Page 36 of Against All Odds (Ember Falls #3)

“I really don’t have much. When I moved here, I left anything that was cute behind.”

“Well, that was dumb.”

I laugh once. “Maybe, but I had no intentions on ever needing a pants outfit with heels.”

I packed the basics and gave a lot of things to Eleanor. She promised to box them in case I ever wanted them and put them in storage where Dylan couldn’t get to them if he felt like being spiteful.

“You know, I don’t know why you’re fretting about this. You could wear a sack and Everett will still think you’re beautiful,” she says as she grabs a dress out of the back. “Oh, this is cute. Try it.”

As I return to the bathroom to change, she reclaims her spot and moans as she bites into another cookie. “Which one is that?” I ask as I shimmy the silky material down.

“The double chocolate chunk. Seriously, this is so good.”

“I’m glad you like it.” I turn in the mirror side to side and watch as the dress catches the light. It’s really pretty. The eggplant color doesn’t wash me out and makes my eyes look brighter. “What do you think of this one?”

Hazel grins. “That’s the one!”

She’s right. It’s the best I’ve got. “Why am I nervous? It’s Everett and we’ve already ...”

“Because you like him.”

Yes, I really do. He sent me a bunch of text messages today that were so sweet. He was thinking of me, couldn’t wait for our date, and the one he sent ten minutes ago was him reciting some of my favorite lines from different romance books.

I really thought I might cry as I read them.

The dress is back on the hanger, and I sit next to her, grabbing a cookie. “I wish I could explain it, though. He and I are different, have been through so much, and yet it’s like time didn’t pass. I trust him, but I worry that it’s going so fast,” I confess.

That’s where my mind went all day today. Are we relying solely on old feelings? I don’t think so, because even back then, I didn’t feel this way. I was infatuated, yes, but it wasn’t like this. The deep trust, the comfort, the honesty that we have.

Also, the sex was not that good before. The last time we were together, it was absolutely mind blowing.

“You guys always went full speed. I’ll never forget the first time he introduced you to me.

He was like fourteen or whatever, and he came to the house and was like, ‘I’m going to marry her,’” Hazel says with a laugh as she tries to impersonate him.

“I thought he was so stupid, but as the years went on, I saw that you guys had this really intense love. Everett loves with his whole heart. He’s an amazing friend and son, so I can only imagine that transfers to how he cares for you. ”

He takes care of everyone he loves. “We’re supposed to talk tonight.”

Hazel rubs her forehead and then sighs. “I hate to ask this and it’s really not my business, but are you still planning to leave Ember Falls?”

I shake my head. “No, I have no plans to leave here.”

“This place is adorable,” I tell Everett as we take our seats in the back area.

“It is and you’ll recognize the owner.”

I glance around, taking in the rustic cabin feel. Everything here reminds me of an old Italian restaurant we used to go to in LA. It had wood paneling and the lights on the table. I have no idea who could own this and why I would know her.

“Everett Finnegan, as I live and breathe!” an older woman with a full head of gray hair and glasses says as she approaches. Then she stops and looks at me, and I leap out of my seat. “Violet!”

“Marge!” I say her name and she wraps her arms around me. “Oh, Auntie Marge. He didn’t tell me it was you.”

She rocks me in her arms and then pulls back and takes my face in her hands. “My little Violet. Look at you, all grown up. You look beautiful. Doesn’t she look beautiful, Everett?” she asks and ignores his answer. “He should tell you that every day.”

I smile. “He has.”

She eyes him suspiciously. “Hmm, that one was a lost cause. Almost as bad as Miles, but he at least found that lovely girl. Thank heavens, because I was worried about him, but I set him straight.”

Everett rolls his eyes. “Yes, you’re so good at that.”

Marge points her finger at him. “You watch it. I’m serving your food.”

“I apologize, Aunt Marge.”

She takes my hands, leads me to the table, and pulls out the chair next to me.

“Tell me everything. You’re back? For how long?

Are you happy? Did you let this idiot back in your life?

” She jerks her thumb toward Everett. “If so, he’s not that stupid.

I just like to give the boys hell. They deserve it. ”

Everett clears his throat. “This is my date, you know?”

Marge ignores him. “I’ve missed you, love. Your grandma talked about you all the time. She was so proud of you.”

Hearing that causes another pang to my chest. Each time someone talks about her, I feel so much guilt. I should’ve come back to visit. I knew how old she was and that she wouldn’t be around forever, and I was just too afraid.

It’s something I’ll never forgive myself for.

“You have no idea how much I wish she were here.”

“If she were, she’d remind you that Everett is a bit of a loose cannon.”

I laugh. “He is, but I think he’s a good one.”

Her smile is warm. “If he’s what keeps you here, then I would agree.”

Everett sighs loudly. “Aunt Marge, if you don’t mind, I’d really like to ... you know ... be on my date.”

She grins and then turns to him. “You bring Violet Stewart in here after fifteen years and this is what you get. You should’ve brought her here sooner.”

“Well, this was the first time I could get her to agree to a date,” he defends.

“To be fair, he didn’t ask me before today,” I say with a mischievous smile.

“He didn’t, huh? Not surprised. The brains in these boys are lacking, but they make up for it in their hearts. Now I’m going to go in the back and make you your favorite meal.”

Oh, no. I have no idea what she thinks my favorite meal is. “Aunt Marge, you don’t have to do that. I can order off the menu.”

