“What else is being said?”
“Oh, let’s see, there’s one about you hiding out with Justin in a hotel downtown, but that one is dying down. Now, there are rumblings he killed his stepfather because his mother wanted a divorce.”
“Idiots!”
“There are some who don’t believe any of those horrible rumors, myself included.”
“Thanks. It’s good to know who your real friends are in trying times.”
Meghan smiled and sipped her ice tea. “How is country life treating you?”
Ava let out a chuckle. “Being in the middle of nowhere is peaceful.”
“I guess it was more Brandon’s idea than yours. Am I right?”
“He’s in protector mode right now.”
“Can I tell you something without you becoming angry with me?” she asked, suddenly becoming serious.
“Sure. What is it?”
“Brandon is a sweet guy, and I believe you are good for him.”
“But…”
“But I believe Justin is good for you. You were a different person when you were with him. Anyone could see on your face how you felt about him.”
“Justin is not here,” she frowned. “I haven’t seen or heard from him in over a month. I can’t continue to wonder and wait.”
“I liked the effect Justin had on you, and I can’t fathom he’s done the things they’re accusing him of.”
Ava dabbed her eyes with a napkin. Sometimes she hears Justin’s name without a flicker of emotion and other times, she’s a blubbering mess.
Meghan reached over to touch her hand. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“I’m not upset because I understand how you feel. That’s what makes this so hard. The Justin I know doesn’t mesh with what we’ve learned.”
“Everything I’ve heard is from you and the news, and none of it makes sense.”
“It doesn’t matter because I’ve stopped trying to make sense of it and moved on with my life.”
“You mean move on with Brandon.”
“Meghan, I can’t continue to wonder what happened to Justin. I don’t have the energy to figure out where his truth ended, and the lie began. Brandon and I share a history, and just like before, he dropped everything to help me through another crisis in my life.”
She shrugged. “Fine, I’ll drop it.”
“Good. I want to focus on something else such as keeping my promise with mentoring you.”
“Ava, you have enough on your plate.”
“I have nothing on my plate at the moment. I want you to go back to school to get your degree.”
Meghan widen her eyes. “School? I don’t have the time.”
Ava placed her empty plate and glass in the sink. “You are single with no kids. It’s the perfect time. Just hear me out.”
Meghan turned her chair to face Ava. “Explain how I can fit school into my work schedule.”
“Online classes. You mentioned before you completed two years of college. Tuition assistance can be used to pay for the classes, and because they are online, you can complete your classwork after work hours. You can command much more money with a degree.”
“I hear ya, Ava. But they’ve promoted some people without one.”
“True, but your bargaining power is in your credentials. I didn’t have to get an MBA, but I did. It enabled me to become the competition and not the other way around.”
“Meaning?”
“If I’d settled with just a BA and work experience, I would have to convince a potential employer why I’m a better candidate than someone with more education. With two degrees and my work experience, there’s very little convincing I need to do.”
Meghan nodded her head like she finally understood. “I’ll look into the tuition assistance program and let you know.”
“Good.” She grabbed her keys and purse off the table. “It’s getting late, and I have a long drive.”
“Well, thanks for coming over.”
“And thanks for dinner.”
Chapter Twenty-six
“The hot wings are done. Do you want to make the dip?” Brandon shouted from the bottom stair.
“No, go ahead. I have to blow dry my hair,” said Ava. Two months have passed since Ava had left her home to stay with Brandon and the couple were preparing for a game night. It’s something they used to do once a month with Tess and Scott. The two couples would alternate between their homes and tonight they’re playing at Brandon’s. Two board games are put up for selection and whatever the majority chooses wins. Brandon put out Scrabble and Taboo.
After she dried and curled her hair Ava made her way downstairs. The aroma of cooked chicken wings made her stomach growl. She entered the kitchen and eyed the crisp wings on the tray. She picked up one to sample. “Mmm, this is delicious,” she said, biting into the honey barbecue wing.
