“They keep you in the moment. A smart rider is one who anticipates that even the most well-mannered horse might react badly to something in his environment.”
“I guess focusing on the present is a good thing for all of us to do from time to time.” She’d been spending too much time speculating about what would happen in the aftermath of the stockholders’ meeting.
“Is that comment meant for me?” he quizzed, without a trace of acidity in his tone.
“Actually, I meant it as a reminder to myself. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the future. Our future,” she clarified, searching his expression for some sign that he had picked up on what was troubling her.
“I’ve given it some thought as well.” He stopped speaking, but didn’t appear as if he’d said all he intended to so Violet waited him out in silence “The shareholders’ meeting is a week away. We agreed to part ways after that.”
Violet held her breath, hoping he felt the same way she did. This time JT’s pause was longer. She couldn’t keep quiet another second.
“I don’t want to divorce you.”
JT took his gaze off the road and let her see the yearning that filled his eyes. “I feel the same way.” He captured her hand and lifted her fingers to his lips. “Having you in my life is the best thing that has happened to me in a long time.”
“Me, too.” And it made her realize that if she hadn’t already been falling in love with JT she never would have suggested they marry in the first place.
“Are you sure you understand what you’re getting with me?” JT asked, holding their clasped hands against his chest. “I’m not the easiest man to live with.”
“I know.” He still had secrets locked up inside him that caused pain and made him retreat from her. She might never know everything about him, but she’d come to terms with that before she’d decided to fight for their marriage. “I also know you don’t fully trust me with everything that happened in your past.”
“Are you sure you can live with that?”
How could she answer him when she didn’t know herself? “I’m going to try.”
As if admitting their heart’s desire had drained the energy available for conversation, they both lapsed into silence. Violet stared at the green landscape around the car and waited for her rapid heartbeat to return to normal.
JT wanted to stay married. She made him happy. The thought thrilled her. But Violet wasn’t a hopeless romantic.
What lay between them still required work and trust in order to grow, but the fact that neither of them appeared ready to throw in the towel gave them a fighting chance.
The conversation in the SUV had cleared the subtle tension between them. To Violet’s delight, JT smiled more readily than she’d ever seen and his kisses grew abundantly more plentiful and passionate.
Snuggling with JT beneath the handmade quilt in the guest room, Violet sighed in utter contentment.
“I’d love it if we could come back here and stay longer,” she told him. “I’ve really enjoyed meeting your family and want to get to know them better.”
“I think they feel the same way.”
“You’re lucky to have them.” She pondered her own lack of extended family and sighed. “Until Scarlett and Harper came along I didn’t have any family but my mom and Tiberius.”
“I get why you weren’t in contact with the Fontaine family, but what about your mom’s relatives?”
“She lost contact with them after coming to Las Vegas. I asked about them a couple times, but it really upset her so I stopped mentioning them.” Violet had gotten the feeling that her mother had been running from an unhappy place when she left home.
“I’m sorry you grew up like that.”
“It was okay. At the time I didn’t know any different. The lack of family didn’t really bother me until after college when I was in a friend’s wedding.” It had been a huge affair with six bridesmaids and groomsmen. The bride had looked radiant walking down the aisle on her father’s arm. “I was the only one of the wedding party that wasn’t a family member.”
“Does it bother you that we got married without your family there?”
Violet didn’t have to think about her answer. “A little. Mostly it bothered me that Tiberius wasn’t there to give me away.”
“When the shareholder meeting is over we should get married again. Properly this time. With friends and family around us.”
“You don’t have to do this for me.” But she was thrilled that he’d suggested it.
“I’m doing it for us. We should make a fresh start.” He kissed her on the forehead. “A real marriage deserves a real wedding. Don’t you think?”