Page 44 of Peach Blossom Hollow

Man, when he thought of it that way, it seemed really messed up.

“Oh, no.” She stopped walking, her expressionstricken. “She can’t tolerate gluten? Why didn’t I think of that?”

Leo stopped as well, tipped his head back and sighed. Violet had worked so hard to help him. How could he admit he was ready to give up? But how could he keep moving forward when his heart wasn’t in it any longer?

It was so easy being with Violet. And with Christine…it wasn’t. Why couldn’t he just hang out with Violet all the time and have his life unfold in the way he envisioned it? He’d worked hard for so many years with barely a rest. He was tired and wanted to enjoy where he was, but how could he? He didn’t have what he needed in order to securely start a family.

Christine was still the answer. The two of them were compatible in that they were focused on the future and not on emotions. Little risk and all benefit.

And yet they weren’t clicking.

Violet rested a hand on his arm. “What happened?”

“Nothing.”

“Don’t clam up on me.”

“Seriously,nothing.”

“Nothing?”

Leo sighed.

“You don’t look like a man who gave away my prized cobbler to the woman of your affections. Unless you’retired. Did she thank you in a verypersonalkind of way?” She elbowed him with a sly grin that made him laugh. Until he thought of the reception he’d had from Christine. She was not evolved enough to appreciate baked goods from a man, andthere had been no intimate thank you, that was for certain.

“She didn’t try it.”

“What?” Violet was standing in front of him now, hands on her hips. He almost laughed at her expression. She was like a pit bull, ready to jump on his enemies and defend him. “Why not?”

“She’s off sugar and wheat and unhealthy fats, and everything good in this world.”

“Good things like you.”

“Yeah,” he said softly.

They walked into the arena, the security guard nodding at them as they flashed their staff passes. “Have a good game tonight, y’all,” he drawled.

“Thanks, man,” Leo replied.

“Shouldn’t this all be easier? I mean, if she’s the right one, it should be simple.” Leo stopped several feet later to open a second door that would give them access to the locker rooms.

Violet stared at him, and in that moment he would have given up his contract to get her take on what he was feeling and what he should do about it.

He wanted to skip the complicated, distracting romance and inevitable fights he’d heard about from his friends. He wanted a partnership like his parents had. They had the right idea. Work hard, raise your family, go out for a game of Bridge once in a while.

Simple. They were coming up on forty years in just a few days and he’d be flying out to celebrate with them.

That was what he wanted.

“I’m not a good coach.” Violet sighed, looking defeated. “I mean, we should have seen this coming. She wears designer clothes and lives in a world Idon’t at all understand. I fear I’ve mucked up your chances with her.”

“But why didn’t she at least try our cobbler?” Leo held in his frustration. Christine had been surprised by the gift. It was thoughtful and homemade. Just as Violet had instructed. But Christine hadn’t immediately dug into it like he’d expected, hadn’t even taken a few polite bites. She’d looked at it, smiled sweetly, then sent it back home with him.

“Not even a bite?” Violet groaned and clapped her palms to her face. “You have to stop listening to me.”

“No way.” He tugged her hands from her cheeks. “I need you. You warned me this was a bad idea.”

“Whatever my first instinct is, you should do the opposite. Christine and I are poles apart. She’s glamorous and famous and has this amazing job,”

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