The Certainty of Violet & Luke (The Coincidence 5)

‘Violet, calm down,’ he says. ‘I can barely understand you.’

I take a breath, realizing I was getting no oxygen in with my words. ‘I just ran into someone who told me that Preston hangs out at Garyford’s on Elm every day. You know the bar where college kids like to hang out.’

‘Okay, I’m on it,’ he says and I can hear him rustling around. ‘But Violet, I want you to go home and wait to hear from me okay? Stay indoors. I don’t want anything happening.’

What the hell does he thinks going to happen that hasn’t already happened? ‘Okay, I wasn’t planning on going anywhere, just dinner with Luke and his dad ‘

‘No, stay indoors,’ he says. ‘Promise me, Violet. Just go home and wait this out.’

‘Why does it matter?’

‘Dammit, Violet, just listen for once, okay?’

‘Okay dad,’ I say sarcastically but then realize I’m acting like a brat. ‘Sorry, I promise I’ll stay in.’

‘Good.’ He breathes a breath of relief. Something’s off. He’s acting more worried than he normally does.

‘What aren’t you telling me?’ I ask suspiciously, watching a group of people closely as they walk by. What if Jonah lied and Preston is out there watching me right now?

‘A lot,’ Detective Stephner replies. ‘There’s a lot of stuff I can’t tell you.’

That’s news to me and by the time I hang up, my minds racing with a million different ideas. I shut it down though when Luke finally walks through the doors. He’s wearing jeans and a hoodie, his hair damp, probably because he just showered. At least he smells like he did, the fresh scent of soap surrounding me as he pulls me in for a hug. He does it without so much as a hesitation, as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. It’s starting to feel that way for me too.

‘So what did you think?’ he whispers in my ear, still holding onto me.

‘Those were some super tight pants,’ I try to tease, but my voice sounds off pitch.

He pulls back, concern evident all over his face. ‘What’s wrong?’

I look over at Callie who’s smiling at Kayden as he walks out of the door’s Luke just emerged from. ‘Can I tell you in the truck?’

He glances over his shoulder at Callie hugging Kayden and then nods. ‘Okay, yeah, let’s go.’ He moves back, but doesn’t go too far, sliding his arm around my back. ‘Hey guys, we’re going to head out,’ he calls out to Kayden. ‘See ya later.’

Kayden waves, but he’s distracted by Callie, who’s smiling as she tells him something which creates this big goofy grin on his face. I wonder what she thinks about what just happened. I wonder why I care so much.

Luke and I head across the parking lot to the truck in silence, the sounds of our hurried footsteps adding to the tension around us. He’s parked toward the back so it takes a while but finally we reach it. He opens the door for me then once I’m settled in the seat he shuts the door and gets into the driver’s seat. His truck makes this gurgling noise as he starts the engine and then backfires. He curses then tries again, this time pumping the gas. Once it’s on and clearly going to stay running, he cranks the heat and turns to face me.

‘Okay, what the hell has got that look on your face?’ he asks, scooting toward me.

I slip my gloves off and unzip my jacket as what happened barrels out of me. I explain to him how I ran into Jonah and what he told me about Preston. I also tell him how I called Detective Stephner and how he told me to stay in our apartment tonight and how he seemed to be acting strange.

‘I’m sure he just wants to make sure you’re safe.’ Luke reaches for my hand when I’m done telling him and traces the folds in my fingers. ‘It’s what we all want.’

I’m not sure who he means by we, but I don’t ask. ‘Yeah, maybe. But I talked to him earlier today when we were headed to the game and he seemed fine.’

‘He called you today?’ he asks, turning my hand upward and stroking the inside of my wrist. God that feels so good. ‘About what?’

Through all of this, I’d spaced off the conversation the Detective and I had earlier and how I never did come to a conclusion on whether Luke would agree to help Mira. Although being here with him now, his touch bringing me so much calm, I’m starting to wonder why I doubted him to begin with. ‘About the case … and you?’

His fingers pause on my palm. ‘Me?’

I nod. ‘He said he thinks you got a call from the person defending your mother in court.’

He suddenly looks like he’s in pain, his grip on my hands tightening. ‘Yeah, the other day I did.’

‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ I ask. ‘When it happened?’

‘Because I was confused … and pissed off.’ He sighs, defeated, as he laces our fingers together. ‘Sorry, that’s no excuse. I should have told you right when it happened.’

I press my lips together, attempting to hold back the words, knowing I shouldn’t ask, but I can’t help it and they force their way up. ‘What did you say?’

A pucker forms at his brows. ‘About what?’

‘When they asked you to testify,’ I say. ‘What did you say?’

He looks like I’ve wounded him, his expression mixed with hurt and disappointment. ‘I told them they could go fuck themselves and that she deserves to be behind bars.’ He lets go of my hand and slides away, looking a bit angry. ‘What the hell else would I say, Violet.’

I stare down at my hands because the hurt look in his eyes is too great to endure. ‘I’m sorry I asked, but I needed to hear you say it … I don’t know why. I was pretty sure I knew you’re answer.’

He shakes his head, huffing a breath of frustration as he stares ahead at the window. ‘I would never, ever do that. Not only because it’d be wrong – she deserves to go to prison – but I could never, ever hurt you like that.’ It like he’s fighting to breathe, his solid chest rising and falling heavily with each breath he takes. ‘You have to start trusting me.’

‘I do trust you. Too much,’ I whisper, shutting my eyes. ‘You could crush my heart if you wanted to.’ The silence that follows is maddening. Did I just say that aloud?

One …

Two …

Three …

Time feels endless as I wait for what comes next. I hear him shift on the seat, feeling him scoot closer