Page 14 of Knottily Ever After (Crescent Lake Cozy Omegaverse #1)

Chapter Fourteen

Violet

G reen, as far as the eye can see.

Trees, grass, mixed with splashes of vibrant colors sprinkled all around wherever flowers bloom.

It’s not like I’ve never seen greenery and plants before, but this…

this is different. In L.A., you have to go to specific, controlled spots within the city to see something beautiful like this.

And the plants there are usually low-water and native due to constant drought.

Still beautiful in their own right, but the bright colors of the flowers here scream for attention, and I have yet to see a dead, dry patch of grass anywhere we walk.

Mountains rise above the horizon before us to the west, stout and vast far beyond all sorts of trees, and just about blocking the direct sun from my eyes. The peaks are not unfamiliar, although these are different mountains than I’d see every day beyond the city.

And this air is so fresh and clean; it’s like my lungs and my brain are singing with glee.

I haven’t even been in Crescent Lake for a week yet, and I already have no idea how I’m going to handle going back to Smogville.

“How are you holding up?” Vaughn turns to me at my side with a kind smile, little wrinkles forming around his steely eyes.

“I’m so great,” I breathe. “I can’t believe how beautiful this place is.”

He hums. “I should have taken you for a tour sooner. My apologies.”

I shake my head side to side. “No, no. I was still settling in and dealing with… stuff. I appreciate you doing this now. I probably wouldn’t have been in the right state of mind to enjoy it as much a few days ago.”

We continue along the sidewalk in amenable silence, now many blocks from Hops & Scotch. A little playground comes into view, a few children swinging and laughing, adult onlookers on benches and at picnic tables, shaded by enormous, full tree canopies.

“We’re almost at the town’s namesake,” Vaughn tells me as he places his large hand on my elbow to steer me to a crosswalk.

On the other side of the street, we keep walking west until my gaze is greeted by water, the peeking sun’s reflection glistening on its surface, the light shining from behind the mountain range.

When we’re close enough to really see the full, blue expanse before us, the beauty steals my breath.

Green grass and tall trees surround the lake’s calm blue-green water, a few seating areas near the shoreline, benches and more picnic tables, like the park we passed.

From where we stand, I can see the forested inlet that gives Crescent Lake its name, those enormous mountain peaks its gray backdrop.

“Wow,” I breathe, my hand clutching below my neck.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

I nod before looking at Vaughn, who’s already looking at me.

“In the wintertime, the lake freezes solid, and we have ice skating events. There’s a volunteer committee that decorates for the holidays.

It’s a nice time for family and friends.

” He gestures beyond the lake at the mountains.

“There are a couple of ski resorts just a few hours’ drive from here. ”

I let out a nervous laugh. “I’ve never ice skated or skied before,” I admit with a small cringe. “I’ve always been scared to.”

Vaughn’s brows draw together. “Why?”

I shrug. “Not the biggest fan of falling on my ass.”

As I laugh at my own response, Vaughn grows serious, those slate eyes boring into me with the kind of intensity I’ve only ever read or written about.

“I’ll take you ice skating this winter. Teach you how.” He takes a step forward, grabs my hand that still clutches at my clavicle, his gaze never wavering. “I will never let you fall, Violet. I swear.”

And that was the first time in my life that my panties nearly caught fire.

I am in big trouble.