Violets & Violence

Violets & Violence by Morgan Parker Read Free Book Online Page A

Book: Violets & Violence by Morgan Parker Read Free Book Online
Authors: Morgan Parker
laughing for no reason. I would have blamed it on the wine, but Violet was far more intoxicating. “Say it!”
    She shook her head, and then finally admitted. “I think you’re pretty much perfect the way you are, Carter.”
    “Okay, now I know you’re full of shit.” I grinned to the point of laughing.
    “I mean…” She waved at me, her hand moving from my toes to the top of my head. “Visually, I see nothing wrong with you. You’re a guy, you’re not awkwardly large or too skinny. You have substance, you have presence.” She shrugged. “You’re sophisticated and not exactly hard to look at.”
    It seemed like a silly conversation, talking about my appearance like this was some kind of test or audition.
    “But what really made me notice you, Carter?” The grin seemed to drip off her face, replaced by a nervous honesty. “That night at the Fisher when you walked onto my stage, I felt we had an incredible yet familiar rapport. I wouldn’t normally poke fun of my guests like I did with you, but once I got started, I couldn’t stop. It felt like we had done that a million times, like it was natural for us to be up there together, holding hands and joking around. That night, I was incredibly nervous. I’m looking to make changes with the show, so you’ll probably remember that night started a little awkwardly. I know it did. I was preoccupied.”
    I had been as well. But seeing Violet on the stage, the way her muscles flexed with each step she took in those tall heels, the way her face lit up whenever the overhead lights washed over her…Any man would have been distracted that night. I hadn’t been alone in that department.
    “The best thing that happened to me and the show that night was calling you onto the stage.” She nodded as if to reinforce this.
    Something of a staring contest ensued. It made no sense why I could be the best part of anyone’s anything, so her words stripped me of a response. Luckily, it didn’t last long; the phone rang, two quick rings to indicate the lobby downstairs.
    “Chinese food’s here,” I said, my voice coming out raspy. I had to clear my throat and repeat what I had just said.
    She giggled again, her earlier happiness returning. No more seriousness.
    We were back in the world of magic.
     

6

     
    The alarm woke me. Fifteen minutes earlier than normal because Violet knew what time I normally set it. I forced my eyes to stay open, stared at the light blaring through one of the windows around the bed; I had left the automatic blinds open on that one specifically because at eight in the morning, it accommodated the sunshine better than any of the other five.
    I flopped over onto my other side and noticed the space next to me was empty. She hadn’t come home. First last week, and now again last night. Groaning, I snapped the sheets away from my body to stay cold and awake.
    I missed Violet, even though I hadn’t noticed her absence in bed until just now. She was my favorite color, my favorite flower, my favorite girl.
    As I had suspected when I set the alarm last night, I heard the Rover’s engine outside, followed by the door opening and closing, and finally, her silhouette in the doorframe. She had timed her arrival to precede my alarm, and I wondered why.
    I pushed myself up on my elbows and glared back at her shadow.
    “What time’s your flight?” she asked, her voice coarse from a night without sleep and who knew what else.
    “Eleven.” I reached for the remote on the bedside table and raised the remaining blinds. “I’m going to work out,” I told her, sitting up. “What’re you going to do?”
    “Sleep,” she answered, pushing away from the doorframe and heading upstairs to one of the guestrooms.
    “I hate when you do this,” I whispered once she was long out of earshot.
    After a moment of self-reflection, I slid out bed and changed into my workout gear before heading into the basement (or dungeon as I called it) for a quick hour-long workout

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