Ava gives me a wistful grin, then eyes my car. “And as far as my love story goes, I would love to tell you it was love at first sight, but it just wasn’t. Love is messy. We all know that. I didn’t even like Hudson at first. A true enemies-to-lovers story for those of you who read romance novels.”
Emma, the in-resident romance author, puts her chin on her palm, a dreamy glaze in her eyes. “My favorite trope.”
We laugh at this.
“Sure.” Ava flips a lock of her blonde hair over her shoulder. “He was cute, but it took me a while to work out my feelings and give it a chance. I told myself, ‘Hey, there’s something between us, and I’m not sure what it is. It might be nothing, but it might be something.’” She lifts a shoulder. “Turns out it was something.”
“And the rest is history,” Fran croons, wiping her eye, but I doubt there’s moisture there.
Ava slides in next to me and jostles my shoulder. “That little speech was for you.”
“I know. Good job, by the way. Not the pointed content. The delivery.”
Fran’s mother speaks next, followed by several other family members. Each tell Ava how much they love and admire her, adding in their own brand of marriage advice and well wishes.
When brunch ends and everyone drifts away from the patio, Ava elbows me. “Someone hopes to catch you on your way out.”
Leo’s waiting at the gate, leaning against the fence.
“Oh man,” Emma says. “I hope you don’t have some sort of love triangle going on here.Notmy favorite trope. But if you do, know I’m firmly on Team Will.”
I roll my eyes and stand. “I better see what he wants. I’ll catch up to you ladies in a while.”
“Have fun.”
“Right.”
Leo flashes the charming dimpled grin that used to make my knees weak. “Hey, you.”
“Hey.” I grip my fingers together behind my back, suddenly tired. “You didn’t tell me you were coming.”
Dimples deepening, he runs a hand through his tousled blond hair again. “I told you I wanted to see you.”
“Kind of a long drive.”
“Not that long. But that might be because I slept most of the way.” He shrugs. “Can we go somewhere to talk? Maybe take a walk?”
I hesitate but agree to a short loop up the hill.
As we stroll down the sidewalk, sunlight filters through the trees and houses, kids speed by on bikes, and a light breeze tickles my face and arms. “It’s the perfect day for a wedding.”
We engage in mindless small talk until we pass Firefly Park, a tiny green area hosting well-manicured trees. Teenagers lounge in hammocks, and their laughter floats our way. One of them even strums a guitar.
The serene morning mocks my mental turmoil.
I clear my throat. “Leo, what are you doing here? You’ve been calling and texting all weekend. You wanted to see me, and now we’re face-to-face. What is it you want?”
The wind rustles his blond hair, and he shoves his hands in his pockets. “I don’t know. I guess I–I miss you, Morgs.”
I sidestep an abandoned scooter. “You miss me?”
He puts that grin back on his face, his dimples folding into his cheeks. “Well, yeah. I mean, it hasn’t been the same without you this summer.”
My breath catches in my throat. Part of me has missed him too. We’d been so close, once upon a time. But then he shattered my heart. “I don’t know what to do with that right now.”
“You don’t have to do anything with it right now. Just think about it.”
As I struggle with my conflicting feelings and what to say next, my phone chirps. My shoulders relax. “Ava’s asking me to come back to start work on our hair and nails.”
