Page 65 of Fighting Gravity

“Yeah, it is.” Violet almost sounded irritated. “Of all the people you’ve ever known, you’ve only been betrayed by me and that douche canoe, Chad.”

“Don’t forget Nadia Ramirez. She always stole my green crayons in kindergarten.”

Violet scowled at her.

“Fine. I’ll be serious. You and Chad are, or were, both important to me. Tate is important to me. I can’t risk getting hurt again. Until I trust him fully, or myself, I’ll stay unattached.”

“Trust is not a switch that flips, Rosie. It’s aprocess. You can only get there with time and practice.”

“Why are you snapping at me?” Rosie asked, frowning.

“Because you’re smarter than this! Look, do you trust me?”

Rosie gnawed on her bottom lip.Didshe trust Violet? “I don’t know yet. I hope you’ve changed. It seems like you have.”

“But you don’t know, and neither do I.” Violet’s pink cheeks mirrored Rosie’s when she was upset. “We have to live with the not knowing until, one day, we just know.”

Rosie stared at her, stunned. “You don’t know if you’ve healed?”

Violet shook her head. “I’m an addict. I’ll be healing for the rest of my life.”

Rosie had not realized her sister lived her life in uncertainty and hope. “Oh, my goodness.”

Violet leaned closer and tapped Rosie on the forehead. “You get it now, huh? You won’t just wake up one day trusting people again. You just need to do it. You’ll have easy days and hard. Some days, you’ll feel sure. Others, you’ll only feel fear. Just like me. I’m recovering, not recovered.”

Rosie struggled to breathe. Her inhales felt shallow. Unsatisfying. Who had the strength to live like that? “Aren’t you scared you’ll fail yourself again?”

“Sometimes. More often, I’m hopeful.”

Rosie nodded and couldn’t stop. The tears followed. She cried until the crack in her heart from leaving Tate felt less like a chasm. She cried as her fissures filled with hope.

“Just do it?” she said finally. “Simple as that?”

Violet shrugged. “Yeah. I just went out one day. Leaving the house was my first step in my new life. It can be yours, too. One foot in front of the other. Where does Tate live? Can we walk there?”

Rosie laughed as she wiped tears off her cheeks. “No. But he’ll be in L.A. tonight. There’s a gala. I was supposed to be his date.”

A dazzling smile brightened Violet’s face. “And?”

“I think I want to be his date. I think I want to take my first step with Tate.” Rosie shook her head, baffled that she hadn’t seen this truth sooner. “Gosh, I want to try. I want to try every day.” Tate was the type of man who would make the hard days easier, the dark moments brighter. And those sure days? She’d never felt joy as penetrating as she had with him. Love danced through everything he did. If Rosie truly let Tate in, their bond would be boundless. “There’s just one problem.”

“What?”

“I’m going to need a dress.”

37

Soft music filled the room. Orchestral but with a beat, the band was a Spanish-speaking reggaeton group recommended by Quinn in keeping with the representation theme.

The Caribbean food had been delicious. OrbitAll’s silent auction item, a guest spot in their simulator, had shot up into five digits. Matt’s friend, a TV show producer, and his wife, an author, had proved delightful company. Quinn looked to be having a nice time, her stress levels at a minimum even with Vadim there.

The whole evening was nearly perfect. If only the seat to Tate’s right was occupied by the stunning redhead he was in love with instead of a hulking, tattooed pilot.

Pia, Tate’s sister-in-law, smiled at him from across the table. When he returned her grin, she moved to the empty seat to his left that Gloria’s star student, Janai, had recently vacated.

She pulled Tate into a hug, instantly enveloping him in her floral perfume. “I wouldn’t normally bring up family business in a setting like this, but I haven’t seen you in forever and champagne makes me really emotional.”

Tate chuckled. “Okay.”

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