Chapter Ten
Savannah
My attention wanderedas I sprayed the table with disinfectant and wiped it down. Mechanically, I moved to the next table and repeated the process.
“Earth to Savannah,” Ava called. “Come in, Savannah. This is your captain speaking.”
I looked over at her and shook my head. “You realize that makes no sense, right?”
“Why not?” she asked as she mopped the floor.
“Because the captain would be on the space ship with me, not on Earth.”
Ava laughed as she moved the bucket over and began cleaning another section of the floor. It was rare that she scheduled me to help close during the week, but Wednesdays the Bean closed down at six and we usually went out to dinner. Well, one of us picked up dinner on the way to my house. I rarely went to Ava’s. She was always welcoming while I was there, but I got the impression that she didn’t like people in her space. Also, Satchel loved Ava. Almost as much as she adored Rhys. Clearly, my cat was indiscriminate with her affections. Except with me. Most of the time, she barely tolerated me.
“I’ve been talking to you for the last five minutes,” Ava teased. “Where was your head?”
I shrugged and went back to wiping tables. “Nowhere.”
Ava’s eyes narrowed on me. “Not on your hot new boyfriend?”
The laugh that escaped me was bitter rather than amused. “What boyfriend?”
“Rhys!” she exclaimed. “As I recall, you two were spending a lot of time together a couple of weeks ago.”
I shrugged and finished cleaning the last table. To keep myself busy, I carried the towel and cleaning solution behind the counter and put it away. “We spent two days together. That’s it,” I answered.
“Savannah Lydia Baker, look at me.”
Recognizing that tone of voice as the same one my mother used when she knew I was evading her, I faced Ava.
“What happened?” she asked, propping herself up with the mop.
“He kissed me,” I answered, trying not to think about that kiss. If I’d needed any proof that my attraction to him wasn’t one-sided, that kiss had been it. My head had felt as though it were about to explode. Or maybe that was my underwear. Either way, something on my body had been perilously close to catching fire.
Ava’s eyes rounded. “And that means he’snotyour boyfriend?” she asked.
“It is when he stops and tells you that it was a mistake. Then he finishes it up with how it would bewrong,” I emphasized the word and made air quotes with my fingers, which made Ava roll her eyes. “To be with you. I don’t want to be with a man who thinks it’s wrong to be with me! There’s nothing wrong with me. Much.”
Ava scowled. “There’s nothing wrong with you. Period. End of story.” She paused and seemed to consider something for a moment. “But have you thought about the fact that maybe he thinks it’s wrong because of who he is rather than who you are?”
“Huh?” I had no idea what she was trying to say.
Ava sighed and swiped the mop across the floor one last time before she put it in the wringer in the bucket and rolled it toward the back room. “What I mean is that Rhys strikes me as an old soul who’s experienced a lot of pain. Maybe he thinks that he’s taking advantage of you if he gets involved.”
Since Rhys had said something about being a monster and a parasite before, her words definitely made sense. This was exactly why my interactions with him confused me so badly. With his muted emotions, I couldn’t read Rhys clearly. It was easier if we were touching, but he was still somewhat blocked. After he kissed me at the botanical gardens, my own emotions had been in such a tailspin I’d been unable to read anything of his.
“Maybe,” I replied. “But I’m not going to push it. I might be lonely and I might want someone to love me, but I’m not going to beg him for attention. If he wants me, he knows exactly where to find me.”
“We should do a reading,” Ava stated. “Just to get a sense of what’s going on.”
I shook my head. “Nope. Not gonna do it. I know exactly what’s going on. Rhys is either too afraid to get involved with me or he truly believes he’s not good enough for me. Either way, the only person who can change his mind is himself. I’ll do a lot of things for love, but I won’t do that.”
“Did you just quote a song?” Ava asked.
I frowned at her. “Maybe, but not intentionally.”
“Okay, so no tarot reading,” she agreed. “How about Thai food, ice cream, and wine?”
