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And that’s exactly how I landed myself in this mess, to begin with.
Sixteen
Austin
Ava removes her heels while recoiling in pain.
She managed to shift the energy between us after my interrogation over the guy at the bar. The moment I saw the way his eyes feasted upon her, I knew they had been more than just friends.
I’m not fucking stupid. I know Ava has a past. I just didn’t expect it to hit me the way it did when I saw this jerk with her. The burning sensation inside my chest made it difficult to think straight, especially when his gaze lingered too long.
When Ava confirmed they weren’t anything, it only mildly calmed my jealousy. The truth is—there will be other men.
Something I’d been grappling with of late. Ava is carrying my baby, and selfishly—no one else can touch her.
Not if I have any say in it.
These vicious thoughts came and went, which is why I’ve distanced myself of late and kept myself busy with work.
Until tonight, seeing her for the first time in weeks since the news broke to the public of her pregnancy and after her outburst at my apartment over my social life.
Her outburst caught me off guard, but Ava apologized and admitted she was stressed out, taking out her frustration on me. I didn’t blame her, so I let it go.
But tonight, my eyes fell upon her at the restaurant, which only solidified my thoughts. I did my best to keep things platonic, especially in front of Lex and Charlie.
We both sit on her sofa while Ava raises Millie again and the past, making it clear we both have our struggles. There is no easy answer to any of this. The situation is far from ideal, no matter how you spin it.
“I can’t do this walking thing anymore.” Ava switches the topic, which I’m grateful for. The last thing I want to discuss is Millie again.
I let out a soft chuckle. “How about you don’t wear heels. Besides, you’re starting to grow bigger, so it’s not as safe to do so.”
“The joys of having a baby with a doctor.” She cringes as she rubs her feet. “Next, you’ll tell me I can’t eat cheese.”
“Avoid soft-vein blue cheeses,” I lecture her, then motion for her to shuffle. “Give me your feet.”
With a joyous smile on her face, she places them on my lap while I massage them, kneading where she claims it aches.
“Oh, God,” she half-moans, closing her eyes. “That feels so good.”
“A trade-off. I’ll massage, you give birth. Deal?”
Ava opens her eyes with a grin lighting up her face, then smacks my chest with a cushion. “That’s not fair. It’s not like I have a choice. Have you ever seen a woman give birth?”
I nod. “Several times.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“How bad was it?”
“It’s beautiful,” I tell her, rubbing her ankle. “It’s almost like the moment a baby is in a mother’s arms, all the pain goes away, and nothing else in the world matters.”
Ava throws her head back, letting out a huff. “You make it sound so easy. This pregnancy is killing me.”
I glance at her as my pulse picks up. “You never mentioned experiencing pains? Have you had an OBGYN look at you?”
Ava purses her lips, glancing at the wall in a notably avoidable stare. “Um, no, it’s something else.”
