by Dinah Harper
She pocketed her phone and approached the nurse who waved her to the back with an impatient look. The nurse reiterated questions she had already answered on the questionnaire, weighed her, and directed her to a room where she was ordered to strip and wait for a doctor.
While she waited, she continued to answer Reese and Meg about what to do with her things. God, by the time she got there, they would have it all sorted. She checked the flights and winced when she saw the price. There weren’t affordable flights to Salt Lake City this week. She checked her credit card statement to see what wiggle room she had. The ticket would max out one of her credit cards, leaving an alarmingly small margin on the others. She needed a job ASAP.
An unfamiliar number popped up on the screen. She ignored it and frowned when the number reappeared a minute later. It wasn’t a Utah or Texas number so she rejected it again. She shivered and clamped her thighs together beneath the thin paper sheet draped over her lap. Why did they make these rooms so cold?
When Dad’s number appeared on the screen, she eyed the closed door before she answered.
“Hey, Dad.”
“Where are you?”
She jerked. “Jesse?”
“I called you twice.”
How the hell was she supposed to know his number? And why the hell would she answer his call? “What do you want?”
“You’ve been gone over an hour. Where are you?”
“Does Dad need me?”
“Where are you?”
The door opened and a doctor came in with a clipboard and a smile. “Violet Carr?”
She hung up. “Yes. Hi.”
“How are you feeling?” the doctor asked.
“Good,” she said and switched the phone to silent when it began to ring. “Sorry.”
She tossed the phone in her purse and tried to shrug off her irritation. Here she was, trying to take care of business and he was trying to track her down. Why did he care where she was? Did he think she was going to jump off a bridge? She banked her temper and focused on the doctor who wanted more details about her sex life.
As she approached the house, she saw a little crowd gathered on the driveway. Mr. Popular was holding court. Everyone moved aside so she could park in the garage. She waved as she passed, taking in the familiar faces. Her heart sank as she turned off the car. She knew they would expect her to come out and chat with them, but she had never felt less like socializing. Nevertheless, appearances needed to be kept up.
She mentally braced as she walked out of the garage. She was immediately engulfed in a round of hugs and kisses. Her and Jesse being only one year apart meant they knew each other’s friends even though they ran with different crowds. Jesse played every sport he could while she was pulled into student government by her friends and ended up becoming heavily involved in the school newspaper. She wasn’t an introvert or extrovert, but somewhere in between. She didn’t seek the spotlight and preferred to stay behind the scenes organizing. All of that changed in her junior year. When Jesse changed their relationship, she withdrew from everyone. He effectively isolated her in a world of her own where she had no one and she would never forgive him for it.
“God, Vi, you’re looking good,” Brody drawled.
She looked him up and down. “You’re not looking so bad yourself.”
He tossed an arm over her shoulder and drew her against his side. “Dinner?”
Jesse stood across from them. She couldn’t read his expression since he wore his dark sunglasses, but she got the distinct impression that he didn’t like what was happening. Good. Anything that pissed him off made her happy. He had always been an overprotective older brother even before their sexual relationship began. In her junior year, he went ballistic when he caught her with her boyfriend Tucker. That was the day everything changed.
She ignored Jesse and gave Brody an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I’m exhausted and I need to spend time with Lynne.”
“Right.” Brody sobered and jerked his head at the house. “My mom heard you two were back. She sent me over here with a casserole.”
“Aw, that’s so sweet.”
“How long are you here for?” Marissa asked.
She focused on the girl at Jesse’s side. Marissa was his middle school girlfriend who had never gotten over him.
“I’m not sure,” she said.
“Jesse says you’re moving back,” Marissa persisted.
She eyed Jesse who had the military stance down pat. “Yes, I am.”
“You looking for a job?”
“Where do you work?” she asked.
“My mom’s shop.”
“I might take you up on that.”
Hours passed as they stood on the driveway, catching up on life. She had dodged these people for years to avoid innocent inquiries about Jesse only to find herself relaxed and laughing as they bantered. They treated her like one of the pack even though she had excused herself long ago. They brought up memories that had been overshadowed by the filth Jesse wrought in her life. Her hopes and dreams died when Jesse painted her world in shades of gray. He made her an outcast. She couldn’t make real connections with people because she couldn’t let anyone know what was happening to her.
As Marissa caught her up on all their friends’ marriages, she constructed a mental flowchart that would come in handy since she was moving back. The easy camaraderie between all of them banished her anxieties and made her feel almost normal. People came and went and she made plans to get together with all of them and by God, she was gonna keep her promise. Jesse may have fucked up her teenage years, but she couldn’t let him ruin her future as well. She was going to start over. She had people rooting for her, people who wanted to help and reconnect with her. None of them thought it was embarrassing that she was moving home. They were excited to have her back. By the time the last person left, the sun had set and she and Jesse were left standing beneath the orange streetlights.
“Where did you go today?” he asked.
She walked away from him.
“Vi.”
