Chapter 29 Dakota
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Dakota
The early morning sun is creeping through the kitchen windows, throwing warm light on the table where Violet and I are sitting.
The scent of coffee, pancakes, and bacon is so comforting. It’s the kind of morning that’s supposed to feel easy, right? Like, everything’s fine, and no one’s thinking about anything too serious.
Except I’m thinking about something serious. Or should I say, someone?
And three of them, to be exact.
Sawyer. Clint. Reid.
I cut a piece of pancake, shove it in my mouth, and chew slowly. But I’m on autopilot. The whole night keeps running through my head, and I have no idea how to process it. I mean, who am I? What did I do?
Violet’s sitting across from me, casually sipping her coffee with that “I know something’s up, but I’m gonna wait until you’re ready” look in her eyes.
She has this sixth sense; she can read me from a mile away. So, when the silence stretches on for too long, I feel like she’s practically daring me to spill the beans.
Until she can’t handle the tension any longer.
“Something’s off,” she says, cutting through my thoughts. “What’s going on with you, Dakota?”
I freeze, fork halfway to my mouth, eyes wide. I don’t even know how she does it. She’s like some kind of mind reader. I set the fork back down on the plate, feeling the heat in my cheeks.
I can’t lie to her. I never could. Especially not when she’s staring me down like that.
The silence between us drags out, and I swear, it feels like it’s going to crush me. I let out a long breath, finally breaking.
“Violet… I don’t know how to say this, but… I’ve definitely done something I didn’t plan for.”
She raises an eyebrow, that classic Violet move. “You’ve piqued my interest. Go on.”
I glance at her, then look down at my plate, nervously picking at a piece of pancake. “Last night…”
She groans. “You and Clint? Oh, I just knew that was going to happen again. Dakota, you have to tell him the truth about Charlie.”
A heat rushes to my cheeks. “Yeah, it might just be a little more complicated than that.”
Violet’s head tilts slightly, trying to figure out where this is going. “Uh-oh. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that look in your eye before.”
I sigh heavily. I know Vi won’t judge me, but it’s still a little wild to say aloud. I still can’t truly believe that it happened.
“Okay, I… kinda had a night with all three of them. Clint, Sawyer, and Reid.”
There’s a long pause. Violet blinks a few times, trying to process it. “Hold up. Three of them?”
I swallow hard, feeling my face burn like it’s on fire.
“Yep. All three. And I don’t even know how the hell I got here.
It just kind of… happened. I was at home after Thanksgiving dinner, and they all turned up.
Individually. Sawyer wanted to ask me on a date, Reid wanted to confess his feelings, and I guess Clint did too. ”
It’s so overwhelming to even think about it. What has become of my life?
Violet’s eyes widen, and she leans back in her chair, a grin slowly forming on her lips. “Wait a minute, are you telling me Mr. Brooding Cowboy, the sexy accountant, and the cheeky playboy all wanted a piece of you?”
I wince, trying not to giggle at how over the top she’s making this sound. But… yeah. That’s basically it.
“I know. It’s insane, right?” I run a hand through my hair, trying to stay calm. “I didn’t plan on it. And then once it started… I didn’t want it to stop.”
Violet bursts into a laugh, practically choking on her coffee.
She coughs, trying to compose herself, but I can tell she’s dying to ask more.
“Oh, Dakota, you are living your best life! So, what was it like? Was it the same as one of those steamy romance novels you always tell me you read, or more of a… slow burn with awkward tension?”
I cringe. “Violet, this is not a movie, okay? It’s… messier than that. I don’t even know how to explain it.”
“Girl, it sounds sexy as hell.”
I think about it. The truth is, I did get overwhelmed. But more than that, I just didn’t want it to end. The connection was so… electric. Each of them brought something different to the table, and I didn’t feel like I had to choose between them. But does that make me crazy?
“I don’t know,” I admit. “I mean, it was. But in the cold light of day, I don’t know what to think about it all.”
Violet leans forward, her eyes shining with mischief, but there’s also something softer behind the glint. “Dakota, honey, you’ve got yourself in a bit of a situation, don’t you?”
