being so happy to see them.

I stood with my arm around Scarlett’s waist. “You look fantastic, Duchess,” I said.

She giggled. “Don’t call me that. It sounds like you’re trying to be down with the kids.”

“I’ve called you worse.”

“True. So how’s England? I haven’t heard from you this week.”

“I’m enjoying it.”

“Well you look fantastic. I love this dress.” She glanced down at my bottle-green, silk dress. “It’s a bit of a departure from your normal boho thing.”

The dress had been a gift from Alexander. I’d told him to stop buying me stuff, but he’d said that since he’d bought me the skirt, the retailer was following him around the internet with ads of things he thought I’d like, so he kept clicking. And I enjoyed how he always noticed when I wore them.

“That’s what love will do,” Darcy said.

“Stop it, Darcy. You know I don’t believe in that shit.” David had taught me that love really was blind and I’d taken my blinders off.

“I’m really hoping to catch a glimpse of this guy while I’m here. Any guy who’s managed to hold your attention for longer than a week intrigues me. I’m going to come to London for the day and rock up to your work when you least expect it.”

Darcy frowned and my stomach churned. I hadn’t told Scarlett Alexander was coming tomorrow. Darcy knew, obviously, as she’d suggested it and had to know numbers for lunch tomorrow. I’d fully expected Alexander to drop out because of a last-minute work emergency, but so far nothing had come up, which was making me a little nervous—this wasn’t like him. I didn’t know what was scarier—Alexander showing up, or Alexander blowing me off.

“You won’t have to wait until next week,” Darcy said, interrupting my thoughts. “We all get to meet him tomorrow.”

Open mouthed, Scarlet turned to me.

“I’m not sure if he’ll make it,” I said. “I did say it wasn’t definite, didn’t I?” I asked Darcy. It would be humiliating if he didn’t come now people knew. “He’s working on a huge case. He said he’ll try, but I’d be surprised if he can spare the time.” I released Scarlett and picked up my wine glass.

“Don’t have so little faith,” Darcy said. “You originally thought he’d never even consider it. He’ll be here.”

“You’ve never met him,” I replied. “How would you know?”

“Just a feeling.” She took a sip of her wine, grinning around the glass.

“This is big news, Violet,” my sister said.

“It’s really not.” The last thing I wanted was for everyone to make a big deal out of this. We might have been dating a few months, but because Alexander was so busy and we both knew it was a temporary thing, it wasn’t that serious. It couldn’t be.

“Have you said ‘I love you’?” Darcy asked, stirring up trouble.

“No! It’s not like that.” I doubted Alexander had even told his wife he loved her. He wasn’t that guy, and I wasn’t that girl. We were just hanging out. Enjoying the moment.

“You’ve been together months though, haven’t you? I’ve never known you to be with a guy this long. You must like him.”

“Of course I like him. I mean, he’s a moody, brooding asshole at times but—”

“Who’s an asshole?” Max came over, with a plate overflowing with food. He must have heard the word asshole and assumed we were talking about him.

“Her boyfriend,” Scarlett said.

“You’re dating, Darcy?” Max grinned.

“No.” Scarlett nudged him with her elbow. “Violet.”

“What? You have a boyfriend?” he asked, looking at me as if I’d just told him I’d decided to donate a kidney. “A British guy? I can’t handle any more British blood in this family.”

Oh my God, Max was fast-forwarding to the birth of my children. “Will you guys stop making a big deal about this? He’s going to think you’re all crazy when he arrives.”

“What, he’s coming to Woolton?” Max asked.

“Tomorrow,” Darcy said.

The girl was dead to me after this weekend. She was spilling all my secrets.

“Are you pregnant?” Max asked.

I rolled my eyes and turned to leave this group to top up my wine.

“She’s not pregnant; she’s in love.” Scarlett grabbed my arm. “You’re not pregnant, are you?”

“No, I’m not pregnant, and I am definitely not in love. How many times do I have to say it?” I wished I’d never invited him. The whole thing was going to be a horror show. Except that I didn’t really wish I hadn’t invited him. I was excited that he might be coming, that he was giving up work for a few hours to spend time with me. I wanted to show him around the house and take a walk with him around the lake, wrapped up in our coats and scarves. Kiss him looking over the croquet lawn.

“You guys have to promise that you’re not going to act like freaks.”

“We’ll be fine. We won’t tell him he’s your first boyfriend since college and the only guy who’s ever made your eyes light up when he’s mentioned.”

“Scarlett, please. And anyway, he knows all about David.”

“You told him what happened?” she asked.

“Well, yeah.” It wasn’t a big deal that I’d told him, was it? I didn’t want to keep things from him and after the Gabby debacle I didn’t want him keeping things from me.

“About the business?” Scarlett asked.

I nodded. “Yes, I said. He knows.”

“Wow.” She took a sip of her wine, trying to disguise her smile.

“There’s nothing ‘wow’ about it.”

“Well, I hope he’s not an asshole,” Max said.

“Then I’m afraid you’re going to be disappointed,” I replied.

“Well, if he puts a foot wrong—” Max’s chest expanded and I rolled my eyes.

“He can’t be an arsehole,” Darcy said. “Not if you like him as much as you do.”

“Who said I liked him that much?”

“Has he signed his divorce papers yet?” Scarlett asked.

“The asshole is married?” Max asked, his mouth full of food. He swallowed. “Jesus, Violet. You’re involved with a married man?”

“Thanks, Scarlett,” I said, shaking my head. “Yes, he’s signed his divorce papers, and he’s been separated from his wife for over three years.”

“I don’t like the sound of this guy,” Max mumbled.

“Well, you two have a lot in common. You’re both workaholic assholes, so you should get along just fine.”

I wasn’t really sure Max and Alexander would get along at all. I’d never really seen Alexander interact with anyone other than me in a non-work public setting. But he was a good man. He might be brooding and moody, but that was just a cloak. When you got to know the real Alexander, he was decent and kind. I hoped my family could see that. I wanted them to like him because he was the first person in a long time that I’d cared about. And I wanted to be right about him. I wanted them to see what I saw in him. It was as if Alexander represented a new Violet—a woman who’d moved on from the scars of her early twenties. And if it turned out I was wrong about him, then what else was I wrong about?

I just hope he didn’t cancel. Not now.