He’s not letting it go. “Yes…There was a girl named Ava at the charity event.”
“Either my memory is slipping, or is this the same Ava from a couple of months ago?” He scratches his chin, squinting his eyes at me, waiting for me to break. I’m not saying another word; he’s waiting for me to answer him.
I exaggerate my hum like I’m deep in thought. “Yes, Dad, one and the same. After bowling, I took her to play laser tag, lunch atOn the Waterfront, and then a boat ride back to my house.” I clear the lump in my throat. “She’s someone special.”
Admitting that out loud is hard for me, but my dad is always supportive. When things went to hell with Katrina, he encouraged me tolisten to my heart, no matter what. I tell you that’s the last time I did that, until now. It devastated me; that whole situation was devastating. I’m trying not to compare Katrina to Ava…
“I haven’t heard you talk about any girls except Ava. She must be someone very special to have you falling all over yourself…” His eyebrows reach his hairline, and he moves to the edge of his seat. I’m half expecting him to clap his hands.
“I’m in deep.” I shift in my seat, struggling with the possibility that one day she might up and decide this isn't for her. “She’s staying in Saxville, buying the coffeehouse, but hasn’t decided on selling her book and coffee van. So it’s hard not to think about the what-ifs. Like what if she changes her mind?”
“You like her…a lot, huh?” he says sternly, like it’s a fact.
My hands slide down my face, and I say, “Yeah, I like her. Maybe even in love with her.”
“Oh, okay, now we’re getting somewhere.” He stands up. “So why are you here and not with her?”
I groan. “She’s busy helping her sister with the baby’s room. The co-ed baby shower I went to last weekend, that’s her sister.”
“Ah.” He scratches his chin, then his neck.
My phone chimes with a text message. I take my phone out of my pocket, and when I see her name on my screen, there’s no holding back the smile that spreads across my face. The warm feeling in my chest, and my heart rate skyrockets.
Ava:
100% serious. Will you be there tomorrow morning? I could swing by. Then, if there are any other items you need, I can run out and get them.
“Is that her? I don’t even know why I’m asking. I already know the answer.” He stands up and walks to the kitchen.
“Dad, where are you off to?” I jump to my feet.
He gestures to the door. “You should get out of here. Busy day tomorrow.”
“Okay, I love you. We’ll catch up again.” I take a few steps toward him, and we hug. He slaps me a few times on my back. It’s a comforting hug.
With one last thought, he says, “Love shows up when we least expect it.”
THIRTY-FIVE
Ava
Iwalk on the sidewalk to Kai’s office. Thinking back to the text he sent, my heart melts, and it’s like I want him to consume all of me.
The more time I spend with him, the more I realize the string tethered to my heart is something deeper. I’m putty in his hands; no matter what he does, it’s like I can’t hold back. I can’t control myself around him. Thinking about him makes my heart flutter.
His office door came up quickly while I was in my head the whole time. I step into Kai’s office, look around, and decide he has no design sense. I giggle into my hand while shaking my head slightly.
“Kai, you here?” I raise my voice enough for him to hear me.
“In the back room.” I follow his voice to the back room, where there’s a handful of boxes. Stepping closer to the boxes, they are filled with decor. As I dig through the boxes, I say, “Oh, you at least have good taste.”
With two strides, he has me in his arms and my feet off the floor. “This is where you belong.”
“Don’t I know it.” Gazing into his eyes, all fire. “I wish there were more time in the day. But I’m here now.”
He dives into my lips, like he hasn’t kissed me in months, when it’s only been a couple of days. I feel the same way. His lips land on mine, and our tongues dance. He’s everything I didn’t know I needed in my life.
When we can finally pull away from each other, I gaze up at him. He’s staring with a smirk, tugging at his lips. “Well, thanks for coming down.”
