AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She seems to take that news quite well, not scoffing or snorting her disgust. “Why am I so different?” she asks quietly, again distracting herself from looking at me. Breakfast is on the table. I missed that too.
“I don’t know, Ava.” I collect my cutlery and poke at my plate. My appetite is gone.
“You don’t know much, do you?”
Oh, baby, I know too much. And I want to protect you from it all.
“I know that I’ve never wanted to fuck a woman more than once,” I say quietly, my mouth speaking words I didn’t tell it to. “You, though, I really do.” Peeking up, I find Ava not just looking horrified, but hurt too. “That came out wrong.” I drop my fork, giving up on breakfast. This isn’t going well at all. “What I’m trying to say is that...”I love you.“Well...”And for some fucking reason, I can’t find those words.“I’ve never cared about a woman enough to want more than sex. Not until I met you.” My attempts to massage away my thumping headache are futile. “I can’t explain it, but you felt it,” I say, searching her eyes. “Didn’t you? When we met, you felt it.” I wasn’t alone in that crazy. I’m still not, and I need her to tell me, at least only to prove I’m not going in-fucking-sane.
“Yes,” she breathes, and I feel my shoulders lighten. “I felt it.” Her smile is knowing, and I match it. That’s it. No more. Let’s end it on that high for now.
“Eat your breakfast,” I order gently, and she begins to pick her way through her plate, quiet and thoughtful. I won’t ask what those thoughts are, but I hope she’s concluding what’s true amid the unknown lies shrouding me. She’s special. “We need to buy you a dress for The Manor’s anniversary party.”
She looks up at me, pulled from her daydreams. “I have plenty of dresses,” she says tiredly, going back to her bagel.
I expect she does, but I’d like to buy her a new one. Something special. Like her. “You need a new one,” I declare, and her shoulders drop. She’s exasperated? “Anyway, I owe you one.”
“Do I get to choose?” she asks, looking at me with a fixed glare as I move a piece of hair from her mouth.
“Of course. I’m not a complete control freak,” I say in jest, because I know she thinks I am.
Her body jerks. “Jesse, you’re really very special.”
“Not as special as you.” I smile cheekily, and she shakes her head. “Are you ready to hit Camden, baby?”
She goes to her bag, and I watch in disgust as she places some money on the table.What is this?I’m insulted. I stand and replace it with some cash, snatching her bag and stuffing her money inside. She’s taking this whole independence thing too far now. Way too far. What has—
I’m distracted from my grievance when her mobile rings,“Mum”flashing up on the screen, and I grab it and answer. Don’t ask me what the hell I’m playing at; I couldn’t tell you. And Ava’s jaw hitting the table is a clear sign she’s wondering the same thing.
“Hello,” her mum says, and I smile, thinking she sounds so similar to Ava. And, actually, quite young.
“Mrs. O’Shea?”
Ava’s recovering jaw plummets again, and she swipes at me, trying to win her phone back.
“Oh, who’s this?” her mother asks, as I dive out of Ava’s reach.
“I have the pleasure of being with your beautiful daughter.” I suddenly comprehend the reason why my instinct had me hijacking this call. Win her mother over. It’s common knowledge that if a man can win a mother’s approval, he’s halfway to a happy ever after.
“How lovely. I’m Ava’s mother.”
“Yes, Ava has told me lots about you.” I smile wickedly at my girl as she practically chases me around the small table. “I’ll look forward to meeting you.” I raise my brows, and Ava recoils. It doesn’t sit well, and the reason stings like a bitch. My unknown age. She’s worried her parents won’t approve.
“You too,” she says, sounding hesitant. “Is she there?”
“Yes,” I murmur, my mood dipping. “I’ll put her on. It was lovely to talk to you.”
I pass Ava her mobile and throw her a warning look when she snatches it.Sounnecessary. I was only trying to break the fucking ice. Isn’t that the right thing to do? Introduce oneself to your girlfriend’s mother? Not that I’ve ever had to do that before.
“Mum?” She turns away from me, and I pout, watching as she hunches over, like making herself small will lessen the chances of me hearing.
“He’s just a friend, Mum,” she says. It’s my jaw’s turn to scrape the ground. I’m raging, could quite easily claim that phone back and put Ava’s mother right, but, instead, I plunge an imaginary knife through my heart. Ava rolls her eyes, then I see her visibly solidify, swinging away from me. What was that?
“Mum, can I call you back?” she asks, and my suspicions increase. “I’m in Camden; it’s loud.” She’s being shifty. “Okay, I’ll call you later.” She hangs up and takes a few moments before facing me.
Her face is tight with anger. “Why did you do that?”
Keep your cool, Jesse.It’s tough when I’m constantly trying to advance our relationship and she’s constantly putting the brakes on it. “He’s just a friend?” I say, not prepared to let that slide. “Do you often let friends fuck your brains out?”
