Sunset Thunder

  Chapter Twenty

  “SOMEONE’S IN TROUBLE,” Izzy said, when the suite of Violet’s door closed behind Ryder. The sassy blonde tossed a chip down the table at Marc, as though she hadn’t sent Ryder her own bundle of attitude.

  Violet’s intense stare must have given away her intentions as soon as Ryder was out of listening range. She wasn’t about to scope them out one-by-one, and she knew Marc was worried about her, but still she hadn’t invited Ryder here to be insulted and accused.

  She turned to her family. “Let’s get this over with. Ask me all your questions quickly before Ryder gets back and then you all can stop digging into what’s happening between us and just get to know him. Or, tell me if you don’t approve and I will take that into consideration, as well.” Her family’s opinion did matter, especially Emma, who might feel uncomfortable. 

  No one said anything. 

  “No one?” Violet asked, taking her time to look at each of them sitting around the table with discomforted looks across their faces. How did they think Ryder felt?

  Violet purposely left Emma until last. “Emma?” 

  Emma made a face. “Why are you asking me?” As if she didn’t know.

  “Because he tried to bone you at Violet’s wedding.” Izzy rolled her eyes at having to state the obvious and a chip went flying across the table in Emma’s direction.

  “Marc, maybe we should consider hiring Izzy to clean the pool room,” Violet snapped.

  “Maybe we should hire Ryder as the pool boy,” Izzy retorted.

  “You couldn’t afford him,” Violet snapped. “Especially with your lack of income.”

  “Are you kidding me? In case you missed it, Carl’s my dad and not only did I get Robert’s portion, but I get half of Carl’s too. I can afford a playboy pool boy.”

  “I don’t plan on dying anytime soon. So I won’t be parting with my portions anytime soon. Thank you,” Carl said.

  “You could afford a lesson in−”

  Izzy cut her off. “A new filter,” she said, and grinned. It irritated Violet that sometimes Izzy didn’t take things seriously. She’d not only insulted Ryder in this conversation, she’d insulted Violet and Carl, and seemed dense to all of the above.

  Emma waved a hand. “Ryder was so drunk that night, he didn’t even know who I was, and it wasn’t a big deal. He wasn’t crude or ignorant. He was drunk and sad. It was kind of sad. Anyway, that was a long time ago and I’m not worried about it. If you like Ryder, then you definitely don’t have to be worried about that incident putting any label on Ryder.” Emma chuckled. “Does Ryder even remember?” 

  “No.” Violet ignored the questioning faces on how she was so sure. “Next question.” 

  Silence.

  “Now you all are quiet?”

  Eliza spoke first. “Do you like him?” she asked.

  “Yes,” she answered honestly, and prepared herself for the eruption of her family.

  Nothing.

  A smile Violet recognized crossed her mother’s lips. It was her proud mother moment smile. Violet had the same smile for her kids. When Violet had decided to pursue her career in wedding planning, she’d received that exact smile. The day Marc announced he was marrying Kate, this was the very smile Eliza sent them both, standing in front of Mrs. Calvert’s bakery, freezing their bottoms off.

  “I don’t really see what else we need to ask you or know about Ryder,” Eliza said. “Sweetheart, if you’re happy, then we are happy for you. And I’m thrilled.” Eliza stood, almost knocking down her chair and rushed around the table to pull Violet into a hug. “I thought you gave up on love and now look at you.” Eliza pulled away and searched Violet’s eyes. “You’re falling in love...”

  Violet wanted to melt into liquid and merge into the pool water.

  How could her possibly see that?

  Eliza pulled her into a longer hug and Violet caught Izzy snickering to herself, Emma rolled her eyes. Eliza whispered in Violet’s ear, so low no one else would possibly be able to hear, “Love is not easy Violet, and I wasn’t sure you would find it after Joel. But I was giving you some time and space and I hoped love would find you. I am proud that you were brave enough to open yourself to another person.” Not just any person, Ryder. Her heart only opened to him, because he challenged her in a way that no one else did.

  “Did you have sex with him?” Izzy asked. 

  All heads flew in Violet’s direction, with curious eyes. Violet purposely avoided the route to Marc, who knew the answer.

  Did they all think she was going to reply to that?

  Eliza lightly scolded her daughter.

  As Violet took her seat, she said, “I’m not answering that.” 

  Izzy shrugged. “I was just curious who was better. Joel or Ryder? I assume Ryder. Actually, I would put money on it.”

  “Please don’t,” Violet begged.

  “He’s all muscle and sexy and strong...” Izzy continued.

