More honesty. More straight truths. She hadn’t come here to be lied to. Could he guarantee he’d be there for her even in the most difficult situations—the ones that tested faith and the bounds of love? It wasn’t fair to ask. It was better not to know. “I’m not asking you to promise I’ll win. I need to focus on my job and the paycheck that’s guaranteed.”
And stop focusing on Kyle and the wishes inside her heart, which would only be broken in the end.
He stepped even closer, stopped a sigh away from her hands, holding the tea mug. The nearness drew her gaze up to his solemn face.
“How can I help you so you can remain in the contest?” he asked.
There was that word again. Help. But Ava never asked for help. Never sought it. She helped those around her. “There’s...”
He set his finger across her mouth, halting her words and stirring up those longings inside her heart.
“Don’t say there’s nothing I can do.” His voice was low and sincere. “We both know it isn’t true.”
She wanted so much more than one small touch. She stepped away and lashed out to break up the need swirling inside her. And the growing hope he might be different. Maybe he’d stick like her father never could. “This is all me. Can’t you see that? Let’s just break down today for an example.”
He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the marble counter. He looked as if he had nothing more important to do than let her rail against him and the world.
She charged on, stomping on her incessant need for what she couldn’t quite say. Only knew Kyle stood at the core. “I worked all night. Only fifteen calls, so the evening was on the slower side. Made a mistake. Filled out paperwork. Listened to a lecture from my supervisor. Took Mom to two appointments and one lunch date for Sophie’s gala. Tried to sleep and failed. Ran to the store. Worked here in the lab. Tried to sleep and failed. Gave Joann the evening off to watch her sick grandchildren. Forgot I’d promised to take Ben for the weekend so Dan and Rick can do their volunteer firefighter weekend up north.”
She paused and checked the time on her phone. “I have to be at Dan’s to get Ben in ten minutes. I need to take my mom to a doctor’s appointment and pick up her medicine. I promised Sophie I’d drop off extra blankets for the new rescues she received this afternoon.” Ava stared into the tea again, wanting to sink into the liquid and shut the world away. No one could focus being this stretched thin and worn-out. Still, she struggled to give herself a break. “I haven’t worked on my write-up for the contest. The weekend is already piling up to be more of the same.”
“Bring Ben here.” Kyle’s words were simple. Direct.
Hadn’t he heard a thing she’d said? Hadn’t he heard this was all on her? “Excuse me?”
“Pick up Ben and drop him here. Go to the doctor with your mom, the pharmacy and then to Sophie’s place,” Kyle said.
He was composed and reasonable, logical and rational. Everything Ava wasn’t.
“I’ll bring Ben to your place later this evening.”
“My place,” she repeated. Those were the only words rattling around clear enough in her head. The only words she could hang on to.
“Ben is staying with you at your place this weekend, isn’t he?” Kyle grinned.
Her head bobbed up and down. She waved at his suit and tie, hoping the motion would clear the air between them and redirect their conversation. “You have a thing.”
“Now I have a thing with Ben.” He tugged his tie off and unbuttoned another notch on his dress shirt.
Ava stared at his open collar, wondering when the conversation had derailed. Wondered why he wanted to help her. “I just came over here to tell you I was dropping out of the contest.”
“Why don’t you sleep on it.” He slipped off his jacket. “If we talk to Barbra and Sam, I’m sure we can figure out a solution that won’t make your days even more stressed.”
“I didn’t come here to beg for help.” She came to walk away.
“I’m offering to help.” He tipped her chin up to bring her gaze back to his. “Let me help. If it’s an epic failure, you don’t have to accept my help ever again.”
It was dangerous to believe in more. So very dangerous. She couldn’t stop herself. Nothing about Kyle Quinn seemed to scream failure. “You’re sure about this?”
“I wouldn’t have offered.” He lifted up his tie and coat. “You’re saving me from a fund-raiser tonight for the college.”
