CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Ace
Christmas
“Is it okay that we decided to wait to exchange gifts until we got back here?” Violet asks as she enters my side of the duplex. “It seemed so private, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to do that in front of your parents.”
“No, I’m okay with that.” I pat the couch beside me, beckoning her to come sit beside me.
“You know this couch has held a pretty special place in my life since we made out on it that one time.” She cuts her eyes over at me, desire and passion in them.
“Oh really?” I chuckle, slipping my arm against the back of the couch, pulling her closer to me.
“Yeah, that night was one of the first nights I felt like I could be myself with you, and you got me so hot.” She closes her eyes.
“You got me hot too, but let’s not talk about that right now. We’re supposed to be exchanging gifts.”
“Okay.” She sighs. “You wanna go first?”
“How about we go together?”
“I’m good with that.”
She hands me what looks like a gift certificate of some type, and I hand her my small box that I wrapped by myself. It’s apparent that I wrapped it because it looks like Stella helped me. We both eye one another. Then we dig into the gifts.
I open the envelope and see two gift certificates for skydiving, and she jingles the keys I gave her at me, her eyebrow raised.
“I’ll explain first, then you explain.” I duck my head. Back when I’d thought of giving her this, it’d seemed like a great idea, but now that she doesn’t understand what they are, I’m kind of second-guessing my idea. “They’re keys to this place. I want you to move in with me when you feel like it’s a good time. I want to move our relationship to the next level, and I want you to trust me enough to give me that part of you.”
Tears slip from her eyes, and I’m confused. I didn’t think this was one of those gifts that would make her cry. “Bad idea?”
“No,” she sniffles. “Perfect. The reason I gave you two gift certificates? You know I’m scared of heights. Remember Gulf Shores when I wouldn’t go parasailing with all of you? I know you love things that push the envelope, that give you a thrill and that’s been me, but this is symbolic. With you by my side, I’m not scared of anything. I feel like I could do anything as long as you’re right there next to me, Ace,” she uses my call-sign. “And I’d be proud to live with you, to share your life, and to go skydiving with you. If you’re with me, there’s nothing I won’t face.”
This beautiful, perfect, amazing woman – she’s come so far. In the blink of an eye, I’m across the couch, cupping her jaw with my hands, devouring her lips with mine. “You’re the most amazing, fearless, badass woman I’ve ever met in my life and I can’t wait to experience this adventure with you.”
The smile she gives me transforms her face. “I can’t either. There will be times when I test your patience, because that’s who I am, but please don’t ever give up on me.”
“Never,” I vow. “I’m never giving up on you. I know what it’s like to have you. Somebody will have to rip what we have from my cold, dead hands. I mean that with every fiber of my being.”
Together, in the colored lights of the Christmas tree we put up together, we snuggle on the couch. Both of us letting tears fall, making whispered promises to each other, and it’s the best Christmas I’ve ever had. No one could have given me a better gift than what I got.
Her.
Violet
A Few Days Later
“This shit is legit.” Caleb looks at me wide-eyed. “That table over there just gave me a twenty-five dollar tip. On a thirteen dollar bill.”
“Are you kidding me?” I turn my head to stare at the table of older women. They give me five, if that.
“I could get used to being a waiter.” He gives me a grin as he adjusts his apron. “I could take the whole place for you if you needed me to.”
“Settle down, you stick to your own section and stay out of mine. You’re about to get on my bad side.” I give him a scowl. “And newsflash, those ladies only gave you that tip because they want you for your body.”
“He’s seventeen,” I throw over at them as I deliver food to the table where Leighton, Holden, Ransom, Anthony and his parents are sitting at.
“Can you believe this?” I cross my arms over my chest, Leighton and I sharing a look. “He’s raking in the dough.”
Holden, takes a bite with one hand while he feeds Ransom with the other. “Hey, when ya got it, ya got it. Don’t be a hater.”
Leighton and I both give him a glare. “They gave him twenty-five dollars.”
