18
VIOLET DIDN’T NOTICE her foot the rest of the night. How could she? She wasn’t sure her feet had touched the ground.
Multiple times, Hogan had publicly kissed her. To anyone observing it’d be clear they were a couple. Even the idea of Brooklin’s idiot ex hanging around wasn’t enough to dampen her happiness.
She wanted to ask Hogan what it meant, but at the same time, not knowing was nice. She could imagine anything.
And everything.
But at least now she knew they were making progress. She’d been more than willing to give Hogan time. After everything he’d been through, after all the upsets in Colt’s life... Well, she loved them both enough to be as patient as necessary.
She hadn’t heard Colt approach until he said, “What a day. That had to be the biggest Friday yet.”
Smiling, she turned from cleaning a booth. “I think it was. Your dad is doing inventory right now, to see what sold best with his ribs. I’m guessing it was a banner night.”
“Everyone’s gone now?”
“Kristy just finished up and left. Last I saw them, Brooklin and Nathan were still out back, but I imagine they’ll go before we do.”
Colt’s smile stayed in place, and he kept looking at her.
“What?” She touched her now-very-messy braid, wondering if she’d gotten a French fry caught in it, or a pickle or something. Some days, when she ran from cleanup to serving, to carryout and back again, she ended the day a real mess.
He shook his head, looked down at his feet, drew a breath and finally met her gaze again. “I like having you in our family, Violet. I really do.”
“In your family?” Oh, how nice that sounded. “But I’m not—”
“Yeah, you are.”
Colt wasn’t the type of kid to dance around something. He was more mature than that, more confident. She wouldn’t insult him by pretending she didn’t understand. “I would truly love that.” Then she held out a hand. “But I wasn’t rushing things. It’d only work for me if it’s what you and your dad want.”
“I do. And from what I’ve seen, Dad does, too. He wouldn’t stake a claim like that otherwise.”
“Stake a claim?”
Colt laughed at her. “You know what I mean. All the PDAs.”
“Right.” Those public displays of affection were new for him. She wrinkled her nose. “I didn’t want to make too much of it.”
“You two will work it out. I just wanted you to know I’m happy about it.”
Well, he just about melted her heart. “Thank you, Colt.”
“I know it’s been a long day, but I wanted to ask you about something else, too, if you have a few minutes.”
She would always have time for him. “Sure. What’s up?”
In short order, he explained an early graduation program. “I’ll be out in January, and I was wondering if you’d have some full-time work for me. I could learn from Dad at the grill, since I know his ‘secret sauce.’ But I wouldn’t mind doing whatever.”
Devastated, Violet drew him into the booth and made him sit down. “Out in January, you said?”
“Yes.”
“Colt, when I was your age, I worked full-time. At the time I didn’t mind it, except that I missed all the dances and parties and all the fun stuff.” Which, of course, meant on some level she’d minded very much. “I don’t want you to miss it, too.”
“I don’t care about all that.”
“Of course you do. I saw you talking with that girl tonight.”
“Charish.” He said her name with a good dose of pleasure. “She’s my girlfriend.”
“A girlfriend?” That was news to Violet. “Well, you little sneak. How come I didn’t know anything about that?”
“It’s a new thing.” He drew his finger over the damp surface of the booth top she’d just wiped down. “Since I’ll be out of school and can save for college, and I decided to go to college locally, I...” He paused, seeming at a loss for the right words.
“You decided you had time for Charish, too?”
“Something like that.”
Pleased that Colt would confide in her, Violet asked, “You like her?”
He gave her a rascal’s grin. “You saw her, right?”
“I did.” She’d also noticed how the girl watched Colt as if her world revolved around him. “She’s a real cutie.”
“Well, she’s even nicer than she looks. So yeah, I like her. A lot.”
Violet put a hand to her heart. “Oh my God, could you be more wonderful? That lucky girl.”
Colt snorted. “I’m not all that.”
