by Emily Bruce
He moved away from the tree and its memories to the supplies he had spent the better part of the morning picking up and carrying out there. He had solar fairy lights, as many as the local hardware store had, his father’s ladder, and some glass thingies to put tea lights in to hang from the willow’s lower branches.
Propping up the ladder, he set about lighting the old willow until it could be seen from space. According to Sophie, the more fairy lights the better, because apparently tiny lights made any situation as romantic as was possible.
Three hours later, he removed his hat and wiped the sweat off his brow. Nearly every inch of the old willow now had a light or a tea light on it. Looking at his phone, he saw it was already 4 pm and the event planner he had hired would be here any minute to set up the romantic table under the tree. He had gone all out and told the lady on the phone he wanted the most romantic table she could find.
Blake folded down the ladder and tried to remember the last time he had done something special like this for a woman. The answer was never, and that had to mean something.
He hoped that he and Violet would click like old times, but he had to admit he was a little concerned. Had he built up this attraction to her when they really had nothing in common anymore? One thing he did know was that they had sexual chemistry. At his mother’s party, he had spotted her right away in the crowd. She was the only girl who could make his heart beat faster from across a crowded room. That had to mean something. She was meant for him, that much he knew. The kiss they shared at the Cape Cod place had been scorching hot and he didn’t think he had ever felt that kind of buzz from kissing before. He just hoped that tonight went well and he could show Violet how much he really did care for her.
The party planning company showed up and Blake busied himself with helping them set up the table. By the time it was done, he was impressed. He just hoped the warm weather would stay around and the sea breeze wouldn’t get too cold.
Yeah, he had a good feeling about tonight.
After the party planners left and he had shown the caterers to the outdoor entertaining area where they could prepare dinner, Blake looked at his watch. It was now 5:30 and he needed to take a shower and get ready for his date, one that had him uncharacteristically nervous.
◆◆◆
Pulling up outside the little beach house, Blake looked at the text from his sister and then back to the house.
Yep, he had the right address.
He smiled as he gazed at the little house with its white picket fence and a red brick garden path leading to the front door. The house was clapboard painted charcoal with a white trim, the garden pleasant and charming with lavender bushes and white daisies.
This was where she lived.
If he imagined where he thought Violet would live, it would be something like this. He smiled as he got out of his SUV and opened the little gate in the picket fence, which even gave a charming creak. Blake casually made his way down the short garden path and stood at the front door painted bright red.
Blake took a deep breath as he knocked with the cute little brass knocker. A few seconds went by, then he heard an unmistakable and loud “Fuck”. Not being able to help himself, and already breaking his ‘no teasing’ rule, Blake called out, “Well, we can... but I kind of wanted to take you to dinner first.” He had a wide grin on his face. There was movement behind the door and then, finally, a stunning Violet peeked out from the tiny crack.
“Are you ready to go?” he asked.
He took in her updo and her elegantly minimal makeup which made those stunning emerald green eyes shine. Then there was the dress, or what he could see of it, anyway. It was the same color as her eyes.
“That’s what you’re wearing?” she said, agitated and still hiding behind the door.
Blake looked down at his black t-shirt with the logo of one of his favorite rock bands across the front. He had on a pair of skinny black jeans with rips in the knees, a pair of skater shoes.
“You look like you’re going to a skate park and I look like I’m going to the OSCARs! I’m going to kill your sister!” Violet shouted. Blake cringed.
Shit, this wasn’t the best start to a romantic evening with his Violence.
“Are you going to let me in?” He asked. He was trying not to laugh at his Violence, because she looked ready to kill.
Violet opened the door wider and turned, showing off her beautiful ass as she stomped into her living area. Blake followed, he took his eyes off her ass to take in her comfortable little house.
“Look at me,” she demanded as she turned to face him.
Jesus, his mouth went dry. That dress was hot, smoking hot. The emerald green satin was almost the same shade as her eyes, the way it shimmered in the light reminded Blake of Violet’s stunning eyes when she was angry. Blake blinked a couple of times. He wanted to make sure he never forgot this sight. He wanted to forget about the date, take her to her bedroom, and rip that dress right off her with his teeth. It clung to her perfectly and accentuated his favorite part.
Her ass.
“You look hot,” Blake said, giving her one of his best smiles.
She blinked and looked back at him, her eyes narrowing.
“You don’t think I’m overdressed if that’s what your planning on wearing?” she asked, waving her hands at his clothes and looking annoyed.
“You can wear whatever you want,” Blake said, still taking everything in.
He wanted to remember every detail of her in that dress.
Well, maybe she could lose the scowl.
As Blake ran his eyes all over Violet and her sexy dress, he noticed a brown smear running from the top of the dress to the hem.
Right down the front.
“What happened to the dress?” he asked, furrowing his brow.
“I spilt ice cream on it!” Violet said, sounding irritated as she wiped at the mark with her hand.
“You were eating ice cream?” Blake asked, trying not to laugh.
“You wait here and don’t touch anything. I’m going to get changed and then we can go.” Blake watched her storm off towards the bedroom.
