Page 151 of Where Roads Lead

“Yeah, then you could take more days off for yourself.” Elsie beamed, thinking Ava would view it the way any other normal person would.

Like a relief.

But I knew Ava, and I already saw the walls sliding back up into place within seconds, as if she were under attack.

“We’re closed on Mondays,” she told Elsie, a small frown forming at the corners of her lips.

“I mean, an extra day off.” Elsie laughed.

“If the café is open, I don’t see any reason I shouldn’t be here.”

“So you could have some time to do something you enjoy,” Elsie chirped, and I watched as she tried to make sense of Ava’s stubbornness over taking time off.

“What I enjoy is making sure everything is running smoothly here,” Ava said, clipped and final. “But thank you anyway.”

“Oh.” Elsie nodded, quickly picking up on the fact that Ava wasn’t about to bestow her with gratitude for offering to pick up some of the slack. “Okay. Well, that’s good then, because you do a good job of that.”

“Thanks,” Ava said, abruptly putting an end to any opportunity for further discourse.

Elsie slipped her hands into her back pockets, leaning back on her heels as she watched Ava with meticulous precision.

“Sorry,” Elsie said, turning sideways in an attempt to make herself as out of the way as possible. Ava slid past as if she weren’t even there.

I shot a glare in Ava’s direction, which she pointedly avoided, before she headed to the back to finish things there.

As soon as Ava left, blonde ponytail swishing in her wake, Elsie slumped in defeat.

“Hey, you okay?” I asked, and before even bothering to check if anyone was watching, I was taking a step closer, reaching out for her hand to tug her closer in a way I never would’ve dreamed of doing in public before I met her.

But I found things like my aversion to PDA or what I thought had been a hatred of physical touch didn’t match my need to console her. Some part of me wondered if it even applied to her at all. I certainly didn’t mind the way she sunk into my chest, even though there were a handful of customers watching us curiously.

Hell, it was only Colbridge. Nothing about this place had ever been reliant on formalities. It was like one big family reunion from hell that never seemed to end.

They could handle seeing me comfort my girlfriend in my damn café.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, leaning down to peek at her face.

“She hates me,” she groaned into my chest.

“She doesn’t,” I tried to console. “It’s more about me than it is about you.”

“Right.” Elsie nodded. “And whatever secret history exists between the two of you.” Then, upon hearing her words, she winced. “Sorry. I didn’t mean that. It’s none of my business.”

But it was. It affected her. She was part of my life now. I owed her an explanation.

“Elsie—”

“Hey,” she said, suddenly pulling free from my arms. “I’ve got some stuff to do at home, so I’m gonna get out of your guys’ way.”

“You’re not in the way,” I said adamantly.

Still, she moved to grab her bag, heading toward the door. “I’ll see you later, okay?”

“Elsie.” I reached for her wrist. “You’re not in the way.”

“It’s just an expression, Will.” She brushed it off. “I have to go check on Creamsicle, get some writing done…”

She was making excuses. We’d been at her house that morning feeding the damn cat. He seemed more irritated than anything, honestly, every time we intruded upon his solitude.