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“Are you defending him?”
“Yes.”
“You don’t even remember him! He is nothing, Ava. He has no money, his father was a joke, his brother—”
“It would be best if you leave.”
His face flushed. “Are you going to date him?”
Ava stood. “I don’t know. At this moment, I would say no.”
Patrick was visibly relieved, but all Ava could feel was disgust. He asked her nothing about her memories, or even when she and Devlin had been together. Patrick only cared that she wouldn’t date Devlin.
“Goodbye, Patrick.” She started walking away.
“Ava. Wait.”
She halted, and slowly turned around.
He strolled to her, cupping her cheeks. “I will give you some time. A few weeks, and then we should talk again. I—”
“No,” she rebutted softly, pulling from his embrace.
His eyes narrowe
d at her refusal. “Your parents and mine—”
“I don’t give a damn what either of our parents want. You don’t love me, and I don’t love you. There is nothing more to discuss. Whatever we had . . . it’s over.”
He lowered his hand from her cheeks. “I thought we were friends,” he said through stiff lips.
“I thought so, but here you are pushing for something between us when you know you have no interest in me that way, and I have none for you either. Why? Because it is what our parents want? What about what we want?” She poked his chest. “What about what you want?”
He thrust his fingers into his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “You’re the prettiest girl in town,” he murmured with one of his most charming smiles. “And the most interesting.”
Ava snorted and he smiled, but she could see the strain behind it.
“Will you walk with me at the founder’s day barbeque?”
Barbecue? “Oh. I’d forgot.”
“You forgot the town annual founders’ day barbecue and picnic? It is only a fortnight away. That must have been some night with the Calhoun boy,” Patrick sniped.
Without answering she walked away with rapid strides, and ran up the stairs to her room.
Chapter Eight
The weather had been unseasonably cold that year and the late snowfall had lingered. On the Saturday of founder’s day, the weather had changed completely, the snow had vanished and there was glorious sunshine. Benton’s ten acre park was one of the town’s pride and joys. Well preserved and normally it would be bursting with flowers, but the flowers had made a burst to catch up and although not blooming in their usual numbers were definitely trying their best. The park’s rolling lawns had been freshly mowed and had dried with a fortnight of decent weather. The park was the location where almost all of the town’s celebrations were held, from Memorial Day, St. Paddy, and even Christmas celebrations. Today the sun blazed bright and wonderful in the sky, laughter filled the park grounds as the townsfolks came out in their finery for the yearly founders’ day barbecue. There had been talks of hosting the honourable event at the Town Hall if the snow had not melted, but spring had arrived in time, and the town had signed a collective breath of relief, although they could crowd into the huge marquee if the weather should prove capricious.
Smells of chicken, beef, and pork roasting on the pits floated on the air and Ava mouth watered. Already burgers and hot dogs were being distributed to a queue of towns’ people who all seemed to be having a thoroughly good time. Within the marquee would be cakes, pies and salads set out on the trestle tables. Pots of chilli were bubbling in the background to be served after the fireworks. Children ran and shrieked playing tag or throwing balls and frisbees between them. There would be fireworks as soon as it was properly dark. But for now good old country songs blasted from a speaker by the main tent, and a boarded floor had been set up where couples were square dancing. Ava hummed, trying to find joy in the occasion. Inside her heart was heavy and she ached for Devlin. It had been a fortnight since she had left the ranch, and every time she took out her phone to call him she had experienced an attack of nerves. She had been trying to sort out her thoughts and piecing together the memories which had been trickling back into her consciousness.
Silly.
“Hey, girl.”
With a grin she turned and spied Willow walking toward her. Willow had been her best friend from middle grade, despite her parents’ objection. Ava would have thought after almost sixteen years of friendship, her mother would have stopped turning up her nose at Willow’s appearance. She was not wild as Ava mother like to imply. Though she had tattoos, Willow was tame as she liked to say, and had a non-existent love life. She worked at a centre with a program to help newly released inmates rehabilitate into society. Ava thought her friend was far too caring to be so comfortable around some of the most dangerous men to pass through Pennsylvania, but Willow was passionate about her charity work, certain in her belief that no matter how dangerous the state said they were, they deserved a chance to earn a living as much as anyone else. She tutored ex-cons, helping them fill out job applications and advising them on how to behave at job interviews.
“Hey Willow, is that a new tat?”