She walked past the SUV and heard the garage coming down as she reached for the door that led into the house. He spun her around to face him.
“What?”
“Where did you go?” he demanded.
“I told you I was going to the store.”
He glanced in the car. “Where’s your bags?”
Fucker. “Let me go.”
He hauled her close. “Where’d you go?”
She lifted her chin. “Planned Parenthood.”
He stiffened. “For what?”
She punched him. “For what? Are you serious?” She wrenched away from him. “I got an STD test and the morning after pill, jackass.”
“STD test?”
“I don’t know what the hell you do at your base!”
He scowled. “I’m not fucking anyone else.”
“Fuck you,” she snapped as she marched into the house and tried to slam the door in his face.
She poked her head in her parent’s bedroom and heard their shower going. She decided to do the same and locked both doors before she stripped and stepped under the spray. She had been in Texas for two days, but it felt like two weeks. Her mind bounced from one thing to the next. She had so much to do. She had to wrap up her life in Utah, spend as much time as possible with Lynne, avoid Jesse’s bullying ass, and get a job. By going to Utah, she could accomplish two of her goals—tie up a loose end and avoid Jesse. Avoiding Jesse was paramount in her mind.
After she dressed, she went to her parent’s room again to find Jesse sitting beside his mom. They were talking in low tones and Lynne’s face was drawn with worry. She backed away to give them privacy and found that someone had brought her sheets in from the line and hung the second load. She made her bed before going into the dining room to find Dad eating at the table.
“Okay?” she asked.
“Yeah.” He ran a hand down his face. “Nice to see your friends come by.”
“They’re Jes
se’s friends.”
“And yours.”
She couldn’t refute that, not after what she experienced today. She braced her arms on the back of a chair. “Marissa says she can hook me up with a job at her mom’s shop.”
Dad frowned. “You don’t need to work.”
She averted her gaze. “I do,” she said uncomfortably.
“Violet.”
She held up both hands. “I told you, I got myself in trouble.”
“How much do you need?”
“No, Dad.”
“Tell me.”
“I don’t want you paying my bills.”
“I don’t want you working right now. Lynne needs us here.”
She grimaced.
“Tell me how much.”
She waved a hand. “I don’t need it right now.”
“Then let me know when you have a figure.”
She took the seat beside him and grabbed a fork to dig into the dish in front of him. “Brody’s mom’s casserole?”
“Yep.”
“She’s an angel.”
“Brody’s a good guy.”
She paused in mid munch and raised her brows. “What?”
“Brody.” Dad looked a tad uncomfortable as he speared a broccoli. “He has a good job and took care of his mom after his dad died.”
“Dad,” she said repressively.
“Just saying.”
She shook her head. “Wow.”
When Jesse sat on Dad’s other side, she left the table. She headed down the hallway and was relieved to see Lynne sitting up in bed.
“Mom?”
Lynne gave her a welcoming smile. “Hi, honey.”
She sat beside her and examined her closely. “How are you feeling?”
Lynne ignored her questions and patted her knee. “Dad tells me you’re moving home?”
“Yes.”
“It didn’t work out in Utah?” Lynne asked sympathetically.
She shook her head.
“I’m sorry it didn’t work out, but I’m happy you’re coming home. Dad’s going to need company after I’m gone.”
She flinched. “Please don’t talk like that. I still haven’t processed this yet.”
“You’re going to be fine.”
Her eyes burned with tears. “How can you say that?”
Lynne cupped her chin. “Because I know you. You’re a sensible girl with a good heart. You know when to throw in the towel and come home. You’re going to be the rock your father needs.”
She wanted to believe Lynne’s view of her, but knew it was false. How could she be a rock for her father when she couldn’t even stand up for herself? And the good heart Lynne believed she possessed had been corrupted by Jesse long ago.
“Do you have a lot to do in Utah?”
She nodded. “I think I should go back and get it all sorted. Is that okay?”
“Of course. It’ll give us all peace of mind and when you come back we can go to Florida!”
“Florida?”
“Yes, remember that trip? It was the best! I want to swim in the ocean, get some sun. That’s second on my bucket list behind you and Jesse being home. What do you think?”
“Going to Florida sounds amazing.”
Lynne beamed. “As soon as you get back, we’ll make arrangements. The faster you wrap up everything in Utah, the sooner we can go.”
“Great.”
“How long do you think you’ll be?”
“I’m not sure, but my friends are already helping me get my things together.”
Lynne’s brows drew together. “How are you getting your car here? Or are you going to sell it?”
“I’ll pack it up and drive it here.”
“That’s too far, Violet.”
“It’ll take me a day or two,” she said with a shrug.
She was looking forward to it. She needed some alone time to get her head straight and come to terms with everything.
“Jesse should go with you,” Lynne said.
She jerked. “No! I got this.”
“Violet,” Lynne said, sounding much more like the mother she remembered. “I don’t want you doing this all by yourself.”
“I’m twenty-three!”
“So?”
As she scrambled to come up with more excuses she heard, “When do you want to leave?”
