Page 51 of She Was Made for Me

“No. Hold on.” I open my mail app and see something from Sadie—an email with the subject line PROBLEM SOLVED, and an attachment. It’s two tickets to Rogue Valley. “What is this?”

“He likes them, right?”

“He does,” I say, thinking back to that night we both discovered we loved this obscure band, and how it almost seemed as though we’d found a kindred spirit in each other.

“So, take him to the show. Use that to grease the wheel.”

I frown. “How much did these cost you?”

“I got them through a contact from work, so they were free. Oh, but I was wrong—it’s not next week, it’s tonight.”

I look at the attachment again, checking the date, and see that she’s right. Shit.

“I’d go myself,” she adds, “but Tim has a work thing he wants me to go to tonight.”

“I can’t take these.” I think of Sadie’s generosity since I returned to the city, not sure I’ve earned it. “It’s too much, Sade.”

“Vi, they werefree. If I can’t go, you should at least go, and take that man of yours.”

I glance at the doorway, quickly taking my phone off speaker. “He’s not my man,” I say in a low voice.

“I know, and I’ve been thinking about what you said earlier. You’re leaving town again soon, right? If you two like each other, I see no reason why you couldn’t have a little fling. Why does your dad even have to know?”

I open and close my mouth, unsure how to answer. It’s not likeIwould tell Dad, but I’m sure Kyle wouldn’t be comfortable with keeping something like that from him.

Would he?

“I don’t know,” I mutter, sinking down onto my bed.

“Either way, take him to the show. At the very least you’ll have fun, and hopefully he’ll be happy to write the recommendation for you after.”

“Okay,” I agree. “And thanks, Sade.” Now I just need to figure out how to ask him.

20

Kyle

It’s nice to have some time in the house without Violet after last night; a chance to get my head on straight and focus on the work. I spend the morning helping the guys frame up the bedroom on the second floor, and don’t realize Violet is back until I head out for lunch a few hours later.

I find her on the sidewalk, assessing the front façade of the building. We’ve got scaffolding scheduled for set up in the next day or so to get the mortar and brickwork restored, and I assume she’s making sure the space is ready for it.

“Hey,” I say, descending the front steps into the midday sun. The heat envelops me on the sidewalk. New York doesn’t do summer by halves, and the days are scorching. I miss my lake house on days like today.

Violet glances at me. She’s in her denim cutoffs again, a loose tee hanging off one shoulder and tied at the waist. It’s the most simple of outfits but it makes her look like a goddess. What I wouldn’t give to make herfeellike one, too.

Stop.

“Hey.” She offers me a tentative smile. “I’m just making sure we’re ready for the scaffolding.”

Of course she is. Always on top of everything.

“Good.” My stomach rumbles and I turn to head off for lunch, then remember. “Did you ever hear back from Owen? Rich asked this morning about the appraisal.”

She lifts a brow. “This morning?”

“We played racquetball.”

“Ah.” She nods, then does that bottom lip thing I find so adorable. She doesn’t answer my question, and a feeling of suspicion creeps over me.

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