Page 142 of The Havenport Collection

Callum

I could barely stand. I was in love with Violet, and she was in love with me.

She was mine, and I was so happy I could burst. It didn’t matter that I was at my ex-wife’s wedding.

All the horrible things Becca had said to me faded away.

The more time I spent with Violet, the more I was certain this was it for me.

She was it for me. And I would do anything to keep her.

All the self-doubt, all the anxiety, faded away as I watched her hips sway as she sauntered away to the ladies’ room. I tucked myself back into my pants and made sure the coast was clear before stepping out of the closet.

I headed back to the ballroom, ready to get out of this place and take my woman home with me when I heard a familiar voice. I turned around and was face to face with Mark Fishman.

“Callum Quinn. My boy! Great to see you.” I forced a grin and tried to offer my hand, but instead he crushed me into a hug. His cologne stung my nostrils, and his aggressive comb-over made my stomach churn.

Figures he’d be here. It was a wedding slash asshole convention.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he shouted too loudly, while swaying in his Gucci loafers.

“Friends.” I was trying to figure out how to politely extricate myself from this situation.

“Meet my girl,” he said, gesturing to the bored-looking woman beside him who appeared to be about thirty years his junior. “Katie,” he said, pulling her close and blatantly groping her ass. I had to suppress a shiver.

She batted his hand away. “Carrie.” She looked angry. “I’m Carrie.” She adjusted her strapless dress and wandered off in search of champagne. He lasciviously watched her walk away, and I contemplated how to find Violet and run from this smarmy asshole.

“I didn’t realize you knew the happy couple,” I said, adjusting my cufflinks.

“I’m a friend of the groom. He manages some of my money. Speaking of my money, why haven’t you returned any of my calls?”

I looked around, wishing for Violet to come and rescue me. I was desperate to get her home. “I’ve been busy, and I’m not working on any real estate deals right now. Sorry, Mark.” I hoped he would get the hint and leave me alone.

“You’re not too busy for this, Quinn. I told you, I’m going to make a play for the Thompson Farm. I have a couple of investors and a few potential projects lined up for it.”

“It’s not for sale. I was getting annoyed that he thought he could just jump in and buy Violet’s family farm out from under her feet.

But I didn’t want to get into it with him.

First, because he wasn’t worth it, and second, because I would never do business with a smarmy son of a bitch like him ever again.

“Oh, my boy, let me teach you my ways. It will be for sale when I want it. I have friends on the inside. That is prime muthafucking real estate, son, and we are going to make some serious coin.” He laughed, his chins wobbling, and he could not have sounded more like a Disney villain if he tried.

I stared at him, wishing I could punch him and not cause a scene or ruin my reputation.

As much of a prick as he was, Fishman was deeply connected up and down the coast of New England.

I hated this. I hated having to make nice with shitheads for the sake of money and my career.

It was what we had been taught in business school.

Network and bullshit and then sit back and enjoy your privilege.

I had been slowly inching myself out of this world for the last few years, and I wanted nothing more than to take Violet and get far away from all of this crap.

“Quinn, buddy, you’re my finance guy.” He cracked his knuckles loudly, never breaking eye contact. “Listen, call my girl on Monday, we’ll sit down, work out the details, and before you know it we’ll be bulldozing that shitty old farm while counting our money.”

“What?”

I turned and saw Violet standing directly behind me. She had clearly heard everything.

“Excuse me? What is he talking about, Callum? You are trying to buy my farm? Behind my back?”

I began to sweat and shake. Violet’s face was flushed, and she was clenching her fists. I had never seen her this angry. My breath quickened, and I started to panic. I felt a tightening in my throat and wanted to avoid a public panic attack.

“Violet,” I stammered, “this is not what it looks like. I’m not working with him.”

Fishman took this opportunity to give Violet a blatant once-over, making me feel even sicker. “Who is this gorgeous creature? You holding out on me, Quinn? I didn’t know you had a lady.”

Violet looked at his outstretched hand in disgust. “I am Violet Thompson. Owner of the ‘shitty old farm’ as you so eloquently put it. If you recall, I kicked your slimy ass off my property weeks ago. And let me make something clear. You will never get your greasy hands on it.”

Fishman at least had the good sense to look embarrassed. “Mrs. Thompson, I am so sorry. We got off on the wrong foot. Let’s go to lunch next week and talk business.”

“It’s Ms. Thompson. And go fuck yourself.”

With that, she turned on her heel and stormed off.

I wanted to chase after her and explain the whole misunderstanding.

But I was overwhelmed with dread. I knew I should tell him to fuck off and chase after her, but I couldn’t.

The pressure, the perfection, the compulsion to make nice and smooth things over rooted me to the spot.

After getting a glass of water and recovering slightly from that clusterfuck of a situation. I went off in search of Violet. I eventually found her, waiting at the hotel entrance, typing on her phone.

I gently touched her elbow and watched as she recoiled from me. “My Uber will be here any minute.” She wouldn't even look at me.

“Cancel it. I have the car tonight. Let’s go home.”

She continued to stare at her phone’s screen willing the car to arrive faster.

“Vi, this night took a turn for the worse, and I’m so sorry you overheard what you did. But let’s head back to Havenport, and I’ll explain everything.”

After several minutes of ignoring me, she gave me a small nod. I breathed a sigh of relief.

The ride home was deeply unpleasant. The plan had been for Violet to come back to my condo and spend the night.

I assumed we could talk things out once we got there and everything would be fine.

But a nagging thought in the back of my head kept telling me that I had fucked things up.

I should have told her months ago about Fishman and his interest in the farm.

He was a shark, and I should have warned her.

