Loving Violet

by Terri Anne Browning

  Only to wish I hadn’t.

  His eyes were glued to me, as I knew they had been for most of the ceremony. I’d felt his gaze on me and told myself I didn’t care. I hadn’t allowed myself to look at him once until right then, and now I knew why.

  This was supposed to be us, standing in front of our friends and family and declaring our love and undying loyalty to each other. If he hadn’t cheated and twisted our fates, it would have been us.

  But now, it never would be.

  A deep feeling of sadness hit me, and I gasped at the pain, but I quickly righted myself. Tears burned my eyes, but I blinked them back, refusing to let them fall.

  I was only sad at what could have been. Our life together would have been so beautiful.

  But the one I was living now would be even more so, I promised myself as I linked my arm through Shaw’s, and we followed the others out of the clubhouse.

  Outside, the fresh air dried my tears, and I breathed in deeply, welcoming the raindrops on my bare arms. Everyone was rushing to get to their vehicles to avoid getting too wet since the reception was being held at the local bar in town. A car horn honked, and I turned my head to see the town car that had dropped us off earlier.

  My heart lifted knowing Remington was in there waiting on me, and I took off running across the wet parking lot toward him. The door opened as I drew closer, and he stepped out. But his eyes weren’t on me.

  They were on the guy who was watching me from the other side of the parking lot. I couldn’t read Remington’s face, but I felt a new tension in the air as the man who was my past locked eyes with the man who was my present and they had a stare down.

  I knew then and there that if Remington and Luca were in a room together, they would end up fighting, and I doubted there was anything I could do to stop them. It would be a bloodbath. While Luca had more muscles on him, Remington could probably hold his own with my ex.

  But I didn’t want either of them throwing punches at each other. Not only at Lyric’s wedding reception, but ever. It would only cause more trouble. I wanted my family to accept Remington as one of their own, but if he got into a fight with Luca, people would pick sides, and I didn’t want more discord between everyone.

  Sensing Luca behind me, I didn’t stop as I threw myself into Remington’s arms and kissed him like it had been days since I’d last seen him rather than a little over an hour.

  When I pulled back, Remington’s eyes locked with mine. “Still love me?”

  I gasped at the question. “Did you think seeing him again would make me stop loving you?”

  His jaw clenched, giving me my answer, and my heart broke a little more.

  “I love you, Remi,” I told him. “He may have been my first love, but you’re my forever.”

  “No, you’re my forever,” he argued, and I slapped him across the chest playfully.

  “Don’t argue with me on this today, mister,” I threatened as he helped me into the back of the car as Shaw got in on the other side.

  “Or what?” he challenged with a wicked twist of his lips.

  “Don’t answer that,” Shaw said as she took the towel the driver offered us and started to dry herself. “I don’t want to have those pictures in my head right now.”

  As we drove toward the Hannigans’ bar, I thought about the ceremony and how beautiful everything had been, even with Little Em’s antics. Then I remembered Neveah and how unwell she’d been. Pulling my phone from my purse, I called her.

  Braxton answered on the fifth ring. “We’re at the hospital,” he said in greeting. “She’s fine but dehydrated.”

  “You’re sure she’s okay?” I asked, and Shaw took my hand.

  “Yeah, that doctor who is taking care of Fontana’s wife checked her over. She’s not in labor, just dehydrated. She’s getting fluids, and then we’re going to head home. But our company jet is supposed to take Luca back to Tennessee first. I’ll have to figure out which one will be ready to take us as soon as we’re done here.”

  Making a decision, I lowered the phone and looked up at Remington. “Is the plane ready to go?”

  “Yeah, you want to blow off this party and head home?” Understanding lit his eyes, and I kissed him quickly.

  “Santa Monica okay for the moment?”

  “Violet, if you’re there, it’s home for me.”

  “I love you,” I choked out and kissed him again.

  When he pulled back, I put the phone to my ear again. “I think I’ve got you covered, Brax. Meet us at the airport when you’re ready.”