“All that and then some, honey. I bet Charish knows it, too. How many boys your age would pay as much attention to a girl’s character as he does to her looks?”
Colt rubbed the back of his neck. “Maybe I should admit it wasn’t her character I first noticed.”
No, but it was apparently her character that swayed him into sticking closer to home. “I’m happy for you. You need to play a little more.”
“I also need to work more hours. I don’t mean to put you on the spot. I know the holidays will be busy around here, especially when everyone is out of school. But what about in January? Think you’d need someone more full-time, or should I look around at other places?”
Feigning grave insult, Violet drew back with a gasp. “Don’t you dare work anywhere else! You said it yourself—we’re like family, and family works together.”
“I think that’s supposed to be ‘sticks’ together.”
“Whatever. I want you here.” Where she could be a part of his life, and where she could ensure he didn’t work too hard, or too many hours. “And yes, I’ll put you full time if you want, but I’ll also need to give you a raise.”
“A raise?”
The wheels turned as she spoke, scrambling to find ways to make life just a little easier for Colt, while also showing him how proud she was of him. “Yes. But I have a stipulation.”
Wary, he said, “All right.”
“You have to work day shift the second Saturday of every month, and take off every third Saturday.” That’d give him two Saturdays every month for dating.
Colt looked at her like she was nuts. “I need the money—”
“You’ll have the raise, right? No reason to work every single weekend. That’s my deal. I hope it’s agreeable, because we need you here.”
Colt laughed at her. “That’s your whole motivation, huh? You’re not trying to free up my time so I can go out more?”
Pretending it didn’t matter to her, Violet checked a nail. “If dating is what you want to do, that’s fine. Or you could see a movie with your friends, head to the creek... It’s not my business.”
Colt watched her with open affection. “That’d all be terrific. Thanks.”
“My pleasure.” She should have let it go at that, but the words burned in her throat. “You know I...well, I care a lot about you, okay?” Her voice thickened with emotion. “It’s like you’re my...little brother or something.”
His expression went tender. “I’ve never been a little brother.”
Did he realize that she loved him like a son? Because damn it, she did. She didn’t want to make him uncomfortable by saying so. He’d lost his mother. He couldn’t want her trying to fill in.
And why did she suddenly feel so whiny? She wasn’t a crier, so why get choked up now? She knew why, of course.
She wanted a role in Colt’s life, a role that might never be hers.
Colt squeezed her hands, then stood. “Thanks, Violet.”
She nodded and, without looking at him, trying to hide her glassy eyes, shooed him away.
“I’ll finish up in back.” After hearing him go, she rose from the booth, turned and found Hogan standing against the wall, his arms crossed, his gaze discerning.
Violet knew he’d heard everything.
As he approached, she drummed up some false composure. “Hey, all done?”
Expression unchanged, he touched her cheek. “Do you know that the harder you work, the sexier you look?”
She hadn’t seen that coming. “Yeah, right.”
“It’s true. I never realized how hot it is to see a woman put everything into her work.”
“Well,” she whispered, “not everything.”
One brow went up and he half smiled. “True. You save a little energy for when I get you alone, don’t you?”
She quickly turned away to finish cleaning the booth and tabletops.
Hogan took one of the cloths and helped. “So Colt and Charish, huh?”
Thrilled for the change of subject, Violet flashed him a grin. “Did you see her? I’m surprised he resisted for so long.”
“He resisted,” Hogan said, “because he’s been working nonstop saving for college.”
Violet’s hand tightened on the cloth. “I know. He told me about his plan to graduate early. But there has to be a way...” She straightened and stared at Hogan.
After the day outside he looked amazing, especially wearing his Barbecue Master shirt. His windblown hair and five o’clock shadow only added to his physical appeal. She watched the muscles in his arms flex as he bent over a table, swiping the cloth across the surface.
In every way, Hogan personified the description of a gorgeous hunk. Physically, she found him almost too gorgeous for words. She only had to see him to start a slow meltdown.