I groan, burying my face in my hands. “I know, you’re telling me.”
“Look, if you’re asking me whether or not it was a good idea, well, that’s not really my place to say.
But I will tell you this: Sometimes you’ve gotta let go of what you think you should do and just…
feel it. Right now, you’re caught up in the whirlwind, but the only thing that matters is how you feel about it.
Don’t second-guess what you deserve, girl. ”
I peek out between my fingers, half-expecting her to burst into another round of wild laughter, but she’s being all serious now, which only makes the situation feel more real.
“I know,” I say quietly. “But what if I… what if I can’t handle this? What if this is all just a big mistake? What do I do when it’s all said and done? I don’t even know where to start.”
I’m in over my head, and I don’t know if I can swim.
Violet studies me for a long moment, her eyes soft but full of wisdom that only comes from years of being a little bit crazy herself.
“Dakota, I get it. You’ve got all these feelings.
And yeah, you’re juggling three guys who are clearly different as night and day.
But here’s the thing, none of that means you’re in over your head.
It means you’ve got choices. And sometimes you just have to let go and see where the current takes you. ”
I stare at her, trying to digest what she’s saying, but it’s like she’s speaking a different language. One where everything doesn’t have to be so damn complicated.
“What if they all want something different?” I ask, feeling the situation creeping up on me again. “What if one of them wants more, but the others… don’t?”
“You know, in a perfect world, everyone would play by the same rules. But the truth is, sometimes you can’t control what’s going on inside of other people.
You can only control how you feel and what you want.
If one of them starts getting too… serious, then you’ll figure it out.
But you can’t be afraid to feel what you feel just because it’s a little messy. ”
I nod slowly, taking in her words. I know better than anyone that life’s not always that straightforward. Especially not when it comes to guys like Clint, Sawyer, and Reid. Each of them has a different way of pulling at me.
But why do they all seem to get under my skin in ways I can’t explain?
“You’re right,” I finally say, taking a deep breath. “I can’t control how they feel, but I do have control over how I handle it.”
Violet’s eyes sparkle with approval. “Exactly. And listen, no matter how this ends up, you’re allowed to make mistakes.
You’re allowed to change your mind. You’re allowed to not have everything figured out.
But what you can’t do is hide from what you want because you’re scared of what might happen next.
I’d bet money they’re all just as into you as you are into them.
It’s like… your own personal harem. And honestly? It’s kind of legendary.”
I chuckle, though there’s a nervous edge to it. “You’re really pushing the whole ‘harem’ idea, huh?”
She grins. “Hey, it’s your life, you can call it whatever you want. But one thing’s for sure. You’re not going to regret feeling alive. And those guys? They’re lucky to be part of your world.”
I shake my head, still trying to process it all, but a small smile breaks through. “I’m starting to think I might just need a manual for this kind of thing. A ‘How to Handle Three Sexy Men and Not Lose Your Sanity’ guidebook.”
Violet laughs out loud, slapping the table. “Girl, if you find that book, you let me know, because I’ll be first in line to borrow it!”
I smile at her, finally feeling like maybe everything’s going to be okay. “I think I’m gonna need all the help I can get.”
She raises her coffee cup in a mock toast. “To you, my friend. The woman who might just have three men wrapped around her finger. Don’t mess it up, okay?”
I laugh, the sound light and freeing. “No promises, but I’ll try my best.”
Violet’s grin fades a little, and she leans in, lowering her voice. “Seriously, though, Dakota, it’s time. You’ve got to put on your big-girl pants and tell Clint the truth about Charlie.”
I freeze, my fork hovering over the plate again. “Yeah. You’re right. After last night, I can’t keep making excuses. I need to just do it already.” I sigh hard. “With Charlie still with your mom, I guess now is the perfect time, right?”
Violet nods. “Stop putting it off. Just go do it. Pull off that Band-Aid, girl.”
Am I in a mess? Or is this going to be so much easier now? I guess there’s only one way for me to find out.