“Thank you. I made an assortment to go with the different dips. I have spicy peppered, lemon, fried with honey drizzle, and honey barbecue.”
“I swear you were a chef in another life.” She licked the sauce from the tips of her fingers.
“It’s just a hobby of mine.” He shrugged.
“As usual, you’re being modest. What about the dips?” He had a round platter with several small dipping bowls surrounding the celery and carrot sticks.
“I have sriracha, blue cheese, maple barbecue sauce, and ranch.”
“Do you need any help with anything?”
“I got it all under control. Before Scott and Tess arrive, I need to talk to you about something.”
“What?” Taking note of the tension on his face.
“An anonymous tip came in and someone claims to have spotted him in Seattle.”
“Seattle? Are you sure?”
He nodded his head. “Does he have property there or know anyone who would hide him?”
“Not that I know of. There’s plenty he kept hidden from me.”
“If I ever see that asshole again, I swear I’ll kill him!” He washed and dried his hands on a dishtowel.
“Don’t talk like that.”
He gripped her shoulders. “I’m serious, Ava. I can kill him for what he’s done to you. All the hurt and pain he’s inflicted…” He shook his head as his voice trailed off.
“Let it go and focus on the positive.”
“And remind me of the positive, once again.” He frowned.
“It brought you and me closer together.”
The corner of his mouth turned upward into a smile. “It did, didn’t it?” He wrapped her into an embrace. He stroked her back as she rested her head on his chest. “Everything I’ve done was worth this moment right here.”
She pulled away to look him in the eyes. “What do you mean? What have you done?”
“I refused to give up on you.” He kissed her forehead. “Witnessing you move on was torture when I knew you belonged with me.” He moved the hair that had fallen in her face behind her ear. “I told myself if I waited long enough, I would have you again.”
Before Ava could respond, he abruptly turned and snatched his keys from off the counter. “Where are you going?” she asked.
“I just remember Scott wanted to borrow some tools I have in the shed.”
She crinkled her nose in disgust. “Oh, you mean that dilapidated barn.”
“It’s not a barn, Ava.”
“It was at one time.”
“Now it’s my shed. I replaced the rotted wood beams and applied a fresh coat of paint on the doors.”
“Call it what you want, but it’ll always be a barn I won’t step foot in. Go get the tools. Scott and Tess should be here soon.”
He left, and she heard him start his old pickup he only used to haul equipment or wood. The barn sat on the far edge of the property that required a drive down a makeshift driveway. Ava always avoided going down there because of its ability to scare the shit out of her. The one time she accompanied Brandon to load wood for the fireplace, she stood close to his s
ide and constantly looked over her shoulder. It always felt as if they were being watched. As Brandon said, it’s an old house.
After moving the food to the sitting area, the sound of the doorbell filled the room. As a precaution, Ava peeked out the side glass to make sure it was their intended guests. “Hey, guys!” She and Tess hugged, and Scott stepped pass with a medium-sized paper bag in his hand. The standard bag you get from the liquor store.
“Smells, heavenly. Did Brandon make his delicious wings again?” asked Tess.
“He sure did,” said Ava, closing the door. Moments later Brandon returned with a chainsaw and hedge cutters in hand. He nodded at Scott which cued him to follow him outside, while Ava and Tess departed to the back porch where they could speak in private. Ava turned on the outdoor lights, and they both sat on the cushioned porch swing.
“So, you and Brandon,” began Tess. “I never thought you two would get back together.”
“We’re not.” Ava tried not to smile.
“You’ve been here for weeks when it should’ve been a few days.”
Ava wrapped a black shawl around her shoulders. “The news said the temperature will drop to the thirties tonight.”
“Don’t do that,” said Tess.
“Do what?”
“Change the subject. Every time I’ve ask when you’re returning home, you give the same excuse.”
“Look, Brandon doesn’t want me to leave until I’m out of danger.”
