Haven

by J D Worth

  Violet sputters out, “What Audrey means is that she doesn’t get to spend a lot of time cooking for herself.” She giggles, mouthing casserole while pointing to both the ingredients and glass dish. I nod in embarrassment back at her.

  Boyce leans forward, prodding, “Yes, the wedding, dear. That’s how you met our Violet?”

  I offer a weak smile. “Yes, I hope you don’t mind, I thought Violet could enjoy the shoes after I twisted my ankle during the reception. She saved my life.” I shoot Violet a look. I was in shock the night she shared how the crew had all worked at the resort at some point, but do they still? Wondering how much she disclosed, unease begins to build. “I’d rather put the wedding behind me.”

  Boyce’s eyes light up. “Of course, now that you have your very own wicked step-monster, huh? Violet told us of some of her tacky ploys. She does have good taste in shoes, I’ll give her that.”

  “That would be her wedding stylist. Her tastes are less refined. My father pays for stylists, as in multiple, to ‘help’ her.” I grimace. “The more ostentatious the shoe, the more likely she’ll wear it.”

  “Multiple stylists, oh my!” Boyce’s eyes sharpen upon me. “Those wedding shoes are simply divine.” Exchanging glances with Boyce, he must know the shoes are worth a small fortune as he presses the issue. I inadvertently placed Violet in a position where she had to explain her new high fashion accessories. My best guess is that the trending shoes are now worth more than the sedan sitting in their driveway. My head spins at the startling juxtaposition.

  Violet comes to my aid once again, saying, “I told my folks how you ran into Mace after you had a wardrobe malfunction and twisted your ankle when you fell. He came to your rescue and grabbed me to help fix the tight dress your stepmomma forced you to wear. We traded shoes while we were at it.” She reassures while gratitude sweeps over me.

  I nod at Boyce and smile. “The shoes really were my gracious gift to Violet. She enjoys fashion much more than I do.”

  Boyce settles back in his chair and lifts his finger off his martini glass, remarking, “I thought Mace had the night off, and the crew threw him a surprise birthday bash for turning twenty-one?”

  Violet shares a reluctant smile. “We did, and then a guest called him in to handle an urgent matter at the resort. Trent got stuck working late on cleanup duty again. He wanted Mace to stop by so he could give him his birthday bottle of JD. That’s when Mace ran into Audrey.”

  I down the fauxtini, wishing the drink were loaded with real alcohol. Mace didn’t want me to feel guilty. In fact, all of my new friends have gone out of their way not to mention their celebration that night. Guilt washes over me anyway. Trent’s gift was an actual bottle of JD he brought for Mace, knowing he’d stop by. I saw the bottle in Mace’s suit and thought the worst. Then I tried to steal his own bottle from him. Assumptions again drive me down the wrong path when it comes to Mace.

  Boyce refills my drink while remarking, “It’s a good thing Mace happened to be called in. How romantic of him to give you a hand, Audrey. The backdrop of the wedding makes the damsel in distress rescue all the more dreamier.” I dart my eyes to Violet, and she smiles at me.

  Violet adds a bashful smile. “Yes, we’re glad Mace was working, and we’re lucky we made a new friend.”

  Avoiding any more on the subject, I find myself sizing up their small home and sinking further down in my chair. The garden shed at Chatsworth was larger than their entire house. The enormity of my family’s wealth strikes a strong blow. The disparity is overwhelming. Fiddling with my nervous fingers under the table, I cast my eyes downward. Violet grabs my hand and squeezes.

  “Well, I’m thrilled Violet has become a real friend.” I smile at her, and she beams back at me. “I must confess this has been the best dinner party I’ve ever attended.” I raise my fauxtini to Boyce.

  He places his hand over his heart, gasping a shriek. “Are you serious? I only served a casserole and fake drinks! You must dine with the finest all the time.”

  Violet and Walt chuckle, joining my toast. I grin at Violet, asking, “If you don’t mind sharing, I’d love to learn how my new friend Violet came to be.”

  “This is their all-time favorite story.” Violet beams with pride as she glances between her parents and stands up from the table. “Dad, tell our story while we’re catching lightnin’ bugs, it will add to the charm of the evening.” Violet grabs mason jars and passes one to each of us.

  I smile as her family runs around the yard, catching the dashing beetles while sharing how they made a “Violet cocktail.” They mixed their sperm together with a donated egg from their surrogate and nine months later, out blossomed their precious Violet. It’s obvious she takes after Boyce with her blonde hair and blue eyes. Not to mention, her flair for the dramatics as she dances around her fathers, catching as many fireflies as she can.

  I happen to trap an active beetle that sparks nonstop signals. “They signal to attract a mate?”

  “Yup.” Boyce sidles up to me. “A little flower told me Mace took you for a ride on Darla. He’s like a peacock strutting his stuff, isn’t he? Can’t blame him. That man is S-E-X on his motorcycle.” My brows shoot upward at Violet, sending her a questioning look. She giggles in response.

  “Yes, we rode around town.” A smile plays on my lips. I can hardly believe I’m relaxed enough to discuss these things with someone’s parents.

