“Talkin’ isn’t helpin’, Violet. We broke up, and now all of the sudden, you’re comin’ back around all the time. Why?”
Jutting her chin out, either to appear confident or in defiance, she says, “Wasn’t aware I wasn’t allowed at the ranch anymore.”
“When did you ever come here before we started datin’?”
“My brother lives here now. I can’t come visit my brother?”
“Violet, cut the shit,” I snap, my patience non-existent at this point.
Her shoulders slump, and she peers up at me, wide-eyed for a moment, brows knitted. “I miss you, okay?”
There it is.“Well, don’t.”
“How can you say that?” she scoffs, stomping her foot like a child. “We had something really great, Finn. I know you miss me too. What I don’t know is why you’re pretending you don’t.”
“I can assure you, I don’t.”
“How can you say that?” She looks like somebody ran over her dog. “We were doing fine, and then it’s like a switch flipped, and suddenly you turned into a giant dick!”
“Look, Violet…” I blow out a breath, dropping my arms to my side. “I’m sorry if our relationship was more serious to you, but for me, it was never anything more to me than two people blowing off steam. I thought we were on the same page, but I’ve realized that I was wrong. Maybe we should’ve had more of a clearer discussion about what we were to avoid this, but communication hasn’t always been my strong suit.”
“Finn,” she murmurs, placing her hand on my arm. The touch makes me want to recoil. “We could still be that for each other. I’m okay with that.”
For fuck’s sake.“Yeah, well, I’m not.”
Violet takes a small step toward me, and I grind down on my molars, taking a step back myself, putting me flush with the side of the barn. “Surely, you can remember the fun we had.”
Her hand slides up my arm, my skin crawling, and then she’s on me before I even have a chance to realize it’s happening. Jumping up on her tiptoes, she smashes her mouth to mine as both hands move to cup my face. A moan sounds from her just as my mind catches up to what’s happening. Hands flying up, I shove her away, probably harder than I should, but I don’t have it in me to care.
“What the hell, Violet!” I sidestep her, putting some distance between us. “What part of I don’t want to be with you don’t you understand? How much clearer can I be?”
Eyes flaring, she groans. “God, you’re such an asshole! You just shoved me!”
“You’re damn right I did. You kissed me after I said I wasn’t interested. Learn to take a fuckin’ hint!”
Turning my head, I notice Tucker now dancing with my brother, but no Ash. Scanning the yard, I spot him storming off in the direction of the house. My stomach sinks, thinking he may have seen his sister kiss me. Without bothering to wait for any sort of response from her, I start off in his direction. He’s walking quickly, so after about ten yards, I pick up the pace, jogging after him.
He must not hear me, because as I reach him and grab ahold of his arm, pulling him to a stop, his head snaps up, a gasp falling from his lips.
“Ash, hold up,” I murmur, walking us over to the tree just on the other side of my dad’s house. “I didn’t want her to do that.”
My heart thrashes as panic rises inside of me. Hurt is splashed on his face, and as he swallows harshly, I can see himtrying to put on a calm exterior. “Don’t shut me out,” I beg. “Please, Ash. I didn’t want her here. I don’t want to talk to her.”
“I know that,” he finally says, wrapping his arms around himself.
Brows pinched, I ask, “You do?”
Ash blows out a breath and nods. “I know you aren’t trying to get back together with her, and I know you didn’t kiss her just now. I watched you push her away. I believe you.”
It’s a relief hearing him say that, yet it still doesn’t make me feel any better. “Then why did you walk away?”
He chews on the inside of his cheek for a moment, like he’s not sure what to say. Or maybe, not sure how to say it. Gaze alternating between my face and the ground, he finally says, “I believe you, Finn. I know you care about me, and I know you want to be with me, but that doesn’t make seeing her flirting with you or throwing herself at you any easier. Even though I know it’s not reciprocated, it still sucks.”
My heart aches for him. Reaching out, I grab him by the neck of the neck and bring my face level with his, making sure he really hears me. “I’m so sorry you saw that, baby. I’m sorry I wasn’t more firm with her before tonight; I was tryin’ to not be an asshole, but I see now that was wrong.”
“No, it wasn’t,” he breathes out, eyes bloodshot as they look into mine.
“Yes, it was. I should’ve made sure she understood instead of hoping she’d take a hint. You mean more to me than her feelings, and I don’t like you bein’ hurt or insecure because of this. Maybe we should tell her.”
