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“I realized something during my trip.” She turns her attention to me. “Harrison is to thank for that.”
I bark out a laugh. “Me? What the hell are you talking about?”
Her hands tug on the lapels of her blue jacket. My mother is dressed to the nines. She looks like royalty, even though it’s a Tuesday afternoon.
“Yeah, Mom.” Roxy darts to her feet. “What the hell are you talking about?”
My mother shushes her with a finger to her lips. “Donald called me during my trip.”
“Like the Donald who drives me around and buys me all the ice cream I want?” Roxy asks. “That Donald?”
My mother nods. “He loves me.”
“Duh.” Roxy tosses her arms in the air. “Everyone knows he loves you, Mom.”
“The thing is.” She dabs at the corner of her eye even though there isn’t a tear in sight. “I think I might love him too.”
“It’s about damn time,” I mutter.
My mom wags a finger in the air at me. “Donald told me that Harrison encouraged him to share his feelings. So he is to thank for all of this.”
That could become a burden if this thing blossoming between her and Donald goes to hell.
“We’re going on a date tomorrow night,” she announces. “To Nova for dinner and then the symphony after.”
“Can I come?” Roxy asks, her hands folded in a plea. “Please, Mom.”
“Not this time, angel.” My mother kisses her forehead. “This time it’s just for adults.”
“I’ll watch Roxy,” Jos offers. “I’ll cook dinner, and we can get some ice cream too.”
My mother approaches where I’m sitting, motioning for me to stand.
I do.
As soon as she’s in front of me, she pats my cheek. “Donald told me there’s a special someone in your life, Harrison. He didn’t say much other than that she’s a princess. Is there something I should know?”
I should tell her that I’m crazy about Ava Wells, but I can’t. I can’t tell anyone that, not even the woman who owns my heart.
“No,” I answer succinctly. “There’s nothing you need to know.”
“You’ll tell me when there is,” she says assuredly. “I want you happy. I trust you know that.”
I nod. “Donald is a good man. I’m happy that you’re finally giving him a chance.”
She smiles. “Life is short. If there’s a chance there for real love, you have to jump in and test the waters.”
They are words to live by. All I want to do is dive into that water headfirst and tell Ava what I’m feeling, but I don’t have the right to do that, and I never will.
I hear the piano as I approach Ava’s door. I’ve wanted to hear her play for weeks, but the opportunity never arose, and asking for a private concert seemed selfish even for me.
I listen to every note and the masterful way she controls the tempo and cadence. As soon as there is silence, I rap my fist against her door.
She’s not expecting me. I snuck in behind another one of her neighbors. This time it was a guy around my age. He was busy telling off someone on the other end of the call he was on, so I took the opportunity to follow him into the building.
Ava’s door swings open, and immediately, her expression is awash with joy.
I hope to hell that my presence has more to do with that than the two dozen red roses in my hand.
“Harrison,” she whispers. “Are those for me?”
It’s an innocent question. Of course, they are for her. I spent a good fifteen minutes at a floral shop a block over. I debated what to bring her since I have no clue what her favorite flowers are, but these stood out in the display case, so I purchased them, along with the glass vase they are in.
“For you,” I tell her. “Can I come in?”
She opens the door wider, granting me my first full view of her. She’s wearing white pants and a pink top. Her hair is tumbled around her face in soft waves.
“Of course.” She beckons me in with a curl of her fingers. “I wasn’t expecting you.”
That’s because it’s four o’clock in the afternoon. I should be at work, but after my mom’s announcement, I left my family at my house and told them there was something I needed to do.
This is that something. I needed and wanted to put a smile on this woman’s face.
“I know,” I admit as I place the vase on the dining room table. “I wanted to surprise you. I heard you playing, Ava. It was magnificent.”
“You heard that?”
I nod. “Through the door. You’re brilliant.”
She waves the compliment away. “I messed up. I’ve been so excited all day that I messed up part way through. You didn’t hear that part, did you?”
I ignore whatever she’s saying about messing up because all I heard was pure magic. “Why are you excited?”