  “How dreamy! Jackson has that deep Southern accent that will melt you every time, and Cal is all built and strong like my Walt. But Mace on his bike takes the cupcakes.” Boyce bounces his head while Violet and Walt chuckle at him.

  “Daddy has the same exact lazy drawl as Jax does, and that’s what drew you to him in the first place, remember?” Violet chides Boyce.

  “How could I forget my Walt has two of those fine assets? Now, Walt, honey, when are you going to buy a big ole hog with a side car so we can go for long rides along the coast?” Boyce winks at me while Walt guffaws.

  “I’ll tell you what, Boyce, you buy the hog, and we’ll go for all the rides you wish.”

  “I’m a kept man. My job is to tend to our sweet Violet.” Boyce nudges Walt on the shoulder, saying, “And you, Big Guy!”

  “And next year, she’s off to college in South Carolina!”

  They continue while Violet releases the beetles. She snags my arm, saying, “Seriously, this is their foreplay. We need to scram. I’ll show you my cute bedroom.”

  Violet’s bedroom is as whimsical as she is. Her daybed overflows with yellow and pink pillows, and she has a huge custom-built worktable against her window. A fancy sewing machine sits on one side and a pattern on the other end. Decorative scarves hang from the rungs of a primitive ladder attached to the wall. Fanciful dress and costume sketches adorn the walls. Colorful pencils, pens, and art markers corralled in rainbow tin cans cover the top of her dresser. Neat stacks of fabric fill a wide, hot pink painted bookshelf off to the side.

  The shoes I gave Violet sit on a shelf along with several vintage purses, displayed as though they’re fine pieces of art. I can’t help but smile. “I see you have a love for the actual design, not simply the label.” Admiring the cozy space that reflects her vivacious personality, I swallow hard. “Violet, Saturday was Mace’s birthday?”

  She pulls her eyes away from me and tidies her pillows on her bed. “Umm yeah, but the party wasn’t like a big deal. Mace doesn’t even like that sorta thing, so we have to spring celebrations on him, and he was still grumpy. Probably because he had to deal with that resort guest, which took forever.”

  “Mace and I spent time together at the reception. We happened to meet Friday when I arrived. Then he popped up again at the reception, and we wound up sharing several drinks together. You can blame me for hogging his time.”

  “Ooh!” Her grin amplifies. “That explains everything, and the reason he was itching to head back to the resort on his day off.”

  “Your room
looks like something my mom would’ve designed for you. Your family certainly know how to work the design angle together.”

  “Thanks! That means a lot coming from you. You grew up in the design world, and your momma had immense talents.” Violet posts a cheery smile.

  “Being in Haven brings me closer to my mother, but she’s not here. I sorta feel as though I’m drowning.”

  “Audrey, in no sense are you drowning here.”

  “Really?” I say, dumbstruck. “Violet, I find your parents to be some of the loveliest people I’ve ever met, and I admire the easy relationship you have with them. I have a formal relationship with family, and I’m not always sure how to act around people so warm and loving.”

  “Before you go feeling too bad about your family, just know mine is the exception here. Most of my friends are lucky if they have more than one parent that sticks around. Payton lives with her older sister, Candace. Trent’s parents are divorcing now because his momma wants to ‘find herself’ after marrying too young. Cal’s are divorced, and Mace only has his daddy. His momma is who knows where. Jax lives with his momma. After his daddy died, his momma had to raise a bunch of rowdy kids on her own. When he was seven, she downsized her family’s huge cattle ranch in Arkansas to a tiny two-bedroom house her aunt left her around the corner from here. Jax is the youngest of six kids by ten years, which leaves the two of them. She’s nearly sixty and has bad knees. She stays home and watches her programs. Jax has to run all her errands and do all the stuff around their house.”

  “Divorce isn’t common where I come from.” I offer a weak smile. “Nobody wants to part with half of their wealth, so they live separate lives instead.”

  “I can say that’s one problem we don’t have much of.” Violet smiles.

  A smile grows on my lips. “I love how you displayed the Louboutins.”

  “They are a work of art.” She looks up, admiring the luscious red-soled heels.

  “Jax seems to think so.” I sniff a bottle of coconut hair product that promises carefree beachy waves on her nightstand, wondering how Mace would react to the new scent.

  “Yes, Jax loves them. Those sandals now have their own Instagram following thanks to your stepmomma. They’re worth more than my liver, so I should return them to you.”

  “No!” I inform her in a firm voice. “I understand now why your father was nearly having a heart attack over the shoes, but if you don’t want to keep the shoes, sell them and put that money towards your degree. You have real talent, and those shoes could get you where you need to go. I’m serious.”

  “Okay, if I sell, the money will go to good use,” she says as I smile at her.

  “Really, you’re doing me a favor. I’m ecstatic to be wearing comfortable shoes for once in my life.” I wiggle my toes while marveling the flip-flops on my feet. I bend down and swipe away mica on the edge of the sole. “Glitter seems to be following me around.”

  “I heard about the glitter.” A laugh bubbles from deep in her chest. “The shoes, the glitter; it does seem right out of a fairy tale. I guess that’s why Mace is charming you with the whole ‘princess’ thing.”