He pitched in without thinking about it, didn’t differentiate between guy work and women’s work, or the importance of any particular job. He’d grill, help customers or, as he did now, wipe tables.
And best of all, he adored his son.
How could she not be crazy-nuts in love with him?
Caught in a maelstrom of thoughts and emotions, Violet opened her mouth and, without meaning to, blurted, “We could share rent.”
The second the words left her mouth, her stomach sank. She jerked around and blindly cleaned an already-clean booth. Her heart drummed madly.
She’d just suggested they live together.
The silence behind her settled like lead weights onto her shoulders. Even the air felt still.
Unable to resist, she bit her lip and glanced over at Hogan. He stood there, his arms limp at his sides, his gaze fixed on her.
What did that reaction mean?
Knowing she had to say something, Violet inched toward him. “Hogan...”
Nathan and Brooklin stepped in. “Colt locked up out back. Everyone else is gone, but before we take off, I thought maybe Hogan could show me the remodel upstairs.”
With the tension broken, Violet sucked in needed air, then rolled her eyes. “I take it that’s your not-so-subtle way of saying you want to talk to Hogan alone?”
Brooklin said, “Yes, it is.” She went to Hogan and took the cloth. “Go on, then. I’ll help Violet finish up.”
After a long searching look, Hogan said, “We’ll only be a minute.” Since Colt had already locked up in back, they went out the front door and around to the stairs by the back lot.
As soon as the men were gone, the ladies laughed.
“What are they talking about? Do you know?”
Brooklin shook her head. “We called Russell’s old cell phone number, but it’s not his anymore. I tried to look on his Facebook page, but it’s either private now or he closed it down.”
“So we don’t know for sure if it was him or not.”
She shook her head. “But I’d rather it be him. Russell was an ass, but he wasn’t dangerous.”
From behind them, a man’s voice said, “That’s not exactly true.”
Violet jerked around. Yes, that had to be the guy. Narrow shoulders, baggy cargo pants, probably in his midthirties. He wasn’t a homely man, but comparisons to Nathan weren’t kind. He looked pathetic.
Except for the gun in his hands.
“Lock the door behind me,” he ordered.
Neither woman moved. Brooklin said, “What are you doing, Russell?”
“You act like you don’t know.” He took a hard step toward her. “You ruined my life!”
Taken aback, but not looking afraid—not yet, anyway—Brooklin shook her head. “You’re the one who ended our engagement.”
“After what you did, did you think I’d stay with you? Do you realize how humiliating it was for me? Everyone talking, whispering behind their hands. You want to know what they said?”
“I know what they said.” Now Brooklin appeared angry, too. “I lived through it. None of it was true and you know it.”
His eyes narrowed. “Lock the door. Now.”
Reluctantly, Violet walked a wide path around him. Hogan and Nathan were upstairs, but if she locked the door, how would they get back in? Maybe that was a good thing, she thought, as she turned the dead bolt. They’d surely see this madman through the front window. Then they could call in reinforcements...
“Now get over here.”
Violet moved back to where she’d been, wondering where Colt was. Please don’t let him walk into this mess. Colt had hero tendencies and it scared her to death.
“What now?” she asked.
Russell flagged the gun toward the kitchens. “In there. I don’t want anyone walking by, seeing us.”
Brooklin’s mouth pinched in anger; her face paled.
Violet took her arm, gave her a squeeze and headed where Russell pointed.
There would be big knives in the kitchen, sharp carving forks, a meat cleaver or two...
But Russell forced them to the storage area.
No windows, no weapons, only giant-sized canned vegetables and boxes of dry goods.
“Get inside.”
Brooklin said, “I don’t understand this, Russell. What are you thinking? What are you planning to do?”
“Planning? I’m planning to tell you what a bitch you are. Then you’re going to sweetly apologize to me.” He looked at Violet. “I have nothing against you except that this is the first time I’ve found her alone, away from the sheriff, and you just happen to be here.”
