“Does Ava know where she’s going?” I said, rolling back my shoulders.
Max nodded. “It’s a friend of hers. Can you give her a lift?”
“Yeah, that’s fine. I’m ready now.” I stood up and saw Max watching me, his expression knowing. If he asked me outright I wouldn’t lie.
“Thank you. Tell Ava thanks too.”
I gave him a quick nod and headed back outside with my sports bag. Ava was chatting to one of the players from the other team and he was obviously trying to flirt with her. I felt a wave of something, anger, annoyance, but curbed the feeling because she’d made it clear that we were nothing more than stolen nights and quiet mornings.
“Ava,” I said, interrupting. “Max has asked if we can pick up the dessert. Cheesecakes?”
She turned towards me and grinned, her hair a mass of wild curls that had been tossed around by the breeze. “Sure,” she said. “It’s not far from yours actually.” She looked at the other man. “It’s been nice to see you again. Let me know if your wife’s interested – she can check me out online.”
The ball of annoyance evaporated and I found myself grinning.
Ava looked at me and shook her head. “Let’s head off then, mister,” she said, her small hand touching my arm. “You played well.”
“Thanks,” I said. “You must’ve been my lucky charm.”
“You sound like my mother,” Ava said. “After several whiskies.”
Ava’s mother was New York Irish and when she’d had a few to drink, the Irish brogue from her mother appeared. I’d worked with Marie Callaghan and Grant, Ava’s father, up until they’d both retired. Grant had been a mentor of sorts, running a few files in the department where I was employed as head. He was one of the big names in commercial litigation, having amassed a stellar reputation over the years and I’d taken the opportunity to learn as much as I could from him. Marie was a family law expert and had recently spent more time in the office running cases when Claire had taken time away. “Your mother is a lot of fun after several whiskies,” I said as we headed to my car.
Ava rolled her eyes. “My mother is a menace. Which you know.”
“Your mother’s a good lady.”
Ava nodded. “Most girls fall out with their mum and they row. I never did. Payton didn’t much either, to be honest, but I can’t remember a time when we argued.”
“What about your dad?” I imagined what Ava would’ve been like as a little girl: pretty as a button with her huge eyes and long blonde hair. There would be no chance of her not being able to get away with murder.
“He was my hero. By the time they had me, he’d gotten used to having kids around. I know he was pretty useless when the four big ‘uns were little.”
She got into my car and gave me the smile that made everywhere brighter.
“I should’ve turned out spoiled. I had four older siblings who doted on me. I think Claire thought I was a doll for a year or so.”
“So why didn’t you end up spoiled?” I started the engine, hearing the purr. I liked cars. For the majority of the time, I was careful with money. I had a good salary and had made sensible investments over the years, but cars were my weak spot. One of the reasons I needed to move was that I needed a drive and preferably a garage. Maybe a double one.
“Because I was made to think. And no one was ever afraid to use the word ‘no’ with me. Yeah, they thought I was cute and all that, but if I tried to put a foot out of line, I had at least four of them on my case,” she said, her smile turning wry. “I wouldn’t swap it though. I like being part of a big family. I like how it’s getting bigger too.”
“Eliza?” I said. Eliza had turned all of the Callaghans inside out, not just her mother. Max and Jackson looked a bit older in some ways, now there was another generation to provide for and all it took was Claire bringing Eliza to the office to turn them into clucking hens.
“Her and Vic and Vanessa too. And Killian, but he’s always been around. How are your sisters?”
The conversation landed on my family as we drove to the address in Greenwich to pick up the cheesecakes Max’s girlfriend had ordered. I told her about my nieces and nephew and my three sisters and their partners and their quest to match-make me with one of their friends.
“You’re not going to let them, are you?” she said. “I can’t imagine that ever being successful.”
I shook my head. “I’d rather find my own dates. I think they’re trying to live vicariously through me. Their dating days are over so I’m the next best thing to experiment with.” I groaned, remembering. “I have another meal with my sisters this week. If you’re free Wednesday night….”
“I am. You need someone to introduce them to so they know you’re not fretting in a corner over Andrea?”
I was surprised she’d offered. Having someone there wasn’t necessary as my sisters would talk about other things, but they’d also feel better knowing I was seeing someone, kind of. “I’m not sure a fake girlfriend is any better than a blind date,” I said, opening a door for her to get out of it.
“I’m not saying we lie. Tell them the truth.”
“That I can make you come ten times in four hours? I’m not sure how they’ll receive that information, Ava.”
