by Amity Hope
“Thanks, Mom,” Ava said then turned to her sister. “Grier, I forgot my jacket in my bedroom. Can you get the door while I run up to grab it?”
Grier nodded and Ava darted out of the kitchen. She swiped her jacket off of her bedroom floor as the doorbell rang. She listened for Grier’s footsteps. She thought she heard the door open but nothing more. She walked to the top of the stairs and peered down into the foyer.
Grier was standing in the doorway, blocking it. She frowned as she stared up at Gabe, neither greeting him nor inviting him in. Ava watched from the top of the stairs. She had wanted to see how Gabe reacted to her sister. However, her sister was the one she was immediately frustrated with. Ava huffed out an agitated sigh. She had wanted for Gabe and Grier to get along but if Gabe didn’t care much for Grier after such a cold greeting, Ava would hardly blame him.
“I’m Gabe,” he finally said after the excessively drawn out, awkward silence. Ava couldn’t see Gabe from where she stood but she could only imagine he was getting annoyed.
“I know,” Grier replied to his introduction.
When she did not elaborate, he tried again. “I’m here to see Ava.”
Grier simply nodded.
“Grier!” Ava exclaimed as she bounded down the stairs. “Let the poor guy in!”
Grier stepped back, allowing Gabe to enter. He gave her a wary look, sidestepping her as Ava came up to him and slid an arm around his waist.
“Grier, that was rude,” Ava gently reminded her. At some point in her life she was going to need to pick up on the standard social graces, including inviting someone in.
“It’s fine,” Gabe said. He seemed to regain his composure and he flashed Grier a charming smile. She scowled back. “You’re coming with us tonight, right?” he asked.
“I am,” Grier said. The simple words came out sounding like a challenge.
“Good,” Gabe told her which only caused her scowl to deepen.
“Oh, for heaven’s sakes Grier,” Ava said quietly. “Put a smile on your face and grab a jacket.”
Grier grabbed the jacket but left the smile behind. Leah poked her head out of the kitchen to greet Gabe and to tell them to have a good time.
And to be careful.
Grier nodded solemnly.
The trio walked to Gabe’s car with Grier eyeing it suspiciously.
“I would like to walk,” she decided.
“Why?” Ava demanded.
“It’s only a few blocks away,” Grier reminded her.
“I know that,” she gently told Grier. “But it sort of defeats the purpose of doing something as a group if you go off on your own.”
“I would still rather walk,” Grier stubbornly replied.
“Alright,” Ava sighed. “We’ll see you in a few minutes.”
She watched Grier set off down the street and then Ava and Gabe got in the car.
“I’m sorry about that,” she told him. “She always gets a little cranky when I start dating someone. I don’t think she likes change very much.”
“It’s okay,” he assured her. “It seems like she’s just watching out for you.” He paused. “She’s definitely a unique individual. I’ve never met anyone quite like her before.”
“I know, right?” Ava said with a slightly embarrassed laugh. “I’m really sorry she didn’t let you in. Sometimes I just don’t understand where she’s coming from.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Gabe assured her.
They passed Grier on the way to the theater but found Molly and Oliver waiting Siven="inside the doors. Molly introduced Gabe and Oliver to each other and the two of them got in line for tickets.
“No Grier?” Molly asked Ava. “Did you get Julia’s message?”
“Grier’s coming,” Ava explained. “She decided to walk. What’s up with Julia?”
“She isn’t coming. Her Mom got called in to work. The sitter couldn’t come so Julia had to watch Austin. She said she tried to call you but your phone wasn’t on,” Molly explained. “You know, in case Grier didn’t want to come.”
“I had it up in my bedroom charging while I took Hercules out. I had a busy night and forgot to turn it back on,” Ava told her knowing Grier did not care if Julia was along or not.
