3. Violet

3

VIOLET

Why did I think I could drive up a mountain by myself? Zoe said that she could send someone to get me from the airport, but I was so sure that I could do it on my own. Now, I'm driving up the side of a mountain, in the dark, and the GPS isn't working. In fact, I have no cell service at all.

I like to think of myself as someone who isn't a prima donna or spoiled Hollywood girl, but I could go for a car service, iced coffee, and a massage right now. There's so much tension running through my muscles as I hold myself straight up in the driver's seat looking for the right turn.

Ahead I see a cabin with the lights on and I hope that that's where I'm supposed to be going. If it's not, hopefully, the owners can help me get to the right place.

I drive down the twisty driveway, the trees swaying in the wind, and park in front of the big picture window at the front of the cabin. It looks exactly like the picture that Zoe sent me. I found the right cabin. Score one for Violet.

I'm doing a little celebration dance in the driver's seat, wiggling my butt and pumping my fist, when a huge man walks through the view from the window inside the cabin. What the hell?

Celebration canceled.

I know that I'm at the right cabin, so who is the man? Immediately my thoughts go to him— the man that's been sending me the letters. But how could he know where I'd be? Zoe and I used disposable phones, and I threw them away once I had the information written down in my own version of shorthand that no one could read but me. It's how I make notes on scripts and sometimes the notes aren't nice about other actor's choices, so I have a code.

But who is he?

I'm busy moving my phone around in the car, trying to get a signal, that I didn't notice the big man has left the cabin and is now outside my car window. He knocks and I scream.

"It's okay," he says, holding up both hands. "I'm Kane."

"Is that supposed to mean something to me?"

He looks surprised that I don't know who he is. "I'm Zoe's brother."

Her brother? I know that Zoe has a brother who's been in the military, but she didn't say anything about him being at this cabin and I can't remember his name. Why can't I remember his name?

I roll down my window less than half an inch. "Can you prove it?"

"Prove it?" He laughs. "Prove that I'm Zoe's brother, at the cabin only you and Zoe know you were coming to?"

"Um, yes?"

"OK, Violet, roll your window down a little bit more. I'll put my phone through, and you can read the texts between Zoe and me."

I do as he asks, and grab his phone as he slides it through. A guy who just hands his phone over to a woman? That's a plus for this man. I pull up his text app and immediately see Zoe as one of his pinned people at the top.

The texts are mostly brother and sisterly banter, but the last few texts are a little interesting.

Zoe: Thank you so much for watching over Violet. She's like my sister and I can't imagine something happening to her.

Kane: You know I'd do anything for you, baby sis. Plus, staying in a cabin with a beautiful woman isn't exactly a hardship.

Zoe: NO. You cannot make a move on my best friend, especially when she's so vulnerable.

Kane: I was just kidding. Not about her being beautiful, but you know me. I'll behave.

Zoe: You better, lol.

He thinks I'm beautiful? That's the least important part of the exchange, but it's what caught my attention and gave me a tiny case of the butterflies.

He's watching me through the window when I look back his way. His grin is wide and welcoming. Zoe's big brother is gorgeous, which is also not important right now.

"Do you believe me now?" he asks through the window.

"Yes, I'm sorry." I roll my window back up and open the door. "I'm a little jumpy and didn't know you were going to be here. Zoe didn't say anything about you."

"It's okay, Violet. I think anyone would be cautious in your shoes, and it's better to be leery of a stranger than to just take my word." He holds out his hand to help me out of the car. His hand is large and tan, it's a sexy hand. His hand is sexy? I think the mountain air might be doing something to me.

I gently place my hand in his, and at his touch, a shock goes through my body. Kind of like when you've run your feet on the carpet and then touch a doorknob, but in a really good way. Kane looks down at our hands, a slight wrinkle forming on his brow, and I think he may have felt it too.

Kane offers to bring my luggage inside and I hit the button to pop the trunk open. I lean back into the driver's seat to grab my purse and computer bag from the passenger seat before standing back up just in time to hear the trunk close.

"Only one suitcase?" Kane asks.

"Contrary to popular belief, women can pack lightly, even diva actresses." Dear lord, I'm flirting.

"Sorry for making assumptions. The only women I've ever traveled with are my mom and sister. I'm sure you know what Zoe is like. She brings like a whole suitcase per day, and she gets the habit from my mom. My dad always joked that we only took road trips for family vacations because we couldn't afford their extra baggage fees."

"Zoe is an over packer," I agree as we walk into the cabin. "I used to let her pack for me, but I took over quickly. Who needs five pair of shoes on an overnight trip?"

We both laugh and everything feels so normal. For a moment, I forget that I'm here in this cabin with Kane because someone is threatening me, but just for a moment.