“That’s where your car will be.” He had a feeling seeing Collin’s old place wasn’t what surprised her.
“That’s your place now? You really did buy the property, and from what I could see, doubled the size.” Her eyes widened as she stared at him. He guessed the Williams sign written across the building was a big giveaway.
“I can get you a good deal on your tires, but Mercedes parts don’t come cheap.”
She held up her hand like a stop sign. “I thought you worked on the farm?”
“I’m doing both.” But neither were his real job.
“I’m so glad I didn’t ruin your business for you. I’m sorry I started such a stupid rumor. It looks great now. Good for you.” She beamed.
“Thanks.”
He cleared his throat and waited to see if she’d connect the dots and realize his caryard was part of the Williams chain. When she didn’t, he didn’t bother mentioning it. He wasn’t exactly sure why he was still keeping it to himself.
“There’s going to be a race day in a few days.” He pointed to a banner promoting the day strung up above the street. “Your family will no doubt be there. Will you be sticking around for it?” He’d be there too. His company put the races on. It was a way to direct business into the town and keep Sunland Valley thriving.
“I’m hoping to be long gone by then.”
His gut clenched at the thought of her leaving. It had only been three days ago that he would’ve been happy to see the back of her—hell, he had been ready to escort her away personally. Now he wasn’t so eager to see her go. He was sure he would’ve felt the same way if it had been any other friend he hadn’t seen in years. Yeah, right.
When they reached Bernie’s place, the Cardona Stud Farm, Nick pulled onto the graveled driveway lined with pine trees and drove past green horse paddocks until they reached the main house. He had only been there once, to drop off car keys from Collin Benson. The maid had asked him to wait in the foyer, and he’d overheard a conversation—more like an argument—between Ava’s parents that would’ve shattered her life. Bernie spied him outside his study door, and his relationship with Ava became history.
Nick glanced over at Ava. She bit her bottom lip, looking at the sprawling sandstone house with its pristine gardens like she wasn’t in a rush to leave the truck. Again, he wondered if Bernie had ever told her the truth. But it was no longer Nick’s business. They weren’t in a relationship anymore, and what happened in her family was between them.
“I’ll get your bag.” He got out of the truck and hoisted her luggage from the tray.
Ava walked up next to him, gave Molly a scratch on the head, and took the bag from him. “Thanks for helping me out these last few days.”
He nodded. “Anytime.” And he meant it. After learning about Bernie’s manipulation he’d let go of the built-up resentment toward her. In fact, he’d let go of it before he’d even learned the truth.
Sliding her hand up his chest, she leaned in and brushed her lips against his. The shocking blast from the innocent kiss broke them apart, and they stood staring wide-eyed at each other. What the hell? He’d had his tongue in her mouth, and on other parts of her body, and he hadn’t had quite the same reaction. And from the expression on her face, she’d felt something too.
“See you, Nick.” Her breath sounded choppy, and she broke eye contact and turned to leave.
“I’ll call you when your car’s ready,” he said, managing to speak past his tight throat.
She flicked a glance over her shoulder, her smile blinding him. “Thanks.”
She rolled her bag toward the entrance, and he watched her sexy hips sway as she walked. He scrubbed his hands over his face then shoved them in his pockets and kicked at the gravel. That woman had him twisted up in knots.
He unclipped Molly from the tray, whistling for her to jump into the now vacant passenger seat. “You’re a good girl,” he cooed as he scratched behind her ears. Molly’s tongue rolled out with pure pleasure. “And extremely less complicated. Come on, let’s go fix Ava’s car. The sooner she’s out of town, the better off I’ll be.” But he wasn’t sure if he actually believed it.
* * * *
Ava placed her fingertips on her trembling lips. Her reaction from that one soft kiss was like a smack to her senses. It hadn’t been fueled by lust and desire, but more affection and… She wouldn’t use the word love. But something more meaningful than two people wanting to just tear each other’s clothes off.