“Danger from whom? It’s been two months, and Justin is long gone. If he wanted to contact you, I’m sure he would have done so already. I think you don’t want to leave, and we both know Brandon would use any excuse to keep you here.”
Ava looked at Tess and smirked. “I like being here, okay.”
“Yes!” She threw her hands in the air. “The truth, finally!”
“Just because I may have some romantic feelings for him doesn’t mean I’m ready to dive straight into a relationship. We have plenty of issues to resolve.”
“That’s understandable.”
“I mean, chaos threw us together the first time, and it’s thrown us together again. Brandon and I seem to thrive when there’s a crisis. It’s normal life that causes us to fail.”
Tess placed her finger on her chin and shifted her eyes upward. “Uh, if I recall, I said those exact words to you.”
Ava smiled. “You did, and you were right. I’m doing everything not to repeat past mistakes.”
“Not to pry, but how close have you guys gotten? Are you two just friends figuring it out, or have you rekindled all aspects of your relationship?”
“Tess!” She laughed. “Are you asking if we had sex?”
“Is that too nosy?”
“I was drunk, and it almost happened. I couldn’t go through with it.”
“Because it’s too soon?”
“I thought he was Justin.”
Tess’ eyes widened. “Shut up! Did you say his name?”
“No, I looked at him and saw Justin’s face. Once I realized my drunken mind was playing tricks, I stopped.”
“I assume he doesn’t know.”
“Are you kidding? That gave me more of a reason to proceed with caution. I’m now at a place where I don’t cry when I think of Justin or hear his name. Brandon has been incredible these past two months, and I don’t want to hurt him again.”
“Just don’t fall back into the trap of staying only to make him happy.”
“I won’t. Let’s get back inside before they come searching for us.”
Once inside the group played a round of Taboo. A game where they split into teams and take turns guessing as many keywords in an allotted time using none of the listed taboo words. The group split into girls vs guys. Ava and Tess dominated the game with the guys earning a fifty-point loss. Tess suggested a rematch, but the guys were not interested. They instead grabbed a beer and settled on the front porch. Ava cleared their plates while Tess used the main floor guest bathroom. While loading the dishwasher, Ava noticed she somehow smeared blue cheese near the hem of her shirt. Not wanting the stain to set in, she turned off the kitchen faucet and headed towards the laundry room to spray it with a stain remover. On her way, she passed by the front door left ajar. She could hear Brandon talking to Scott in a hushed tone. She eased closer to the door, enough to hear what they were saying.
“Ava seemed to be in good spirits. How is she doing?” asked Scott.
“She’s better since that bastard is out of her life,” said Brandon.
“He seemed like a pretty decent guy. I never made him out to be the homicidal type.”
“That’s how sociopaths are Scott. They’re upstanding family men, community leaders, business moguls, and all that shit. But underneath, they’re ticking time bombs that don’t need a reason to detonate.”
“Maybe so. How long is she staying?”
“She says until she feels safe enough to return home. She won’t admit it, but she’s fallen for me again.”
“I’m happy for you, brother. This time I hope you guys make it work.”
“We will. I’m not screwing up my second chance.”
“I better see what’s keeping Tess.”
Ava dashed off to the laundry room. She removed her shirt, sprayed it with stain remover before tossing it into the hamper. She then reached into the dryer and put on one of Brandon’s t-shirts that stopped mid-thigh. Ava could hear Tess and Scott saying their goodbyes, so she shot her a quick text stating she would call her tomorrow. Once she heard the front door close, she emerged from the laundry room wearing only Brandon’s shirt. She moved towards Brandon who eyed her like a horny teenager at the front door. “Is that my shirt?” he asked.
“Yes, I got dip all over mine and had to change into something else. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not one bit.” His eyes traveled up and down her body. “It looks better on you than it ever did on me.”
She placed her hand in his and led him to the sofa. Ava gently pushed him down and straddled his lap. “I heard the tail end of your conversation with Scott.”
He narrowed his eyes. “What did you hear?”