Grier came in and after Gabe purchased the largest bucket of popcorn available, the five of them made their way through the complex to the appropriate theater. Molly tugged Oliver to the top row, away from curious eyes but Ava chose a seat toward the middle. She had no interest in semi-public make-out sessions, regardless of how dark or empty the theater was. She hoped Gabe was okay with that because she wasn’t going to rearrange her morals for anyone. Not even him. She motioned for Grier to sit beside her but she chose to sit directly behind her instead.
Ava could feel her watching them. Gabe gave her an amused smile. He slid his arm around her shoulders when the lights went out and the previews for upcoming movies started. She cursed the hard armrest that was between them but managed to get comfortable against Gabe despite it.
Gabe propped his popcorn in his lap. Before the movie had even started, most of it was gone. Ava had noticed he could eat more than anyone she had ever met.
Oliver had picked the movie. It wasn’t long before Grier was emitting long, drawn out sighs of contempt anytime someone cussed or said something that could be construed as inappropriate. When they started shooting at each other, Ava wondered if she should offer to walk Grier home.
It was times like these that Julia came in handy. Julia had had a crush on the same boy for nearly as long as Ava had known her. However, she was so shy she was more likely to lick the doorknob in a public restroom than to ever talk to him. When they all got together as a group, she seemed content to come along to keep Grier company.
When the movie ended Molly suggested they all go out for dessert. Grier agreed to ride with Ava and Gabe. She didn’t have much to say to Gabe but at least she had stopped being outright rude, which Ava was grateful for.
Gabe had tried to make chitchat with Grier. He didn’t have much luck so he turned his attention back to Ava. Ava wished she’d thought to warn him that Grier had never been the chit-chatty type. Even so, she was grateful for his laid back attitude toward it all.
To her surprise, they were only seated for a few minute S a
Gabe turned to Ava, giving her a questioning look.
“It’s a special service. My dad’s mentor, a retired pastor, is coming for the weekend to speak with our congregation about some of the missionary work he’s involved in. We’re having special music during the service. I’ll be singing in the choir but they also asked me to sing a solo,” she explained.
“Will you go?” Grier asked him.
Gabe hesitated, glancing first at Ava who looked hopeful and then back to Grier. “I don’t think I can make it,” he told Grier, then turned to give Ava an apologetic look.
Ava smiled to hide her disappointment.
“How do you know? Do you already know when it is?” Grier pressed.
“I would imagine on a Sunday morning,” Gabe said, trying to keep his tone light.
“Are you busy Sunday mornings? Do you attend your own church?” Grier wanted to know.
“Not exactly,” Gabe admitted.
“So you are free to come?” Grier pushed.
Molly sighed and exchanged a look with Ava. They both knew that when Grier got into this type of mood, getting her to drop it was like trying to get a Rottweiler pup to drop its favorite chew toy.
Gabe shook his head ‘no’ looking distinctly uncomfortable.
“Why?” Grier demanded.
Gabe hesitated.
“Are you trying to fabricate a lie that will excuse you from attending?”
“Grier!” Ava hissed. “I’m so sorry,” she said as she turned to Gabe.
“It’s okay,” Gabe said. Though it was clear he was on edge and wished for the conversation to end.
“So who is ready for dessert?” Molly cheerily interjected.
Oliver, who had been watching the odd interaction with unease, squirmed uncomfortably beside her.
Grier ignored them. “So you can come?”
Gabe clenched his jaw, looking at Grier in frustration. “I can’t but I appreciate the invite,” he said calmly as he forced a smile.
“Of course you can,” Grier pushed. “Everyone can go to church. Right, Ava?”
“Of course, but not everyone wants to,” she gently explained.
She had planned on asking Gabe at some point, she just hadn’t gotten around to it yet. She knew that one day the person she ended up with would have to have a faith that was compatible with her own. It was disappointing to her that Gabe wouldn’t attend her church, not even just to hear her sing. But they seemed compatible on so many other levels and they were nowhere near serious enough to start fretting about the long-term already. So as disappointed as she was, she pushed a smile back onto her face.