I had no idea what he had up his sleeve, but she deserved to know.

Every time I tried, or thought about it, I talked myself out of it. Things were so good between us I didn’t even want to admit to ever having worked with such an inveterate asshole. I was ashamed and instead of just having an uncomfortable conversation, I chose silence and hurt the woman I loved.

Once the driver turned off the highway into Havenport, Violet leaned forward in her seat. “Dave, can you make two stops? Can you drop me off at the Farm on Orchard Street?”

Dave smiled at her in the rearview mirror. “Sure thing, ma’am.”

My heart sank into my shoes. This was worse than I thought. I stared at her, trying to get her to talk to me, but she stared straight ahead.

When we pulled up the dusty road to the farm, Dave got out and opened Violet’s door for her. I took that opportunity to jump out and follow her. “Thanks, Dave,” I said, waving at him. “I’m good here.”

Dave drove away, and I followed Violet toward the farmhouse.

“Violet, please talk to me.”

She turned around and let out a dramatic sigh.

“What, Cal? What do you want to talk about? The fact that you were conspiring to sell my family’s farm out from under me?

Is that why you kept showing up here? Bringing gifts and befriending me?

Were you trying to work me over for some prime fucking real estate? ”

“God, no. Violet, not at all.”

She stood on the wraparound porch, tapping her foot, arms crossed.

I had never seen her like this. She was usually so Zen, so calm.

“I am not working with Fishman on anything. He approached me a few months ago about working with him and some investors in a play to buy the farm. I told him I wasn’t interested, and that was it. ”

“He didn’t seem to see it that way. Mark Fishman is a Grade A asshole who has done nothing but destroy the character of this town while building strip malls and fancy fucking condos.”

“I don’t disagree with you. I worked with him once a few years ago and vowed I never would again.”

“So why didn’t you tell me? You got involved with our finances. I trusted you with the future of my business and my family’s legacy. And you didn’t think it was pertinent to tell me this?”

“I knew it would upset you, and I didn’t think it would matter, once you got your finances in order.”

“So you lied?”

“I didn’t. I omitted information.”

“It’s the same fucking thing, Cal. What did I tell you?

What did I ask you for? Oh right, nothing.

I told you all I wanted was honesty. All I wanted was a friend who would be straight with me.

And you just stood there with him. You didn’t defend me or my farm.

You just stood there and made small talk with the asshole who wants to destroy my family’s legacy.

Do you have any idea how that makes me feel? ”

I had nothing to say. I was drowning in shame.

I could barely speak and barely process what she was saying to me.

My brain was spinning, and I was beginning to hyperventilate.

I should have told Fishman off and gone after my girl.

But I didn’t. I stood there like a fucking coward.

She hates me. She will never forgive me. She’s seen what a pathetic mess I am.

“Do you have any idea how many people have lied to me in my life? How many people have tried to screw me over, thinking I was stupid and flighty? I thought you were the one person who took me seriously and was truly invested in my success. I thought we were on the same team. Instead you kept this information from me and act offended when I’m upset about it. ”

Speak, dumbass. Say something. “ Violet, this is just a misunderstanding,” I blurted.

She paused, looking at me. In the moonlight, she looked beautiful but exhausted. “I need to go to bed. I don’t want to talk about this right now. This has been a really emotionally confusing day.”

My pulse was pounding, and I was starting to feel the familiar tingling sensation in my hands. Why was she freaking out? Comparing me to her ex-husband? Fuck that. I had to convince her, I had to. I had to clear it up right now.

“Violet. Don’t go to bed angry. Let me explain—you’re just overreacting.” I knew it was the wrong thing to say as the words left my mouth. I wished I could stop myself.

Her face changed. It was a slow-motion train wreck. She went from weary to enraged in a fraction of a second.

“Excuse me?”

I stood, frozen with terror. Why had I said that? She wasn't overreacting. I was just too paralyzed with panic to speak properly and explain what was a very simple situation. Worthless. Dumbass. I am losing her because I’m an anxious mess.

“Get the fuck off my property. You don’t get to tell me I’m overreacting. I heard what I heard. I am done being lied to and manipulated.”

“It’s not like that. Deals like this take years to come together. He was just bullshitting.”

“Please don’t mansplain real estate acquisition to me, Callum. All I need to know is one of the biggest, most corrupt fuckers in Havenport is coming after my property, and my boyfriend was either working with him or knew about it for months, failed to tell me, and then failed to defend me.”

My head began to swirl. You fucked up. She hates you. You are a disappointment. I felt the familiar tightness in my throat. I didn’t know what to say to her.

She stomped her foot, and the sound carried across the silent farm.

“Leave.” She turned, opened the door, and slammed it behind her.

I stood in the driveway looking up at the farmhouse. The warm, familiar place I had come to enjoy over the last two months. The place where the woman I loved and her children lived and where I would most likely never be welcome again.

Shit. My car was at my condo, and it was after midnight. I couldn’t call Declan or Liam. I had no choice but to walk home.

Why didn’t she understand me? Why couldn’t I explain properly? I wanted to protect her and help her. I didn’t want to drag her down with more worries.

I walked down to the harbor and stood, looking out at the ocean as the tide came in.

I knew this was inevitable. I knew this was the most likely outcome.

I knew when I got involved with Violet that I would fuck things up.

And I did. It was almost reassuring to know that I was at least aware of how deeply messed up I was.

It wasn’t a matter of if I would ruin things with Violet, but when . And, predictably, I did it. It’s for the best. She can’t trust me. Better to walk away before I do something even worse.

I should have told her. I knew that. As I walked home in my tuxedo through the dark, sleepy streets of Havenport, I knew with certainty that I had lost the love of my life.