it. Dread poured over me like the nearby water wall as I approached them. Violet’s arms were folded across her voluptuous chest, and Trip seemed to be raving at her. Still, their chemistry was palpable from fifteen feet away.
This is the opening act that I’m supposed to follow? Seriously?
As I approached, I heard Violet rail back at him. “Well of course you ‘only hurt the ones you love’, Reg. That’s because they’re the only ones who give a shit about you!”
I saw Trip’s lips moving, but I couldn’t make out a word he was saying. Violet noticed me approaching and held up a hand to shush him. Trip turned mid rant and snapped his mouth shut when he saw me.
“Sweetheart, you read my mind,” Violet purred to me as she snatched the umbrella drink from my tray and placed the glass to her full lips.
“Angel…” Trip’s nickname for me sounded like a question. Violet’s lovely, big eyes grew even bigger, and she raked me with a haughty once over.
“I don’t think we’ve met,” she trilled, sounding all old south and hoopskirts. “I’m Violet.”
“Hi, I’m Annie.” I replied, handing Trip his drink. Her earthy green eyes blinked rapidly, and I could see the wheels behind them whirling like a pinwheel in a gale storm when she realized my name wasn’t actually ‘Angel.’ She took another sip, this one slightly longer than the first. In fact, it was more like a gulp.
“Annie. This is my ex-wife , Violet.” Trip’s explanation spewed from his lips like a bath tub faucet flipped on at full strength. I looked from Violet to Trip and knew my expression was significantly more composed than it would have been if Martin hadn’t just given me a head’s up.
“A pleasure to meet you.” I smiled my well-practiced customer service face.
“Likewise,” she managed between dazzling gritted teeth.
“So, are you ready for me yet?” I asked Trip, marking my territory swiftly and harshly. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Violet slump back against the padded pleather of the booth.
“Yes, I am. In fact, I came here to ask if you are available to go shopping on Saturday. Then I ran into Violet.”
“And I informed him that I’m engaged.” Violet cooed, toying with the umbrella in her drink and staring at Trip. Trip’s stunning eyes regarded her in a weird mix of disbelief and despondence. It was painfully obvious he was crestfallen. That was the moment I should have walked away, but we all love to tell ourselves all manner of lies, don’t we?
“Congrats.” I tilted my head toward her and plastered on a smile. She winked at me and lifted her glass in salute.
There was a moment of silence as Trip looked from Violet to me. The corner of his mouth twitched upward, and he spoke. “So? Saturday? ”
“It’s a date,” I replied. I’d already decided on the way to their table that being his rebound girl suited my needs perfectly. I was officially bored, and he was sex incarnate. Besides, I didn’t have time for anything serious anyway.
“Well, you’ll have to pick him up. He lost his license years ago. It’s a charming story. I’m sure he’d love to tell it to you.” Violet’s snarky remark was masked in the heavy perfume of magnolias. She gracefully removed herself from the booth and I realized I had several inches on her. I’m 5’7”, and though some women might have felt powerful in that scenario, I slouched to appear more feminine. She grinned up at me confidently, placing a French manicured hand on her shapely hip.
“Have fun, y’all. I’m sure you’ll love whatever he picks out, Annie. Reg has always had excellent taste.”
“Get up, you pussy,” Randall bellowed from around his mouth guard. I blinked wildly, trying to clear the stars from my vision. For the record: I’m fast. My footwork is way above average. And my former trainer, who was now in his mid-thirties, had just connected with a killer right hook, knocking me flat on my ass.
“Focus,
This is the opening act that I’m supposed to follow? Seriously?
As I approached, I heard Violet rail back at him. “Well of course you ‘only hurt the ones you love’, Reg. That’s because they’re the only ones who give a shit about you!”
I saw Trip’s lips moving, but I couldn’t make out a word he was saying. Violet noticed me approaching and held up a hand to shush him. Trip turned mid rant and snapped his mouth shut when he saw me.
“Sweetheart, you read my mind,” Violet purred to me as she snatched the umbrella drink from my tray and placed the glass to her full lips.
“Angel…” Trip’s nickname for me sounded like a question. Violet’s lovely, big eyes grew even bigger, and she raked me with a haughty once over.
“I don’t think we’ve met,” she trilled, sounding all old south and hoopskirts. “I’m Violet.”
“Hi, I’m Annie.” I replied, handing Trip his drink. Her earthy green eyes blinked rapidly, and I could see the wheels behind them whirling like a pinwheel in a gale storm when she realized my name wasn’t actually ‘Angel.’ She took another sip, this one slightly longer than the first. In fact, it was more like a gulp.
“Annie. This is my ex-wife , Violet.” Trip’s explanation spewed from his lips like a bath tub faucet flipped on at full strength. I looked from Violet to Trip and knew my expression was significantly more composed than it would have been if Martin hadn’t just given me a head’s up.
“A pleasure to meet you.” I smiled my well-practiced customer service face.
“Likewise,” she managed between dazzling gritted teeth.
“So, are you ready for me yet?” I asked Trip, marking my territory swiftly and harshly. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Violet slump back against the padded pleather of the booth.
“Yes, I am. In fact, I came here to ask if you are available to go shopping on Saturday. Then I ran into Violet.”
“And I informed him that I’m engaged.” Violet cooed, toying with the umbrella in her drink and staring at Trip. Trip’s stunning eyes regarded her in a weird mix of disbelief and despondence. It was painfully obvious he was crestfallen. That was the moment I should have walked away, but we all love to tell ourselves all manner of lies, don’t we?
“Congrats.” I tilted my head toward her and plastered on a smile. She winked at me and lifted her glass in salute.
There was a moment of silence as Trip looked from Violet to me. The corner of his mouth twitched upward, and he spoke. “So? Saturday? ”
“It’s a date,” I replied. I’d already decided on the way to their table that being his rebound girl suited my needs perfectly. I was officially bored, and he was sex incarnate. Besides, I didn’t have time for anything serious anyway.
“Well, you’ll have to pick him up. He lost his license years ago. It’s a charming story. I’m sure he’d love to tell it to you.” Violet’s snarky remark was masked in the heavy perfume of magnolias. She gracefully removed herself from the booth and I realized I had several inches on her. I’m 5’7”, and though some women might have felt powerful in that scenario, I slouched to appear more feminine. She grinned up at me confidently, placing a French manicured hand on her shapely hip.
“Have fun, y’all. I’m sure you’ll love whatever he picks out, Annie. Reg has always had excellent taste.”
“Get up, you pussy,” Randall bellowed from around his mouth guard. I blinked wildly, trying to clear the stars from my vision. For the record: I’m fast. My footwork is way above average. And my former trainer, who was now in his mid-thirties, had just connected with a killer right hook, knocking me flat on my ass.
“Focus,
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