be able to keep this a secret from them?”
“We’ll figure it out.”
“We can try. But it might be too much. If it comes down to making a choice between being with you and saving you from Tom, I won’t ask you to wait for me. I won’t allow you to be in the path of whatever Tom is planning.”
“Whether or not I wait for you is not your decision, it’s mine. I won’t let him hurt you. I’ll do anything it takes to keep you out of his crosshairs.”
“Whatever you say.” The stubborn tilt of her jaw was probably a warning of things to come, but I didn’t care. She was what I had always wanted, and I would never give up on her.
18
Violet
“All you need is love and coffee.”
The early evening glow had faded away. It had grown dark and cold, and there was no sign of the kitchen staff even though we’d long since finished with our dinner. “What are we supposed to do? Do you think Tom locked us up here?”
“I doubt it. He played a big hand today. It wouldn’t make sense for him to have a go at you again so soon. He wants you to stew on what he said this morning. This has to be a simple accident.”
My eyes got big. “Or maybe it’s my mother, trying to play matchmaker. She has the boys for the night, Brianna works here, and this is something I would totally do. The dots are slowly starting to connect.”
He chuckled. “Or it could be my brother, or Harper. Or hell, anyone in either one of our families who has even the slightest clue of what’s happening between us and knew we would be here.”
“Oh lord. Your family too? We’re doomed.” I laughed at the irony, then frowned at my circumstances. “Doomed. You know who’s frickin’ doomed? I’m doomed.”
“You’re not doomed, Vi. Tom is a petty dick. He thinks his money gives him power. It doesn’t. You know that, right?”
“In theory, yeah. But it felt like he had power this morning. It will feel like power when he ruins your reputation and tries to take the boys from me and forces me to sell my shop.” I could feel my mood deteriorating, but I couldn’t stop it.
“None of that is going to happen. Come with me.” He stood up and held out a hand.
“Where? Are we scaling the wall and going home?”
“No, let’s get comfortable in one of those cabanas. It’s getting cold up here and it doesn’t look like anyone is going to unlock that door anytime soon. We can take advantage of the situation and spend this time together.”
It would be so easy to take his hand and let him take care of me. But what kind of woman would that make me? Jumping from man to man. From a husband to a boyfriend when I wasn’t even divorced yet. It would make me a user; it would make me pathetic and weak, and I didn’t want to be any of those things. “Jake, why do you want to be with me when you could do so much better?” I blurted. “I’m a still-married mess. My baggage has baggage. It will take me years to unpack all of it and be okay again.”
Warm eyes met and held mine. “Give yourself some credit. You aren’t a mess. You’re stuck in a mess you didn’t create. There’s a huge difference between the two. Once we get you out of it and away from him for good, you’ll understand what everyone else sees in you because you’ll finally be able to see it too.”
I took his hand and stood. “You’re just too nice. That’s all this is,” I muttered as I followed him to a cabana.
“I am not nice. You’re all that matters to me—you and the boys. I’ve said it before. When I know what I want, I do whatever it takes to get it. Come on.” He drew the heavy curtain aside, allowing me to precede him into the cabana. It was lovely and cozy, and while it wasn’t exactly warm, it kept the wind and the Oregon drizzle-rain from chilling us to the bone. A padded chaise lounge sat in the corner along with a tiny side table. “I’ll gather the cushions from the other cabanas. We may as well get comfortable while we’re here.”
“Okay,” I breathed out, feeling lost.
He came back with an armful of cushions. I pressed my lips together and watched as he