When Nick’s truck started and he drove away, she resisted the urge to spin around and watch him leave. She was ready to forget about him. They’d resolved their issues and had a hell of a good time doing so. It was time to move on and ignore the way her body tingled at the thought of his touch.
Before she made it to the veranda steps, the front door flew open. Bella came dashing toward her, with arms wide, a huge smile on her face, and dark, long hair flying behind her. “Ava!” she squealed and threw her arms around her. “You finally made it.”
Ava groaned from Bella’s enthusiastic embrace. “Not so tight. I can’t breathe.”
Bella laughed and let go. “I’m so happy you’re here.”
“Me too,” she lied. Although, she was happy to see Bella.
“How did you get here?” She glanced past Ava, seeking out, Ava assumed, her car.
“Nick dropped me off. My car’s going to the workshop.”
In a sing-song voice, Bella said, “Ooh, Nick dropped you off.”
“What are you doing here?” a gruff voice said behind her.
Ava pivoted around at the sound of her father’s voice. His dark hair, threaded with silver, was tousled from the breeze, and his tanned skin had a few more wrinkles since the last time she’d seen him.
“Nice to see you too, Dad.” Her fingers clenched and unclenched at her sides. It wasn’t the right time to confront him about what she’d learned from Nick. Not in front of Bella. It would probably get heated, and she didn’t want to upset her sister.
Bella scuttled over to their father. “I asked Ava to come and visit. Isn’t it great?”
Their father didn’t know she was coming? She narrowed her eyes at Bella and hoped she read the annoyance in them. Bella ducked her head.
“Yes, it is, just surprised to see you.” He took a few steps toward Ava and placed a quick, awkward peck on her cheek. Then demanded to know, “Are you messing around with Nick Williams again?”
Biting her tongue, Ava’s lips flattened in a tight line. If Bella hadn’t been standing there, looking scared that world war three was about to erupt, she would have some choice words to yell at her father.
When she didn’t answer him, he nodded in the direction Nick had left. “I thought I saw him drive away in that old truck of his.”
“He was nice enough to offer me a ride,” she said as she gritted her teeth. No point telling him she’d spent the past few days messing around with him.
“Where’s your car?”
“It broke down outside of town.”
He pulled out a mobile phone from his pocket. “I’ll have someone take care of it.”
“No need. It’s already done.”
“Nick?” A bushy eyebrow raised in question.
“Yes,” she said flatly.
Putting the phone back in his pocket, he rubbed his jaw then put a hand on Bella’s shoulder, stopping her from bouncing from one foot to the other. “Let’s not stand around all day. I’ll go tell Olivia to prepare a room for you.”
Ava noticed that he didn’t say her room. He’d probably turned her bedroom into a trophy display for all his prize-winning horses.
Bella seized Ava by the wrist and pulled her to the front door. “I’ll tell Mum she’s here.”
Their father nodded and went to walk away. Then stopped and turned to face them. “Glad to have you home, Ava,” he said, his voice gruff. With that, he turned and strode away.
Standing in the warm spring sun, she watched as he rounded the
corner of the house and disappeared. She’d been furious about what he put Nick and her through, but for a second, she’d seen a moment of emotion. Something she’d never witnessed from him before. But it had come and gone so fast, she’d probably only imagined it.
“Come on!” Bella tugged her arm.
But Ava stood firm. “Why didn’t you tell Dad I was coming?”
Bella shuffled her feet. “Umm… I forgot?”
“You forgot!”
“Yeah, sorry. He’s been busy, and I haven’t seen him much lately.” She tugged at her arm again. “Let’s go.”
“Okay, okay.” She let Bella pull her up the stairs and into the house. Of course their father was always too busy to talk to—nothing had changed.
Once inside, Ava blinked, taking a moment for her eyes to adjust from being outside. She walked into the entrance, her heels clicking on the marble floor, then halted, her gaze scanning the opulent room. Memories came flooding back in full force. Riding around on roller blades when she was ten and hiding the evidence of a smashed expensive vase from her mother that she’d knocked into. Getting caught sneaking into the house in the early hours of the morning by her father and being yelled at for being irresponsible.