“Collateral damage?” Violet asked, remembering what Hogan had called her involvement.
“Maybe you should have been more discriminating in your choice of friends.” He stared at Brooklin. “Everyone whispered that I wasn’t man enough and that’s why you went to a kid,” he sneered. “One of our own students.”
She shook her head, then tried to reason with him. “You know that wasn’t true, Russell.”
“I know what they said.” He drew a breath, but his eyes remained wild. “I got dragged into the filth with you. We were engaged, and to most people, that made me equally guilty.”
“There was no guilt.” With a lot of bitterness, she added, “Although you certainly believed the worst, didn’t you? You jumped on the bandwagon so fast, I knew you’d never really cared about me. You couldn’t have.”
Incredulity carried him forward a step. “Of course I cared. I wanted to marry you. But there was a lot of evidence against you.”
“No, just some ugly rumors started by a vile man.”
“You’re right—it was ugly and vile. I’m not stupid enough to be a part of that.”
Brooklin rubbed her forehead. “So that’s it? Despite everything, despite the truth, you’ve made up your mind?”
What mind he had, Violet thought, because Brooklin’s ex looked seriously off his rocker.
“Forget what you thought back then. Forget that you never trusted me.” She held out her hands. “You know the truth now.”
As if Brooklin hadn’t spoken, Russell said, “I couldn’t stay at the school, of course. Not after all that, not with the taint you left behind.”
“She didn’t taint anything, you ass. She saved a girl.”
Russell sent her a dismissive glance. “I didn’t know where to go. What other school would hire a teacher who’d been engaged to you?”
Violet couldn’t take it. Her temper nearly imploded. “Are you that damned obtuse? She didn’t do anything.”
He curled his lip. “You don’t know anything about it. She chose them, those damn kids, over me.”
Brooklin blinked at him. “That’s what you think? Russell, I tried to save that girl! Her father was abusing her. He was a monster. I—”
“Shut up.” He aimed the gun at her, drew in two deep breaths. “I’ll hear your apology now.”
Brooklin said, “If that’s what you want, I—”
Violet grabbed her arm to stop her. She had the awful feeling that as soon as Russell got what he wanted, he’d kill them both. “You don’t owe him anything, Brooklin. He should be apologizing to you.” That made his face florid, and she rushed on, trying to think of anything to keep him talking. “You spent all this effort tracking her down. How did you find her, anyway?”
Smug, he bragged over the ease of the hunt. “With eyes like hers, she stands out.”
“True. She has beautiful eyes.”
Russell nodded, staring as if transfixed at Brooklin. “She does.”
Disliking that obsessed stare, Violet reclaimed his attention. “But you can’t track a woman by her eyes, right?”
He blinked, and his expression settled into a frown. “I spent what little money I had left on a private eye. He narrowed down Brooklin’s whereabouts, and then I cut him loose. I didn’t want him still around, wondering what happened to her after she’s...gone.”
That slight hesitation gave Violet hope. So, the man had gone mad? He hadn’t always been that way or surely Brooklin wouldn’t have been engaged to him. Violet wanted to keep him talking, both to buy herself time to think and to hopefully give him time to rethink this insanity.
She assumed his current goal was to kill Brooklin, so Violet eased in front of her. She wasn’t the target, and if she could deter him from hurting Brooklin, she would. “You almost ran me down, too. Why kill me? I haven’t done anything to you.”
He shrugged without regard. “That time on the street, you just happened to be there. Can’t thread the needle with a car. I didn’t particularly want to kill you, but then again, I didn’t care if I did.” He rubbed a hand over a smarmy smile. “You know, I thought that would scare you off. I figured Brooklin would be alone after that. But no, you started hanging out with her more, always in crowds where I couldn’t get to her.”
Brooklin tried to come out from behind. “So you didn’t care if you got an apology then, did you?” Anger blinded her, and she tried to step in front of Violet.
