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“Maybe it won’t fall apart.” He played with his napkin, folding it in half and then unfolding it. “Maybe you’ll fall in love.”
I gave him a stern gaze, telling him that I wasn’t interested in playing games. “This is me we’re talking about.”
“So, add her name to your list of willing accomplices,” Peter teased.
“That’s just the problem,” I explained. “I don’t think she wants her name added to that list.”
“I see.” Peter stroked his chin. “Well, you can’t bring up your other girlfriends—”
“I don’t have any girlfriends.”
“Other friends?”
“Okay,” I allowed.
“You can’t bring up your other friends if you think she wants exclusivity.”
“Exactly.”
“It’s a tough spot,” he mused.
I thought about Ava. It seemed like she was the only thing on my mind. What was it about her and her quiet determination? She was all prim and proper during the day, but she turned into an animal as soon as I made a move.
I wasn’t thinking correctly. I was letting my body lead the way instead of my mind. I needed to have a conversation with her, to explain what I was looking for, and what I was not looking for. It would be a kindness. We needed to get on the same page or we couldn’t let what happened before happen again.
That talk was not going to go well. I could just imagine her face falling, her little heart breaking at the news. I felt like a monster. Why had I let myself get carried away? Why had I even kissed her to begin with? I tried to remember the first genuine interaction we had. It was in the parking garage after our meeting with Jonas. That was my downfall. I didn’t want to see her in the arms of another man. But if I wanted her all to myself, didn’t it follow that I should offer her the same concession?
I decided to sleep on it. Until I brought the subject up, all options were on the table. I would only be married to a certain course of action once I took that first step. I relaxed, allowing myself to enjoy the drinks and the atmosphere.
Peter and I began to talk about different things and we ended the evening on a high note. I went home fully satisfied in a way I hadn’t experienced since taking over the family business. Whether that was about Ava or about my father, I wasn’t sure. All I knew was that things were settled in my heart and my abdomen. There was no nervous energy, no fire that needed to be put out.
I went to bed content with the way things were working out. If my dreams were all about Ava, so what? That didn’t mean I was falling for the woman. I just had a delightful time with her in the office, and I was going to let fate decide what was in store. I didn’t have to commit to anything I didn’t want to. In the meantime, I would control my libido as much as I could, although if I tripped up again, who stood to get hurt? Ava was a grown up as was I. She had more than proved that she could take care of herself.
Chapter 20
Ava
I wasn’t a fool. I knew that one sexual encounter didn’t mean Nate and I were going steady. There was plenty of room for experimentation and I wasn’t expecting a marriage proposal. However, that final kiss in the parking garage gave me hope that there might be more in store for us later in the week.
I came into the office the next day, prepared to act as if nothing happened. We had to be very careful about showing affection around other people. Not only that, but I knew I had to be careful about showing affection around Nate.
This wasn’t my first rodeo; I knew that most men wanted something casual. That didn’t mean that a more serious arrangement was off the table. It just meant that I couldn’t start picking out China patterns yet. If he thought I was going to go all misty eyed and follow him around everywhere, he was mistaken. Sex was just that, sex. I wanted more of it, but I didn’t want Nate to feel trapped. I was independent enough to relax and let the roll of the dice point me in the right direction.
I was surprised to see a bouquet of flowers on my desk. If Nate wanted to keep our tryst a secret, he was doing a very poor job. How was I going to explain flowers from my boss? I hurried to my desk, thinking that I needed to hide them. Everyone who came through the reception area would see them, and they would know exactly what we had been up to.
I almost didn’t read the card. I was so convinced that Nate sent them. I didn’t even think that he was the send flowers kind of guy. He was gruff and efficient, even if I knew he had a heart of gold. Flowers seemed a bit over the top, maybe even possessive. It was a signal to the rest of the staff, loud and clear, that I was taken.
I plucked the card off its little plastic fork and nearly had a heart attack. They weren’t from Nate at all, but from Marcus. How did he know where I worked? I thought I had solved that problem by shutting off my phone. If he tracked me down, how did he do it? Was he driving around the city searching for me? Was there a GPS tracking device on my old phone that was still working? Did he have friends who were working for him? Maybe he hired a private detective.
All those thoughts raced through my head as I stood, nailed to the spot. I couldn’t breathe. I felt my airways collapsing. My heart thundered in my ears. This was the worst possible thing that could happen. Marcus invaded my space. He invaded my new life with his evil and vindictive personality.
I didn’t understand why he was sending me flowers. He was the one who kicked me out. He didn’t give a crap about me the whole time I was homeless, allowing me to eat out of a soup kitchen and sleep in the backseat of my car. Yet as soon as I found a job and was starting to put my life back together, he decided he wanted me back.
I re-read the missive on the note. It said:I miss you. Marcus.
He missed me? What the heck was that all about? It couldn’t be true. He had that other woman to entertain him. He didn’t need me. Didn’t he know how intrusive this gift would be? I already blocked him and then turned off my phone. Couldn’t he take the hint?
I picked up the vase, intending to throw it in the trash. My hands were shaking and I dropped it. Water and glass exploded onto the floor, a wave of liquid carrying shards halfway across the room.