“Good luck with that. The menu is whatever she decides we should eat,” Everett says with his arms crossed.

“If you were able to make good decisions, I wouldn’t have to step in.” Aunt Marge mirrors his posture and tilts her head. “I bet you don’t even know what her favorite dish is, do you?”

“Anything with sugar.”

I huff at that. “I like other things.”

“You bake. A lot. You like sugar and sweet things, and for some reason you like me.”

“Liked. Right now, it’s past tense.”

Everett tilts his head. “Doubtful.”

“See, no brains,” Marge cuts in. “I’ll be back with some wine.”

Before I can refute the alcohol, Everett cuts in. “No wine for us.”

Marge looks affronted. “No wine? On a date? Look, I know you haven’t had one in a long time, but ...” She leans in, although she doesn’t moderate her voice enough and I can hear it. “You have to wine her and dine her before you can ...”

He coughs. “Please don’t finish that. I might have to throw myself off a cliff. Neither of us are drinking, if you can bring us each some water to start.”

She shrugs, muttering as she walks away. “You can lead the man to wine ...”

Once she’s out of earshot, Everett groans. “Miles warned me about coming here for our first date. I figured she wouldn’t be bad, since she loves me.”

“Marge loved Miles most, if I remember correctly.”

“Seems she loved you most,” he retorts.

Marge was my favorite friend that Granny had. She was funny, never hid her feelings around us, always thought that kids needed exposure to things so we were prepared. Analeigh reminds me so much of her. Devoid of a filter and utterly lovable.

“I’m sure she would’ve felt different if I lived here.”

Before we can say anything else, Marge reappears with two waters and eyes Everett. “Are you sure you don’t want wine?”

Poor Everett is going to get the heat for this, so I step in to save him from further ridicule from Marge. I reach out, resting my hand on her forearm. “I can’t have wine or anything like that. I’m getting over an illness, and with the medication I took, it’s for the best.”

Her eyes widen. “Oh, my heavens. I didn’t know you were sick.” She turns to Everett. “Lead with that next time.”

“I was trying to spare her the embarrassment,” he says with a sheepish grin.

Then she yells back to the kitchen. “Ignore that order. Way too heavy for them. I’ll come up with something else!”

“What were you making?” Everett asks. “We didn’t even order.”

“After the wine, I wasn’t trusting you to decide what to eat.”

He shakes his head. “I was warned and I didn’t listen.”

“Warned by who? Miles? I think that worked out rather well.” Marge turns to me.

“He brought his sweet Penelope here on their first date. He needed a lot of guidance as well, but at least he listens. Anyway, I had a beautiful menu all set for him, but they had to leave early, something about her son.”

“I’m sure whatever you make us will be fantastic.”

She brings her hand to my cheek. “You haven’t changed a bit. Still the sweetest girl with the biggest heart.” Her eyes move to Everett. “You better hold on to this girl this time.”

“I plan to,” he replies without a pause.

My heart begins to race, and she laughs softly before walking away.

I want to say something, to start the conversation we need to have. Things with us were always full steam ahead, and we never talked. Then, if we did, I was never brave enough to say what I really wanted.

This time, I don’t want the mistakes of the past to interfere with whatever future we might have.

“Everett . . .”

He leans forward. “I wanted tonight to be just a fun date, a chance to smile a little, but I can see you’re not relaxed and you want to say something, and I do too.”

I nod. “I just don’t want to leave things unsaid.”

“Do you want to go first?” he asks.

It’s really the last thing I want, but if I’m going to step into this new world I’m creating, then I need to be brave enough to actually speak up.

“Yes.”

“All right.”

“I have so many worries about all of it. The fact that we’d be starting a relationship again, that there’s a baby involved, that you’ll feel trapped by it all. Everything is just so daunting. How do we navigate it?”

Everett leans forward, reaching for my hand.

“Trapped? That’s ... not even possible.

I’ve been living in this version of purgatory since the day you left me.

I’ve never moved on from you, Violet. Having you back in my life has made me feel free again.

I waited for you, without even knowing I was doing it.

As for the baby, I’m aware of what it all means.

We’re going to have hard times together.

There will be good days and some bad ones, but sweetheart, I will take a million bad days if it means I’m by your side.

There is nothing I fear about this relationship other than not being in it.

So, let me shoulder the hard times and be by your side for the good.

Let me have whatever days we can have together because I can’t go back to a world where I don’t have any. ”

Tears form, spilling down my cheeks and dropping. Each word he said puts a piece of me that was broken back in place. I’m not healed, not by any means, but I’m mending—because of Everett.

“I don’t want to complicate your life,” I say, my voice barely a whisper.

“Violet, you’re the only complication I need.

” He releases my hand and comes around the table.

Everett sits beside me and cradles my face.

“I love you. I always have. I made you a million promises when we were young, but I never forgot the one where I said I would fight for you until my last breath.”

The memory comes back when someone was being mean to me and Everett got in a fight because of it. I begged him to stop, not to fight for me because he would get in trouble. He wasn’t hearing any of it, and he stood in front of me, breathing heavy, promising that he would never stop fighting for me.

“You don’t have to fight alone, I’ll fight for you. I don’t ever want to lose you again,” I say and then lean forward and kiss him. “Ever.”

“Then let’s stop making excuses and just be fucking happy together.”

“I like that plan.”

I like it a lot.