Page 93 of Take Two

“He nearly worked himself to death to buy me that,” she says. Her voice catches. “It’s the first thing of real value I ever owned.” She gives me a sad smile that makes my heart constrict. “It’s only one carat, but it might as well be the Hope diamond as far as I’m concerned.”

“Mama, I can’t take this. You love this ring, and Daddy got it foryou.” It took her over ten years to take it off. She still wears it on their anniversary.

“I do love it, but it will still be in the family. I want you to have it now,” she says.

“How come you didn’t give it to Colt?”

“Because I always wanted you to have it. I’ve never been able to give you much—”

“Not given me much? Are you kiddin’ me? The only reason why I’m here is because of your unconditional love. No amount of money can come close to how much your belief in me is worth.” Her tears fall, and she quickly wipes them. I take her into my arms and kiss the top of her head. Then she does something she’s never done in my life; she lets me hold her while she cries. “I’ll be honored to give Violet this ring.”

She looks up and smiles through her tears as she swipes underneath her eyes and stands. “Good. She’s a sweet girl, and she’s good for you. Whatever’s on your mind, talk to her about it. Figure out how you’re going to run the restaurant from New York and go be with her.”

I decide to tell her everything that’s happened since Holly called. She’ll know exactly what to say and what to do, but when I open my mouth to speak, my phone vibrates in my pocket. I pull it out and it’s the email I’ve been waiting for.

The oven beeps, and thankfully Mama turns her attention back on that. I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and say the Lord’s Prayer before I open the email.

Chapter 51

Violet

“And then she said that she’s tired of waiting on him and wants to do a girls' trip instead,” I tell Charlie about the conversation I had with my mom while I waited to board the plane.

“Are you gonna do it?”

“A trip with my mom and Terri?”

“Why not?” he asks. He picks up my hand and kissesit.

“A year ago, I would have said hell no, but I don’t know now. It wouldn’t be terrible, I guess.” I shrug.

“I think it will be great. Your Mama is sweet and Terri isn’t so bad either.” I look at his profile while he drives. “She’s not. She’s human, darlin’,” he says. “Maybe a trip is exactly what you three need. I’ll be there to drop you off and pick you up from the airport.”

I giggle at that, but I’d love it. I imagine running into his arms and wrapping my legs around him on my return trip.

“You promise?” I pick up his hand and kiss the back of it.

“I’ll be there as long as you want me to be. I’m not going anywhere unless you want me gone.”

“That sounds ominous. What about what you want?”

“I want you. You’re the one who settled.” He grins when he says it, but I don’t like it.

“Stop saying that,” I admonish. “You’re amazing, and I love you. Are you okay? You seem a little off tonight.”

He squeezes my lap and says, “I’m fine, baby. I’ve just missed you, is all. And I was worried about leaving you alone with that maniac with a grudge.”I open my mouth to say something, but my stomach lets out a loud growl. He hears because he puts his hand on my stomach. “Let’s get you fed. I had Mama cook for me today since I was so busy. It’s at the house.”

My stomach growls again as I close my eyes and sigh in contentment.

“Tell me what’s wrong,” I say once we get upstairs to the bedroom. The table was set when we arrived, and we ate the seafoodpasta and homemade bread. She included an individual peach cobbler for me and a chocolate lava cake for Charlie.

I reach for him and start to unbutton his shirt. I tilt my head up and wait for him to kiss me. He does, but it’s a chaste kiss, not the passionate kind we’ve always shared. I slide my hand down his body and undo his belt. When I stick my hand into his boxers, I find what I’ve been craving since he left, and it’s ready for me.

“I can go for another dessert,” I whisper as I get on my knees. I pull his shorts and briefs off and his hard dick sticks out.

“Lettie,” he begins, but I don’t give him time to finish before I take him as far down my throat as possible. “Christ,” he moans. “Yeah, darlin’. Take it all the way down that greedy little throat.”

And I do. I take it until I gag, not once but three times until he stops me. He pulls me to my feet and strips me naked before he lays me gently on his bed. He loves me slowly and kisses me tenderly. One of his hands cups a breast while he bites and sucks the other nipple into his mouth.