Page 30 of Loving Violet
“I know, baby,” I say, hugging him tightly. “Let’s get you home and comfortable.”
As we drive home, Adrian dozes off in the backseat, giving me more time to reflect.
Austin deserves an explanation for my abrupt departure, but how much should I tell him? I don’t want to scare him off with my baggage, yet I also don’t want to keep him in the dark.
Maybe Josy was right. She always said I need to learn to let people in again. As I pull into our driveway, I make a mental note to call Austin later. I owe him that much.
My priority right now though is my son. I walk with Adrian inside and tuck him into bed. As I sit by his side, watching him sleep, I realize that this is where my strength lies—in my love for my son and my ability to move forward, one step at a time.
Adrian is all that matters.
After a few minutes, I stand and go to the kitchen to grab my phone.
I text Josy.
Me: Adrian is okay. He has the stomach bug.
After a few seconds, I see the three dots pop to let me know that Josy is typing.
Josy: I am so glad my boy is okay.
Josy: BTW, what happened in your meeting with Austin? You left so fast.
Me: Well, I received the call from the school.
Josy: I know that you got that call. But I wanna know how it went.
Me: It went okay I guess.
Josy: That’s it? I saw the way he was looking at you. That can’t be it.
Josy: You know what, don’t say anything. As soon as I close the shop I will go straight home and we will talk.
Dammit. Now I will have to talk to Josy when she gets here.
Me: Okay, I will cook something and we will talk over dinner.
Josy: Sounds like a plan.
I sigh and put my phone back in my pocket, already dreading the conversation that’s going to happen tonight. Josy has always been able to see right through me, and there’s no avoiding her when she wants to know something. I start to mentally prepare myself for the all of the questions that Josy will ask, knowing that she won’t rest until she has all of the details.
Even though I don’t want to talk about it, I know that talking to Josy always helps me sort through my feelings, and I know she’ll give me the push I need to confront whatever it is that’s holding me back. Maybe then I’ll be able to make sense of the whirlwind of emotions Austin has stirred up in me.
Finishing cooking, I hear a knock on the door of my small, temporary home. I stop what I am doing and walk toward the entrance. When I open the door, Josy is on the other side with a big smile on her pretty face. She enters and goes straight to the couch.
"Smells so good. What did you make?"
"Since Adrian was feeling sick, I made chicken noodle soup and toasted some bread. You want some? I made a lot because I knew you were coming over."
"Of course! You know me too well," Josy says, getting comfortable on the couch. "Now, spill. Why did you leave so fast from your meeting with Austin? You looked rattled."
I take a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts. "It was just...a lot," I begin, feeling the weight of Josy's expectant gaze on me. "Austin was flirting with me, and I flirted back. I didn't know how to act afterward. It’s been so long since anyone made me feel that way. I felt seen, and it stirred up a lot of new feelings. And a lot of bad feelings left over from Taylor."
Josy leans forward, her eyes narrowing with concern. "What do you mean by 'seen'? And why did that rattle you so much?"
I ladle some soup into a bowl and hand it to her before sitting down with my own. "I mean, he made me feel like I was the only person in the room. He noticed things about me, small details that most people overlook. It was...intense. And after everything with Taylor, I guess I just don't know how to handle someone actually appreciating me."
Josy takes a sip of her soup, nodding slowly. "Violet, you deserve to be appreciated. You deserve to be seen. Austin is obviously infatuated by you, and from how you look at him, I know that you feel the same. He is a great guy and I can vouch for him. So, why are you running away from that?"
