“And just as quickly as it began, it ended. A few days later, I started to bleed. If I’d never taken the test, I probably wouldn’t have even known. It was like an unusually heavy period. I was filled with relief, but Owen was devastated. He was ready to start our lives together, making plans for a family that would never exist while I was quietly happy to not upend my life so suddenly. In the end, it created a divide between us that we couldn’t fix. That's when Owen told me not to bother coming back. And I never did.”
She pulled her gaze away from Avery’s sleeping form to meet Summer’s. Her face marred with sympathy at the secret Ava revealed.
“I didn’t know,” she said.
Taking a chance, Ava removed her hand holding Avery close and held it out to Summer. Taking the peace offering, Summer grabbed her hand and squeezed.
“I’m sorry for not telling you. I wanted to forget it ever happened, otherwise the regret would consume me. Imagine my surprise when I came back and learned about Avery.” Ava chuckled.
Summer nodded in understanding.
“But now I can’t envision being with Owen without Avery in the picture.”
Summer’s brows raised, tentative hope spreading across her features.
Ava looked down at Avery again, and that familiar pang of grief resurfaced, like every time she thought of her dad and the future he’d miss out on. A future with grandkids and a cabin full of noise and laughter again. And loons. Many, many loons.
Summer squeezed her hand again.
“You’d be a great mom,” Summer said quietly, picking up on Ava’s unspoken words.
Ava’s chest warmed at her friend’s confidence in her.
Matt’s familiar, booming voice echoed from the end of the hallway, disrupting their quiet moment together. Owen and Matt were returning. Ava let go of Summer’s hand and smiled at the two men, but Owen didn’t return it. Matt avoided looking at her, walking straight past and sitting on Summer’s other side.
Owen stopped in front of her, tension rolling off him in waves.
“Can we talk?”
Ava brushed the hair back from Avery’s face and pressed a kiss to the top of his head. Then she motioned for Summer to trade places with her. They gingerly swapped, transferring Avery’s sleeping form to Summer so Ava could stand. She smoothed her dress with shaky hands.
“Sure,” she said.
Without a word, Owen turned on his heel. With a muttered ‘be right back’ to Summer and Matt, Ava followed him down the hall, past the lobby, and into the parking lot. The cooling evening air battled against the rush of heat consuming her body as anxiety gripped her. Owen wasn’t acting like himself and that scared her.
Owen stopped under a streetlight and spun to face her.
“I think you should leave,” he said simply.
Chapter 34
The Repeat
Ava paled before him.
“For now? Or for good?”
A single, silent tear rolled down her face. She didn’t wipe it away.
“For good,” he said.
Owen clenched his fists, digging his nails into the skin of his palms to stop himself from reaching for her. He was doing this for Avery. Hehadto do this.
Her eyes watered, but she held them back, staring defiantly at him. Owen’s heart squeezed painfully in his chest, begging him not to listen to his head.
“Why are you doing this?” she demanded.
Owen braced himself for the fight ahead.