Then the one memory she’d forced down into the darkest part of her mind. The night she ran down the wrought iron staircase after her mother, pleading for her not to get into the car. It was the last time she saw her. Her heart shuddered, and she shook her head to clear the image.
Thankfully, Bella had been too preoccupied, petting and talking to the little ball of white fluff at her feet, to notice Ava’s trip down memory lane.
“Who’s your friend?” Ava bent down to pat the little dog. It rolled onto its back and pumped little furry legs in the air. She laughed. “I suppose you want a tummy rub.” And she could have sworn the dog nodded in agreement.
“This is Harry. I named him after Harry Styles.” Ava must have looked at her in confusion, because Bella added, “You know, from One Direction. They’ve broken up, but I’m praying every night they get back together. How can there be a world without One Direction?”
“I have no idea,” Ava answered and really didn’t have a clue.
“Mum’s probably in the kitchen.” Bella headed off in that direction, and Ava followed.
Bella was right, they found Olivia in the kitchen, elbow-deep in soapy water as she washed dishes. She turned when she heard them enter, and her eyes lit up as her gaze landed on Ava. Shaking her hands from the water and wiping them on her apron, she hurried over to Ava and wrapped her in a warm embrace.
“Oh, it’s so wonderful to see you.” The top of Olivia’s head reached Ava’s shoulders, so she reached up and cupped her face and brought her head down so she could place a kiss on her cheek. Then she held Ava’s hands, stepped back, and looked her up and down. “Look how gorgeous you are. So grown up. I can’t believe you’ve come home.” Olivia’s eyes welled up, and she plucked a tissue from her apron pocket to dab her eyes.
“It’s nice to see you too,” she felt obliged to say, though she’d never given Olivia much thought over the years. She’d been the woman her father had gotten pregnant while married to her mother and then married two months after her mother had been buried. Ava had never formed an attachment to her.
As a teenager, she’d held onto resentment toward this woman who’d invaded her home, trying to take over her mother’s place. That’s what a girl of fourteen thought. And no matter how nice and caring Olivia had tried to be in those years they’d lived together, she always knocked her attempts of friendship away. Seeing Olivia so genuinely happy and emotional to have her home was a bit of a shock.
“Have you seen your father yet? He will be thrilled to see you.”
Thrilled wouldn’t be what she’d say.
“We just saw him. He wants you to get a room ready for Ava,” Bella supplied.
“You’re staying?” Olivia clapped her hands. “That’s wonderful.”
“Only for a couple of days,” Ava said. She noticed Bella’s disappointed expression, but she’d been away from work for too long. Two days was all she could give her sister. So whatever Bella’s crisis was, she’d need to sort it out soon.
Olivia also frowned with disappointment, but said with a smile, “Well, we’ll just have to make the most of it. I’ll put the kettle on for tea and we can catch up.” And she went about filling the kettle with water and getting cups ready.
What was there to catch up on? Olivia was more like a stranger than a stepmother. Her father had never brought her along when he’d dropped Bella off for visits. The only time they spoke was when Ava called the house to speak with her sister and Olivia answered the phone. Even then, Ava only made polite small talk. But she smiled and took a seat at the small, timber table. All she really wanted to do was find a quiet place to talk to Bella.
Glancing around the kitchen while waiting for the tea, she remembered the few times when her mother had been sober and taught her how to cook all the Spanish dishes like paella and gazpacho that her father loved but never came home to eat. Her mother soon stopped making dinner and had a housekeeper bring her meals to her room. Ava had never cooked a Spanish meal again.
When tea was ready, Ava told Olivia about her work, her friends, and a few of her interests, much like she’d done with Maggie, but this time her words sounded stiffer, more rehearsed.