“Enough to know you’re uncertain how I feel about you.”
“I never said that.”
“Not in so many words, but I could hear it in your voice.”
He placed a hand on each of her thighs, moving them upward and resting them on her ass. He pushed her closer until they fell into a kiss. Ava didn’t hold back. She returned a deep passionate kiss as his hands caressed her bare back. “Before we go further, I need to say something first,” she said pulling away.
“Now?”
“I promise you’ll like it.”
“Go ahead.”
“Thank you for helping me through another difficult time in my life. You’ve proved to be the one person I can always count on. You’ve been vocal about wanting us to get back together, and I was hesitant to move forward out of fear of falling into old patterns.”
“And now?”
“Now, that’s no longer a concern of mine, because you have shown that you’ve changed, and you are the man I fell in love with.”
“Are you saying what I think you are?” he asked.
“Only if you think I want us to get back together.” She smiled.
He kissed her on the lips before swinging her off his lap and laying her down on the sofa beside him. She closed her eyes as Brandon lifted her shirt and placed short sweet kisses on her stomach. He then stroked her breast with his tongue. When she opened her eyes, it was Brandon’s face staring back at her. “Are you sure this is what you want?” he asked. “I don’t want you to feel pressured into anything.”
“At this moment, I want nothing more.”
He smiled and removed his pants followed by his shirt. She reached her arms out and locked them around his neck as they feverishly devoured each other. “I love you,” he murmured, as he came up for air. Ava gazed into his eyes; eyes eager for her to return the
sentiment. “I’ll always have love for you.”
“If that’s all you can give right now. I’ll take it.” He stood and reached for her hand. She allowed him to help her off of the sofa and followed him to the bedroom. Once there, she removed the shirt she wore revealing her naked body. She laid across the bed ready to make love. Before he could move an inch forward, his cell phone rang.
“Shit!” he grumbled.
Ava turned to check the time on the bedside clock. It was one in the morning. That call meant only one thing. “You better get it,” she said.
He tightened his jaw and swore under his breath. “Maybe we can do it really quick.” His phone continued to ring.
“You know who it is, you better answer it.”
He grimaced before racing out the room. Moments later he returned visibly upset. “I have to go. There’s a homicide with multiple fatalities that needs investigating.” He stroked his chin. “I would ask you to wait up, but you know the drill. We won’t see each other until sometime tomorrow.”
She sat up and covered herself with his shirt. “It’s fine. We’ll pick up where we left off later.”
Chapter Twenty-seven
Ava woke alone in Brandon’s bed about nine in the morning. She checked her phone, and he’d sent a text message stating he had to work straight through to the end of his shift that ended at eight. She pulled back the comforter that felt like a sheet of ice against her bare legs and rolled out of bed. Ava instinctively rubbed her shoulders to create warmth as she retrieved her robe from the closet. Before dragging herself into the kitchen, she checked the thermostat on the wall in the hallway. 59 degrees! She’d forgotten about the overnight temperature drop that was commonplace in North Georgia. It would be hot for weeks and out of nowhere a cold front would arrive, knocking the temperature down several notches.
Ava switched the thermostat from cool to heat and proceeded to the kitchen. She whipped up a scrambled egg and orange juice before settling in front of the television. The morning news kept her company as she thought of how to fill her day. Somewhere between the story of a woman who lost her wedding ring in a sewer grate and the weather, her thoughts drifted to the night before. She smiled to herself as she thought of the expression on Brandon’s face when she told him she wanted them back together. It was the conversation he had with Scott that had convinced her it was time to move forward. All he wants is a second chance. After everything he’s done for her, how can she deny him? The recent time they’ve spent together, and their three-year history made it easy to rekindle what they once shared. It isn’t lost on her the problems they had, and in time they can work through them. If only, she could give him what he wants most. To hear those three little words. I love you. When those words pass her lips, it equates to being in love, and she isn’t.
Betrayed by You Page 16