Violet didn’t allow it. “You know what I think? We should sit down and talk.”
“I don’t want to talk,” Russell said. “I do want your apology now, Brooklin. You’ve put me to too much trouble. After all this, your apology is the first thing I’ll have, and then—”
Violet raised her voice. “It takes no time to make coffee and I have some pie left. Cherry pie. Maybe pecan pie, too, but I’m not sure.”
Brooklin stilled behind her. Violet could hear her breathing hard and fast.
Russell stared at her like she was the crazy one.
But so what? She’d be just as batty as she needed to be to find a way out of this debacle. “What do you think, Russell? What’s your favorite kind of pie?”
Russell slowly lowered the gun. “I like cream pies.”
* * *
Colt couldn’t believe this. He’d never been so divided in his entire life.
Go after the man himself?
Or go for his father and Nathan?
Even as he slipped away into the shadows, moving silently to the back door that he’d locked, it felt wrong to leave the women alone. What if the lunatic snapped and shot one of them before he could get back?
If he got his dad, he knew exactly what would happen. His father would go after the man and damn the consequences. He would not let Violet get hurt.
Colt’s throat tightened, and he knew he couldn’t think about that. He’d lost too much. Life was finally the way he wanted it. It couldn’t change again. Not now.
He could not lose his dad.
Doing the right thing had never felt so damned difficult.
It seemed to Colt that the locks made a terrible racket as he opened them, yet no one came bursting in on him. Thank God he hadn’t set the alarms; he didn’t know how to shut them off and the sudden noise could spook the guy and make him react.
Once outside, Colt took just enough time to prop the door wide-open with a brick. If by some chance Violet or Brooklin got away, they needed a clear way to run.
Getting up the metal stairs without making any noise was a lesson in strained patience. He wanted to run, but even though they’d been repaired and secured, they still clanged with every footstep. Soon as he eased the door open, his dad looked up.
And knew.
Hogan came charging over. “What is it?”
In a hush, Colt said, “A man came in with a gun.”
Hogan started to go, but Colt grabbed him. “Violet just offered him coffee and pie.”
“What?”
“She’s keeping him talking. The front door is locked.”
“Where exactly are they?” Nathan asked.
“The storage area.”
“Stay with Nathan,” Hogan said, already moving past him in a rush.
“Damn it, I’m the sheriff!” Nathan growled low, grabbing for Hogan, but he was already out the door. Four steps down, Hogan went cleanly over the side to land in a crouch on the pavement below.
Cursing low, Nathan said, “Go around front and call 911. Explain everything to dispatch. Stay out of range, okay? Hogan would kill me if you got hurt.” Then he, too, hopped off the side of the stairs.
Colt put in the call, gave the information he could and followed the men.
* * *
His blood pumping with fear and rage, Hogan edged inside the building. He couldn’t lose her. He couldn’t.
From the prep area, he heard the low voices nearby. It sounded like Russell was arguing with Violet about pie. He didn’t want cherry, and she insisted he’d like it.
Crazy Violet. Don’t push him too hard, honey.
Nathan touched his arm, and when Hogan glanced at him, he showed his own weapon.
Nathan wanted to shoot the bastard?
Worked for him.
Nathan gestured for Hogan to get the man’s attention while he circled around to the other side.
At least they agreed on protecting the women first and foremost.
With a nod, Hogan continued his silent movements closer to the storage area. Nathan could stay back, and as soon as Hogan lured the man into sight, Nathan could take aim.
He inched closer.
“I don’t want your pie. I don’t want your coffee.” Russell’s voice hardened. “What I want, right now, is her very sincere apology for ruining me.”
“Did you keep that gun in the pocket of your cargo pants? That’s why you’re wearing them, right? I only ask because you don’t look like a cargo pants type of guy. Khakis maybe. Fitted. With a nice sharp crease.”
“That’s him,” Brooklin said. “Casual slacks, loafers, a button-up shirt.”