“You like to support the college,” she said. She’d heard him talk to Barbra more than once about his alma mater and how to get the other alumni more involved. Always with enthusiasm, never with dread. “It’s the one thing you like to do.”
“I like you more.” He walked into his bedroom before she could respond.
His words bounced around inside her head and finally landed like an arrow in her heart. She knew he was dangerous. Even worse, she wanted to follow him to hug him. Or do something even more crazy, like kiss him. He liked her. She forced herself to back away from his bedroom door and yelled, “I’m going to get Ben and will be back in fifteen minutes.”
At his muffled okay, Ava turned and ran. Before he could change his mind. Before she changed hers.
* * *
THE SLAM OF Kyle’s front door made him smile. He’d unsettled Ava when he’d confessed he liked her. Heck, he’d unsettled himself when he’d said that. He wasn’t sure what had come over him. Knew only he’d meant it. He liked Ava. A lot.
No good could come from any of this. He should’ve let her walk. Should’ve let her quit the contest and move on with her life. But he didn’t want her out of his life. Damn, but he was selfish. He didn’t deserve someone like Ava.
He’d make things right for her now. After all, it was his fault she’d messed up at work. If he hadn’t created such a hectic schedule for the contest crew the past week, she wouldn’t have considered dropping out. He’d help her this one time. There had to be nothing between them. Nothing beyond their one kiss. Maybe if he kept shouting that at himself, he’d start to believe it.
Back in jeans and a T-shirt, he grabbed his phone and called his sister.
Iris answered on the second ring and sang hello.
Through his laughter, he asked, “Something came up, can you fill in for me tonight at the college fund-raiser?”
Silence reached him first before she pressed. “What came up?”
Certain Iris would find out from one of Ava’s friends, most likely her new boss, Mia, he opted for the truth. “I need to help Ava.”
“You can’t help Ava on her contest without everyone else there,” Iris argued. “It’s not fair. Not what was decided. It’s everyone together or no one together.”
Kyle rubbed his forehead. He’d told Iris about the meeting and their decision, knowing he’d most likely invite Iris on several of their outings for another person in the group. “We aren’t working on her contest.”
He was working on relieving his own guilt. He shouldn’t have pushed so hard. He could’ve detached from the group and Ava without involving everyone else.
“You can’t go on a date with Ava, either.” Iris’s voice was alarmed as if dating was much worse than working on the contest. She added, “You’ll ruin the contest if the public learns you’re dating one of the finalists. You won’t ever be trusted again.”
“It’s not a date.” He didn’t need her dire warning blasting through his head, either. He’d already warned himself enough not to get any more involved. He just hoped he remembered to take his own advice. “Ben is coming over for a while. Then I’m bringing Ben back to Ava’s place.” But he wasn’t hanging out. He could draw a line somewhere and stick to it.
Iris laughed. “If you’re going out with Ava, can I take Grant to the event tonight?”
“I’m not going out with Ava.” Because it required repeating. Re
petition made something a habit. He had to get in the habit of not wanting more from Ava. Not wanting to be with Ava more. “Why Grant?”
“He’s fun and large crowds don’t intimidate him.” Iris paused and added, “He’s like having my own personal bodyguard. He watches out for me.”
Kyle agreed. There was a lot to like about Grant O’Neal. “You can’t date Grant.”
“It’s not a date,” Iris countered. “He’d be helping me out, so I don’t have to attend alone. As I’m not technically part of the contest crew, I won’t be breaking any rules, unlike other people.”
“This really isn’t a date with Ava. We’re not breaking any rules. The decision was to appear in public as a group. Ava and I won’t be together in public tonight.” He wasn’t exactly sure who he was trying to convince: his sister or himself. “She needed help. I offered.”
“Got it. No rule breaking. No dating,” Iris said. “Now I need to hang up and get ready. You’ve left me very little time.”
Before he ended the call, Iris said, “Hey, Kyle, if it was a date with Ava, I wouldn’t object. After all, breaking the rules isn’t always a bad thing.”
