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“That’s not convincing.”
“He only wanted to know why we were suddenly getting along, so I told him.”
“And it was awkward? Liv asked me something similar, but I would say it was uncomfortable, not awkward.”
“Maybe mine was uncomfortable then.”
“Then why say awkward first?”
“Had anyone ever told you that you are way too perceptive?”
“You have, multiple times.”
Violet could practically feel him getting irritated. His grip on the steering wheel was tight. But she wasn’t about to let it go for the sake of peace.
“We’ve been good at communicating. Let’s not stop because our friends are in town. Was it bad? Is that why you seem so secretive?”
“It wasn’t anything bad.”
“There isn’t any other reason to hide it.”
“Oh, there’s one.” It was more muttered than said.
“Okay.” Violet turned to look ahead, watching the road with distant eyes. “If you’re determined to keep this a secret, then you can. But I want to be clear I’m not happy about it.”
They rode in silence for a long moment. Violet felt her annoyance build, and then she tried to let it go. He did have the right to keep it to himself, but she also had the right to not like it.
“Violet, I didn’t talk bad about you to Lewis.”
“There’s no other reason you would be purposefully vague.”
Charlie sighed. “Fine, I’ll tell you, but this is not a joke, and I don’t want it to turn into one.”
“I wouldn’t … but okay.”
“I said good things. Only good things. And then Lewis might have assumed I had feelings for you.”
“You mean murder feelings?”
“No.”
It hit her then. He asked if Charlie had a crush on her.
“Oh,” Violet said. “Okay, I get how it would be awkward now.”
“You don’t have to worry. I’m not going to act on it.”
Violet’s brain grinded to a halt. “Wait, you didn’t even deny-“
“I do. Have feelings for you, I mean.”
Violet looked out the passenger window, pressing her cool hand to her flaming face. He admitted it? Just like that?
She was still embarrassed he had hugged her twice. Sure, maybe she wondered if what they had was purely friendship, but she hadn’t admitted it to herself yet.
And now, faced with the truth of his feelings, she had no choice.
She knew this was a bad idea. They had too much history. Too much negativity. But the idea of being something more with the man she lived with lit her entire body on fire. She didn’t know whether to jump into a bucket of ice water or let herself burn.
