“Are you sure? Caleb is here with a few friends. They’re coming to join us any minute,” Summer asked with a hopeful look.
Ava recalled the condom Summer slipped into her purse before they came out tonight.Just in case, Summer had said. There was no scenario where Ava would hook up with a random guy she met at the bar tonight.
An overwhelming need to escape swelled in Ava. The pounding music and shouting voices grated on her nerves. Conflicting scentsof musky aftershave and floral perfume from the surrounding people made Ava’s head fuzzy.
“I’m sure. Won’t be gone long. I’ll catch you in a bit,” Ava assured Summer. She slipped away before Summer could say anything further. Ava pushed her way through the crowd and outside. The swinging door slammed against the frame, muting the thumping base of the music inside. She filled her lungs with fresh mountain air to calm her hammering heart rate.
“You alright there, Ava? Do I need to drag some dirtbag outta there?”
Ava startled at Pete’s voice. A rare occurrence for the Mucky Duck, but when the crowds picked up, Pete sat guard on the lookout for troublemakers. She doubted there was much he could do, given his bad right knee and the fact he was well into his seventies, but she appreciated his concern. Cedar Falls locals were good about protecting their own.
“Everything’s fine. Got a little overwhelmed. I’m going to take a walk to cool down.”
Pete stared at her for a long moment before responding. “All right then, but you let me know if you run into trouble.” He patted the wooden baseball bat propped against the wall beside him and winked at her. “By the way, your brothers get back alright? Noah stopped by earlier to drive Lucas home after he drank half a bottle of our good whiskey. You kids hanging in there?”
Ava frowned, knowing her brother getting drunk in the middle of the afternoon was her fault. It hurt even more that her brothers seemed to be there for each other despite their anger, but neither of them had checked on her. She pushed her guilt into a tiny box, like the many others she used to ignore her emotions.
“I’m sure they’re fine. Haven’t seen either of them this evening. I’ve been spending time with Summer.” She paused as the countless true crime documentaries she’d watched flashed through her mind. “Speaking of Summer, can you keep an eye out for her until I get back? She’s hitting it off with a guy inside, but you can never be too careful. Red hair, wearing a navy pullover.”
Pete nodded, reaching back to grab his bat and hold it across his lap. “You got it.”
She gave him a genuine smile, relieved to know Summer had backup if she needed it.
“Thanks, Pete. I’ll be back soon.”
Ava followed the sidewalk with no destination in mind, only knowing she couldn’t stand to be in the crowded bar for another moment. The weight of the afternoon’s revelations weighed heavily on her mind, even after a couple of drinks. Everything felt like it was her fault.
Dad’s debt. Dad’s will. Lucas’s anger. Noah’s sadness. Alec’s denial.
Lost in self-pity, Ava came to a stop when a light caught her attention.
The Agatha Building.
Her heart sank each time she passed the building and saw the renovations underway. The dream she’d once shared with Owen was officially dead. Her foolish, love-stricken dream. The reason she’d studied at Columbia University and pursued learning from the best five-star hotels in New York. Her eight-year career was all for nothing because she’d walked away from her future with Owen.
Her frustration with herself swelled.
Driven by an irrational need to see who was behind the renovations of the building, Ava crossed the street to peek inside. No longer riddled with the broken windows she and Owen used to climb through, Avawent straight for the front door. The handle gave way under her hand, easily turning to grant her entry to the building.
Someone must be inside.
She didn’t care.
Resolved to find answers, she shoved her way inside. Her eyes grew wide with amazement. Gone was the peeling wallpaper and moldy smell of water damage. In its place were gleaming, restored wood floors. The smell of fresh paint filled the room from the sage green walls. Ava gasped in delight. The renovations were exactly how she would have done them, down to keeping the original crown molding. A shuffling of papers brought her examination of the room to a halt.
At an old desk on the opposite side of the room sat Owen, studiously examining a stack of paperwork. The dark wood had intricate gold designs and knobby legs. His grandfather’s. The one they’d talked about using in the bed-and-breakfast if they were to restore it.A piece of history,they’d said.
Ava stepped closer, casting a partial shadow over the scattered papers. Owen’s head snapped up. She watched him remove his earbuds and set them aside. His eyes pinned her to the spot. She couldn’t move closer if she tried. The calming breaths she’d taken since leaving the bar did nothing to calm the turbulent beating in her chest as Owen pushed himself to stand. He placed both hands on the desk in front of her, leaning toward her.
“Ava.” His voice was gruff, filled with something she couldn’t decipher.
“Owen.” She couldn’t muster another response. Her confusion clouded her good sense.
Is Owen responsible for renovating the Agatha Building?
She swallowed to avoid choking on the tense silence that surrounded them.
Owen hung his head instead of looking at her. “I guess you know now.”