“I understand that you can’t make it,” she told Gabe.
He looked at her like he wasn’t so sure he could believe her. “Ava, I would love to hear you sing. It’s just…I can’t go. It’s complicated.”
“How so?” Grier demanded.
“Oh for the love of lollipops,” Molly muttered before turning to Grier. “Grier, honey, we’ve talked about this before. Remember? Sometimes, you need to let things go. As in, ‘stop talking about it’. You know I’m not going to be there, either. Like Gabe said, sometimes it’s complicated. I’d love to hear Ava sing but you know how my mom is. She thinks if you’re not a Baptist, you’re a heathen. No offense,” she said to Ava.
“None taken,” Ava told her. Molly’s mom approved of their friendship, she just didn’t approve of Molly ever missing a service in her own church.
“People have all sorts of reasons for not doing things.” Gabe gave her a grateful smile and Molly smiled back as she leaned across the table and poked Grier on the nose. “Now let’s order some pie!”
Sspa="+3"
Chapter 12
Ava glanced around the shop, making sure she hadn’t missed anything. It was her night to close and as usual, a small crowd had burst through the door only minutes before the six o’clock closing time.
One of the customers had a lengthy mental dilemma over whether or not to buy a gift box full of truffles or fudge until Ava ever so politely suggested a combination of the two. By the time she’d rung up the other customers and then filled the gift box, wrapped it and gotten the payment for it, another fifteen minutes had passed by.
The candy shop also sold novelty kitchen items and baked goods. Ava circled the shelves, making sure everything was in its place. Her stomach growled as she straightened a box of gourmet cheesecake mix on the display rack. An apron that was hanging askew caught her attention next.
When Becky had decided to put in a cappuccino machine as well as add a few baked goods to the menu, she’d rearranged so that a few wrought iron tables could be brought in. Having already cleaned off each tile covered tabletop Ava carefully tucked in each chair, wanting to be sure the place would be perfect when Becky opened in the morning.
Her boss often told her she was one of the best employees she’d ever had. Not many people bothered with the attention to details like Ava did. Because of this, it also often took her a while to get out of there at the end of the day.
She was finally satisfied that the rest of the store looked perfect with the floor swept and the countertops wiped down. The items on the shelves were neatly displayed, nothing out of place. She’d already stashed the money in the safe and finally, there was nothing else left to do.
As she stepped out onto the sidewalk, key in hand as she prepared to lock the door behind her, a flash of silver caught her eye. She tossed a smile at Gabe as she gave him a quick wave. Then she locked up, double checking it as she always did, before practically skipping over to his car.
“What are you doing here?” she asked through his open window as she readjusted her backpack. “I didn’t think I’d see you this week.”
“I know you said you had to work almost every night and that you would be swamped with homework but,” he gave her a tempting smile, “I wanted to see you.”
Ava’s nose twitched as her stomach let out another loud rumble. “What is that?” she asked, sniffing the air as she leaned in. It was the smell of food that had originally enticed her but as she leaned in, it was Gabe’s scent, his cologne, that suddenly intoxicated her.
She took advantage of their sudden close proximity by giving him a not so chaste kiss. “Mmmm, sorry, couldn’t help myself,” she said when she pulled away.
“I have found that I do tend to have that kind influence on people,” Gabe teased.
He was rewarded with a hard smack to the shoulder that left him grinning but Ava’s hand stinging. She smiled despite herself.
“Okay, so food? Do I smell food?” she asked, getting back to the original issue that had drawn her in.
“I came to bring you a peace offering,” Gabe said as he held up a carton of something. “Seems to me you mentioned you like lo mein?”
“I love lo mein,” Ava admitted. “But why a peace offering? Are we about to have a fight?” she asked with mock suspicion.
He laughed. “No. I hope not. I’m just feeling guilty about not being able to make it on Sunday.”
Ava sighed but forced a smile. “It’s okay. I understand.”
