Violet continued staring at him, making Noah distinctly uncomfortable. He looked anywhere but at her piercing dark blue eyes, avoiding her gaze. She had never looked at him like this before. What on earth was she thinking?

"I broke up with Jeremy," she said abruptly. "He wanted me to stop being friends with you. It was a no-brainer; of course I'd choose my lifelong best friend over a guy I've only known a couple of months."

He was so startled he stopped avoiding her gaze. Seriously? She broke up with that creep so easily? Hadn't she really liked him?

"Why?" Noah blurted out.

Violet glared at him furiously. "What do you mean, 'why'? I love you more than anyone else, you idiot! I know I've been a bad friend lately, and I really regret that… but you have to know how important you are to me. Right?"

Once the glare subsided, her expression became almost pleading. She desperately wanted him to understand. His heart soared, then plummeted.

Noah already knew how much she cared about him. That didn't change anything. She had broken up with her boyfriend for him, but only because he was her closest friend. She didn't have real feelings for him, so he shouldn't get excited.

"yes?" he managed.

Violet slumped back against the pillows, defeated, and buried her face in her hands. "You must think I hate you. I swear I don't. I'm not mad or weirded out at all! I was confused, because I couldn't understand how you could be in love with me, despite knowing me better than anyone. I'm really not that great."

That wasn't even remotely true! He always knew she hid low self-esteem beneath her perfectionism, but did she really think she was unlovable because she had a hard time connecting meaningfully with others?

Noah hesitantly reached out, pulled her hands away from her face, and held them tightly. She looked up at him, shame in her eyes. His heart sank. She really did think that lowly of herself.

"Vi," he said gently, "you're the best person I know. Because I know you best, it was impossible not to fall in love with you. I never said anything because I knew you only thought of me as one of your brothers."

Violet blushed and wouldn't meet his eyes. "About that… it appears I've been gravely mistaken. I didn't think it was possible to fall in love with someone you've known since childhood, but then I found out my grandparents were childhood sweethearts."

Her grandparents? He knew almost nothing about her maternal grandmother because Grandpa Robert rarely spoke of her. What little Noah did know was that she was murdered by a mugger in 2001, and he never recovered.

Hang on… was that why she was watching those videos and crying all weekend? What exactly did that mean?

"Uh, Kaleb said you were crying over home videos all weekend and said it was my fault," Noah hedged. "Was it?"

Violet finally met his eyes. "Yes and no. They became friends at ages five and eight and were together for thirty-two years before Grandma died. I knew my grandpa loved her deeply because he never looked at another woman after her death. But I didn't realize how much until I watched those videos and looked through their old pictures…

"Noah, those pictures looked like ours. They were best friends, just like we are, and even thinking about losing you was too horrible to contemplate. I don't want to be like my grandpa, missing my best friend for the rest of my life."

His brain exploded. It was difficult to process what she was saying. It sounded very much like she was considering responding to his confession from Friday night.

But why would she do that when she obviously wasn't in love with him? She had been dating someone else happily just a few days ago!

"Vi, what—"

Noah was about to ask what she meant when he was yanked forward by the collar of his shirt. Violet slammed her lips against his, almost violently. The kiss lasted only two seconds, but he sank back into his chair in a daze.

She kissed him! She initiated it! What on earth was she thinking?!

"Can you give me some time?" Violet pleaded. "I don't care about stupid, unrealistic notions of romance anymore. All I know is that I can't afford to lose you because you're the most important person in the world to me. Please stop trying to get over me."

Noah was so overwhelmed he burst out laughing. He had thought he'd have to woo her, but she was practically begging him not to stop loving her.

She wanted time? He could give her as much as she needed! He had already waited over half his life; more time wouldn't make a difference, especially since he could spend it with her as a couple.

"Why are you laughing?" she cried, frustrated. "I'm baring my soul here!"

"I'm sorry," he said, trying and failing to compose himself. "I thought this would be a lot more difficult. I had already planned on trying to win you over after I couldn't keep my stupid mouth shut, but I didn't end up having to do anything at all."

Violet crossed her arms and gave him her frostiest glare before melting. Affection shone in her smile as she chastised him.

"Dummy."

Noah couldn't deny that. This could have happened sooner if they had communicated properly. But he was grateful she was even giving him a chance.

He gently stroked her cheek, and she blushed. He had always wanted to do that. There were many things he'd wanted to do with her that he hadn't had the chance to do as just her best friend.

Although, come to think of it, they hadn't clarified what to do next. He needed to make sure they were on the same page.

"Hey Vi… are we dating now or what?"

Violet smirked, leaned over to kiss his cheek, and whispered, "What do you think?"

"I'll take that as a yes," Noah stammered, bright red from the intimacy. He wasn't used to this at all!

"It's about time!" Kaleb yelled from the other side of the door.

How long had he been eavesdropping?! They exchanged a glance, blushing heavily, before bursting into laughter. No matter what, they were still best friends who knew how to laugh together.

(The final paragraph about stolen content has been removed as it is not part of the text cleanup request.)