“So the pants were to carry the weapon?”
“Yes,” Russell said. “Don’t think you’re so smart, though. It’d be obvious to anyone.”
“Maybe.” Violet paused. “Where’d you get the gun? Is it registered?”
“Don’t be stupid.”
“I’m not usually. But then, I’ve never been held at gunpoint, either. It’s unnerving.”
“Imminent death would unnerve anyone.”
She jumped on that, saying, “So you do plan to kill us? That doesn’t make any sense, Russell. Why in the world would Brooklin want to apologize to you, just so you can murder her?”
Hogan finally got in range behind the man. He’d love to rush him, beat him into the ground, but with that gun aimed at Violet and Brooklin, he couldn’t take that chance.
Instead, he crept closer.
Unfortunately, Brooklin noticed him—and her eyes widened.
Russell panicked, but as he swung around, Violet screamed, “No,” and grabbed for his arm.
Russell snatched her close, bringing her with him, using her like a shield. He crushed her against his chest with an arm locked around her breasts, her feet off the floor, the barrel of that gun pressed to her temple.
Everything in Hogan’s world narrowed to Violet—and Russell’s finger on that trigger.
“You shouldn’t be here,” Russell wailed, his breath coming hard and fast.
Violet’s wide eyes stayed locked on Hogan.
“Let her go,” Hogan said, his tone level and calm, “before I rip your fucking head off.”
“No, no.” Russell backed farther into the storage area. “I watched you leave.”
“We didn’t go anywhere.” Nathan stepped out, his own gun aimed. “Lower your weapon now. It’s over.”
Russell’s gaze darted back and forth between the two men.
“You won’t make it,” Nathan said. “Even think about it, and I’ll shoot a hole clean through your forehead.”
“No,” Russell shouted. “She’s not even the one who has to pay! It’s Brooklin I came for.”
Nathan shook his head. “You can’t have her.”
Brooklin said, “Yes, he can.” She stepped around him, her hands behind her. “Let her go, Russell, and you and I will leave together. You’ll have me.”
She stood far too close to the lunatic, Hogan thought. Close enough to be grabbed. Or shot.
Close enough to push him over the edge.
“Come over here, Brooklin,” Nathan ordered.
But she didn’t budge except to move closer to Russell. “Let her go,” she said softly. “I’m right here. I’m the one you want, the one who ruined you. You want to hear me apologize, Russell. You want to make me pay, not her.”
With a vicious snarl, Russell turned the gun to Brooklin while slinging Violet toward Nathan.
Everything happened at once.
Brooklin swung her arm out from behind her back, a large can of green beans in her hand. The blow landed on Russell’s chest. His gun discharged.
At the same time, Hogan dived on him. They went down hard, tripping over a case of canned goods, hitting the floor with bone-shattering impact.
Russell wheezed, then cried out as Hogan twisted his wrist until the gun fell from his limp hand. He pounded the miserable bastard, his fist landing heavily again and again. Truthfully, he might have killed him if it hadn’t been for Colt’s voice intruding.
“Dad, stop. Violet needs you.”
Nathan’s restraining hands finally registered. Hogan turned Russell loose, signifying that he understood. The bloodied man dropped to the floor with an almost inaudible groan.
“Dad.”
The agony in his son’s voice hit like a sledgehammer. Hogan jerked around.
Colt sat on the floor, Violet leaning against him, blood everywhere, on her arm, on his hands...
A massive surge of terror slammed into him.
“She’s okay,” Nathan said fast. “The damn bullet ricocheted and grazed her arm. Do you hear me, Hogan? Colt’s not bleeding. He’s just trying to help.” With that explained, Nathan went to work checking on Russell.
Hogan’s thundering heart slowed to a more normal beat and the facility to think clicked back in. He was already on his knees beside Violet. “Let me see, Colt.”
