Mr. Heartbreaker Jordan Marie Page 0,36

Violet’s age. You’re too young and green at that age. Maggie and her man love each other and now they’re trying to work it out. Which is one reason I’m out of town. When Magnolia gets home after I stranded her in the middle of nowhere, I don’t want to be within choking reach. That girl has a temper like I do.

I ignore the thoughts swirling in my head and focus on Violet. I hear Parker closing his door and following behind me. I don’t turn around, though. I’m curious to see what she’s doing. There’s something very intriguing about Violet. I wonder if I could talk her into coming to Mason. That girl needs help, I definitely know that.

I peek around the edge of the building and that’s when I see Violet sitting beside an old man. He’s got the paper plate she had moments before and he’s chowing down on a sandwich. They’re talking while Violet is petting the head of a rooster. Now, I like my chickens, I have a bunch of them back home. I have a thing about fresh eggs, as opposed to the high-priced ones in the store. I’ve never seen a rooster preen under a person’s touch like this one is doing, though. And now I’m starting to think my baby Hamburger might need a new friend…

I back away slowly, pulling Parker along with me.

“Wait, aren’t we going to talk to them?”

“No need. That girl’s not alone. She’s making her own family,” I tell him, rubbing my hands together against the cool night air.

“But—”

“She’ll be fine. But you should probably work on getting your brother’s head out of his ass before he misses his shot at a good thing.”

“He’s young, Ida Sue. Young, dumb and full of—”

“I’ve raised enough boys to have my own baseball team. I get that. But good girls aren’t that easy to find. If he doesn’t wake up and see what he’s pushing away, your brother will know regret. You mark my words.”

“Does this mean you’re going to stop messing around in my love life and concentrate on my brother’s, Ida Sue?”

“You wish,” I laugh as we get back in the vehicle. “Now what’s this I hear about pretty little Faye wanting to move to Alaska?”

“It’s not important,” he says, his face going tight.

Lord save me from strong men who can’t handle their feelings.

“Boy, I may not know much, but I know Alaska doesn’t have a baseball team—”

“Ida Sue, please,” he sighs, but I just pat him on the shoulder.

“What we need is a game plan. You listen to me, Parker, and that girl will be yours in no time.”

“You’re not going to let this drop, are you?” he complains, not bothering to hide his exasperation, but he’s not fooling me. Parker would try anything if it meant he might get to keep Faye.

“How do you feel about kidnapping?” I ask him as we pull back on the road.

“It’s illegal,” he snaps.

“Pfft…,” I wave it off. “Only if you get caught. And I watch those true crime stories. You can get out in a year with good behavior.”

“A year? Ida Sue, I’m not kidnapping Faye,” he growls, flipping on the radio.

Geez, he’s not going to make this easy.

Maybe I need to talk with Faye instead.

23

Mike

I fucked up.

I know I did, but I have no idea what to do about it. It’s been two days since Violet left the house and I’ve made things worse by not going after her. Instead, after she left, I was even more boneheaded and drank some more. Then I woke up with the fucking king of all hangovers. So, while Violet was dancing for whatever the fuck trudged into the Beaver, I was lying in bed, dying.

I’ve not seen her all day here at school, either. I’m only here for her. I should have left hours ago and gone to her place. The only reason I haven’t is because I don’t really know what to say to her. I was an idiot, an asshole, and in the end, I was just another dumbass drunk, jealous that she was standing near the man that everyone in my life had always compared me to.

A man that I’ve always come up short against.

“I guess it didn’t work out, did it, Mike?” Lindy whines.

“What didn’t work out?” I mutter, wondering how I didn’t notice Lindy’s voice was so irritating before.

“You, trying to get with the new girl. Oh well, don’t try coming back to me, either. I’ve moved