Sunset Thunder Read Online Free PDF

staring at the arms on the clock as they ticked by? Wasn’t the saying something like, watch a clock and time ticks by slower ... what a crock.  
    Violet’s heels tapped an anxious beat against the floor under her desk, drumming a matching tune to the rising reaction inside of her due to consenting to this crazy situation. Finally, not wanting to be late, she stood and put a stop to it. 
    Pull yourself together. 
    Twenty-five minutes ago she’d convinced herself this would be the easiest meeting of her life. Now... now...
    She stopped at the full-length mirror hanging on the back of her office door to evaluate herself. Not that it made any difference now, she couldn’t change her outfit and give the Bensen party the implication that she was nervous, uncomfortable, and regretting her decision to coordinate their wedding.
    Why did Missy have to get wind that there was a cancellation in the gold room on her wedding date?
    Now, it was the big decision: silver room or gold room? That’s all this meeting was about and yet almost every member of the wedding party was attending...including Ryder Carlex. Why did he irk her so? Oh, she knew why, because he’s a playboy, that was why.
    Violet smoothed the sides of her perfectly twirled updo and straightened the deep purple blazer over her straight, narrow cut skirt. Maybe she should have added a black blouse instead of the stark white one she wore, to suit the dark feelings in her gut.
    “This won’t be hard,” she said to herself in the mirror, her neutral matte lipstick talking back to her. “It’s a quick debate and settlement of one room. That’s all.”
    In January, Violet and the happy couple had privately tackled all the details of their wedding day. She had managed that without the panic intensifying inside her today. The bridesmaid posse also hadn’t been watching every move Violet made, analysing her, judging her, and hating her. And the date of the ceremony hadn’t been just around the corner either. It was all becoming increasingly overwhelming.
    Violet felt the panic arsing again. “Two more meetings,” she promised herself in the mirror, holding up two fingers as if her eyes needed convincing. “Maybe more, if Missy has a bridezilla attack...”
    Her head dropped, dreading more meetings. Then she lifted it back up, breathing reassurance into her lungs. “Pick a room today. Go over the final details next week and home run.”
    Until the day you watch Missy walk down the aisle. Oh, I’m not watching. Did I just have a double-sided conversation with my reflection? Was it in my head or out loud? Does it matter? 
    Violet shook off the panic and left her office, carrying the confidence she was accustomed to.
    Simple and quick, pick a room and done.
    As her long legs took her down the hallway, every step felt like a tunnel was caving in on her. She stared at the end, where she could see the cheerful, engaged couple waiting for her by the lobby desk. Missy was tucked comfortably into Joel’s side, with his arm wrapped around her like they were made for one another. Violet had never fit in the nook of Joel’s body like that...and Joel had never wanted her to. Joel had never loved Violet like he loved Missy. He had never even tried to love Violet. And Violet knew Missy came from an average family and that she wasn’t Joel’s ticket to more money...like Violet had been. The settlement Joel had sealed with Violet’s father left Joel with enough money to live more than comfortably for the rest of his life...and now he was inviting Missy into his life of luxury.
    Suddenly, the assurance of a quick meeting vanished and all the craziness of this ridiculous plan that she’d been battling all morning came rushing back, in an overpowering spin from the inside, coursing all the way out and around her body.
    Her feet stopped. The speed of her heartbeat increased and amplified so loudly that she could hear it banging in her ears. Her breathing declined and she