Page 59 of Take Two

“Funny, but—”

“But shut up,” I say, cutting him off.

“Don’t tell me to shut up,” he says.

I step close and get in his face and say, “Shut up.”

“Okay, enough,” Vickie says, stepping between us.

“Talk to your husband,” I say to Vickie. “Maybe dinner here tonight isn’t such a good idea.” I stare into my brother’s eyes when I say that.

“Grow up, Charlie,” Colt says. “Can’t I offer an opinion?”

“About my relationship? No, you can’t. And weren’t you the one braggin' to me and Mama about how you met and charmed Vickie’s father?” I remind him. Vickie rolls her eyes and playfully punches his arm.

“That’s different. I was there doing my friend a favor. Me and Vickie weren’t even together then. I barely looked at her that day.” Vickie snorts at his lie, and so do I.

“Uh-huh. So, after you got together, how long until you saw her father again?” I cross my arms and wait. I already knowthe answer to that. He’s always telling stories about him and Vickie’s courtship and all the things he did to get her.

“It was the next morning,” Vickie says.

“Fine. I won’t say another word about it, but the dinner invitation stands.” He holds both hands up, but I know he’s not done sticking his big fat nose in my business.

Chapter 32

Violet

“Try mine,” I hold my cup to Charlie’s lips. He looks at me and reluctantly takes the straw in his mouth. He takes a sip, swallows, and cringes.

“Disgusting,” he says when I offer him another sip. “You need to come to terms with the fact that I hate peaches, darlin’,” I say.

“That’s because when he was sixteen, he ate so many peaches in one sitting he got sick. He’s hated them since,” Colt says.

I giggle at the story. Charlie makes a face at his brother, but I sense some tension between the two. I can’t put my finger on it, but there’s been some weird energy since I got here. Colt’s been friendly, but it’s like Charlie has his guard up when it comes to dealing with his brother tonight.

“Violet, I hope you’re hungry,” Charlie's mom says. “I made Charlie’s favorite meal.”

“It smells great,” I say to Mary Leigh. “What is it?”

“Smothered pork chops,” she says.

“That’s your favorite?” I ask Charlie. When he nods, I say, “How come you’ve never made it for me?”

“Honey, he can’t make his favorite meal. That’s a Chastain family rule. It tastes best when someone who cares about you makes it for you.” She covers a giant saucepan and looks at me, She puts her hands together and takes a few steps closer. “Charlie never cooks this meal. I, ah, I can teach you how to make it.”

The apartment goes deathly quiet after Mary Leigh’s offer. Colt and Vickie both take a step closer to us. Even Charlie goes still as everyone looks at me.

“I’d love that,” I say to his mom. I extend my hand to Charlie, and he takes it. He kisses the back of my hand. “I’ll get the ingredients from you before I leave, and I’ll go shopping.”

Charlie pulls me into his arms and wraps them around me. He plants soft kisses on my forehead. Charlie’s mom practically claps her hands at my answer.

“It’s that easy?” Colt asks. “No fuss. You just agree to cook Charlie’s favorite meal?”

“Sure. Why not? He deserves it,” I announce. “And I’m going to make it as good as hismama’s.”

“You know, darlin’,” Colt says. “I too enjoy that meal. Maybe you and Violet can learn together.”

I look into Charlie’s eyes and grin at him. “She’s going to skin him alive now,” I whisper to him.

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