With that she clicked off and left Kyle staring at his cell phone. Breaking the rules with Ava had been too much of a good thing already. But he had one rule for his heart: never let it get involved. He wasn’t breaking that rule for anyone.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
BEN PRESSED THE call button outside Kyle’s building. At least Ava had stopped pacing. If only her heart would stop racing. She’d already put a moratorium on sharing more kisses with Kyle the morning after their sidewalk kiss. Not that they’d had many opportunities for a repeat in the past week. This afternoon was the first time she’d been alone with Kyle since their impromptu food truck dinner.
Kyle and she were only friends. She’d spent the entire bus ride to pick up Ben convincing herself of that very fact.
Their kiss had been a lapse in judgment. That she wanted to share another kiss with Kyle was proof of her continuously poor judgment. Falling for Kyle would be a mistake she might not recover from. Better to keep her feelings for him in the friend zone and keep her focus on her goals.
This afternoon, she’d accepted the help of a friend. The entire thing was nothing for her heart to melt over. Friends helped friends.
Ava stepped off the elevator and smiled. The kind of grateful smile one friend gave to another. If her mouth seemed drier than usual, it only meant she needed to rehydrate. It had nothing to do with Kyle, in his jeans and T-shirt and her internal debate on whether she preferred him in dress or casual clothes. She followed Kyle and Ben into the apartment. She waited for Ben to finish his story about telling the kids at school where he was going and the fist bumps to stop.
“I should be back at home in about three hours,” she said.
“Take your time.” Kyle looked at her as if he’d forgotten she’d walked inside the apartment, too. “There’s no need to rush around the city like your hair is on fire.”
Ben grinned beside Kyle.
“Why does it feel like you two might be up to something?” Ava asked. “How is that possible when you’ve only been together for less than five minutes?”
“We don’t need five whole, long minutes to hatch really great plans.” Kyle managed to sound both insulted and flabbergasted. “The best plans are hatched in a minute, maybe two.”
Ben laughed.
Ava crossed her arms over her chest. “What’s your really great plan?”
“Don’t you need to go?” Kyle grabbed both of Ava’s shoulders and steered her backward toward the door. “You don’t want your mom to be late, and Sophie’s rescues are waiting.”
Ava dug in her heels to slow her steps. There was a glint in Kyle’s gaze she hadn’t noticed earlier. Gone was the supportive, empathetic man. Now he looked a little bit like a kid eager to be left alone in the house for the first time. She wanted to stay, too. Irritation rolled into her voice. “He’s only ten, Kyle.”
Kyle frowned and glanced over his shoulder. “Well, sorry, Ben, I guess that means we can’t put on our super suits and fly around the city. You have to be twelve for super suits.”
Ben grabbed his stomach and folded over with laughter.
“Super suits?” Ava failed to bite back her own laughter and find her annoyance.
Kyle smiled and shrugged. “If you must know, we’re playing Dragon Reign. Three rounds. We’re still working out what the winner gets.”
“That’s your genius plan?” Ava looked from Kyle over to Ben. She wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting, but their idea was much less inventive than she’d imagined.
Kyle stuck his hand over his heart like she’d wounded him. “Any plan that includes Dragon Reign is genius. Right, Ben?”
Ben nodded. “It’s only the best video game ever.”
“What if I’m running late?” Ava lingered near the door.
“Then we get to play even more rounds.” Exasperation forced Ben’s eyes to roll.
Ava heard the unspoken “duh” coming from the pair. She bit her lip to hide her grin and keep from encouraging them.
“I know the winner gets to choose where we get dinner from.” Ben’s mouth dropped open and his eyes widened. “I wasn’t supposed to say that, was I?”
Kyle looked at Ben then Ava. “Say what?”
“Kyle and I never discussed dinner plans.” They also never discussed their first kiss. She never planned to invite him into her home. Into her private world.
“But we all need to eat, don’t we?” Ben looked back and forth between them, his gaze eager.