  “Really?” He sounded so relieved, I felt even better about my quick decision. “Thanks, Violet. I really want her to be home in our bed tonight.”

  Shaw leaned her head on my shoulder after I hung up. “I guess you’re leaving me,” she said with a sigh.

  “You’re not coming?”

  She shook her head. “I’ve got things to take care of here.” She kissed my cheek just as the driver pulled up outside the entrance to the bar. “Love you. Have a safe flight. Rub Nevi’s tummy for me.”

  I hugged her. “Tell Jags I said hi,” I told her, and she winked as she got out.

  Turning around once the door was closed, I put my feet in Remington’s lap while the driver pulled back onto the road to take us to the airport. “I should warn you. My dad wants us to stay close for a little while.”

  He pulled off my shoes and started rubbing my feet. “And what do you want?”

  I moaned at how good it felt when he started squeezing my heel. “I only want you.”

  Chapter 36

  Violet

  We stayed in Santa Monica for two weeks once we got back from the wedding to make my dad happy. But I didn’t want to sit still. We went continent-hopping for the next two months, exploring the world together just like Remington promised me.

  It was so much fun, and I found myself doing things I never would have even thought about trying in the past. Like skydiving. Remington wasn’t a novice at it, and we jumped out of a plane with me strapped to his front. Heights scared the hell out of me, but with him holding on to me, I knew nothing could happen to me.

  That didn’t stop me from screaming, though. He laughed until he was hoarse from it, not that I’d heard him with the wind howling in my ears as we descended rapidly toward the ground. But his entire body vibrated from how hard he was laughing, and I’d felt it even after we’d landed.

  At the beginning of October, we returned to Santa Monica, and Remington invited my family out on his yacht for the day. Mom and Dad, Mason, Shaw and her parents, along with Cannon, Aunt Emmie and Uncle Nik with Jagger, Uncle Drake and Aunt Lana and all of their kids were invited. Although Nevaeh and Braxton declined because Nevaeh was so close to her due date, she was pretty miserable, the rest of them joined us. Even Uncle Jesse and Aunt Layla came along with Lucy, Harris, and their two children.

  I was surprised Remington had extended the invite to everyone. He hadn’t officially met anyone other than Uncle Axton and Aunt Dallas, but after they saw me with Remington even for those few minutes at Lyric’s wedding, they all knew I was with him now.

  Luca’s parents didn’t make it awkward. They never really had, and I was pretty sure they still felt guilty for keeping Luca’s bomb from me the Thanksgiving we officially broke up. I didn’t blame them, although it took Dad a little while to calm down and forgive Uncle Jesse for not telling him. But thankfully, their relationship was back to normal these days, and I was so happy to spend the day with so many of my family.

  It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining down on us, and the wind was fairly calm. The captain sailed us out a few miles then set down anchor, and the staff set up a huge lunch for us on the top deck. Music played in the background, and everyone was having a great time, laughing and catching up like we hadn’t seen one another in years, even though the majority of them saw one another nearly every day.

  “I never got to thank you for helping to
get Nevaeh back home after Lyric’s wedding,” Aunt Lana said from across the table. “She was so miserable and just wanted to be home.”

  “Thank Remington. It’s his plane. I just sat and rubbed Nevi’s tummy the whole flight,” I told her with a grin. “And Uncle Drake wasn’t there to stop me this time.”

  “That’s okay. I went over to their house the next day and felt the little guy jumping up a storm.” I stuck out my tongue at him, and he grinned. “One of the perks of having my baby girl living on the same street.”

  “I wouldn’t know what that’s like,” Uncle Nik complained. “Mia lives in Beverly Hills.”

  Aunt Emmie snorted as she picked up her glass of iced tea. “Like you don’t practically live there anyway. You spend more time at her house than you do ours.”

  “My Little Em is there,” he grumbled. “You can’t deprive me of my sweet little baby girl.”

  “Sweet…yeah, sure,” Jagger laughed. “She’s a terror.”

  “Whom you love more than life,” his mother said with a smirk.

