Page 43 of Take Two

Violet makes a face. I take my frittata out and put it on the table.

“Let my queen have this one, and you can make two more for us,” Colt says, already taking my breakfast and putting it in front of his wife.

“Did you just take my breakfast and give it to your wife?” I ask my brother. Vickie’s already eating the frittata without a care in the world.

“No. I gave it to yoursister,” he says, knowing darn well I won’t argue with him.

“Charlie, you can share with me. Vickie and Colt can share,” Violet suggests, but I shake my head at her. I’m starving, and I know she is too. Colt eats more than all of us put together. If he shares with Vickie, she’ll be lucky if she gets two bites before he inhales it all.

“You eat, darlin’,” I tell her. “I’ll make me another and get a bowl of cereal for this one.”

“Colt, you were supposed to take care of me this morning, remember?” Vickie says.

“I carried you down here,” he replies.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to carry your queen. Now, what are you going to do about getting me some caffeine?”

Colt looks around, and I follow his line of vision. He stands and starts to go for my cappuccino. I grab it before he can get it.

“Give me that,” he says, reaching for it again, but I give him my back. That’s how it’s been since we were kids. Mama told me I had to look out for him because he’s younger, and he wouldalways want everything I had. “That looks good. My queen would like it.”

“Itisgood. Lettie made it forme.” I finish it before he can take it from me. He turns and looks at Violet, who is sipping her own drink.

“Darlin’, can you make me one too?” Colt asks. Violet’s head snaps up and she looks at Colt.

“Did you just call me darlin’?” Violet asks my brother.

“Not you, darlin’,” I tell her while I point at Vickie. “Colt’s darlin’.”

“You said you were going to take care of me this morning,” Vickie reminds her husband again. “So far, you’ve done nothing other than steal Charlie’s breakfast and failed to get his drink. You should have taken the cappuccino first.” She takes another bite and moans in pleasure. “But this is fantastic.”

“I can make more cappuccino,” Violet suggests. “If that’s okay with you, Vickie.”

“Yes, please,” Vickie tells her.

“Thanks, Lettie,” Colt says. “I don’t know why Charlie always acts like this. I should tell Mama.”

“Oh my God. Enough with your mama, Chastain,” Vickie says.

I roll my eyes at my brother and say, “You’re so annoyin’.”

“We’re going to the farmer’s market and then taking a walk on the beach. Afterwards, Charlie is going to make me scallops for lunch, and I’m taking him out to dinner tonight wherever he wants.” She puts her hand on my lap, and I throw my arm across her shoulders as I kiss her temple.

“Oh, that sounds fun,” Vickie says. “Ethan and Tara are having everyone at their place for dinner tonight, so you two have to come.”

I check with Violet, and she nods. I kiss her cheek, happy for the first time in years to go to a dinner party. If she wasn’t here, I would have stayed home and offered to watch the boys so Colt and Vickie could have a child-free night, but she’s here with me, and I want to go to that party with her on my arm.

“Charlie, can you make me another one of those frittata thingies?” Colt asks. He inhaled some of Vickie’s and all of his. “And maybe we can go to the farmer’s market and the beach together since Mama said she wants to spend time with the boys today.”

Chapter 23

Violet

Yesterday was one of the best days I can remember in a very long time. Not even Colt Chastain’s antics from the day before could bring me down. In fact, despite his constant eyes on us, he was quite charming all day yesterday, and I almost forgot his behavior from the day before. We walked through the farmer’s market arm in arm, and even Colt’s celebrity did notimpede my enjoyment. The four of us talked and laughed, and instead of Charlie cooking scallops for lunch as planned, Colt treated us all to a meal at a local seafood restaurant. We were seated on the outside patio where we talked and enjoyed the beautiful atmosphere.

Charlie and his brother are similar in a lot of ways. They look alike. They sound alike. Their body types are similar, and they are both charming. They’re also different. Charlie is a lot more reserved. Colt basks in his celebrity and loves chatting and taking pictures with fans. We couldn’t go more than ten steps without someone recognizing him yesterday, and he interacted with everyone. Charlie is happy to hang in the background and be with me.

My hunch is that Colt’s ego is huge, whereas Charlie’s is fragile. After spending time with Colt and Vickie, I’m not surprised he would go after a woman who told him to his face she wasn’t interested. If I had said that to Charlie, he would have taken me at my word and walked away, but Colt saw it as a challenge.

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