Breathing fast, Colt lifted his shaking hands. Blood oozed from a raw three-inch wound gouged through Violet’s upper arm. “You’re doing good, Colt. Really good,” Hogan told him. “I’ll go grab the first-aid kit. Deep breaths, Violet, okay?”
She nodded. Her voice was thin with pain when she said, “Will you hit that jerk for me one more time?”
“I would love to, but he’s out and won’t feel it.”
“He’ll feel it when he comes around.”
“True.” God, he loved her attitude, finding a little comfort in it. He ran for the first-aid kit and was back in less than half a minute. He found Colt holding her close, her back supported against his shoulder.
“Colt?” Hogan infused his voice with reassurance. “She’s all right now, son, okay? Why don’t you go get washed up? I hear sirens. More people are going to be in here any minute now.”
Shaking his head, Colt shifted, moving Violet enough that Hogan could more easily reach her while still keeping her in his arms. “I’ll wait.”
He didn’t want to let her go, Hogan realized, and damn, that almost got him. His son had lost too many people.
He wouldn’t lose Violet.
Hogan drew a shuddering breath.
“Guys,” Violet said, that sassy drawl more evident than ever. “I’m seriously okay. I mean, it hurts like hell—I won’t lie about that. But I’m fine.” Then she leaned her head back on Colt. “I love you, Colt. Just so you know.”
“Damn,” Colt choked out and put his face in her hair.
Hogan didn’t move. He struggled with his own emotions.
She said, “Hogan?”
“Yeah, honey?”
“Remember what I said?”
As gently as he could, he swabbed away the blood, then pressed a sterile pad to the wound. “You’ve said a lot, Violet.”
“I asked if we could share a house.”
Colt’s head jerked up. “You did?”
“Blurted it right out there,” she said. “I left your poor dad speechless.”
Hogan concentrated on wrapping her arm without hurting her.
Colt cradled her protectively. “Well, if I get a vote—”
And together, Violet and Hogan said, “You always have a vote,” then smiled at each other for that duplicate response.
“Then I say hell yes.”
“Do you, now?” Hogan finished wrapping her arm, sat back on his heels and looked at the two of them. His heart wanted to burst.
Odd that being here now, with his son shaken and Violet wounded, could somehow seem so right—because they were together.
Seconds later the diner swarmed with paramedics and officers. Hogan had a hell of a time prying his son off Violet, but he understood the need to stick close. Hell, it was all he could do to let her go so her arm could be properly checked and attended.
While that happened, he kept Colt right next to him.
“You did good, Colt. I’m proud of you.”
He swallowed hard. “I’ve never been so damned scared in my life.”
“Same here.”
Colt scrubbed a hand over his face. “I couldn’t decide what to do. Violet means a lot to both of us, and I was afraid that by the time I came to get you, she’d be hurt.”
Hogan turned his son to face him. “You did the right thing. Please don’t ever put me in the position of losing you.” Hogan drew him in for a tight bear hug. “I can take a lot, son. I can’t take that.”
Colt squeezed him, then quickly stepped back, drawing deep breaths.
Knowing they were both on the ragged edge, Hogan gave him a minute to compose himself while watching the confusion around him. Nathan controlled it all, with Brooklin held at his side.
Once Colt was breathing more normally again, he said, “So you love Violet, too, huh?”
“Too?” Colt said, and then with a slow grin, “Really? I mean, I knew it, but it’s nice to hear you say it.”
Making his son happy had never felt so good. “If I can talk her into our house instead of hers, I’m thinking it might be a terrific idea.”
“She really asked you about it?”
“Like she said, she blindsided me with it. But it’s a great idea.” Hoping to leverage a little lightheartedness into deadly disturbance, he said, “It’s a good way to save money since we wouldn’t be paying for two houses.”
Colt shoved him. “Screw that! It’s not about money.”
Hogan laughed, which surprised him. Just minutes ago, laughter had seemed out of reach. “That was the argument she gave me. But I wouldn’t make a move like that unless I loved her. And I do. Took me a little while to work around everything, you know?”
