“Lead on.” Zach held out a hand, and she gave a mock curtsy before heading toward the paved path a few steps away. The path traveled away from them and around the park.
“I love the small-town vibe here. It makes me feel safe.” Ava pulled the strap of her bag up and over her head so it would stop slapping her with every step.
“Yeah, maybe. Safe in some ways, I guess.”
“What do you mean?”
“I just have a hard time trusting people.” Zach lifted a shoulder and let it drop.
“Why is that?”
Zach let out a long breath. “Probably because they will always betray you.”
Her heart dropped. “Always? That’s a little harsh.”
“I’ve found it to be true in my life,” Zach said.
“Maybe you’re always pushing them away. Maybe you’re misunderstanding them.” She didn’t trust easily either, but she couldn’t just let his all-or-nothing statement stand.
“Oh, like the time in tenth grade when my friend persuaded me to tell him who I liked and then he spread that secret around the school? My classmates teased me for the rest of the year because the girl was way out of my league. Turns out he had done it to get back at me for something I didn’t even do.” Zach shoved his hands in his pockets. “Talk about betrayal.”
“Zach.” Ava paused on the trail. An old maple arched over them, the last rays of dappled sunshine painting the path. She waited until he met her eyes. “I hate to break it to you, but tenth grade was like two decades ago. I think it’s time to move on.” She raised an eyebrow.
He broke into a smile. “Fair point. I mostly mentioned it to show you that no one can be trusted. Up until that day, I’d thought that guy was my best friend. He showed me differently.”
“Kids can be cruel.” That old saying proved itself true daily.
“If only it were just kids. My ex-fiancée confirmed my hypothesis.”
He had an ex-fiancée? They were back at the beginning of the walking loop, but Zach showed no signs of slowing down, so Ava kept pace as they began a second loop.
“Care to share?” The sun was hanging low on the horizon. From this point they could look out over Lake Huron. Silverywaves capped the surface of the lake, the wind offshore churning up dark, rough waves.
“Not much to tell.” Zach stared straight ahead. “I caught her with my friend a few weeks before we were supposed to get married. I guess she wasn’t interested in being with someone who was still finding his way.”
“I’m sorry, Zach.” No wonder it was so hard for him to develop relationships. His guard would have to be up all the time. “It was totally her loss. She threw away an amazing person.”
“Really?” He looked at her out of the corner of his eye, one side of his mouth quirked up. “Ava Harper, what are you saying? Do you tolerate me?”
She felt the heat rise in her cheeks. He was being vulnerable. Maybe she should meet him with some vulnerability of her own. She swallowed.
“Actually, Zach Sullivan, I—I think I like you.” Shelikedhim? How embarrassing. What was she? Fifteen? The flush spread down her neck and arms. She quickened her pace and heard him scrambling to catch up with her.
“Ava, wait.”
“I think this walk was a mistake.”
He reached out and snagged her hand. “Just hold up a minute.”
She stopped and faced him, cheeks burning. “I never should have said anything. You must think I’m ridiculous.”
“I like you too.”
Her heart stopped for a beat before leaping to life again. A smile spread across her face, matching the one on his. They stood and grinned at each other for a few heartbeats before Zach squeezed her hand.
“I guess we’re both ridiculous.” His low voice did funny things to her insides.
The ache in her feet no longer mattered. Not when she was walking on clouds.
