Page 26

“I do know it. And come on, Vi. It might be good for you to get out a little, date someone, get your mind off me.”

Violet froze. She shot Diane a dirty look, glaring the whole while. “What do you mean bythat?”

“I mean I’m not interested in you, and you know that. I never have been, and I have to break it to you all the time. Why don’t you listen? Go find someone else, maybe try out Lando.”

“She’s my student,” Violet hissed.

“So? She’s not your student right now. You’re not teaching her. She’s not taking your class.”

“I can’t do this.” Violet crossed her arms. “You told her I’m gay because you thought she and I should hook up? Is that why you hired her to come along with us?”

“No.” Diane shook her head vehemently. “That was just a happy coincidence. We needed a third person for the crew, and she was available.”

Violet didn’t believe her, not for a second. She’d seen this side of Diane before, although it had been years since. She needed to get out of there before she said something she regretted. Violet walked inside and shut the door, probably a little too loud. Checking to see if Lando was still asleep, she sighed when she saw the woman hadn’t moved an inch from when she’d left.

Taking her coffee, she settled on her bed and closed her eyes. She needed a few minutes before she dove into the data, before she tried to forget what Diane had said. Closing her eyes, she held back the tears that threatened to come. Diane could be so cruel sometimes, especially when Violet least expected it.

The first tear that slid down her cheek burned. Violet swiped at it, trying to make it disappear as though it never existed. She hated that Diane had brought her to this again. After so many years she would have thought she’d learned better by then, learned to stop letting Diane have her heart when she so very clearly didn’t want it.

The second tear hurt even more. She couldn’t believe she was crying. It was stupid. She shouldn’t feel this much betrayal over it. It shouldn’t hurt this bad. Curling her fingers into her palm until her nails bit at the skin, Violet let the emotions wrack through her, shake her, consume her. She likely wouldn’t get another chance just to feel, just to let the world be silent around her when she could allow the hurt to affect her.

After thirty minutes, Violet pulled up her computer, ready to avoid. She skimmed the storm maps, checked the data, and panicked. There was a cell close to where they were, one that looked promising. They had to get there. At least this time it would be daylight.

Sniffling, she jumped out of her bed and moved to Lando first. Diane was ready to go, and Violet had zero desire to even talk to her although she knew she couldn’t avoid it. Violet sat on the edge of the mattress, trying to decide how best to wake Lando, except…when she looked at Lando’s face, her eyes were wide open.

“Hey,” Lando whispered.

Violet’s lips twitched. “How’s your arm?”

“Fine.”

“Don’t lie to me.”

Lando shrugged, the blanket falling off her shoulder and revealing smooth, creamy skin. “It hurts, but it’s manageable.”

“Want some ice for the drive?”

“What drive?”

“Storm’s in. We need to head out.”

Lando sighed, reaching up with her good arm and brushing it over her eyes. “Yeah. I can handle it.”

“Good.” Violet went to move but stopped when Lando’s soft voice reached her ears.

“You going to tell me why you were crying?”

Staring down, Violet’s stomach clenched. So Lando had been awake far longer than she’d suspected. Violet wondered if she and Diane had woken her up when they were outside arguing. Steadying herself and taking the time she needed before answering, Violet straightened her back. “No.”

“Your choice. Just know if you want, I’m here.”

Without another word, Violet stood up and packed up what they’d need for the day.

* * *

The storm came more quickly than Violet had anticipated, which was not a good sign. There was something she’d missed in the data when she was analyzing it, and that could easily mean life or death for one or all of them. She skimmed through the reports on her computer screen as she gave Diane directions.

Lando sat in the back, perfectly quiet as she normally had been since the start of the trip. Violet had never seen her be so quiet before. In class, Lando always studiously paid attention to everything, but she asked questions and she instigated conversation and discussion, which she wasn’t doing out in the field. It unnerved Violet in a way she hadn’t expected. Yet, so far, the entire season had been a bit of a disaster.