“How was the date?”
“None of your business.”
“That well, huh?”
Lucas shot her a look. “I don’t want to discuss it.”
Ava eyed him more critically, her attention caught by the large purple hickey and smudged red lipstick on the side of his neck. He was definitely holding out on the details, and from what she could see, that might be for the best.
Chapter 29
The Ticking Clock
At the front of the café, members of the Historical Society gathered around the large wooden table and benches in the window. Tori stood at the head of the table in a position of power, a stack of papers clutched between her bright red nails.
Owen would much rather be at the back where Ava and Noah sat working on their laptops at the corner table. Ava was still working on her board presentation, which made Owen equal parts proud and anxious the closer August loomed. He didn’t know what Noah spent each morning working on, but he suspected it had more to do with taking a break from Lucas.
“We’re ready when you are, Owen,” Tori called out to him.
Owen put a lid on the last coffee he’d prepared for the group and resisted rolling his eyes at her tone. In all fairness, she wasn’t as bad as normal. In fact, she’d hardly flirted with him at all since her date with Lucas. It still didn’t mean heenjoyedworking with her, though.
A zing of awareness rippled over Owen’s neck. He turned toward the source, catching Ava’s glance across the café. She gave him a smile and rolled her eyes playfully, tipping her head toward Tori. Owen smiled back and sent her a wink, already feeling better about spending the next hour around Tori and the rest of the Historical Society. He gathered up all the coffees and brought them up front then distributed them to everyone before sitting in the only seat available between Tori and Mrs. Byrd.
The older woman patted his hand and thanked him. She was a retired middle school history teacher Owen had known since sixth grade. Most of the Cedar Falls Historical Society members were former teachers, except for Tori, who had nothing better to do than be in everyone’s business.
“Thank you for finally joining us, Owen. Let’s get started.”
Tori handed out the stack of papers to everyone and resumed her spot at the head of the table. Owen looked down at the flier advertising the annual Cedar Falls Historical Society gala next weekend.
In August.
Owen pushed away the rising anxiety about how his time with Ava was slipping away.
“We still have two tables available that need to be filled. Terrence–I need you to take point on outreach to get those tickets sold.” At the man’s nod, Tori continued. “On the back of your fliers, I printed the tentative schedule for the evening’s events. Owen–you’ll be the presenting speaker, so I need your speech and slides this week documenting the renovation of the Agatha Building with the Historical Society grant. I need you to impress our attendees so they see the impact of our efforts in the community, and they’ll open their wallets. Can you do that?”
“I’ll do my best,” Owen said.
Tori narrowed her eyes at him. “See that you do.”
Owen gave her a nod, hoping to appease her, so she’d move on.
The meeting went for far longer than it should have as they went through each item on Tori’s agenda. By the time they finished almost two hours later, Owen’s head hurt and his coffee had long worn off. He made small talk with everyone as they lingered to chat, clearing the table as he went. When it was socially acceptable to excuse himself, Owen slipped away and approached the back table where Ava sat.
Noah was now gone, leaving Ava alone.
Perfect.
“You busy?” Owen asked her.
Ava finished typing and lowered the laptop screen to give him her attention. “Never too busy for you.”
That was just the answer he wanted. “Come with me.”
Owen grabbed her bag that hung off the chair and waited for her to close the laptop. He grabbed that too, then took her hand and pulled her along with him to the back of the café and into his office.
“Close the door,” he instructed Ava, since his hands were full.
“Yes, Daddy,” Ava teased.