Shit!
This wasn’t a good start to the perfect date!
He wandered around the tiny living space, it was all woman but he liked it, very eclectic but also tidy and clean.
Moving towards the kitchen, he spied the dress-ruining tub of ice cream melting on the countertop. Chuckling, he put the lid back on it and made his way over to the freezer. Why on earth she would eat ice cream in that dress he would never understand. And that was one of the reasons he liked her, she always made him laugh. Blake chuckled as he opened the freezer door, but his laughter stopped when he saw what was in there.
The whole freezer was full of ice cream. There had to be fifty tubs in there, all stacked in neat rows with all the different flavors lined up.
What the hell?
“What are you doing?” screamed Violet from behind him, causing him to jump and nearly knock himself out on the edge of the freezer door.
“I was just putting your ice cream back in the freezer. It looks like you have a problem,” he said, turning around to see Violet standing there in a pair of skinny-leg dark blue jeans and a red and blue plaid shirt.
She was wearing tan cowboy boots and had let her hair down.
Blake groaned.
How was it that she looked even sexier dressed as a hot cowgirl then she did in that stunning dress?
She was sporting a scowl and for some sick reason he enjoyed making her angry.
“How dare you come here and open my freezer! Who do you think you are?” she shrieked as she rushed toward the open freezer door, ripping it from his grip, pushing him out of the way, and slamming it. He could tell she was embarrassed by his discovery of her little habit.
It was better than the cocaine habit that most of Hollywood’s elite seemed to have.
“Violence, I don’t care how much ice cream you eat, just relax. I don’t want
to fight, I just want to take you out on a date,” Blake said in what he hoped was a sincere voice that would defuse the situation.
“I’m ready now,” Violet replied flatly, not looking at him as she stomped her foot and marched towards the door and picked up her bag from the little console table.
Blake followed her.
Holy shit!
Those jeans were tight!
He helped her into the SUV, much to Violet’s displeasure.
“I can get in the car myself Blake, stop trying to touch my ass!” she grumbled.
Walking around to the driver’s door, Blake smiled to himself. He really hoped this evening went well. He was already enjoying himself.
Chapter 19
Violet
Had she just died and gone to heaven?
Had the last ten minutes actually just happened?
Did Blake Wilson, hottest guy in Hollywood, just utter the phrase You look hot about her and actually mean it?
Violet leaned against her bedroom door, breathing heavily.
You gotta calm this shit down! Or you’re actually going to have a heart attack.
Fanning her face and taking a deep breath, Violet walked through the bedroom into the tiny bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror.
Oh god! She was going to kill Sophie!
Murder her!
She just spent all afternoon getting all dolled up, for what? Blake had shown up here in a band shirt and jeans with rips in the knees!
She felt like a world-class idiot when she opened the door to find him looking normal and not dressed up.
Why on earth had Sophie done this to her?
Violet looked at her reflection and started pulling out all the pins in her hair. There was no way she was keeping the updo. And she was so losing this dress! After working her hair free, Violet wrangled with the dress, trying to get it off. Once it was off and laid neatly over her bed, she took a step back and looked at the stain. Oh god, it was all the way to the hem. She had ruined the most beautiful dress she had ever seen! Maybe Mr. Chan would be able to get the stain out of the dress? Violet hurried into her room and picked out her tightest pair of skinny jeans and looked around for her old plaid top and her favorite tan cowboy boots. After dressing at the speed of light, Violet hurried back into the bathroom to look at her reflection.
Her hair was now down around her shoulders and had soft waves remaining from the updo. Violet scrunched the ends and sprayed some hairspray so that, hopefully, the pretty soft waves would stay. Her makeup was still looking nice, maybe a little over-the-top for her new outfit, but that didn’t worry her. She spun round once and then spritzed some perfume on her shirt.
This is as good as it’s going to get.
She turned off the light and hurried out of the bedroom. Looking around the living room, she couldn’t see Blake, but after taking a few steps into the room she saw him standing at her freezer with a shocked expression on his face.
Holy shit!
She darted across the small space and ripped the freezer door from his hand, pushing him out of the way and slamming the freezer door.
“How dare you come here and open my freezer! Who do you think you are?” she yelled in a high squeaky voice, feeling her cheeks flame.
Did the hottest guy in Hollywood just waltz into her home and open her freezer?
Oh god, he had seen her stockpile.
The stockpile you need to cope with his hot ass showing back up here!
He might as well have pulled out the bag of DVDs under her kitchen sink!
He was going to think she was a total freak with that much ice cream in there!
God, she had a problem!
She bet the women he usually dated probably didn’t even know what ice cream was!
“Violence, I don’t care how much ice cream you eat, just relax. I don’t want to fight, I just want to take you out on a date,” Blake said, giving her one of those uterus-combusting smiles. Violet swallowed and decided it was probably a good idea to get the hell out of her house and get Blake away from all the incriminating evidence it contained. Violet stomped across the room and scooped up her handbag.
