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Ava stared at the unanswered texts to Summer. Her heart sunk each time her messages were left unread. It'd been days sincetheir fight and Summer had gone radio silent. She wasn't used to this strain between them.
She sighed and shoved the phone in her purse, grabbing a sweater on her way out of the bedroom. She stopped in front of the room Lucas and Noah shared, banging a fist on the closed door.
“Time to go,” she shouted.
A string of unflattering words and stomping feet drifted through the crack under the door. Lucas wrenched the door open to scowl at her. He would look handsome if it weren't for his frown. His fitted, dark blue suit and cream shirt made him look every bit of the buttoned-up investment advisor he was. Except for the missing tie. Instead, he left the top few buttons undone.
“Getting flirty with your undone buttons?” Ava teased him.
Lucas shook out his arms, taking his time to inspect the cufflinks. “I can still back out on this date. Don't push me,” he drawled.
“Come on, loosen up, Lucy. Now let's move. Don't want to be late for your date,” she said.
“I beg to differ,” he muttered.
They walked downstairs, passing Noah lounging on the old plaid couch with a book. He put the book down at the sound of the creaking steps under their feet, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.
“Ready for your date?” Noah asked.
Lucas ignored him and continued to the kitchen.
“He's still annoyed,” Ava said. She slipped on her shoes by the door at the bottom of the steps.
Noah got up and walked in her direction. “He'll get over it. It's for the greater good, after all,” Noah said.
“Are we going or what, Dodo?” Lucas yelled from the kitchen.
Ava and Noah exchanged glances. She rolled her eyes and Noah pressed his lips together to hold in a laugh. If Lucas saw them making fun of him, he'd lose his mind even more than he already was.
Noah followed Ava to the front door. The absence of the loon’s yodel was noticeable.
“Have fun. And don't forget to use condoms tonight,” Noah said.
“Who are you talking to?” Ava asked. She was keeping Owen company while he had Tori’s son sleeping over with Avery. They were on babysitting duty tonight.
Noah looked between them and shrugged. “I don’t know. Both of you, I guess. Be safe, kids.”
At Lucas’ irritated huff, Ava jumped in the car before he left her behind. They drove in silence; the only sound was the crunch of gravel beneath the Subaru’s wheels. She tried not to fidget in her seat as they approached town. She settled for twiddling with the strap of her purse on her lap.
“You’re stressing me out,” Lucas said.
“Sorry,” she muttered. She stilled her hands. Then her leg started bouncing up and down.
“What’s going on with you? You’re not the one going on a blind date with some ball-buster woman Owen is scared of.”
“He’s not scared of Tori. He’s unavailable. Romantically.”
“And I’m romantically available?”
“You have to let this go. I’m not letting my boyfriend go on a date with some extorting bitch,” Ava said.
Lucas remained uncharacteristically quiet. Ava took a few calming breaths, startled by her racing heart. Just the thought of Owen on a date with some other woman had her seeing red.
“Boyfriend?” Lucas said.
She turned to look at him. The spicy scent of his cologne filled the car. Despite his reluctance to go on this date, she appreciated the effort he made in his appearance tonight.
