There's Wild, Then There's You by M. Leighton

Author:M. Leighton [Leighton, M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Contemporary, Adult
ISBN: 9780425267820
Amazon: 0425267822
Barnesnoble: 0425267822
Goodreads: 17839136
Publisher: Berkley
Published: 2014-06-01T16:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-FOUR: Jet

When we reach our destination, we’re at an old-people hangout called the Teak Tavern. I’ve been in it once or twice years ago. To me, it’s always seemed like a place where dreams and men go to die. It’s a shame this is where Violet’s dad comes. It tells me all I need to know about the situation.

I open the door for Violet and let her precede me. I see the bartender glance up and smile. And not just any smile. It’s a look I recognize. One that pisses me off a little.

I lean forward just enough to speak into Violet’s ear. “He looks like he wants to take you to the beer cooler and show you his longneck bottle collection.”

Violet glances at me over her shoulder and giggles. “Stop!”

“Just sayin’,” I tell her as we start across the room toward a guy laid out in a corner booth. As we get closer, I recognize him as the man I met at my father’s house. Violet’s dad.

She bends to gently tap his leg. “Dad, you ready to go home?”

He rolls his head to one side and murmurs something. Even though I don’t know him, I can tell that his tone is sharp. It seems like he might be a mean drunk.

“Come on, Dad,” Violet urges quietly, her voice calm and even. “Let’s get you home. You have work tomorrow.”

“I don’t give a damn,” he moans hatefully. “Why should I work and keep a house waiting for her if she’s never coming home?”

Violet glances at me and quickly away, like she’s embarrassed. “You keep your house for you, Dad, not for her.”

“No, it’s all for her. She’s all I ever wanted. And she’s gone. How am I supposed to live without her?”

“You’ve been doing just fine without her, Dad.”

Violet’s father struggles to sit up, his face contorted in an angry scowl. “How would you know? You’re too cold to fall in love. You have no idea what this feels like.”

His expression crumbles into one where his chin is trembling and he’s fighting tears.

“I love you, Dad. Isn’t that enough?”

“You must not love me that much. You left me just like she did.”

Violet sighs. “I didn’t leave you. I moved a couple of miles away.”

“You abandoned me, just like she did. If you ever cared one bit about me, you wouldn’t have left. You knew how lonely I’d be. But you left anyway.”

“I’ll come by more often, Dad. And I’ll stay tonight so I can make you breakfast in the morning. I’ll make all your favorites.”

Like an overgrown kid, Violet’s dad looks up at her with hopeful, watery eyes. “You promise?” he slurs.

“I promise.”

“And you’ll come this weekend for supper?”

“I’ll come for supper, too.”

Her father scoots to the end of the booth and reaches for her hand, now all sappy and sweet. “You know I love you, right, Vi?”

Violet’s voice is as soft as her expression. “Of course I do, Dad.”

He holds her hand to his cheek and then comes to a shaky stand.

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