“Ava!” I scold.
She gives me a pointed look. “Mom, you always say I should be clear with my words, and if Mr. Al is Santa Claus, I don’t want him confused about what I want.”
With one final laugh and a shake of his head, Al leaves.
“I’m going to go pack,” Ava announces and skips off to her room. As if she wasn’t just asking our friend if he was Santa Claus.
Carly looks back toward her. “This…is going to be interesting.”
I tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “It’ll be great. I promise.”
She looks up at me and smiles. “We’re going on vacation,” she says as everything that just occurred starts to sink into her brain. Our gazes lock, and I watch as she licks her lower lip.
“That we are,” I say, and then, as if a trance has been broken, she shakes her head a little.
“Oh, shit. I need to go. OK, uh, I just need my purse,” she says, spinning in a circle. She finds it and pulls the strap onto her shoulder. “I’ll see you this afternoon.”
“We’ll be here. Have a good day,” I call out as she leaves. She yells goodbye to Ava as she closes the door. I walk to the window and watch her emerge from the building and walk down the street, the wind blowing her hair slightly. Why the hell does she have to be so gorgeous?
“Unca Bray! Mr. Pickles is stuck in my suitcase!” Ava screams from her room, and just like that, I’m pulled back to reality, the one where I can’t have the most beautiful woman I know, but I can take care of her and her daughter. I guess that’ll have to do.
CHAPTER FIVE
Carly
I can hear Ava explaining to her stuffed animals why some of them can’t come to Italy. We still have two whole weeks before we leave, and she’s already been packed for days.
“Aves, I’m going to shower. I’ll be out in a few minutes,” I call out as I head into my bedroom. I never lock the door because, one, it’s only me and my daughter, and two, if she needs something, she can come get me.
“OK,” she replies and immediately goes back to playing with her stuffed animals. I do feel bad that I never gave her a sibling, but at least she’s good at playing by herself.
I did want more kids. I always imagined myself with two or three kids, but then again, I imagined a totally different life than the one I have. I sure didn’t think I’d be solo parenting.
At least between teaching and my summer tutoring job, I can give us a somewhat comfortable life. Although I’m grateful to have the money from that ring. I wish I could have found its owner, but I guess being able to take my daughter on a trip abroad is even better. Kasen helped us get an expedited passport for Ava yesterday. And now, I just need to pack, but I’ll have time next week to do that.
I strip down and get into the shower. It’s the one time of day that I truly relax for a few minutes. I let the steaming hot water run over me as I wash my hair. I decide today will be an everything-shower day.
After shaving, putting on a face mask, and then using way too much lotion afterward, I hang my towel up to dry and walk into my bedroom in search of my favorite underwear. It’s Saturday, which means I’m off and can actually spend time with Ava.
Just as I turn toward my door, it swings open.
“Carly?” Bray’s voice calls out as his eyes focus on my naked body.
Neither of us moves for several seconds. Bray’s eyes eventually make their way up to mine. I swallow nervously and grab my blanket off the bed, pulling it up to cover myself.
“Oh…I…shit, sorry,” he mumbles and quickly shuts the door.
I stand there, naked behind my blanket for a good ten seconds. Did my best friend just ogle me? No. He was just surprised. I’m way overthinking this. I mean he’s practically seen me naked before when I was wearing a two-piece bathing suit.
“It’s OK,” I say as I grab my underwear and some leggings. I quickly dress and find a t-shirt, tossing it on and opening my door.
I hear quiet talking and find Bray in Ava’s room. They are building a fort with pillows from her bed.
“Hey,” I say, my face heating as he looks up at me. I swear his cheeks turn pink, but then he ducks under a pillow.
“Hey, sorry about that. Ava didn’t tell me you were changing,” he says, and I hear Ava giggle.
“Oops,” she manages.
