Page 63 of Peach Blossom Hollow

She shrugged. “Sometimes all you need is a good friend.”

“You’re getting me to all the places I want to be. And I appreciate it.”

She bobbed her head. “I know.”

“So, thanks.” He shifted awkwardly, wanting to say more. He wanted to tell her he was over Christine, and that the whole idea ofmarryingher had been a dumb one. It was embarrassing how long it had taken him to understand that Christine Lagrée wasn’t into him and never would be. If he had time later, he wanted to tell Violet about his parents’ anniversary party and how his previous view on marriage had been all wrong. She’d been right about so many things—naturally, as she was the one with experience when it came to falling in love.

“Parade in less than one minute. Positions now, everyone, or I’ll have you and your float removed!” Henry Wylder snapped through a megaphone, walking the line of floats.

Violet gave Leo a wry look, suppressing her giggles at Henry’s crankiness. Leo shook his head and sighed. This town.

He squeezed Violet’s arm through the costume padding. “Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you.”

“Of course.”

“And also, I’m sorry if I overstepped.”

She gave him a blank look.

“Get in position with the dragon, Daisy-Mae!” Henry ordered.

“At the gala,” Leo explained. “I crossed our friendship line, and I’m sorry.”

Violet gave him a steady look. “I’m not.” Then she dropped the dragon head over her own, masking her expression.

What?

She wasn’t sorry he’d kissed her?

Wait. Were they even talking about the same thing?

But if she wasn’t sorry about the kiss, then why had she acted so weird for weeks?

Maybe it had been about something else?

Either way, if she wasn’t sorry about the kiss, then most definitely, neither was he.

CHAPTER 9

“You look exhausted,” Violet said through her microphone to Daisy-Mae, as the parade began moving toward the street to start its route through town.

She needed to distract herself, release that dizzy feeling that was making her light-headed.

I’m not.

I’m not sorry you kissed me, Leo. I only wished it had meant something big to you, that I was the kind of woman you were looking for.

Yeah, she needed a worthy distraction, and focusing on her friend’s exhaustion was a good place to start.

“Mav and I’ve been busy. Especially since the engagement and interviews and such. Everything’s crazy, you know? It’s just a lot of press and scheduling and time apart.”

“You doing okay, though?”

There was something in her friend’s voice that suggested things were far from okay with her and Maverick. The two had started out as friends, fake dating in an attempt to fix his reputation. Thensuddenly the whole fake relationship thing went prime time, with public grand gestures. Violet was best friends with Daisy-Mae and even she wasn’t sure what was real and what wasn’t anymore.

“Yeah, of course. We’re fine,” Daisy-Mae said quickly. “I couldn’t help but notice that you seem more yourself again lately.”

“Me?” She knew her friend was trying to change the subject, but her statement was too intriguing to ignore.

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