“Oh, it was. Small town living, remember? Most people know we’re here Thursday nights. My parents might have known I was working last night, but they obviously hoped you’d still show up. Perfect opportunity for my mother to meet you.”
“Sorry for the wait, love. It’s a little crazy here tonight.” Walt drops her drinks on the bar, and before she can say anything, he’s called away again.
Ava watches him walk away, concern crossing her face. “Doesn’t he have another bartender or something?”
“Technically? Yes, but he doesn’t schedule them very often. Normally only when he goes out of town to visit his son.” Ava turns to look at me, shock evident in her eyes, and before she can say anything, I continue. “It’s hard for him to trust other people with the bar. I don’t know the full story, but his dad bought theplace shortly after moving here from Ireland. He built it up from nothing and took a lot of pride in the place. Walt almost lost it a few months after his dad passed. He’s barely left ever since.”
“That’s so sad,” Ava mumbles.
“It’s worse when you find out his son never visits.”
Ava’s head whips to mine. “What?” she gasps.
“If you want another complicated story, it’s that one. It’s also the only secret this town doesn’t know.”
“For such a small town, there sure is a lot of drama.”
“We’ve gotta keep it interesting.” I laugh.
We stand there, just staring at each other. My eyes drift to her lips and I desperately want to kiss them. I don’t know for sure, but I think it’s both of us that start to lean in.
Before our lips brush, something registers for Ava because she places her hand on my chest, pushing me away gently, regret pouring from her eyes.
“I should get these drinks over to the table.”
I take a small step back, my eyes falling to the ground for a second before I manage a smirk in her direction. “Yeah.”
“I’ll talk to you later?” she asks as she picks up her drinks.
“Sure. I’m around.” And for Ava, I probably always will be.
Avaand I might not go on a hike over the weekend, but I do convince all three of my siblings to join me on an easy hike through Whispering Pines Trail Saturday morning.
I got lucky and saw everyone together for an hour on Christmas before leaving for my shift at the station, and I talked them into the hike. I’ve wanted more time with my siblings, and with Asher heading back to school and the season starting soon, we’ll be lucky to get any time with him over the next five months.
“So, when do the rest of us get to meet your girlfriend?” Leo snickers from the front of the group.
“You have a girlfriend?” Olivia practically shouts from beside me.
“No, I don’t have a girlfriend. Leo is just being a twerp.”
“What Gage means to say is that he doesn’t have a girlfriend, but he wishes he did,” Asher jumps in on the razzing.
“What?” Another shout from Olivia.
“Okay, that’s enough of that. Ava and I are just friends. Mom and Dad just don’t want to believe that and decided to ambush her at Murphy’s one night. You’ll meet her whenever you meet her.” I shrug.
“But do you want her to be your girlfriend?” Olivia asks.
Do I want Ava to be my girlfriend? For the first time since high school, yes, I want to be in a serious relationship—but only if it’s with Ava Day.
I thought it was just the mystery of Ava that had me so intrigued and invested in spending time with her. But I know the answer to the mystery now, and I still desperately want to spend time with her. While I love my siblings and am honestly glad we’re getting this day together, I’d rather be doing something with Ava—even if it’s just sitting at home watching TV or reading a book.
There’s still so much for me to learn about her—and for her to learn about me—but I want to. I haven’t experienced wanting to learn more about someone else for well over a decade.
So, yeah, I want Ava to be my girlfriend. But am I going to tell my sister that? Probably not. But I also don’t want to lie to her. Honesty might be something Ava and I are known for with each other, but it’s something I strive for with everyone in my life.
“It’s not just about what I want. Being in a relationship is about both people.” Olivia opens her mouth, but I continue before she can ask something else I might not be able to talkmy way around. “And more importantly, it’s a conversation that should be had between those two people before anyone else.”