“I do.” Colt looked down at his bloody hands, curled them into fists and closed his eyes. “Some things are tough to shake off.”
This time when Hogan put his arm around Colt’s shoulders, they were both in better control. “I’ll talk to her soon. But tonight, I think we have other priorities.”
“Hogan?”
He and Colt turned to see her struggling to her feet.
They rushed forward together, Hogan taking her hand on her uninjured arm, Colt putting a hand behind her back.
“Careful,” Hogan said.
“I don’t stand with my arm, guys, and my legs are just fine.” She huffed. “But you’re not going to believe this.”
The aggrieved paramedic said, “I’m sorry, Violet, I really am.”
She knew the paramedic, too? Did anyone in or near Clearbrook not know Violet?
The young EMT turned to Hogan. “You did a great job wrapping it, but it needs to be properly cleaned and she’s going to need a few stitches.”
Hogan said, “Another trip to the hospital isn’t so bad.”
She dropped her forehead to his sternum. “I’m cursed.”
“You’ve got us,” Colt said. “I hope that doesn’t seem cursed.”
She lifted her head and gave him a beautiful, tender smile. “No, that makes me feel like the luckiest gal alive.” Cradling her wrapped arm, she asked, “Would you two very special guys mind giving me a ride? No way am I going by ambulance, but this time I’m not sure I’m up to driving.”
Now that Violet was on her feet and joking, Colt further recovered. “Let me wash up real fast. I’ll be right back.”
Incredibly proud, Hogan kissed Violet’s forehead and said, “He adores you.”
“It’s mutual.”
Brooklin came over to them, Nathan at her side. She kept her head bowed, her hands clenched together in front of her. “Are you okay, Violet?”
“Sure. I just got my arm in the way of that stupid bouncing bullet. Though I guess, since it ricocheted, better my arm than my head, huh?”
Hogan groaned. “Don’t even joke.”
She frowned at Hogan. “I still think this is your fault. Until you came into my life, I was never sick, never hurt, never ever wimpy.”
Brooklin stiffened even more. “No, it’s my fault. If I hadn’t—”
“What?” Violet challenged. “Saved a girl from her abusive father? If you weren’t the type of person to do that, I wouldn’t want you as a friend.”
Nathan smiled. “Exactly.”
“But to bring so much trouble here...”
“That butthead brought the trouble,” Violet said, glaring at Russell as the paramedics worked on his bludgeoned face. Then she looked at Hogan’s knuckles. “Ouch.”
“Worth it,” he said, carefully hugging her close to his side and feeling the fury all over again.
Nathan gave one short shake of his head. “It’s going to be tough to explain how he got annihilated, but either way, he’s history.”
Brooklin said, “In all the time I knew him, Russell never showed any violent tendencies. He was studious, understated, very much a stereotypical teacher.”
“He lost his grip,” Nathan said. “It happens. But it’s not your fault. Not any of it.”
“He made terrible choices,” Violet added, “and that cost him everything. The weak always find a way to deflect to others. You don’t owe anyone an apology for that. Definitely not me.”
“Agreed,” Hogan said.
Brooklin swiped at the tears in her eyes. “Thank you. All of you.” With a broken, tearful laugh, she said, “Coming to Clearbrook is the smartest thing I’ve ever done.”
“True.” Nathan pressed a kiss to her forehead, then spoke to Violet and Hogan. “I wish we could go to the hospital with you, but I’ve got to clean up this mess, and I don’t want Brooklin out of my sight.”
“Understandable.” Hogan waited until Colt had rejoined them. “We’ll take good care of her. Tomorrow, though, I want an update on what’s happening.”
“First thing,” Nathan agreed, “and I’ll want an update on Violet anyway.”
In the car, Hogan drove and Colt sat in the back seat with Violet, doing what he could to pamper her.
They had to get through tonight, but suddenly the future looked rich with promise.