Page 59 of Holiday at Home
A successful life.
A life that looks so good on paper, people would line up for blocks to hear me speak on how I did it.
A lifeI don’t want to go back to.
I plonk a mug down in front of Robbie then lean against the counter. “Look, I have so much I need to talk about on that topic.I’m going crazy. I’m driving myself out of my mind because your question is valid.What am I doing here?I desperately need a friend, but your wife is Violet’s sister…”
I trail off because do I really need to finish that sentence?
“And you’re my best friend.” Robbie hefts his mug and blows at the steam. “Or you were.Before you disappeared into your New York life.”
“Ouch,” I mutter, smirking to hide how close to home that lands. Leave it to Robbie to wrap a gut punch in casual honesty.
He flares his hands. “Come on. Give it to me.”
I push off the counter and claim the chair beside him, elbows on the table, leaning close. “Okay but, if I talk to you about this, it has to be cone-of-trust stuff. I need you to promise you won’t talk to Nora about it because you know she’ll go straight to Violet and none of this is ready for her ears.”
Robbie glares into his coffee, blows on it, then takes a long swallow, grimacing as the heat hits his throat. “I can promise cone of trust.”
I start to thank him, but he holds up a hand.
“But I can’t promise you’ll like what I have to say. Because, as your friend, it’s my job to look out for you. And as Violet’s brother-in-law, it’s my job to look out for her. So, if what you’re doing is stupid, I’m contractually obligated to point out said stupidity and tell you to cut it the hell out.”
Robbie’s eyes hit mine and it’s possibly the first time I’ve seen him as the hardened military badass he’s become and not my goofy best friend since the first grade.
It’s impressive.
He’simpressive.
“Wow,” I mutter, dragging a hand through my hair. “Nothing says ‘I love you, man’ like the threat of a verbal smackdown.”
Robbie cocks his head. “Sometimes love means showing someone what an ass they’re being. And it’s because I loveyou that I’m warning you up front. Because something tells me there’s some stupid involved in what’s going on here and you need to be prepared for me not to like it. Just putting a stamp of approval on awful decisions in the name of compassion? That’s cowardice. True compassion is having the guts to say hard things.”
I let out a rough laugh and prepare myself for Robbie’s wrath.
“Okay, well, there’s definitely some stupid involved. I came to Stillwater Bay with a motive. The first day I ‘popped in’ to see Violet at Sterling’s? Totally contrived.”
My throat constricts around the rest of what I have to say because I know, as soon as it’s out of my mouth, my best friend might never look at me the same again.
Regardless, I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and let it fly. “I came here specifically to talk her into signing a contract that would give me full rights to an idea she and I came up with when we were together.”
Robbie recoils, eyes narrowing. “After all you put her through, that’s the period you wanted at the end of your story?”
“I knew it was douchey. It was just something I had to do.”
“Why? Why was it something you had to do?”
The only real answer I have is:to get what I wanted.
The look on Robbie’s face says he knows.
“But that’s the part I want to talk about. The part that’s driving me crazy.” I sit back in my chair, mug in hands. “I haven’t brought the contract up to Violet yet.”
“Why not?”
“Because I walked into Sterling’s that first day and immediately knew I couldn’t. Everything about her looked… wrong. She’s been through so much, and there I was, strolling in on her opening day, thinking I was just gonna ask for her signature then flit back out of her life again. It was a dick move,she deserved better, and I knew it. I knew it before I left New York.”
“At least there’s that.” Robbie leans back, leveling me with a look that would make any man tremble. Gone is the mischievous smile. Gone is the twinkle in his eyes. In their place is sharp intelligence and a set jaw. “If you hit Violet with that contract now, it’ll be proof that the Simon I used to know died somewhere under all that bullshit you call success. If that’s where you’re going, if the gifts and dinners and ice-skating have been happening to alleviate your guilt, you need to take a long hard look in the mirror. The Simon Holiday I knew would never be so self-serving. Discovering every terrible thought she’s had about you these past few years was true is the last thing Violet needs.”