She turned to see Jesse leaning against the doorjamb. He looked like he had been there for some time.
“I’m fine,” she said in a flat tone and told him with her eyes to butt out.
“Did you book your flight already?” he asked, nowhere near intimidated by her.
“No, I—”
“I’ll do it.”
When he disappeared down the hallway, she shot up from the bed. “Hey!”
Lynne chuckled. “You two,” she said fondly. “Always bickering.”
She would have taken exception to that, but there were more urgent matters to see to. She charged into Jesse’s room and found him sitting on the edge of the bed with his phone in hand. He looked up as she came in.
“Do you want to leave first thing in the morning?” he asked.
She was lightheaded with rage. “You’re not coming with me.”
“Mom doesn’t want you driving all that way by yourself. Dad won’t let you either.”
“I’m grown!”
“I want to sleep in a bit. What about a ten o’clock flight?”
“You are not coming with me,” she said through clenched teeth.
“Stop,” he said mildly as he scrolled. “I think we should leave mid-morning.”
“Jesse!”
He looked up. The predatory gleam in his eye made her scalp prickle.
“The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we’re home with Mom. She wants to go to Florida and the only thing stopping her is you. We’ll get your shit and drive back. We’ll be gone three days max.”
“You don’t know what I need to do there!” He was taking over and ruining her plans, as usual.
“We’ll deal with it when we get there.”
She snatched his phone and hid it behind her back. “There’s no we. I’m doing this by myself.”
He rose. “You aren’t. Give me the phone.”
She felt a modicum of safety since her parents were present. She took a step toward the door as she said, “Mom needs you here.”
“Mom wants us both here. The sooner we leave, the sooner we can come back and enjoy ourselves.”
“Enjoy?” she choked.
His eyes narrowed. “You’re stalling.”
Hell yes, she was stalling. She was trying to get away from him, not have him invade more of her life than he already had. “You aren’t—”
He shoved her against the wall before he pinned her there with his body.
“Get off,” she hissed.
“I’m going with you,” he said, voice equally low. “You can throw a tantrum, but Mom and Dad will back me up. You’re not doing that long drive by yourself.”
She glared up at him. “You’re trying to take over!”
His eyes moved over her face and then focused on her lips. “You can give in or we can fight. Either way, I’ll win.”
Motherfucker. No matter how she resisted, he always triumphed. Circumstances hemmed her in, but he couldn’t win every battle. Eventually he had to leave and she would move on with her life. She held his gaze as she tossed his phone. He didn’t move a muscle as they listened to it tumble across the carpet. She lost this fight, but she didn’t intend to lose more if she could help it.
“If you insist,” she drawled.
“I do,” he said, eyes still on her mouth.
“Suit yourself.” If he wanted to book the tickets, he could pay for them and she could give her credit card a breather.
“Mid-morning?” he asked, voice low and gravelly.
“Yes. Now, back off.”
For a moment, he didn’t move. She could hear the TV in the living room and the faint s
ound of Lynne’s snores drifting from her parent’s bedroom. She couldn’t read his expression, but she felt his erection between them. She silently dared him to make a move. She would castrate him if he touched her with their parent’s present.
He reached out and fingered her hair. “Your STD test will come back negative. I wouldn’t put you at risk like that.”
Before she could digest that, he turned from her to retrieve his phone.
“I’ll book the tickets.”
She slipped out of his room, went into her own, and locked the door. She leaned against it, put her hands over her face, and stifled her scream.
Four
“This must be a nice break from the cold,” Dad said. “Two years in Alaska? I don’t know if I could do that.”
“It wasn’t too bad,” Jesse said. “But I’m glad to be home.”
They were on their way to the airport and despite the early hour, Dad and Jesse were way too fucking chipper. She woke with a headache that was getting worse by the second.
“I’m glad you’re here to help Violet with her move,” Dad continued. “I would have gone to help her if I could.”
“No problem. I don’t mind,” Jesse said easily.
She glared at the back of his seat. Jesse was always winning brownie points while she came off as ungrateful. Mom and Dad were clearly relieved that Jesse was accompanying her on this trip. She’d been hoping to regroup in Utah and now her plan was in ruins. She spent most of the night examining her situation from all sides, trying to find a way out, but there was none. She was half-expecting Jesse to sneak into her room last night. Their parent’s presence hadn’t stopped him in the past, but wonder of wonders, he stayed on his side. Couldn’t he have given her a head’s up so she could get a decent night of sleep? She tried to drift off, but the sound of Jesse’s voice kept her awake.
When Dad pulled up to the curb, she stepped out and slammed the door with more force than was necessary, not that anyone noticed. Dad gave her a one-armed hug.
“Wrap it up and hurry home.” She gave his waist a squeeze and was about to step away when he added, “And don’t give Jesse any hassles.”
Her head snapped up. She opened her mouth to argue, but Dad ignored her and clapped Jesse on the back.
“Thanks for doing this. Keep an eye on her,” Dad said.