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Thankfully, the server returns, and we all place our orders. I’m grateful for the spotlight being taken off of me, but I know my friend, and he wouldn’t confront me in a public place like this in front of Ava if he was suspicious of anything.
“I don’t know why we even bother with menus at this point,” Ash begins saying as the server leaves. “We always end up ordering the same meal each time.”
Ava laughs. “I can’t help being picky. Occupational hazard from being a chef. This is the only restaurant in the city that makes paillard the way I like it.”
Asher shakes his head but unsuccessfully holds back a grin at his sister. And just like that, the tension eases from me, for now at least, and we resume our conversation.
After our lunch is over, Ava and I walk Asher out and say our goodbyes as he heads in the opposite direction of where we came from.
With Asher out of sight, swallowed up in the crowd of people heading back to their offices after the lunch rush, Ava rejoins my embrace, wrapping her arms around my neck.
“That has to be the longest lunch of my life,” she says as we stand under the burgundy awning on Bartholomew’s famous corner block. “I couldn’t stand being so close and not being able to touch you.”
I raise a brow at her. “You slipped up for a moment,” I remind her, remembering the feel of her slim fingers around my wrist.
“Ah, that was nothing. This is what I wanted to do,” Ava says, grasping the lapels of my coat and pulling me down to kiss her. It’s probably thirty-five degrees out, but Ava’s tongue twirling with mine has our bodies heating in seconds.
Asher’s words from earlier haunt me. Would I get tired of this…indescribable thing with Ava soon and be ready to move on?
Right now, I couldn’t fathom ever wanting to stop kissing her.
Ava pulls back first and grabs my hand to pull us across the street after a taxi passes and we’re free to cross.
“We’re less than ten minutes from Anisa’s Desserts. You have to try bizcocho,” Ava says, practically dragging me along.
I’m not sure if it’s her excitement about dessert or knowing the stalking will soon be behind her, but she’s back to her old self again.
I’m turning into a real sap to the point that I don’t recognize myself.
We enter Anisa’s. With its brightly decorated space, it’s very much a place Ava would love. With only three small tables, the space is intimate, and I watch as Ava orders for both of us and we take a seat where I’m facing the door.
I didn’t want to say as much to Ava, but Reid being out on bail and awaiting trial still has me on edge. Who knows what frame of mind he’s in and whether he could return for retribution? Though I’m enjoying time with Ava, I still need to remain vigilant about our surroundings.
Ava arrives at the table with slices of the bizcocho cake.
“You’re going to love them,” she says, snapping up a bite of the colorful confectionary.
“I’ve never seen anyone so excited before,” I say, unable to help my smile at Ava’s exuberance.
“Food is my passion,” she says. “When I find what I like, I’m all in.”
Ava wasn’t just that way with food, I realized. She fiercely loved her family and friends, and maybe even me, the same way.
I wasn’t sure if I wanted Ava’s love or not because it would break my heart to ever have to break hers.
We’re interrupted by Ava’s phone buzzing on the table. Before she picks up, I see Maddy on the screen.
“Hey, girlie—” Ava’s face drops. Clearly this is no catch up between the sisters-in-law.
Ava clasps a hand over her mouth and my blood runs cold. Something is definitely not right.
“Okay, okay. We’ll be there!” Ava says and drops her phone in her bag.
“Ava, what’s wrong—” I begin asking before she cuts me off.
“It’s Ash. We need to get to Whitehall Hospital.”
I’m cursing the fact that I didn’t just drive Ava and I today. Thinking today would be a quick excursion has turned into a bad dream.