  This was not happening. Is this karma for mentioning it to Marc, only to get a rise out of him? Now Izzy was bringing it up to get a rise out of her.

  “And Joel’s all weak, dull and boring. I mean it would be like an elephant to a lion.” Izzy roared, literally like a lion, and the family groaned in disgust.

  “Sometimes you are too much, child,” Eliza scolded. 

  Izzy laughed, loving the attention. “You all were thinking it. I just asked.” 

  “I wasn’t thinking it,” Marc and Carl said at the same time and Violet couldn’t help but grin at the strain in Marc’s tone.

  “I can’t believe the Caliendos are having this conversation,” Kate said with amusement. “I feel like I’m sitting with my sisters.” 

  “That’s because Izzy is besties with your sister,” Emma pointed out. 

  “Besties. But I never see Abby anymore.” 

  “Oh here we go,” Marc said. 

  “Why don’t you go to Oakston and visit Abby and Riley?” Eliza suggested, again.

  It went unheard to Izzy, who was lost in her own world of sulking. “Maybe I will go to Hawaii. By myself. I can charter a fancy plane like Riley...doesn’t Abby remember?” 

  “Or you could just drive to Oakston,” Carl said.

  This was going nowhere. “I’m going to start dating Ryder,” Violet said. “The kids and I have already discussed it and they’re on board. We aren’t going to flaunt it, and I would like to move slowly for the children’s sake. He is Joel’s friend, so it’s going to be weird for them. But I don’t want you all to be weird around him or in front of Sophia and Parker. No more accusing him of hitting me.” Violet turned to Marc meeting his guilty frown and he nodded, agreeing. Violet turned to Izzy next. “No more mention of Emma and Ryder, because the kids won’t understand.”

  Izzy held her hands in the air in question. “Why are you directing that at me?”

  A handful of support moved around the table, as her family told Izzy, in no better way, that she had a big mouth. Violet would tell her it was her lack of filter, but by the time everyone around the table made rounds, there was no need.

  Where was Ryder?

  Violet figured his absence had to do with his dad. Not only had he admitted a handful of secrets to Violet, he’d admitted his father’s sickness to her entire family. Violet was learning that Ryder was a loyal family man, and if it was his dad who asked him to keep his sickness tucked away from others, Ryder would be racking up the guilt of exposing the truth.

  Violet excused herself. “We will be back if you all didn’t scare him away.” 

  Inside her suite, Violet found the hallway bathroom door wide open and no Ryder. She made her way into her bedroom and found that door shut with light coming from under the door.

  She knocked. “Ryder?” 

  Silence. 

  She knocked again. 

  “Ryder?” 

  The door opened so quickly it startled her into taking a couple steps back. Ryder looked down a
t her as he never had. She saw hurt and accusation that drew his lips thin and narrowed his eyes. 

  “I’m going to go,” he said. 

  Huh? Go? What had happened? Oh no, it was the playboy comment. Was it?

  “Why?” 

  He didn’t answer. 

  Violet took a step toward him. “Maybe we rushed into things, having dinner with my family. They’re a little overwhelming, I know. They like you, Ryder. But I understand if it’s maybe too much too soon. Why don’t we have supper. Just the two of us. Cliff house?” He’d mentioned it on the boat, so it would be the perfect place.

  “Did you frequent the Cliff House with Joel?” 

  Why was he bringing up Joel? His accusing tone was a partial answer and put her in immediate defense mode. “Excuse me?” she asked.

  “Are we going to repeat everything you and Joel did?”

  Violet watched his eyes dart back to the bed and Violet knew she’d walked into a jealous anger.

  Where had this come from?

  When she didn’t answer, Ryder snarled, “I can’t even talk in here.” He stormed past her and into the hallway. Jealousy was a new side of Ryder she hadn’t seen before and she didn’t really like it.

  Violet followed, but Ryder stopped right in front of the door, so she was forced to stand in the doorway of her bedroom. His back was to her. 

  “I can’t change my past, nor would I want to. Joel gave me the best two things in my life and because of them he will always be in my life.” As Violet said the words, a part of her heart came to peace, recognizing the truth of her spoken words. She’d blamed her dad and Joel for the last ten years of the betrayal and misery she felt, but in the same heartbeat she would do it all again, if it promised and protected Parker and Sophia.

  The veracity took her resentment and bitterness away, leaving only room in her heart for the love of her children, her family, and the man standing before her.

  “Joel is my past, Ryder. I’m not sure what to do here,” she admitted, inhaling a deep breath.

