I texted Kate again when we got into Nashville. She seemed excited to meet me—I could only hope we would get along. When we finally pulled up to the apartment complex, my palms began to sweat, my stomach knotting up. Kai parked the car, Dad pulling in next to us.
Kai gave me a look while I sat there breathing. “You ready?” he asked, and I nodded, but stared off in the distance. With a hand on my shoulder, he squeezed hard. “You’ve been through a lot the last couple months—you can handle this. Besides, I’m crashing here tonight, so I can be a buffer, and I’m a good judge of character so I can let you know if she’s straight.”
My brother was the best. "Okay, let's do this!" I proclaimed.
We all got out, stretching our legs. The heat wasn’t so bad, but the humidity instantly made me feel as if I were swimming in my own sweat. We walked up to the cream-colored apartments, which all had either a patio or balcony. Luckily, mine was on the ground floor so moving all my stuff in wouldn’t be a problem.
Mom and Dad flanked us, seeming almost as nervous as I was. I knocked on apartment 416 and the door swung open to reveal a gorgeous, tall girl with, long light-brown hair. Her tan legs went on for days under her Daisy’s, and her flat stomach showed under a western shirt she had tied in the front. The brown boots she wore looked like they’d seen better days, but they were awesome.
“Hello, y’all.” She beamed at us.
Kai kind of shoved me forward, and I stuck my hand out for a shake, not knowing what else to do. “Hi. I’m Ava,” I told her, as if she hadn’t already guessed as much.
She gave my hand a funny look, then her smile widened. “We don’t shake around these parts.” She shook her head before wrapping me in a big hug, which was similar to one my parents would give me.
This effectively broke the ice. I introduced her to my family who seemed to love her. She even shared a long, heated look with my brother that made the rest of us uncomfortable, but whatev. He wouldn’t be around long.
Then she declared we should get me moved in. It seemed to take forever, working under the sweltering sun, but we finally got all my stuff moved into the small, two-bedroom apartment. She already had all the basics—the couch, TV, coffee table, and dining table. They weren’t anything fancy, but I didn’t need fancy. The kitchen was your average kitchen, and there was only one bathroom, but I loved it. It was super clean and smelled like cinnamon, which reminded me of home.
Once my stuff was crammed into my room, my parents looked exhausted. They gave Kai and me tight hugs and even Kate one before I led them to the door. They were staying in a hotel for the night so they could come back and take Kai to the airport in the morning.
Mom paused at the door, giving me a teary smile. “This is going to be such a great adventure for you,” she said, sniffling.
Dad hugged her into his side. “We’re so proud of you, baby.” He squeezed my shoulder, then kissed my forehead. “Don’t worry about any of the bad stuff while you’re here—you enjoy yourself. You have a great roommate it seems, so we won’t worry about you too much.”
I couldn’t help tearing up. Their absence in my everyday life would almost be unbearable. “Thank you for letting me do this. I have the greatest parents ever.”
They engulfed me in one more hug, then yelled at Kai over my shoulder that they’d be back in the morning for him, interrupting his argument with Kate over what kind of pizza we should order. It was odd seeing him openly flirt with my new roommate, probably because I hadn’t seen him interact with any girls since high school.
Once our parents left, I left them to their bickering to call Cade in my new room. My stuff in boxes and disorganized made me feel discombobulated, so I was hoping hearing his voice would calm me down.
But that didn’t happen. It went straight to voice mail again, leaving my insides in a million knots. He had told me to call, and it was Saturday evening now, so it wasn’t as if he was busy with work. I couldn’t think of a good explanation for his phone being off, so I worried he was straight-up ignoring my calls, which didn’t make sense. My heart ached at the thought of us already slipping apart. I couldn’t stand it but also didn’t want to wallow in it, especially not on my first night with my new roomie. With the crap shoved to the back of my mind, I joined Kate and Kai who were now laughing in the kitchen.