  “I plead the Fifth.”

  Remington’s hand covered mine on the table. I turned my head, a smile already on my lips as I looked up at him. But there was something in his eyes that had my smile dimming. He seemed nervous all of a sudden, when he’d been all laughs and happy to be with everyone earlier.

  I leaned toward him. “Everything okay?” I asked quietly, stroking my free hand over his smooth jaw.

  He cleared his throat and glanced across at my dad. I followed his gaze and frowned when I saw Dad’s jaw clench. Thinking they had argued, I opened my mouth to demand to know what the problem was when Remington pushed back his chair and stood.

  “Wait…” I reached out to stop him in case he was going to leave, but instead of walking away, he dropped to one knee beside me.

  Several people gasped around us, and I heard someone let out a broken sob. Vaguely, I realized it was Dad, but I couldn’t bear to tear my eyes away from Remington to check on him.

  His fingers shook as he took hold of both my hands and lifted them to his lips. “I wanted today to be magical. To have as many of the people who love and adore you present as possible. I asked Shane’s permission to do this, and if he hadn’t given it, I wouldn’t be doing it. Because I know he’s the most important man in your life.” He swallowed hard. “And I don’t want to change that. I’ll settle for being the second.”

  “No,” I whispered, shaking my head adamantly, and his face fell. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I quickly clarified, trying in vain to keep my tears back. “I mean, no, you could never be second in any aspect in my life.”

  “Way to give the guy a heart attack, Vi,” Shaw muttered from beside me, making a few people laugh.

  “I-I’m sorry,” I choked out. “But you have to know you’re first in my heart.” I looked at Dad apologetically and saw he was bawling like a baby, but he smiled at me. Turning my gaze back to Remington, I cupped his face again. “I love you, Remi.”

  He kissed my hands again before reaching into his pants pocket and pulling out a small velvet box. When he opened it, the sun sparkled off the emerald cut diamond that was flanked by two smaller baguette diamonds. The band was thin and platinum, and as I looked down at it, I realized it looked a lot like Grace Kelly’s when she married her prince.

  It couldn’t possibly be the same ring. “Is that…?”

  He grinned, his nervousness fading. “No, but I remembered you saying you loved that ring when you and Shaw were watching one of Grace Kelly’s movies a while back. Cartier made it, so it was nothing to get something similar.”

  “Don’t tell me how many carats that thing is,” I told him. “I don’t want to know.”

  “Does that mean you don’t want the ring?” he teased as he took it from the box, but he didn’t move to put it on my finger.

  “I want you,” I whispered. “You could have given me a ring pop, and I would have never taken it off.” When he still just knelt there with the ring in his hand, I wiggled my fingers. “Put it on me already!” I cried.

  He cocked his head to the side, his smile making my heart skip a beat. “I’m waiting for you to say yes, my love.”

  I lifted a brow at him. “I don’t believe you asked me a question, my love.”

  Beautiful blue eyes widened in surprise. “Fuck. I didn’t.” Groaning, he slid the ring onto my finger. “Violet, will you—”

  “Yes!” I shouted and threw my arms around him before he could even finish speaking.

  He caught me, barely keeping us from toppling back onto the deck. Laughing, he jumped to his feet, bringing me with him, and kissed the breath out of me. When he lifted his head, I was panting softly, and Dad was standing there with Mom.

  Keeping one arm around me, Remington turned and readily shook Dad’s hand when he extended it. “When you asked to marry my little Violet, I wanted to say no. She’s my only daughter and the most precious girl in the universe in my eyes. To me, no one is worthy of her.”

  He paused and cleared his throat roughly. “But I see how happy she is with you. How she’s always smiling when you’re beside her. How just mentioning your name makes her light up. If I’m being honest, I was scared she wouldn’t ever be this happy again. It’s because of you that she is, and it’s only because of her happiness that I’m able to stand here and tell you I hope your life together is just as amazing as mine has always been with her mother.”

  When he started to cry again, I hugged him. “Thank you, Daddy.”