  Violet wasn’t ready for another game of back and forth with Ryder so she drew on her inner strength and spoke, “I don’t know how to deal with you being jealous over Joel.” 

  He turned. “You think I’m jealous over Joel?” The thought was as ludicrous to her as it sounded coming out of his mouth. 

  “Aren’t you?” 

  “No.” That was a relief. “Well...not like that.”

  What did that mean? “Not like what?” Was there a different kind?

  “Are you still in love with him?” 

  Had Ryder not seen the way that Joel treated her? Did he not see the vile feelings she felt toward Joel? “He’s getting married next week,” she said. 

  “That’s not what I asked.” 

  “Why are you asking?” This was absurd.

  “Why aren’t you answering?” 

  “No. I’m not in love with Joel.”

  “Then why did you search me out in the lobby washroom?”

  When he said it that way, it sure seemed like she was still in love with Joel and seeking out a distraction. She had been seeking out a distraction, only it hadn’t been because she was jealous or upset that Joel was getting married. For a man who saw so much of her, how had Ryder missed this?

  When Violet answered, she was surprised at how out of control the words escaped her mouth, like they were begging to be set free. Her voice sounded astonished, as if Ryder should already know the answer, and pitiful that she didn’t set the truth free earlier.

  “Because I agreed to plan my ex-husband’s wedding to his new bride in my resort,” she started and rolled her eyes at the absurdity of it...and it felt liberating. “It was crazy. My pride and need to appear flawless edged me to accept the wedding that I wanted nothing to do with. The minute Joel walked out of my life I was done with him. But I’m a Caliendo, and how would it have looked if I said no to them? Missy has been employed here for years, and she is a resident of Willow Valley, gossip-line Willow Valley. I had no choice. But the resort is my home. The halls were my playground. The restaurants are my kitchens. The pools are my backyard. Each ballroom is a part of me and here I was bringing Joel and Missy into it. Opening up my home to them, for them to marry each other. Marry each other. In my house!”

  Every last one of her family members had been right, she’d never been okay with the arrangements.

  “I didn’t go search you out because I’m in love with Joel. I didn’t search you out at all. I was panicking inside that morning. I was walking down the halls and suddenly it all hit me and everyone was judging me. The staff and the bridesmaids...”

  A broken laugh escaped her lips.

  “My entire family was spying on me, and...and...” Violet sighed and her agitation plummeted, her voice quieted. When Ryder said nothing, she continued. “I don’t know what happened. I saw you and I wanted to forget everything. But when we were done, I didn’t want to let go of you. I felt so safe in your arms. You touched me and held me like a protector. Then you devised a plan to spare my humiliation and you were being so nice and I thought, why is this man who doesn’t even know me treating me like a person, a real person?” She watched as Ryder’s eyes slowly came back to her, instead of to his thoughts about her heart belonging to someone else.

  He immediately looked embarrassed and she thought he might leave.

  He said, “And then I snapped vulgarly at you.”

  Violet touched Ryder’s biceps and they flexed beneath her. “Ryder, I am falling in love with you. There’s a connection with you that I’ve never felt with another person. And, trust me, I don’t spill all my feelings to just anyone. Please don’t leave.”

  If he had to, at least she hoped he took her truth and would return. She couldn’t leave it like this, with him looking so conflicted.

  There is no conflict. It is so easy. Ryder you are the one. 

  “Joel might have lived here but it was never his home. This is my house, but I understand if you’re not comfortable here.” Her fingers moved up his arms. When they reached his shoulder, he bent down and kissed her, squeezing her arms between them. It was a short, quick kiss and when he pulled away, guilt laced his eyes.

  “I’m sorry I doubted you.”

  “It’s okay. Maybe we didn’t put enough of our past out on the table.”

  He ran his hands over his face, and then rubbed the back of his neck. That was when Violet saw the dark circles under her eyes, and the weight of his eyelids. He was exhausted.

  “Let’s get out of here,” she suggested. He looked like he would fall asleep if his head hit the pillow, but she didn’t want to part from him yet.

  “Where?” 

  “Anywhere. Your house. Your boat. Anywhere.” 

  Ryder kissed her. “Let’s finish supper with your family.”

  Her family? How were they even a thought in his head with everything going on between them?

  Because he was a family man and family was important to him, whether it be his own or hers. Family, also being important to Violet, fell a little more in love with him at that very moment. She knew the trip to saying, I love you, was going to be a short and sweet one.

  “No more running. No more jealousy. And by the way, I can handle a hand full of measly Caliendos.”

  Measly.

  Violet laughed. 

  Fine, they would finish supper, but afterwards she wanted him all to herself.