They ordered cheese pizza, and Kate let me pick the movie since it was my first night. She had the original Dracula on DVD, making us instant besties. Kai grumbled he should have gotten to pick since it was his last night there. Kate and I told him to quit his bellyaching and enjoy the epic movie.
Twenty minutes into the movie, someone knocked on the door. “That’s the pizza,” Kai declared, getting up from the couch and pulling his wallet out. My gentleman brother. I stayed entranced in the movie when he opened the door. But he exclaimed, “Holy shit,” causing both Kate’s and my head to swing in his direction.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Cade
There was no telling how she would react when I showed up at her apartment unannounced. Delight and shock showed in her gaze, making it totally worth it. Then her brother’s head swinging back and forth, looking between us, made me want to double over laughing, but I couldn’t take my eyes off her.
The smokin’ hot brunette, whom I guessed was Ava’s new roommate, Kate, stood from the couch and made her way over to Kai, looking at all of us as if we were crazy, which I may very well have been for making such a drastic move. Ava continued staring at me in a daze, almost looking as if she might pass out. My heart pounded in my chest while I stood there, contemplating whether I should go to her or give her a minute. Every fiber in my being begged me to scoop her up and kiss every inch of her.
“Hey, pizza guy,” the brunette addressed me in a killer twang that would have most guys drooling. It looked as if it was doing just that to Kai, which made me chuckle. Seeing the big soldier disarmed like that was awesome. The girl combed her fingers through her long hair. “You may be a hottie, but you forgot the pizza.”
I gave her an amused look, then turned my gaze back on Ava. “I’m not the pizza guy,” I finally said something, which broke her out of her trance.
Her amazing smile broke over her face before she squealed while hopping up from the couch and charged me. She jumped into my waiting arms as our mouths collided. I didn’t give a shit her brother and new roommate were there. I wanted my mouth on her soft lips, my hands roaming over her perfect curves.
That one week apart had been misery. The few times we had gone without talking in school didn’t compare, since I had at least gotten to see her then. Now, she was in my arms, pressed against me, hands in my hair. We had the best damn reunions.
“I’m guessing she knows him?” The roommate’s twang broke through our moment. “Or does she usually molest random hot guys?”
“That’s her boyfriend who needs to stop groping my sister in front of me,” Kai growled, making me chuckle against her mouth.
“She didn’t say anything about a boyfriend,” the roommate said as I lowered Ava to the ground. Stormy grays glittered while I brushed her hair out of her face.
“He’s supposed to be in Seattle,” Kai said, matter-of-factly.
“That explains the craziness,” the roommate mumbled, and Kai chuckled, but their words were barely registered.
We were in our own little bubble, catching our breath, staring into each other’s eyes. With a disbelieving look, she brushed a hand over my face. “What are you doing here?” she breathed, then pinched her lip as if she were afraid I would disappear. Not happening.
I clutched her hips, trying to decide how to tell her. This had been the hardest secret I ever kept, and now it was time to spill the beans. “Umm… I live here.” She jerked back with a confused stare. “Well… not here here, but… umm… I moved here, to an apartment a few miles away over the past couple days.”
The hope lighting up her eyes told me I did the right thing—this was right for us. “When I told you
I couldn’t see you off, I was actually already here. Darrel got me another job at a station close by, and he’s still going to pay for my college. Obviously, not at Vanderbilt because, well, it’s me, but I can start at Tennessee State in the Fall. And I had some—”
“Shhh.” With a soft finger to my lips and a huge smile in place, she stopped my rambling. “So, you live here, like in Tennessee? We don’t have to do the long-distance thing?”
She still had her finger to my lips, so I kissed it before pulling it away, twining our fingers together. “Is that okay?” I raised my eyebrows, hoping to God it was.
“Are you kidding me?” Eyes sparkling with delight, she gave me a disbelieving look.
“I think that’s a yes, loverboy,” the roommate said over her shoulder from the couch. Kai snickered, actually snickered, next to her.