  Mom hugged Remington, welcoming him to the family with a bright smile. After she stepped back, the rest of our family came over to do the same.

  The day was perfect.

  Until Aunt Layla took me aside a few hours later as we sailed back to the harbor. She hugged me then pulled back so our eyes met. “Are you sure about this? I mean—”

  “Please don’t,” I whispered, glancing around to make sure no one was watching us.

  “Violet, I know you’re happy. But you barely know this guy and—”

  “Your son barely knew his new wife a minute before he had his ring on her finger,” I reminded her angrily. “I’ve known Remington for years. I love him, Aunt Layla.”

  “You loved Luca too,” she said with a glare.

  I inhaled deeply and slowly released it, trying to keep calm. She’d been so great all day. I thought she was okay with me being with someone other than her son, that she was happy for me, but apparently I’d been wrong. “You’re right. I did love him once. He was my first love, and if he hadn’t put his dick in someone else and gotten her pregnant, I might still love him.” She flinched, but I refused to feel even an ounce of guilt for snapping at her. “But that’s in the past now. I’m allowed to move on and be happy with someone else.”

  “You’re right,” she murmured, her eyes filling with sadness. “I just don’t know how I’m going to tell Luca you are marrying someone else.”

  “Start by asking how his latest fuck buddy is,” I told her and turned to go. Before I took another step, I glanced back at her over my shoulder. “I’m not going to let you or anyone else make me feel guilty for loving someone else. It’s pretty selfish of you to even try.”

  I saw the apology in her eyes, but when she opened her mouth, I walked away. I didn’t want to hear it.

  I could almost understand where she was coming from, though. Luca was her son, and she didn’t know how to explain to him that the girl he once claimed to love more than life itself was starting a life with someone else.

  But I’d thought I mattered to her too.

  Realizing I was wrong hurt, but I wasn’t going to let it bother me. Not when a new adventure with Remington was already underway.

  Chapter 37

  Violet

  Krush whined at the door, and I slowly lifted my head to look at myself in the bathroom mirror. My face was pale, but my cheeks were pink and my eyes were overbright with tears. I looked
how I felt, as if I were in shock yet so crazy-happy I couldn’t think straight.

  My gaze went back to the little stick I’d peed on only a few minutes before. PREGNANT flashed at me like a neon light. I’d watched the thing once I’d put the cap back on, unable to take my eyes off it for the required time to give me a reading. But the full three minutes hadn’t even gone by before the positive sign had appeared.

  My heart was racing, and I didn’t know if I could move, let alone walk downstairs and show Remington that we were going to be parents. My period was late, which was something I wasn’t used to, so I’d gone out earlier that morning to grab a pregnancy test while he was working in the home office.

  He’d only asked me to marry him a month ago, and during that time, we’d gone back and forth about having a small, intimate wedding with just a few choice people or a huge celebration. After how Aunt Layla reacted about the idea of us getting married, I was leaning more toward the smaller ceremony.

  Other than talking, though, we hadn’t made a move to start planning the wedding. Now that I was pregnant, I wasn’t even sure I wanted a wedding. Marriage, sure. I was all for being Mrs. Remington Sawyer. But a wedding just seemed pointless to me.

  Krush whined again, this time scratching his giant paw on the door to get my attention. Grinning, I picked up the stick and practically skipped out of the room. Opening the door, I bent to kiss the dog’s huge head. “You’re going to be a big brother, Krushy,” I told him as I took a moment to cuddle him.

  Krush huffed as if he didn’t like the idea of not being my only baby, and I gave him one more hug before running downstairs.

  Remington was in his office, and when I rushed in, his head snapped up. Seeing the excitement on my face, his eyes brightened. “Hey. I’m glad you came down. I need you to sign these for me.”

  “Okay, but in a minute.” I grabbed the arms of his desk chair and pulled him around so I could flop down on his lap. He laughed until I pushed the stick into his hand.

  His brow pinched together, and he stared down at it as if he couldn’t understand what I’d just given him.