She did understand. But that didn’t mean that she wasn’t disappointed. Gabe could see it on her face but he wasn’t quite sure what to do about it. He was hoping an impromptu date would help.
He couldn’t have her upset. It didn’t work into the plans. He tried telling himself that was the only reason he was doing this but a nagging little voice was insisting otherwise. He slapped some mental duct tape over the voice and moved forward with his plan.
“Well,” he said as he eyed her bulging backpack, “I know you said you have a test to study for but you need to eat, right? And if you need to eat,” he shrugged, “I figured you may as well eat with me.”
Ava couldn’t come up with an argument against that. She didn’t want to come up with an argument against it. In seconds she’d rounded his car and settled into the passenger seat. “So, where to?” she asked.
“Is the cabin okay?” he wondered as he pulled away from the curb. “That way, when you’re done eating maybe you can work on some homework there?”
“Sure,” Ava said with a knowing grin. They had been to her cabin a few times now. “I bet I’ll get lots done.”
Gabe smirked. “Does it really matter at this point?”
She shrugged. “Not really. I already got my acceptance letter.”
“For where?”
“Granville?” She hadn’t meant for it to sound like a question. She wondered if Gabe would think it silly that she wasn’t straying too far from home.
He simply nodded.
“What about you?”
“Me?”
“Yeah, you. Do you plan on going to college? Or do you just inherit a job?” she curiously wondered.
“For now, I’ve inherited a job,” he admitted as he shifted uncomfortably. His voice had been taken over by that controlled tone that Ava did not understand.
She wanted to question him on the matter. She was curious if the radio station would be a permanent job for him or if he would be moving elsewhere soon. She decided that since their time together this week was so limited, she would refrain from bringing up anything that might turn the conversation down an unpleasant path.
She fidgeted for a minute, finally glancing at the backseat to see what all he’d gotten. “How many people are you planning to feed?” she asked with a laugh.
“Just us,” he said with a smile.
“Well, I hope you’re hungry because that’s a lot of food,” she pointed out.
“I’m starving,” he assured her.
****
Gabe had been starving. Seemed to Ava he was always starving. Wh
ile she’d eaten her share, Gabe had eaten the vast majority. He’d eaten until every last bite was gone. Then they’d cleaned up and he had pulled her over to the couch.
Her entire body hummed with anticipation as he leaned in to kiss her. Everything from his touch, to his scent, to the heat of his body next to hers made her want him. She wondered how long it would be until that feeling faded. Until it stopped feeling so new and exciting. She hoped it never would. She’d had boyfriends in the past, not a lot, she could count them on one hand, but not one of them ever made her feel the way Gabe could.
As his hands slid up her shirt and his lips danced their way across her neck, she found herself becoming absurdly breathless. So much so that she realized she was becoming lightheaded, as she often did, when he was kissing her.
“Gabe,” she finally groaned, “I’m supposed to be doing homework, remember?”
“Isn’t this more fun?” he asked as he pulled away, just slightly.
“Yes, which is exactly why we should stop right now,” Ava said with a laugh. “I have homework in Civics and a test in Chemistry that I need to study for.” She also had a paper due in her literature class and a group presentation in her health class but those, at least, weren’t due for a few more days.
Why teachers [>Wh’t d felt the need to cram so much into the last month, especially when so many of the students had already been accepted into college already, she was not able to understand. She thought it borderline sadistic, actually. With the beautiful spring weather and the excitement of graduation constantly on everyone’s mind, any homework always felt like a cruel punishment.
Furthermore, with a twinge of guilt, she was suddenly wishing she hadn’t agreed to help Molly make posters for a tennis team fundraiser the next evening. Because then, maybe she wouldn’t be feeling so desperate to spend time with Gabe right now, when she should be worried about academics instead.
Fortunately, Gabe made it easy for her.
“Okay,” he said as he sat back. “I’ll let you get some work done.” He picked her backpack off the floor and handed it to her.