With a chuckle, I pulled Ava into a hug, resting my lips on her forehead. I wanted to stay like that forever, but the pizza guy showed up while we were still standing in the doorway with the door wide open. Kai got up to pay the guy and gave me a hard pat on the shoulder before we moved out of the way. The look he gave me said he was glad I was there, probably mostly so I could keep an eye on his sister and keep her safe, which was one of the main reasons I made the choice.
After everything she went through and everything still to come with the trial, I couldn’t imagine her living somewhere she didn’t have anyone. Her parents had actually come to talk to me, and even Darrel, to see if there was any way I could move to Tennessee. With how worried they were, they couldn’t stand the thought of her being alone so far away from them. Something I would never tell Ava.
After Kai paid for the pizza and Ava finally introduced me to Kate, we settled in to finish watching one of my girl’s favorite movies. It was surreal and awesome, realizing I had everything I could ever dream of. Darrel being cool enough to help me get a job I enjoyed and still paying for my college was almost unbelievable. I got to be in the same state as my girl and earn a degree to start a future with her down the road. I would do everything in my power to cling to this new dream.
When the movie finished, Kai and Kate moved into the kitchen to have some drinks. With her head resting on my shoulder, Ava met my gaze with those deep grays, whispering, “Are you sure this is what you want?” eyes shifting back and forth.
“You’re what I want.” I pressed my lips to her forehead. “The rest is what it is. I couldn’t stand being so far from you. Now I don’t have to be. You are where I want to be.”
She wrapped her arms around me, clinging tight, reaffirming that this would never be a decision I regretted.
Epilogue
Ava
About three months later
Around one, I got out of class and hurried to the apartment. Cade was supposed to stop by before he had to go in to the station, but he didn’t get out of class for another half hour, which gave me plenty of time to get his present ready. I had been working on it for a couple weeks and wanted to be sure it was perfect. Kate kept giving me a hard time for being cheesy, but whatev.
Ever since the first night, she and I got along pretty well. I wouldn’t say she replaced Rabia because Rabia was still my bestie, but I had gained a new one. We hung out a lot, always kept each other posted, but didn’t intrude in each others space, which made living away from my family not so bad.
Her only habit I could do without was how many guys she had spend the night, but at least I got a warning in the form of a scarf on the doorknob. On those nights I usually crashed at Cade’s apartment, which wasn’t too far from school, and was something I would never complain about. The stresses and responsibility of being a full-blown adult was more than I ever could have imagined, and I loved it.
I missed my parents and, especially, Kai, but I would get to see them soon when I went to trial against Trent. They hadn’t let him off easy because he didn’t know nearly as much as he led on. I had to go in and testify against him. Reliving the whole thing outside of the still prominent nightmares wasn’t going to be fun, but Cade and my family would be there. Even Kate offered to fly to Portland with us to support me. I would be fine.
The only thing I was upset about was that Kenny was still missing and Sydney was getting off because there wasn’t any evidence against her. In order for Sydney to be prosecuted, we needed Mia’s testimony, which would never happen, since she was still missing.
Even though it was over three months since she disappeared, I still hoped every day I would at least get a text from my twin saying she was alive and okay. Many nights were spent sniveling on my roommates shoulder, simply because I missed my sister. Kate was awesome though, letting me talk to her about everything.
When I got inside our apartment, Kate was sitting on the couch watching The Walking Dead reruns. She glanced over her shoulder at me. “Aren’t you supposed to be in lit right now?” I raised my eyebrows as I tossed my heavy book bag on the kitchen table, surprised it survived the amount of weight I threw at it.
“Walking Dead is way more important than lit,” she scoffed, turning her attention back to the TV. “Do you work tonight?” she asked, but kept her eyes on the show.
I grabbed a water bottle from the fridge. “No, but I do tomorrow.” I took a drink then went to stand next to the couch. “Do you?” I asked her.
We were both serving at a cafe in town, near The District. She helped me land the job only a few days after I moved in. Having a job and not having to rely on my parents to pay my rent anymore was a huge plus.