  Shaking my head, I wipe the mica off on my dress. “The mica snow globe at his garage was unreal.”

  “Or maybe all of this magic is more real than you want to believe. Mace has never had another woman on the back of his bike before. Not someone who wasn’t a friend like Payton or me. You, pretty lady,”—Violet winks at me—“are much more than his ‘friend.’”

  “What do you mean? He doesn’t go through a string of women, or he hasn’t had a long-term girlfriend?”

  “You know he’s not a saint, but he doesn’t go through women like that. He’s busy with his garage and helping out his daddy … amongst other stuff.” Her eyes wander towards the window, carrying the same weighted worry Cal’s had.

  “I return to New York in about three weeks anyway.”

  “You can always come back. Mace won’t be going anywhere. He’s rooted deep here.”

  “The rate I’m going, I’ll be trading on the floor next summer before returning to Harvard.”

  “Then make the most of your time with Mace while you can. There’s no rule that says you can’t sweep him off his feet. Show him who the real princess is in this relationship!” Violet giggles. She shoves the bottle of coconut-scented hair product into my hand. “The way to a guy’s heart is always through his stomach. I’ll teach you how to cook a casserole, but for now this will work.”

  I’m unsure how to answer her. Instead, I ask her about her South Carolina college plans. I watch in fascination as she waves her hands around the room, talking about costume design. With her talent, I have no doubts she’s be able to accomplish all of her dreams. We drift to the living room and enjoy a movie on the TV. All the while, I can’t stop thinking about being with Mace. Or how he spent a good deal of his birthday sneaking away to be with me, which includes the night I swept into town.

  ***

  The next morning, Violet and Payton arrive on my doorstep in their swimsuits with beach bags slung over their shoulders. “I heard sitting in the sun will make your bruises heal faster,” Payton says, “so we’ve come to the rescue. We’re trying to come up with ways for you to sweep Mace off his feet. We’re gonna need to bend your ear a little.” She dangles a bottle of deep suntan oil while eyeing the thick study guide I’m clutching against my stomach.

  I swing my door wide open, inviting the girls in while mumbling, “Violet, you were serious about me sweeping Mace off his feet?”

  Violet cackles. “I told Payton how you gotta show Mace who the real princess is. That kick ass fairy tale has never played out before now.”

  “And we want front row seats.” Payton shoves the bottle into her bag and removes the book from my hands. “What in the world are you studying?”

  “Material for broker exams.”

  She tosses the book on the nearby kitchen island. “You can study long into the night. Now go change so we can hang out.”

  The book can’t compete with the girls’ eager smiles. “You’re right. I have plenty of time to study and know most of the material anyways. How often do I get a spare moment like this?”

  Payton grimaces, staring down the thick study guide. “I’d say not many if that’s your idea of a vacation.”

  I change and join the girls in my living room. Payton whistles at my vintage-inspired palm print swimsuit. “Hot damn, I thought I had a nice rack, but look at yours. They’re natural, right?”

  “Yes.” I snort a laugh.

  “Oh. My. Gawd! You look like one of the pinup girls from an old calendar Abe has hanging up at the garage.” Violet claps her hands together, begging, “Please let me do your hair in a Boho inspired loose braid. The two styles will mesh so cute.”

  “Violet, you’re welcome to do my hair anytime you wish.”

  “You do look like a pinup, Baby Girl. Where can I get one of those suits?”

  Thinking of the outrageous price tag, makes me sigh. “The full-figured retro look offers actual coverage, which ticked off Georgina, so I purchased three. Come check them out.” When we reach my bedroom, I pull out a tiny white string bikini Georgina brought for me and toss it aside.

  “Skimpy much?” Payton laughs. “Dental floss provides more coverage.”

  I dig through my suitcase and yank out a leopard print that matches mine. “Payton, take this one to keep. We can laugh at Georgina together.”

  She eyes the price tag, and her mouth drops. “Are you serious?”

  Violet snatches the suit and pushes Payton towards my bathroom. “When a nice lady offers you designer, you don’t turn her down!”

  “And more treats.” I wink at Violet and hold up another tiny retro bikini that will look more appropriate on her than me. I grab suntan lotion and a large blanket while they change. Violet is the first to return, and we both gasp when Payton pops out. She should be modeling on a runway inst
ead of standing in my living room.

  Violet slaps her ass. “That’s more like it, sister!” Payton lets out a loud laugh at her playful behavior.

  “Violet, you little vixen.” Payton eyes the bikini. “Ladies, let’s tear up that beach!” We spread the large blanket out and snicker, discussing all the ways I should woo Mace including spankings. After a cool dip in the water, we relax in the sun and let our eyes close.

  Around midmorning, we hear the sound of someone clearing their throat close to us. Our heads pop up in a row as we squint up to the guys. Trent smirks down at us and opens his big mouth, saying, “Wow, hotter than sin.” Jax and Cal look as if they’re about to pass out, and not from the heat. “We were doing a little work at Cal’s cottage and thought we’d stop by, seeing whatcha up to. We can now see … you’re smoking!” Trent lets out a low whistle. Violet hops up to kiss Jax goodbye. We laugh when they saunter towards Cal’s cottage.