“Can we go now?” she asked, noticing that her voice sounded high and weird. She needed the car ride to regroup. If what had just happened in the last 10 minutes was anything to go by, this date was shaping up to be a disaster.
A category 5 hurricane disaster!
Quit being so pessimistic!
You’re going on a date with the man of your dreams!
But was her dream going to live up to reality?
Making it out of the house and down the little path to Blake’s SUV without embarrassing herself, Violet let out a huff. The cool sea breeze fanned across her burning cheeks, making her feel a little better. Blake unlocked the SUV and helped her into the car. She froze on the spot when his hand slid down her lower back and cupped her ass.
Blake Wilson just touched her ass!! The same one he referred to as hot!
Had she entered the twilight zone?
Or one of her racy dreams!
Once she was settled in the SUV, she pulled out her phone and frantically called Sophie. She was so mad that Sophie made her dress up like that, for nothing.
“Hello?”
“Sophie, you bitch! Why did you dress me up like a total fool?”
“Huh?” Sophie replied, shocked.
“That’s all you have to say after coming over here and dressing me up like I was going to some red-carpet event! And then he shows up wearing a band shirt and jeans with rips in the knees?!” Violet shot Blake a look as she talked. He was sitting there with a grin on his face.
“Are you serious right now? I told him to wear a suit! He is such a douche! Oh Violet, I’m sorry, you can change and save the dress for another occasion,” Sophie replied, sounding as pissed as Violet was.
“I ruined the dress anyway, I gotta go Sophie, I’ll talk to you later,” Violet said, peeking over at Blake, who was looking confused.
“How in the hell did you ruin the dress? Call me later. I want details!” Sophie said as she hung up.
Violet turned in her seat and looked at Blake. “Sophie said you were supposed to wear a suit.” “She didn’t say anything to me,” Blake said with a frown. “Let me look.”
He leant closer to Violet as he struggled to get his phone out of his jeans. She felt her heart flutter. She was in Blake Wilson’s car and he was taking her on a date!
“Shit, Sophie did text me and tell me to wear a suit, I’m sorry Vi.” Blake turned in his seat and stared at her. Violet was starting to feel a little hot under the collar. “It’s fine, I was going to wear this anyways,” Violet said with a nervous laugh.
“Okay, Vi, are you ready to go?” Blake asked. At this point, she felt like she had entered one of her fantasies and was lost for words, so she just nodded.
Blake pulled out from the curb, his colossal SUV roaring to life and purring towards his parents’ place. Violet felt nervous and racked her brain trying to find something to say. “What do you really think about Sophie marrying that Jamie dude?” Blake asked, cutting the tension in the car. Violet took a deep breath. Good, something she could answer. “I don’t know, he isn’t the type of guy I would ever imagine Sophie ending up with, but he makes her happy.” Blake made a growling noise. “I don’t know, I don’t like him, he sucks up to my parents way too much. We all had dinner the other night and Jamie laughed at every one of my dad’s jokes. He isn’t even funny!” Violet laughed and nodded her head in agreement. She had noticed that when Jamie was around the Wilsons he just tried a little too hard. “Her wedding will be wonderful though,” she added with a smile on her face, because she had seen Sophie’s wedding dress and it was to-die-for beautiful. Blake gave her a side look, barely taking his eyes off the rough cliff road. “Weddings are so boring and I have a feeling Sophie’s is going to be really boring if Jamie’s family are anything like him.” She had to giggle at that. “So, Violence, tell me
, how have you been?” Violet stared at Blake. How in the hell was she meant to answer that?
Great, just pining over you for the last 13 years.
Busy watching you date everyone else.
“I’ve been good Blake, how about you, your life has been way more interesting.” Violet suddenly felt small and insignificant.
What in the hell was she doing in a car with Blake Wilson, hottest guy ever?
“Says you, Violence. I’ve been working non-stop for over 13 years, getting up at 4 am, working out for three hours, movie sets all day, then appearances at night. I’m burnt out and I wanna eat carbs.”
She smiled.
“How long do you think you’ll be staying? Do you have any movies on the horizon?” She asked. She had managed to keep her voice even and ask a question! Maybe this wasn’t going to be as hard as she thought! Violet glanced over at Blake, who looked like he wanted to say something.
“Ahhh, yeah. I don’t know. I’m just going to enjoy my time here and go with the flow.” Violet nodded, not too sure what to say to that. Blake rubbed the back of his neck with one hand and went quiet as they drove up the winding cliff path towards his parents’. They pulled into the driveway. Blake parked the car and turned and looked at Violet. “I thought we would just stay here tonight,” he said.
Oh god!
She got a sinking feeling. Did she have to hide to be with him?
According to EntertainME TV, he took his dates to the hottest restaurants in LA, where the paparazzi would sit outside every night. She was probably not good for his public image. Maybe his publicist had told him that if he wanted to date frumpy 30-somethings, he should do it on the down-low.
Violet felt her heart sink a little more.
She was not good enough for this man. She wasn’t polished or elegant, she was clumsy and awkward. She broke dicks! Maybe she should just cut her losses, fake an illness, and head home now.