13. The Villain #2
“For your information, it’s been Castle and someone else. I’ve been on vacation for nearly two weeks. Just got back last night.”
She sighed. “What can I do for you, Officer?”
“I’m not an officer tonight. Just a guy who would like to have a conversation with a beautiful woman and buy her a drink, if she’ll accept. Maybe if I’m lucky, I’ll get a dance or two.” He wore an easy smile, irritation vanishing just like that.
The corner of her lip twitched.
“I’d be hard pressed to decline a free drink in this economy. But the conversation and the dancing aren’t guaranteed.”
“I’ll take it.” He asked the bartender to have Violet’s new drink added to his tab then turned back to her. “So, Miss Hayes—”
“Ah. Drink first, conversation later—maybe.”
Much to my dismay, she did spend the rest of the night talking to him.
He was full of himself—only stopped talking when he was taking a sip of his drink, barely listened to a word Violet said—too busy ogling her if he wasn’t running his mouth.
At least she didn’t take him up on the dancing.
I might have gone on a murder spree if I had to watch his hands all over her.
She left—alone, thank god—around 1 a.m. She’d slipped into the bathroom and changed into jeans, a sweater, and a puffy winter jacket for her walk home.
It was officially December as of an hour ago and the weather reflected the season.
Snow was piling up, wind blowing around any loose flakes.
And it was cold, judging by the way people were bundled in their jackets, scarves, and hats.
I couldn’t tell the difference. Violet didn’t seem bothered by it either, her hood wasn’t even up to block out the wind.
She got home without incident. I hid in the shadows on her balcony just to make sure— Because I wanted to keep seeing her.
I watched her kick off her boots before strolling to the end table by her balcony door, where she picked up the cell phone that was charging.
Whatever she looked at made her frown before she set it back down and headed for the couch.
She grabbed the dragon I made her off the coffee table before she sat. She propped it up on her knees and started talking.
“—shouldn’t be disappointed. This is what I wanted, right Frosty?”
She sighed looking at the dragon’s face. (She gave it a name—adorable.) “You’re the most judgemental inanimate object ever.”
She shook her head. “I really must be drunk if I’m talking to a sculpture because a guy I’ve been ignoring for nearly two weeks finally stopped calling.”
It took me a second to realize the phone on the end table was her villain burner. She’d frowned because there was no missed call.
I pulled out my phone and typed in her number. Then hesitated. What would I even say? Would she find it suspicious that I called right when she got home? Would she even answer?
I hit the green call icon before I could talk myself out of it. Her eyes shot to the phone. She placed the dragon back down then walked over. A ghost of a smile appeared on her lips, but she just stood there, staring at the screen. For a second, I was worried she’d just let it ring through.
“Hello?” she answered at the last second.
My brain delayed. What was I supposed to say? Something witty? Nice? Anything would have been better than the silence that just kept getting longer.
“Hello?” she asked again.
“Hey, stranger. I didn’t think you were going to answer.”
“Then why did you call?”
“Well, eleven isn’t a great number; I was trying to go for an even dozen.”
“So, if I had ignored you for one more day you would have given up?”
“Well, twelve is so close to fourteen, why not try for an even two weeks? But then fourteen isn’t that great of a number, so I probably would have tried for twenty-one.
I mean that’s a good one—the drinking age of our southern neighbours.
Except twenty-five is an even better number, but then twenty-five in terms of days doesn’t really fit.
I feel like I could have just kept going.
I’m charming enough that you couldn’t ignore me forever. ”
I watched her smile grow with every word until she laughed.
“Careful there, Avalanche. I might think you’re obsessed with me or something.”
“Me? Tall, dark, and arrogant? Obsessed?” I scoffed. “Ridiculous. Besides, who stalked who for almost two months? I think you might be obsessed with me.”
She rolled her eyes but her smile stayed.
“I’ll have you know that had everything to do with being worried you might kill me and nothing to do with an obsession. Calm down there, Blondie.”
I shook my head. “If you’re trying to provoke me into changing the subject, it’s not going to work. Now I’m super convinced you’re obsessed with me.”
“You wish.” She stepped around her table and closer to the balcony door. She’d catch me if she opened the door, but she didn’t. “I’m not the one who kept calling you while you were clearly ignoring me.”
I stepped closer so we were face to face.
“Look I—”
“I saw you tonight.”
“What?”
“At Highland Karaoke. I saw you walk in, but I lost sight of you a minute later. Did you stay?” She smiled softly. “Did you hear the one girl try to hit that high note? It’s been December first for less than two hours and I’m already sick of Christmas music.”
I chuckled. “So you’re a hater?”
“To my core.” Her smile turned to a full blown grin. “What about you, Blondie?”
“Oh, same. No one is a bigger hater than me.”
“Of all things? Or just Christmas music?”
“Of most things.”
She brought her hand up to the door, smile falling from her face as she ran her fingers over the glass. It was almost like she knew I was there. She couldn’t, right? “I think that’s why we get along so well.”
I put my hand on the other side of the glass where she was running her finger. I felt her heat through the door.
“Violet—”
“It’s late. I should get to bed. Goodnight, Avalanche.”
“Wait. You still haven’t told me about your naughty book.”
Anything to get her smile back. To keep her talking to me.
“Not now.” She chuckled. “Wouldn’t want you thinking about me all night.”
It was way too late for that. I smiled anyway.
“Tomorrow?”
“Goodnight, Avalanche.”
“That wasn’t a no.” My smile grew.
“No, it wasn’t.” She hung up and disappeared down the hall.