Page 45 of Take Two

She swallows before bringing the glass to her mouth. She tilts her head back and swallows the clear liquid in one gulp.

“I’m not fine with it. I’ve missed you, Violet,” she says. Her face reddens a bit like it does every time she gets flustered. “I only see you a few times a year, and you can barely stand to be in the same room as me.”

If I was an asshole, I’d say something flippant and pretend to play an imaginary violin. “Every week for the past year, I’ve dialed your number at least a dozen times, but I could never find the courage to press send,” she says.

I stare into her face, not fully trusting what’s coming out of her mouth. “This is so not the time,” I tell her. “And neither was that one a.m. phone call from the other night.”

“Okay,” she says. “When? Tell me when, and I’ll come back. Or you can come to my place or we can go out.”

I walk to the cabinets and take out the dishes. I make sure to only take two so Terri doesn’t get any ideas. I shake myhead, unwilling to hear anymore. “I’ll get back to you, but I have plans tonight.”

Her shoulders sag a little. I know she knows I have no intention of getting back to her. As far as I’m concerned, our relationship severed six years ago.

I hear a door open, whistling, and footsteps. Charlie comes out and smiles at me. He puts both hands on my shoulders almost as if he can sense the tension in my body. He kisses my cheek and takes the plates from me. He looks at the table and then at me. I know what he’s asking, and I shake my head subtly at him. He gets it and continues to set the table for two.

“So, Charlie, tell me about yourself,” Terri says. She refills her glass and takes a seat at the island as if I didn’t just ask her to leave. “How did you two meet?”

Charlie looks at me before he answers. “Lettie is my sister’s personal trainer. We met months ago, but only started seein’ each other recently.”

“Lettie?” Terri says. “I like it. Who’s your sister? Anyone I know?”

“Victoria Chastain. She’s married to my brother.” Terri’s glass stops halfway to her mouth.

“You’re related to Colt Chastain? The basketball player?” When Charlie nods, she says, “Of course. I knew you looked familiar. Wow, Violet. Are you and Victoria friends now?”

“Do you need me to order you an Uber or did you have your driver bring you?” If she thinks I’m going to put on a show because Charlie is here, she’s mistaken. I’m not going to pretend we’re anything more than what we are.

“I don’t have a driver anymore, and Charlie’s dinner smells so good. I want to stay, and it looks like he made plenty.” Terri gets up and goes to my cabinets. She takes a plate and puts it on the table.

Charlie stops what he’s doing and looks at me. I stare into his chocolate eyes, unsure of what to do about Terri. If he wasn’t here, I’d tell her off and order her to leave one way or another, but I don’t want him to see that side of me. At least not yet.

“We were trying to have a romantic dinner,” I huff, barely resisting the urge to stomp my foot.

“There will be plenty of time to get romantic after I leave. Come on,” she chides. “I barely see you outside of our awkward, obligatory family functions.” She finishes making herself a place setting at my table and looks at me. If Charlie wasn’t here, I’d remind her of why that is. I’d remind her of what ended our already fragile sisterly bond, but this is not the time nor the place. In fact, there might never be the time or place since I have no desire to dredge that up again. “What did you make, Charlie?” she asks as if the matter is settled. She refills her glass, and there’s only enough in the bottle to fill it up halfway. She opens the other bottle and fills it to the brim.

Terri’s never been much of a drinker. She’ll have wine or champagne at a party, but I’ve never seen her do anything like this. I don’t remember her ever drinking alone either. While she sips her wine, I pull Charlie to the side.

“I don’t mean to be a helicopter girlfriend, but if that wine is bothering you—”

He puts a finger to my lips before I can finish. “It’s not, darlin'. And you can be a helicopter girlfriend anytime. It’s helicopter brother I have a problem with.”

“Okay,” I say, giving Terri the side-eye. She's watching us with the most exaggerated smile on her face. “Are you sure because I can make her leave?”

He cranes his neck to look at her and nods. “I’m positive. And you’re going to tell me what this is all about when we’re alone.” It’s not a question.

“I’ll tell you, but you better give me a good dick down afterwards since I don’t like to talk about it.” I surprise him and swat his ass.

He grins down at me before he kisses my forehead. “Don’t I always? Why don’t you make me one of your famous mocktails?” While he puts food on the table, I decide to make the same drink I made the first time he was here.

Chapter 24

Charlie

Over chicken kabobs, potatoes, and a vegetable medley, the three of us shared an awkward dinner where Terri drank a total of three bottles of wine by herself and three servings of the dinner I made. I’m no stranger to strained family meals. That’s all our family had for over a decade because of me. Dinners where I’d be drunk and angry because my little brother gotthe life I should have had. Meals where I’d pick fights and make our mother leave the table in tears.

This dinner wasn’t as dramatic as that, but it was about an hour of Terri talking about old times, and Violet telling her it was revisionist history. After shutting down Terri’s attempts at conversation with her, Terri then focused on me and questioned me about my life and work.

She seems nice enough. She has Lettie’s eyes, and they’re the same height, but that’s where the similarities end. Violet is brown whereas Terri is lighter. Violet’s body is fit and lithe, while Terri’s is rounder and softer.

---