Soon they ran out of things to talk about, and Ava rose from the chair. “I’d like to freshen up. What room would you like me to use? And I can set it up, there’s no need for you to do it.”
Olivia looked at her with a strange expression. “You can use your old room. I’ll fetch some fresh sheets for you.”
She still had her old room?
Bella followed Ava as they climbed the staircase, chatting nonstop about things Ava had never heard of and people she didn’t know, with little fur ball Harry scurrying at their feet. Had Ava ever been that young and carefree? And chatty? No, she didn’t think so. She’d had to grow up fast.
Did Bella’s childhood resemble a fraction of what Ava’s had? In all their visits and phone conversations Bella had always given the impression she’d grown up in a happy and loving home, but how could that be with a father like Bernie? Maybe Olivia was good at protecting Bella from what he was really like.
They reached the bedroom, and Ava opened the door. She stopped short in the doorway, and Bella bumped into her. Even Harry gave a little yelp at the sudden stop, then scuttled around their ankles and ran into the room.
The room was exactly the same as when she’d left. The same yellow daisy print wallpaper, the Maroon 5 posters tacked on the walls, even the white, frilly bedspread was the same. Taking a few steps further into the room, she trailed a finger along the pearl white dressing table. All her perfume bottles were lined up how she’d left them. The silver jewelry box sitting on the table wasn’t tarnished from age and misuse but shined like it had recently been polished.
Her gaze landed on a glossy, black frame. Her hands trembled slightly as she picked it up. A black-and-white photo strip, the ones taken from the booths in the mall, was inside. Her and Nick’s big, goofy smiles beamed from the frame. The photos were playful and fun. Her heart gave a tight squeeze at the young love. A love her father had ruined.
She needed to push her feelings about that down for now and get to the point of why Bella needed her here. Before she could ask Bella any questions, Olivia came shuffling in the room, carrying sheets and towels.
“Let me take those for you.” Ava relieved Olivia of the bundle and put them on the four-poster bed.
“I’ll just be a minute making up your bed and I’ll let you two girls have some time alone.”
“That’s not necessary. I can manage. But thank you.”
Olivia smiled. “Well, I’ll leave you to it. Let me know if there’s anything you need.”
“Will do. Umm, Olivia…” Ava waved a hand to take in the room. “My room is exactly how I left i
t. Why?”
“It’s your bedroom,” she answered as if she wasn’t really sure why Ava would ask such a question.
“Yes, but it hasn’t been for years. Why haven’t you changed it into something useful?”
Olivia’s smile was slow and a little sad. “Your father had always hoped you’d be back. And when it didn’t look like you were coming home, he didn’t want anything changed.”
Ava stared at her.
“It’s a bit dated now. Feel free to do whatever you like to spruce it up.”
“That won’t be necessary. I won’t be here long enough.” If her voice sounded strained, no one said anything.
Olivia nodded. “I’m preparing lunch. Come and join us when you’re ready.” She pointed to Bella. “Don’t forget you’re on dishes duties.”
Bella flopped down on the bed, Harry yapping and scratching at Bella’s legs to pick him up. “Yes, I know,” she whined.
“See you both soon.” Then Olivia left the room, closing the door.
Her father had thought she’d come back? He never once asked her if she was coming home. Not once!
“So…how was your weekend with Nick?” Bella strung out his name, and her eyes grew wide with excitement.
Ava picked Harry up and placed him on the bed. He went belly up again and she obliged him with a scratch on his tummy.
The best two days I’ve had in years, she wanted to say, but instead she said, “It was okay.”
“Did you have s-e-x?” She whispered as she spelled out the word.
“Isabella!” Ava gasped. “You’re only fourteen, what do you know about s-e-x?” She too spelled it out. It was wrong saying the word sex in front of her kid sister.
Bella rolled her eyes. “I’m not two. I do know what it is and how it’s done.”
“I hope you don’t know that from personal experience.” Ava would die if she was sexually active.
Chasing Trouble Page 12
