Noah lay sprawled across the couch, exhausted, as his cousin Ben's two toddlers shrieked around him. Thanksgiving dinner had been delicious, as expected, but it might as well have been ashes, given his state of mind. One can't fully enjoy something when one's mind is elsewhere. His was in Manhattan, wondering how Jeremy Ward was settling in with the Hale family. Violet was close to her family; she wouldn't date someone who didn't mesh well. He knew that much.

"You're even lamer than usual, Noah," Logan complained, shoving his brother's legs off the couch to make room. "I haven't seen you since summer, and you won't even play video games with me."

Noah sat up with a groan. Four slices of four different pies was definitely too much.

His brother's complaint was valid. Noah had been distant since they arrived last night. He needed to be more present for Logan, as they didn't see each other often since he'd gone to college.

"Sorry. I'll stop being lame. What do you want to play?"

Logan's face brightened. "Can we play that game with the ice tunnels, where you have to dig your way out before you freeze to death?"

"Sure," he agreed, inwardly sighing.

That game was morbid. Many VR games were; there were ones involving stopping a plague, surviving serial killers, and more. Noah and Violet had discussed why VR games focused so much on death a couple of months ago.

He ran into this problem no matter how he tried to distract himself. Every aspect of his life had been touched by Violet. Avoiding reminders of her was impossible.

He played the ice tunnel game with his brother for over an hour before Logan lost interest and went to bother their Aunt Alison about more pie. Noah returned to his position on the couch, miserably wondering what to do. He hated not talking to Violet, but he was trying to distance himself for both their sakes.

When she texted, saying she'd discovered the truth about Michael Gray, he couldn't help but reply. He missed her too much. As soon as she revealed that Michael was not only her uncle but a murderer who'd spent the past twenty-five years in prison, he sat up so quickly his head spun.

What?!

Noah replied instantly, demanding the full story, which she provided. What a bombshell! No wonder her father hadn't wanted to tell her. It was overwhelming.

'How are you handling this?' he asked nervously.

He would be upset. In fact, he was upset on her behalf—being related to two murderers! Violet was always hard on herself; he worried she might internalize this.

'It made me realize how amazing my dad is.'

Her message surprised him, though it shouldn't have, considering Violet's worldview. He could see how learning about her father's resilience would increase her respect for him.

She was such a good person. Instead of being understandably upset, she was thinking of others. Most people didn't realize how deeply kind and caring Violet was because she was shy. But if she cared about you, you knew it.

He wanted to apologize for being distant and promise never to leave again, but he couldn't. She was dating Jeremy. He, not Noah, should be concerned about her.

He deleted his original reply and sent something else: 'You're a really good person, Vi.'

'How so?'

'Your first thought in this situation is for someone else.'

It took her a while to respond. 'Well, I get the feeling my dad really didn't want to talk about it, and I made him anyway. It would be hard not to think of him first. You don't have to worry about me, though. If my dad doesn't consider these people family, then I don't either. You can't help who you're related to.'

That was a relief. He'd worried she'd think something was wrong with her for sharing blood with such people.

Murdering for someone else to avoid stressing them out that's a twisted view of love. Violet said her uncle grew up in foster care after his mother's murder, but still. Clinging to Aaron like that was insane.

He probably hated it. In Noah's experience, Aaron Hale tolerated most people, liked few, and loved only his wife and children. He felt sorry for Aaron having to deal with such a troublesome relative.

'That's a good mindset to have,' he replied. Simple and to the point.

Noah didn't know what else to say. He usually didn't have this problem, but the subject was essentially closed, and he didn't want to hear her gush about Jeremy.

He put his phone on airplane mode and closed his eyes. Maybe he should sleep. That is, if Ben's kids ever stopped screaming.

"You alright, Noah? You've seemed half-dead all day," his Uncle Brian said, sitting on the other couch.

"Violet is dating someone else," Logan helpfully contributed from the kitchen.

"Ah."

All of Noah's family knew Violet; she'd been present at every major event in his life in New York. All his aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins had met her.

He grabbed a throw pillow and covered his head, trying to disappear. There was no escaping thoughts of Violet.

(The promotional material at the end has been removed.)