Author's Notes: Closing in on the exam now, going to be so relieved come Wednesday, when I am done with the exam and can go back to focusing on my writing. The following chapter is one of my favorites, I had so much fun writing it. Enjoy, and please tell me your favorite bits, if you do, I'll tell you mine ;) As always, major thanks to Mediatorsk for betaing, love ya, hon! And a little shoutout to my friend, gilmoregirl1979 who despite not watching PrP had some very helpful suggestions for this chapter :D
"Oh, hi…" there's a hint of surprise to Violet's voice when she opens her front door.
Pete takes in her homely appearance, "You expecting someone else?" he quips. Violet is in another one of her ragged t-shirts, her hair is up in a messy bun and she hasn't bothered to put in her contacts yet, it seems. It's a complete contrast to what he sees when they're around Oceanside. In a way it's like he's beginning to see the real Violet, the woman she is when she's not playing up to her professional duty to look neat and tidy all the time.
"I wasn't really expecting anyone," she nods down to her attire, as if to say 'isn't it obvious?' She steps aside to let him in.
"Not even Cooper?" Pete finds it odd how little time the two usually inseparable best friends have been spending lately.
Violet shakes her head, "He called last night, said he'd be busy. Didn't say what, but I assume it has something to do with the mystery girlfriend. I can't believe how tightlipped he's being about this one; I mean he usually tells me everything."
"Because you tell him everything these days," Pete hands over the pizza he brought so he can remove his shoes and jacket.
"Okay, fine, point made," Violet concedes, taking the box with her into the living room and placing it on her coffee table, pushing her open laptop over to the corner. The dining table is currently occupied with several loads of laundry, some of it folded, and some of it still in the basket waiting to be folded, "But if he asked I would tell him. It's like he's ashamed of her or something…"
"Or maybe he's still figuring things out and doesn't want another opinion in the mix until he's ready?" Pete suggests, suddenly noticing a familiar pair of jeans and some other things belonging to him freshly washed and neatly folded on one of the chairs, "You did my laundry?"
Violet turns her head and frowns, "Oh," she realizes, "I was so busy getting it all done earlier, I didn't even notice that some of it was yours."
"I'm sorry, I meant to take them with me, apparently I forgot…"
Violet shrugs, "Didn't really require any extra effort on my part. Besides, you're here most of the time anyway. The way I see it, you'd take them home to wash only to bring them right back here."
He can't really argue with that as he has taken to spending more time at her place than his own, "Well, then I hope you're hungry," he nods to the pizza.
"Starving, actually," Violet opens the box and arches her brows in surprise, "No olives this time?"
Pete shrugs, "Well, you always pick them off."
"And here I thought I was being discreet about it…"
Grabbing a slice of his own, Pete finally notices the exotic traveling destination in the open browser on Violet's computer, "You going somewhere?"
"Just researching for now," Violet shrugs, "Bonus time is coming up…"
"Oh," there's a sinking feeling in his chest as he recalls their usual bonus traditions. Last year Violet and Cooper headed off to San José for a week and he invested his share in a new motorcycle, "So where are you and Coop headed off to this time?"
"I don't know… to be honest I'm not sure Cooper wants to go anywhere this year. Maybe it's time to break tradition… not go, or maybe go on my own for once… I'm still deciding…" she changes tabs in the browser, "I kinda like this place, though, listen to this;" she reads out loud from the site, "Imagine an island, a small, perfect island, with coral sands and balmy air; ultimate beach luxury with warm white sands and clear turquoise seas, an unspoiled, natural haven of absolute privacy and peace, and discover that this is no hazy dream… it is Mnemba…"
"Maybe I could go with you," Pete suggests.
Surprised by the sudden offer, Violet turns and looks at him, "You serious?"
He shrugs, "I could always use a vacation, and you and I could certainly come up with fun things to do together…" he caresses her thigh to illustrate his point.
Cupping his face with both hands, she leans in and kisses him. One of his hands go straight to her hair, the other pulls her into his lap. They forget that they're starving, forget that there's a large load of laundry yet to be folded and put away, forget that the door is unlocked…
"What the hell!"
The couple spring apart at the sudden third-party outburst and turn around to see Cooper in the doorway, looking at the both of them like he can't fully believe what he's seeing.
"Maybe you should go," Violet whispers.
"What?" Pete can't believe what he's hearing. What happened to 'not being ashamed' or 'let him know'?
"I need to talk to Cooper alone…" Violet realizes right away how that sounds, but there's no time to explain…
"Fine," Pete scoffs, "I'll get out of your hair…"
Violet sighs as she watches Pete leave, inwardly cursing Cooper for his horrible timing. She should have just told Cooper the first chance she got, should have let Pete stay and defend this alongside her… should have locked that damn door… Now she's antsy and everything's a mess, "Thought you said you had plans today…" It's lame, but it's a start.
"Never mind that," Cooper quickly dismisses, "You and Pete?"
"It's just sex, it's no big deal," Violet insists.
"Oh, no," Cooper shakes his head, "That was not just sex that I just walked in on… I don't even know what that was…"
Violet rolls her eyes, "It's called kissing, generally considered to be a prelude to sex…"
"Violet," Cooper scoffs.
"Sorry, but you're being silly…"
"It's Pete, Violet," Cooper stresses, "Disastrous-at-relationships Pete? He's run off two of our colleagues already; forgive me for not wanting to see you go as well…"
"It's not a relationship…" Violet tries to explain.
"Pants!" Cooper points to the folded up pair of men's jeans on the chair, his eyes then goes to the basket and again he points, "boxers! Boxers, Violet!" His eyes going wide, he suddenly turns on his heel and storms up the stairs.
"Where are you going?" Violet calls after him.
"Toothbrush!" Cooper bellows from the upstairs bathroom, then re-emerges holding the evidence; Pete's cerulean toothbrush, "Does he have his own drawer yet, or is that next?"
"I don't get why you're making such a big deal out of this," Violet shakes her head, "So he keeps a toothbrush here and a change of clothes. He spends the night, it'd be too much hassle having to go home to shower and get changed every morning… It's more practical."
Cooper then notices the computer, "You're planning a vacation together…?"
Violet can't exactly dispute that, "I-it's not what you think, Coop."
"You share meals, you plan holidays, you do his laundry," he stresses, "he keeps a toothbrush here and I walk in on you making out… and I'm supposed to think this is just sex?"
"And I suppose you don't share lip to lip contact with any of the women you've hopped into bed with," Violet rolls her eyes. This is getting ridiculous.
"You were on his lap," Cooper points out, waving the toothbrush, "How long?"
"How long was I on his lap?" Violet is slightly confused. Normally she's pretty good at following Cooper's thought process, but right now he's sprinting ahead of her and she's struggling to see past the dust clouds he's leaving behind.
"How long?" Cooper repeats, "How long have you and Pete just had sex?"
"Four-five weeks," Violet shrugs.
"How long?" he asks yet again, and Violet realizes the question never was about the specific amount of time, but rather a specific date.
"Since that night," she concedes.
The look Cooper gives her is one she's never seen before, one that she can't decipher. Not saying another word, he turns around and walks out the door. It's not until she hears it slam behind him that Violet realizes Cooper never handed over the toothbrush…