Page 38 of Loving Violet
My heart skips, the unexpected invitation sending a mix of nerves and excitement through me. “That sounds great,” I say, keeping my voice steady. “When were you thinking?”
“How about Thursday evening? Around seven?” His eyes hold mine, steady and hopeful.
“Thursday at seven works for me,” I reply, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks despite my best efforts to stay composed.
“Perfect,” Austin says, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “I’ll see you then. By the way, Adrian’s a fast learner. I’m just bummed none of us caught anything today. He was so determined.”
“Really? Thank you so much for helping him,” I say earnestly. “I don’t know anything about fishing, and I was going to let Josy teach him. So I’m really grateful you took the time to spend with him.”
“Anytime. Adrian’s a great kid,” Austin replies, his voice full of genuine warmth. “He’s funny, too. The guys and I had a lot of fun hanging out with him.”
“Yeah, I saw him laughing so much,” I say, glancing over to where Adrian is still talking animatedly. “He looked like he was having the time of his life.”
Before Austin leaves, he pauses, his gaze softening as it meets mine. “By the way, you looked beautiful today,” he says, his voice dropping slightly.
The unexpected compliment makes me blush, my cheeks warming under his steady gaze. “Thank you,” I manage, my voice a little quieter than I intended.
“I’ll see you Thursday at seven,” he adds, his smile widening just enough to show the dimple on his left cheek.
“See you then,” I reply, giving a slightly awkward wave as he turns to gather his things.
I watch him walk away, my heart still fluttering. I feel something unfamiliar—hope. Something about Austin makes me feel seen, like he looks beyond the surface and really sees me.
Noah and Esteban also come and say bye to Josy and me. We finish packing and head home. As soon as we arrive at my house, Josy enthusiastically suggests, "How about a movie night? We can shower and then you guys can come over to my place."
Adrian and I agree, and we start to unload the car. As I approach our apartment, I notice a note stuck to the door. Curiosity piqued, I grab it and head upstairs.
"Adrian, go take a shower first while I unpack the cooler and snacks," I tell him.
"Okay, Mom," he replies, disappearing into the bathroom.
I set the cooler on the counter and carefully open the note. The handwriting is neat, almost elegant, and the message makes my heart skip a beat:
"I didn't know that you look wonderful in a bathing suit. You took my breath away."
Confusion washes over me. This is the second note I've received, and I can't help but wonder who it's from. My first thought is Austin, but that doesn’t make sense—he left the river with us. Setting the note aside, I focus on unpacking the rest of our stuff, my mind swirling with questions.
Once everything is put away, I head to my room to shower and get ready for our movie night at Josy’s. The hot water soothes my tired muscles, but the mystery of the note lingers on my mind. After getting dressed, I find Adrian ready and waiting. Together, we walk over to Josy’s house.
Josy has already set up a cozy movie area with blankets and popcorn. "Ready for some fun?" she asks, smiling brightly.
"Absolutely," I reply, determined to push the mysterious note from my mind and enjoy the evening with my friend and Adrian.
As the movie starts, I steal a glance at my son, his face lit up with excitement. Moments like these remind me of what truly matters.
Chapter 16
Austin
“Man, you are whipped!”Esteban exclaims as we finish putting all our things in Noah’s truck. Now that Violet and Josy are gone, I knew they were going to start with their bullshit. I have been waiting for it since the moment I walked up to Violet earlier today. I know they’ve been eagerly watching me all day.
“Yeah, our boy is completely smitten,” Noah chimes in, leaning against the truck with a knowing smirk. “You should have seen your face when you were talking to her. It was like watching a lovesick puppy.”
“Shut up, guys,” I say, trying to hide my grin. “Can’t a man just help a kid learn how to fish without getting grilled for it?”
“Sure, sure,” Esteban laughs. “It was more than just helping, though. You were like a father figure out there. It was sweet, honestly.”
Esteban's voice rings in my head, teasing me about Violet again, and for once, I can't argue with him. The man has a point. When I first found out that Violet has a son, I was hesitant. Not because I didn’t want to date a mom, I admire her for being one, but because I don’t know the first thing about kids. I didn’t want to screw up my chance with her because of my inexperience. Violet is a mom through and through; her world revolves around Adrian, as it should. If I want to be a part of her life, I need to fit into that picture, not try to change it.