“Nope.” She beamed, looking very much like a supermodel, even in her sweats. I was only slightly jealous of her stellar looks. “I was thinking we should go out tonight. Blow off some steam.”
“Because you’re so stressed right now?” I teased while watching someone get mauled by a particularly awful zombie.
She pffff’d. “No. But you are. I’m guessing the boy works tonight, so we should go out.”
I considered her for a minute. Blowing off some steam probably wasn’t a bad idea, but her idea of a good time was not the same as mine. It would include her trying to push a fake ID on me with the promise if I wore a low enough neckline, they wouldn’t even glance at the ID. She had already tried this multiple times since I moved in, claiming every eighteen-year-old needed to get shit-faced at least once at a bar.
With a shake of my head, I said, “If it’s your idea of going out, no thanks.”
This earned me a dramatic eye roll. “If it has to be at a minor-friendly restaurant, I will settle.”
“Good.” I smiled. “Now, I gotta finish my collage. Cade will be here soon. We can go out when he leaves.”
“Fine.” She groaned with another eye roll. “But I better not have to put up with too much ooey-gooey lovebird talk.”
“Yeah, because it’s so much worse than the noises coming from your room when you have a guy over.”
“Waaaay worse.”
I laughed, shaking my head as I made my way to my room. Cade’s present was lying on my bed already. I only needed to add a couple more things to it before it was finished. It was a square mirror, two feet in area and covered with pictures and silly little things from past dates plastered all over it. It started from the time I met him, up until our date we went on at a local festival the week before. I glued on the pictures and tickets from the festival before securing the plastic necklace he bought me along the trim. It was super cheesy, but it would work with his apartment décor, which consisted of nothing, which was the reason why I made it to begin with.
While I finished the last few touches, Kate’s voice trailed down the hall. “Door, Ava!”
“Can you get it?” I yelled back. “I’ll be right out.”
“This is my favorite part of this episode,” she complained.
I grrr’d because I knew she wouldn’t walk the six feet from the couch to the door if the show was on an extra gory part. Luckily, I was done, so with my masterpiece, I rushed to the door.
“That�
�s pretty awesome,” Kate commented over her shoulder right when I swung the door open.
The mirror slipped from my hands when I sucked in a sharp breath. All I could do was blink while the glass shattered around my feet and Kate cussed, bounding off the couch to hurry toward me. She shook me, trying to get my attention while I stared at the brunette in the doorway, who looked so much like me it was almost like staring in a mirror—except for those blue eyes that shined with sorrow, turmoil, and a spark of hope.
“Mia,” I breathed.
Pining for Mia’s story?
Luckily, its release is right around the corner!
But in the meantime, enjoy this sneak peak…
Chapter One
Mia
Sitting in the box-sized stall, my bony butt dug into the hard toilet lid while my hands shook in my lap of their own accord. Sharp breath in, long, slow breath out. I can do this, I tried convincing myself, clutching my enormous, black purse to my chest as if I would die without it. Which I probably would. Kenny would see to it that I was killed, or nearly beat to death if I lost it, that’s for sure. He had threatened as much multiple times.
How did I get into this? I groaned inwardly.
Why the hell did I have to date Kenny of all people?
Because you thought he was hot…which he is.
Turned out hotness wasn’t everything. I’d been with so many hot guys, I nearly lost count. It was a huge surprise for everyone, including myself, when this one lasted more than two weeks. It was so much fun those first two weeks—Kenny constantly charming me, constantly buying me new shoes, new purses—it was great, which totally showed how shallow I was, but I didn’t care.
Even the third week, when he talked me into helping with that first deal. The risk, the danger, brought a thrill no amount of sex could ever fulfill. Not that sex was ever thrilling—it was only for the benefits that came with it. Boys would do anything for easy access. But when one of them gained control, called the shots, that’s when things got messy as shit.
Ava (A Hart Twins Novel Rx Book 1) Page 26
