Page 8 of Loving Violet
“I forgot to tell you, I have a surprise for you, Tiny Dude,” Josy says, turning to Adrian, wiggling her eyebrows.
“What is it?” Adrian says with excitement.
“I made your favorite meal,” Josy says while beaming at Adrian.
“Please tell me it's spaghetti carbonara.” Adrian holds his hands in a pleading gesture.
“What would you do if I really made your favorite pasta?” Josy asked with a playful smile.
“I’d kiss you and tell you that you’re my favorite aunt-slash-godmother in the whole world.”
“But I’m your only aunt-slash-godmother.”
“Exactly, bruh.”
At Adrian’s words, we all burst into laughter.
“You’re crazy, Tiny Dude, but I’ll take a big hug and a kiss as payment. And don’t forget to tell everyone I’m your favorite person in the world,” Josy says, smiling.
“We have a deal.”
“Good, let’s eat,” Josy says as she gives a big hug to Adrian.
This is what I need; my son, and my best friend.
Chapter 5
Austin
Startled,I wake up by the sound of my alarm.
When I try to stretch my cramps away, I feel the bed shift and an arm that isn’t mine sliding down my chest. I look to my left and see dark hair. It's too dark to discern the exact shade, but I know who it is. The hand moves slowly toward my nether regions, but I stop it.
“I can’t, I’ve got to go,” I say to the woman I met last night two towns over.
I seem to know everyone in Honey Springs, and I’m not interested in being with any of them. If I can avoid the gossip in my small town, I will. When I feel the need to hook up with someone, I just drive forty minutes—or even an hour—to find a nice lady whose world I can rock, then return to my life the next day. I’m getting too old for this, but I don’t want to settle down, and a man has needs.
The woman stirs, her dark hair falling over her face as she murmurs, “You’re leaving already?”
“Yeah, sorry,” I reply, trying to extricate myself gently from the tangled sheets. “I’ve got things to do.”
Like working, and having a life.
She sighs and rolls over, letting me go. I quickly gather my clothes, pulling them on in the dim light. I can’t help but feel a pang of guilt, but this is how it has to be.
For now, this is the life I’ve chosen, and it suits me fine. Until I find the woman who makes my heart race with just a glance, the woman who will see past my flaws and fears, I’ll continue with my one-night flings. I do want that deep connection, the kind of bond I grew up seeing in my parents, but I doubt it will ever happen. So, I stick to these fleeting encounters. The women I spend the night with know the score—I don’t tell them much about myself because they don’t need to know. They only need to be aware of one thing: I don’t do repeats. And so far, I’ve been having a good time.
Once I’m dressed, I quietly make my way out of the room and head to my car. The drive back to Honey Springs is peaceful, the early morning light just starting to peek over the mountains.
It’s early Monday, and I have to get home, take a shower, and get ready for work. As I pull into my driveway, I take a deep breath and prepare myself. I have to finish one of my bigger projects and I need to be in the correct headspace.
I head inside, the quiet of my house greeting me. I shower quickly, the hot water washing away the remnants of the night before. As I pull on my clothes, a strange mix of feeling good yet empty settles over me. It’s the same every morning—a stark reminder of where I am and the emptiness of what’s still missing.
But for now, I just deal with it. I grab my keys, lock up, and head out, ready to take on another day. First stop, the coffee shop—because, let's face it, I can't function without that first cup.
Can we even call it living if you can’t start your day with a hot, steaming cup of coffee?
I always wonder how people who don’t drink coffee can live without it. I had a friend in the Army who woke up every day with a smile on his face and in a good mood—and he didn’t like coffee. He was always so full of energy, talking a mile a minute.