They all didn’t need to eat together at her house. As if they always shared Friday night dinners at her place. As if this was part of their thing. Ava bit into her tongue, not wanting to disappoint Ben and not wanting to encourage Kyle.
“I accept those terms for the Dragon Reign challenge.” Kyle held up his hand to stop Ben’s cheer. “As long as your aunt agrees.”
Ava studied Kyle. Like a champion poker player, he revealed none of his inner thoughts. She pressed a mild disinterest into her voice. “You’ve already helped enough. You’ve changed your evening for us.” She wasn’t changing her lifestyle for him.
“I was going to work,” he said.
Ben wrinkled his nose. “That’s all adults ever do.”
“I suppose I could handle video games and dinner,” Kyle added.
Ava could handle her attraction to Kyle, too. After all, it was only a quick dinner with a friend. “Then it’s settled. Winner of Dragon Reign picks the restaurant.”
Ben kicked the toe of his sneaker into the floor. Disappointment settled quick and hard, slumping his thin shoulders. “I forgot my dad already packed my own dinner. It doesn’t matter to me where you guys go to eat.”
Kyle shook his head. “Nope. That won’t cut it. Tonight, we eat as a team.”
“But I can’t have too many carbohydrates or sugar in my food.” Ben touched his hip where his insulin pump was clipped to his jeans. “All the good restaurants like to use lots of that stuff.”
Ava’s heart broke for the little boy. He rarely complained about his diabetes, took most things in stride. But there were moments, like now. She wanted to let him grumble. She wanted to hug him, promise him his dad’s dinner was hands-down better than any restaurant in the city. She stepped forward, but Kyle got to Ben first.
“Is that all you got?” Kyle flipped over his medical ID bracelet and extended his arm into Ben’s view.
Ava moved farther away from the door and closer to the pair. Kyle often evaded any questions about his nut allergies. Still, she’d never seen him without his bracelet on or his backpack within easy reach. He never took unnecessary risks with food. The contest group referred to his approved restaurant list on a daily basis.
“Hey, I have a m
edical bracelet, too.” Ben touched the titanium links on Kyle’s ID bracelet. “Yours is cooler.”
“I like the paracord style you have.” Kyle set his wrist against Ben’s to compare the two bracelets.
Everything softened inside Ava. She couldn’t stop herself. Watching Kyle and Ben bond melted through her, urging her to hold them both close.
“Does yours change colors or show the time in the links?” Ben asked.
“No, but I like the idea.” Surprise lifted Kyle’s eyebrows.
He stared at his bracelet. Ava assumed Kyle’s inventive mind was considering Ben’s idea, debating the feasibility and possibilities.
“What’s your bracelet for?” Ben asked.
“Pretty bad nut allergy.” Kyle shook his wrist, settled his ID band back in place. “I used to sit alone at a table in the far corner of the school cafeteria every day during lunch.”
“But you never had to stick needles in your fingers and test your blood all the time.” Ben wrinkled his nose and stuffed his hands in his pockets.
“No, but I have to carry this everywhere.” Kyle picked up his backpack from the floor near the couch and rummaged inside. He pulled out a plastic cylindrical tube labeled EpiPen. “One little sliver of a tree nut can kill me without this.”
“What happens if someone puts a nut in your dinner and you don’t know?” Ben asked.
“I jam this needle in my leg.” Kyle set the plastic tube against his leg and eyed Ben. “Then you call 9-1-1. If I’m really lucky, your aunt and dad arrive in their ambulance to take me to the hospital really fast.”
“Whoa.” Ben’s eyes widened, and alarm covered his voice, dipping into a strained whisper. “You get even bigger needles when you get to the hospital.”
“I like to avoid those needles as much as possible,” Kyle said.
“Me, too,” Ben added. “The ones that poke my finger don’t hurt too bad anymore.”
Kyle tucked his EpiPen into his backpack. “Shall we get our video game challenge on?”
Ben’s eyebrows pulled together. His expression uncertain. “You should win, though.”
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