Page 40 of Loving Violet
“True,” Noah concedes. “I just don’t want to make things worse. She seemed so happy today talking with Esteban, but the moment she saw me, it was like a switch flipped.”
“Sometimes people hold onto things for their own reasons,” I say thoughtfully. “It might not even be about you directly. She could be dealing with something personal, and seeing you just brings it up.”
Noah nods slowly. “You’re right. I’ll think about it. Maybe next time I see her, I’ll try to talk to her. I just don’t want to push her away even more.”
“Good plan,” Esteban says. “And hey, at least you know we’ve got your back, no matter what.”
“Thanks, guys,” Noah says, a small smile forming. “I appreciate it.”
We finish loading up the truck and climb in, ready to head home. As we drive, my mind drifts back to the dinner I’ve planned with Violet. There’s so much I want to tell her, so much I want to understand.
Now that I am home alone, I start thinking about my dinner plans with Violet this Thursday. I want to take her to a nice place, or I could cook for her and bring her to my house. But I don’t know if she would feel comfortable alone in my house. I could just get to know her better via text and see if she is up to coming to my house for dinner, maybe that will help break the ice. Grabbing my phone, I send her a message.
Me: Hi, beautiful. Did Adrian have fun today?
I wait with bated breath for her to answer. It’s not even two minutes before she responds.
Violet: He had so much fun. He hasn’t stopped talking about it. Now he wants to go every weekend. You have made a monster of my son.
Me: I’m glad he liked it. He is a nice kid. It is evident that you do a great job with him.
Violet: Thank you. I’m very grateful for all your help with him. I couldn’t have done it since I don’t know a single thing about fishing, lol.
Feeling encouraged by her response, I decide to keep the conversation going.
Me: It was my pleasure. I really enjoyed spending time with both of you. By the way, I was thinking about our dinner plans for Thursday. Would you prefer going out to a nice restaurant, or would you feel comfortable coming to my place for a homemade dinner?
Violet: Hmm, a homemade dinner sounds really nice. But are you sure it wouldn’t be too much trouble?
Me: No trouble at all. I love cooking, and it would be a great opportunity to talk more about the house plans in a relaxed setting.
Violet: In that case, I’d love to come over for dinner.
Me: I’ll make sure everything is perfect.
Violet: Looking forward to it!
Me: Perfect. Looking forward to it too. What is your favorite food?
Violet: Pasta. I would eat pasta every day if I could.
Me: What’s stopping you?
Violet: First, Adrian will hate it, and second, I need to lose some weight.
Me: Can I be honest?
Violet: Yes, you can.
Me: I don’t think you need to lose weight. You are beautiful. If you want to lose weight for health purposes, I would say go for it. But if you are doing it for aesthetic purposes, I think you are perfect.
Violet: Thank you, Austin. That means a lot. I’ve been insecure about my body since I had Adrian. My ex’s comments didn’t help either.
Me: I’m sorry to hear that, Violet. I wish you could see yourself the way I see you—strong, beautiful, and incredibly attractive.
Violet: You’re really sweet, Austin. It’s hard to believe that sometimes, though.
Me: Believe it. You deserve to feel confident and appreciated. I’m looking forward to showing you just how amazing you are.
