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I set both book and glass aside and hurried to the door. Whoever it was on the other side better need something important.
Before the next round of banging could come, I opened the door.
My eyes fell on Ava first, then on my friend. I blinked rapidly. Weren’t they at his house, having dinner? What was going on?
“Thomas, Ava, what’s going on?”
My racing heart calmed. And my eyes focused long enough to catch the sweat shining on Ava’s forehead. She leaned heavily against Thomas, who had an arm snaked around her waist.
His worried eyes met mine. “Liam.”
His tone was impatient.
Did he know something? Had she told him what was going on between us?
My heart started beating into my throat. I raised both hands. By the look on his face, I wasn’t getting out of this unscathed.
“Thomas, I can explain.”
He tore past me. “What? Ava’s ill. You have to help her.”
“I’m fine,” Ava croaked in response.
The tone of her voice startled me. And her breath was labored and short.
I shut the door, forgetting everything I assumed. Their visit clearly had nothing to do with me.
“You’re not fine.” Thomas gritted out. “She’s not.” He faced me with Ava still hanging on. “Can you help her?”
The look in his eyes made sense now. He was troubled.
I drew closer to them and took in Ava’s pale features. “What happened?”
“We were just having dinner. Things were going great, until we finished, and Ava stood up. She nearly fainted.”
“I must have slipped.”
“You didn’t.” His eyes met mine again. “She almost collapsed.”
“Dad, I’m okay now. If you just—”
“Don’t listen to her. She can’t even stand on her own.”
“I can.” Ava pried herself away from her dad. “See?”
It lasted two seconds before she dropped onto the sofa cushion.
Thomas cursed and my chest tightened.
“You see?” Thomas pressed. “Take a look at her, please?”
I pushed around Thomas to where Ava sat, kneeling before her. “Ava?”
She peeled her hands from her face and looked at me with wide brown eyes. Her usual spark had dulled and she blinked slowly.
Fuck.
My training and years of working under stress taught me not to panic. No matter how close she was to my heart, I needed to maintain my composure and a clear head.
