“Let’s not have another six years pass by without some sort of contact,” she murmurs in my ear before placing a kiss on my cheek.
A smirk curves on my lips when I see the furious glare Marvin is directing at me. His penetrating gaze is shooting daggers of fire. His blatant jealousy ensures my friendly cuddle with Ava lasts a little longer than would be classed as acceptable. My smirk turns into a full-toothed smile when his face reddens over my playful jibe.
He should be worried,mynickname in high school was…
“Why are there two cabs?” Jorgie asks, interrupting me from my private thoughts.
Her baffled eyes flick between Marvin and Ava.
“Ava lives by Hamilton. I live in an apartment building on Pinter,” Marvin explains.
“Yeah, so,” Jorgie replies, her tone full of bitchiness. “That’s still within a few miles of each other.”
"Marvin doesn't see the sense in sharing a taxi fare if you aren't going to the same location," Ava answers while slipping out of my embrace.
Her tone is pleasant, but her eyes expose her real opinion on Marvin's logic. She thinks he is just as stingy as the rest of us.
“Then why do you need to leave?” Jorgie queries, glancing at Ava. “Marvin is the one who has to work. You obviously aren’t going home together, so why can’t you stay and hang out with us?”
She wraps her arm around the crook of my elbow, enticing Ava to join the fun crowd. It’s like we are in high school all over again. Jorgie’s squeeze on my arm tightens the longer Ava contemplates her request.
A quiet squeal of excitement omits from Jorgie’s lips when Ava shifts her gaze to Marvin and says, “You wouldn’t mind if I hang out with Jorgie a little longer, would you?”
My jaw ticks over the fact Ava is required to seek permission to stay at her friend’s house. The tick ramps up to a full spasm when Marvin crosses his arms in front of his chest and glares at her.
“I’ve already requested the taxi. If you refuse their service, they may not come back and collect you later this evening,” he states, his voice lower and more condescending than earlier.
“Oh,” Ava mumbles.
“I’ll drive you home, Ava,” I offer, not giving Marvin the opportunity to guilt-trip her into going home early when she clearly wants to stay.
Marvin’s eyes slit even more from my suggestion. From the stern glare he is directing at me, anyone would swear I was bending down on my knee and proposing to Ava instead of offering her a lift home.
“I don’t think that would be wise,” Marvin snarls.
“Why not?” Jorgie interrupts.
It's times like this I love that Jorgie has no filter.
“Because Hugo has been drinking,” Marvin responds, his stern tone making him sound older than his twenty-five years.
I shake my head. “I’ve only had two beers. One when Ava first arrived.”
Ava’s widened eyes lower to her hand clasping her small black bag. A broad grin stretches across my face.Obviously, my naked display is still in the forefront of her mind, hours after the incident.
“And the second beer I had was during dinner. So I’m perfectly capable of driving Ava home – if she wants me to,” I continue, shifting my gaze to Ava.
Ava was bullied her entire childhood, but it wasn't by who you're thinking. Yes, kids in the schoolyard can be cruel, but Ava wasn't subjected to bullying from them. It was by the man whose idea of a perfect child was one who was seen but never heard. Ava never rebelled during her teenage years, because she was scared of the extreme reprimand she would have faced if she dared to step out of line. Ava's father isn't just strict; he is a verbally abusive tyrant of a man who doesn't deserve the right to claim Ava as his daughter. By the time my parents found out about Ava's family predicament, she was already in her first week of college, so it was too late for them to get her out of his clutches.
Ava’s father is the sole reason she shouldn’t be with a man who’s going to give her ultimatums and rules to live by. If she wanted that type of lifestyle, she would have stayed living under her father’s roof.
“What do you want to do, Ava?” I ask, keeping my tone low even though I’m close to ripping Marvin’s head off from the furious scowl he is directing at Ava.
Jorgie’s breathing ceases as Ava’s eyes drift between the three of us. I can hear her silent prayers, hoping Ava will throw a little rebellion into the night. Marvin’s eyes slit even more, and I remain quiet. Ava doesn’t need any more people influencing her decisions.
“You have work--”
“On Monday,” Jorgie interrupts, staring at Marvin with the same amount of intensity he is glaring at Ava.
