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“I don’t know," Violet admitted. “But I know I don’t make enough here. I won’t get promoted soon, and …” She shrugged. “I don’t want to move, but maybe it wouldn’t be terrible.”
Wouldn’t be terrible? Well, it certainly would for him.
“Have you told Liv?”
She shook her head.
Charlie was torn between being proud he was the first to know, and terrified she was thinking about leaving.
“I’m sorry," Violet said. “You had a rough day. I shouldn’t have sprung this on you.”
“No," Charlie told her. “Thank you for telling me.”
“Are you mad?”
“No," Charlie said, and that was the truth. But it also wasn’t. He had to clench his jaw to keep from begging her to stay, to not go for this job, whatever it was.
But then she could resent him, and that would be worse.
“It sounds promising. Let me know how the interview goes," he said, even though the words were hard to get out.
“Are you sure?” Violet asked, eying him warily. He forced a smile on his face, but she didn’t look convinced. He took a deep breath, and then stood. He walked over to her chair, kneeling to plant his hands on her shoulders.
“I am," he told her. “You need to do whatever you think is right.”
Violet looked him in the eyes, and he could have sworn her gaze was piercing into his soul. But he wouldn’t tell her not to be independent, not to at least try to find a better job. It didn’t matter how much he wanted her to stay.
She looked conflicted for a moment, and he could feel her eyes mirrored in his own. They hadn’t talked about what they had done the night before, but he had made sure not to let her feel like a one-night stand, not something to be used.
So, he stood, and pulled her up with him.
Violet leaned forward, resting her head on his chest. He took the weight gratefully, happy she wasn’t pulling away when she easily could. Maybe this wouldn’t last forever, and maybe it wouldn’t even last another month, but he had it for now. And he didn’t want to let it go.
“I’m sorry…” She said, her voice muffled. “I don’t even want to have to consider it.”
“But I know you would regret it if you didn’t," he said.
Violet was silent, and it was all the confirmation he needed that he was right.
“Don’t worry about it," he said. “You make your decision after you have an interview and if you like the new job. I’ll be there for you either way.”
“And if I do move?” She asked, pulling away to look him in the eye.
“Then … we’ll figure that out too," Charlie replied.
Violet blinked, her eyes looking dangerously wet. But then she reached up to kiss him, and he knew he had said the right thing. Even though this hurt, and it would kill him if she left, he couldn’t bring himself to regret being there for her.
“It’s freezing tonight," he said casually, pulling away. “I could start a fire if you wanted?”
Violet smiled at him and nodded. “That sounds great.”
They didn’t talk more about the job that night. Instead, Charlie focused on Violet, on spending time with her while he had her because it could easily end soon. They went to his room, and he held her close while she fell asleep. Roo laid on his leg that right, as if she knew about how conflicted he was.
He didn’t know if he would have any answers by morning, but he was happy to have Violet now.
Chapter Twenty
Violet