“What? The penny pinchers gave him actual paper money?”
“Yes.” I take Anthony’s coffee cup and give him a refresh, setting it down a little too hard. “It’s ridiculous.”
“What’s ridiculous” – Anthony clears his throat – “is you two getting salty over a seventeen-year-old kid making more money than you do. From what I’ve heard through the grapevine, the girl he’s talking to over there, he’s taking out on a date next week.”
Leighton and I whip our heads around. “Oh she’s cute,” we both say at the same time.
“Well if he’s trying to take her out, I’ll cut him some slack, but it’s still not fair.” I lean in, taking a bite of the bacon that Anthony is putting up to my mouth. “I gotta go, but I’ll be back to check on y’all in a few minutes.”
“Violet,” Ellen’s voice is quiet with the loud group she’s sitting with. “Are we still on for the craft show later on today?”
“Yes,” I answer, a smile on my face. “I get off here in about an hour, I’m gonna head home, take a shower, and then meet you out there. It starts at two, right?”
“Right. I’m excited to spend some time with you.”
“I’m excited to spend time with you too.” And I realize how true that statement is.
“Is it the one at the high school?” Leighton asks as she takes a bite of a biscuit.
“Yup,” I answer, filling her coffee cup up to the brim.
“Could I tag along with y’all? I really need to get out of the house. I went last year, and I loved a lot of the stuff I saw. From what I remember, they have really cute baby stuff too.”
Poor Leighton, she’s not used to being cooped up in the house.
“I have no problem with it.” I laugh. “Can Holden handle Ransom on his own?”
“Considering she handles him on her own while he’s at work, I’d say he owes her an hour or two,” Ellen mumbles as she takes a sip of her tea.
Leighton and I giggle as we both look at Anthony’s mom. “Okay, now I see where you get your smart mouth from.” I reach over the table, high-fiving his mom.
“Alright I really gotta go, but I’ll see you out there. Leigh, want me to pick you up?”
“If you don’t mind.”
“We’ll meet you there, Ellen.”
And as I lean in, giving Anthony a chaste kiss, I love the way his arm comes around my waist. I love the way he silently lays claim on me there in front of everyone.
“Love you,” he whispers.
“Love you too.”
Making my way back over behind the counter, I top off the coffee of all the men sitting there, before I start filling out my tickets. Caleb comes over, asking me if he’s doing his tickets right. I take a look at them, nodding in affirmative.
“Good job, bud. So are you really taking that girl out next week?”
Caleb’s face turns bright red under the stubble on his cheek and chin. “Trying to. I fucked up before, Vi, messing with those girls who wanted one thing and that was it. She’s a good girl, and she’s heard about my reputation. It’s up in the air.”
“You’ll be fine, Caleb, and she’ll realize what a great person you are. We all mistakes, but we can always come back from those mistakes.”
His eyes roam my face as he leans against the counter. “You think so?”
“I know so. How else do you think I survived a shitty marriage and met the man I love now? Mistakes teach us what the good things are in life. They’re necessary but they aren’t forever.”
“Here’s hoping.” He tosses a dishrag in my direction and I watch as he walks over to the girl.
She smiles up at him, turning her body toward his. He’s respectful, doesn’t crowd her, and helps her put her jacket on. I watch as he follows her out, and then gaze around at the inside of The Café, completely content with my life. It’s abuzz with life, laughter, family and friendship.
I realize that’s what this place has come to be for me. The epicenter of the life I have now, not the afternoon my husband came through the door and beat me. He may have smothered me, but he didn’t put out my fire.
And maybe that’s the best lesson I’ve learned this year.
That fire burns bright, and I have no doubt that Anthony Bailey and the town of Laurel Springs will continue to stoke it.
That’s what happens when you find your person and you find your home. When you find both in one spot? That makes you an incredibly lucky person.
And no matter how unlucky I’ve been in the past, right now, I’m the luckiest person I know.