It was such a mix of yes and no that I wasn’t sure I could express, but at the end of the day, I wouldn’t let my brother feel responsible for my actions and decisions. “I was a screw-up, Truck. I didn’t do this because of you or for you. I did this for me. So I could look myself in the eye every morning. But even then, it wasn’t for the right reasons. That’s why I might be getting out. Go back to being a simple boat builder from now on.”
“Simple millionaire boat builder,” he said after a moment.
I chuckled. “Well, yeah.”
“And the racing?”
“Dax and I will probably still race.” I didn’t add on that I needed to repair that relationship first. “But I plan on cutting that back some too. I have better uses for my time.”
“Violet…” He trailed off.
“Yes,” I said quietly.
“Do you remember what you told me when Jersey and I almost didn’t make it?” Truck asked.
“Not really. You know me. Full of shit.”
“You told me you should always put the woman you love first. That it had been the problem with Dick and Mom. That they didn’t know how to sacrifice for someone else,” Truck said.
I didn’t really remember saying the words to him, but they sounded like me. And I believed them even as he said them. Neither of our parents had known how to sacrifice. When I didn’t say anything, he continued, “Thanks for doing that for Vi.”
My breath left me momentarily, and then I grunted out the one thing I truly meant. “I’ll do anything to make sure she gets the life she wants. The one she deserves.”
“Good luck with her letting you. That girl is as stubborn as you.”
“Woman,” I said.
“What?”
“She’s not a girl, Truck. She hasn’t been for a very long time. Don’t treat her that way. She’s a smart, vibrant woman who’s going to make the world a better place,” I said, watching as Violet and Jada talked. They were both energized and alive, more than I’d seen either of them in a while, especially Jada. I didn’t have to hear the words nanoparticles and bacterium to know they were talking science. Violet lit up when she talked about it.
But she lit up more when I was kissing her, when I touched her in places that made her moan and cry out my name. Jesus… I was hard in the middle of the hallway at the hospital just thinking about it.
“You’re right,” Truck said quietly. “Take care of her. But, Daws?”
“Yeah,” I said.
“Make sure she takes care of you back. You deserve it too.”
His words twisted my heart. I wasn’t sure I’d ever deserved anyone looking out for me, but I’d had them anyway. Truck and Dax. Mandy and Leena. Even Jada had looked out for me. And most of all, Violet.
“Jersey wants to talk with Vi,” Truck said. “I love you.”
Damn. I wasn’t going to cry in the middle of the hallway any more than I was going to go full-on-erection-mode.
“Love you too, big brother,” I said as I heard the phone jostle on his end, and Jersey’s voice came on the line. “Vi?”
“It’s still me. Hold on. I’ll get her. She’s talking to Jada,” I said as I walked toward Violet who looked up at my words.
“Dawson…” Jersey said softly.
“Yeah?”
“Thank you,” Jersey said. The tears hit my lashes.
“It was my fault she was involved at all, so don’t thank me,” I said.
“Knowing Vi, she pushed herself right into all the chaos, stood right in the middle of it, and demanded everyone follow her lead,” Jersey said.
