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“I don’t know. I assume one of the girls invited her to come. She’s kind of an honorary fifth member of the awesome foursome.”
“Maybe she’s doing something with her family.”
Although, once I say that, I realize it can’t be true, because Brock, Rory, Donny, and Callie have just walked into the bar, and trailing behind them is Maddie. Maddie, the youngest Pike sister, who looks a lot like Rory, with rich dark hair and dewy brown eyes. Maybe not quite as classically beautiful, but a close second.
She glances toward Gina and Sage at the pool table, and her lips turn down to a frown.
“Maddie just walked in,” I say to Angie.
Angie looks toward the door. “Oh. Hey, Mads!” She gestures.
“I think she feels left out a lot with you guys,” I say.
“I know.” Angie’s shoulders slump as a look of guilt mars her pretty face. “But the four of us are family. It’s different.”
“Yeah, I suppose so.”
“Maybe you don’t get it, Ava. You know, since you left the family fold and all.”
“I didn’t leave the family fold.”
“Yeah, you did. You live in town, and you don’t take money from your trust fund.”
I dig my feet into the hardwood floor, feeling defensive. “I’m still a member of the family, and I love them all just as much as you do, Ang.”
“I don’t think anyone’s questioning that. But you know… You’re…”
“Different?” I give her the word. “I’ve always been different, even when I was in the family fold, as you like to say.”
“Aves, I didn’t mean to start a fight or anything.”
I let out a sigh. “Sorry. I’m just a little defensive. Things are…”
“What? Things are what?”
I can’t say any more to my cousin. The awesome foursome are the youngest of our family, the ones who are always kept in the dark. Everyone is way overprotective of them. I hold back a scoff. I’m only two years older than they are, and I’m so damned sick of the elders keeping things from me. Now I’m keeping something from Angie. It’s all so ridiculous.
I sigh. “I’d better get back to the bar. I’ll make my rounds in about fifteen minutes to see if you guys need new drinks.”
Angie waves as I amble back toward the bar, where Brendan and his father are talking.
“Hey,” I say. “What do you need me to do?”
“Just what you’re doing, Ava,” Brendan says. “Take orders from the tables when you need to, and when you’re not busy, help me behind the bar.”
I smile. “I’m actually having a really good time, Brendan.”
“Are you?”
“Yeah. It kind of…forces me to get out and talk to people.”
Sean, Brendan’s dad, lets out a guffaw. “That’s tending bar for you. You have to talk to people because they talk to you. We’re honorary counselors. Therapists.”
“Yeah, I see what you mean now. I think I’ve talked to more people today than I have the last month.”
“You should talk more, baby,” Brendan says. “You have a lot to say.”
He doesn’t know the half of it. Plus, he’s got something to say to me…after that damned party for my parents tomorrow night.
So much to say…and so much to hear.
But not now. Not before the party. The sacred party.
Aunt Marjorie and Aunt Melanie both told me I need to talk to my parents, confront them.
But not yet.
Not until the anniversary party is over.
I’ve never been very good at compartmentalizing. But I’m determined to let this all go… At least until Sunday.
Mom and Dad can have their party. It’s important to them, and it’s important to Aunt Marj and Aunt Jade, who have spent so much time planning it.
I paste on my smile, and I take the next drink order.
Chapter Eight
Brendan
The last customer finally leaves at the wee hour of three o’clock in the morning. Ava is still going strong. I’m not sure where she got that second wind, after getting up so early to start baking. But she can sleep in tomorrow. Rather…today. But not for too long, because she has to finish baking for the party, then head over to help her aunts prepare the main house, where Talon and Jade live.
A giant yawn splits her pretty face.
I smile. Everything she does makes me smile.
“What is it, about twenty-two hours that you’ve been awake now?”
Ava rubs her eyes. “Twenty-one if we’re being accurate. And yeah, I’m definitely ready for bed.”
“I’d ask you to sleep over, but you won’t get any sleep if you stay with me.”
“No kidding. And I’d invite you home with me…except…”
“The same thing,” I say.
She nods and yawns again.
“Let me walk you home, then.”
She nods again, and after she puts on her light jacket, I walk her out the back way and then three doors down to her bakery. I stay with her as she unlocks the door to the bakery, and then I walk in with her just to make sure no one’s hiding inside. Once I determine that she’s safe, I give her a searing kiss and then listen as her deadbolt clicks shut.
