Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
This must be a dream.
Ava blinked at her email. She’d ignored her computer the past few days and had planned to continue doing so, but her editor had texted her to answer an urgent message.
Her final article on Jonathon Island needed some edits.
The series of articles had run for the past few days, but Ava tried to forget all about them.
She groaned. The last thing she wanted was to think about her time on Jonathon Island or anyone from there.
She’d already sworn off doing anything in the Chicago Loop where Escargot was located.
At least until she found a way to talk to Zach and explain how she felt.
The text messages she’d sent him had gone unanswered. Maybe he would never let her explain.
Below the notes from her editor, a message from Mia popped up. Subject line: Who’s your favorite Realtor?
She hesitated with her finger over the read button.
Did she really want to know about property for sale on Jonathon Island?
Was she brave enough to get her hopes up again?
She fingered the edge of the couch cushion under her.
Her fingertip found a frayed piece, and she worried at it.
The beige cushion matched the beige carpet.
A longing for more, for an adventure, for a home she could love swept over her. She needed to move out of this apartment.
Her grandma’s words echoed in her mind. You can go anywhere.
I’ll be moving to Arizona at the end of the month.
Between her grandma moving and Emily leaving for Los Angeles, there was nothing keeping her here in Chicago.
She pictured Zach, his chef’s whites rolled to his elbows, showing her how to chop an onion in the kitchen at Escargot.
She pushed the thought away. She didn’t know where they even stood, or what their relationship would look like after she talked to him.
She tapped the mouse to open Mia’s email.
Ava,
A bungalow here on island came up for sale. The owners heard about your letter (I know, small town), and they wanted to offer it to you first. They liked what you had to say about looking for a place with roots to call home.
It doesn’t have everything on your wish list, but you can always put up a white picket fence if you still want one.
I’ve attached pictures. Let me know what you think.
Mia
She clicked on the first thumbnail. A small home with a sloping roofline appeared on-screen.
The front of the house boasted a wide porch.
The porch was empty but looked perfect for a few rocking chairs, maybe even a porch swing.
The next photo showed an open floor plan living and dining room.
In the living room were several built-in bookshelves.
A few more photos featured the two bedrooms and kitchen area.
There was a small patio out back just waiting for a charcoal grill and some lawn furniture.
She loved it.
Not bothering to reply to the email, she called Mia right away.
“Sold!”
Mia laughed. “I guess you got my email.”
Ava stood and paced. “I did get it. I can’t believe there’s something available so soon, and in my price range.”
“God always takes care of us,” Mia said. “I’m learning to trust Him with all my life.”
“Same.”
“So, what do you think? Do you want to put in an offer?”
Ava looked out her window. The brick wall of the building next to her looked back. “I absolutely do.”
“Okay. I’ll get the paperwork in motion.” Ava could hear papers shuffling on the other end of the line. “What does your editor think about you moving away?”
A pang of fear gripped her. What if she’d come this far only to have it fall through again?
Being on the phone with Mia reminded her of the verse Mia had quoted, the one about delighting in God and Him giving you the desire of your heart. She was working on the delighting part.
She sighed. She’d just have to leave the desires of her heart in God’s hands. “I haven’t talked to him about it since getting back. He agreed we’d discuss it sometime, but I haven’t had the heart to do it since the other house fell through.”
“Not to mention everything that happened with Zach,” Mia said.
Ava’s gut clenched. “Um.”
“Sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. Small town. We hear all the good news and the bad. I just feel like we could be friends, and I jumped way over the line.” Mia’s voice brightened. “At least this house is good news. I’ll keep you posted on the paperwork.”
“I think we could be friends too. If this offer goes through, you will have earned yourself a commission and a new friend.” Hopefully she heard the tease.
Mia laughed. “It’s a deal. I’ll try not to stick my foot in my mouth too often.”
“As a food critic, I can tell you there are better things to eat out there.” Ava’s heart lightened with the exchange.
They hung up, and Ava flopped onto the couch. What would she do if Judson wouldn’t let her work remotely?
She sat up with a sharp intake of breath, her spine straightening, and squared her shoulders. What if she just left her job altogether? She wouldn’t have to rely on Judson’s goodwill. Maybe Doug’s Market was hiring.
Although, stocking shelves probably wouldn’t pay the mortgage. She slumped back against the couch.
Her phone chimed.
Emily
You’re famous!
She rolled her eyes. Emily had a flair for the dramatic.
Ava
Famously inept
Emily
Have you checked Twitter?
Ava
I have avoided all social media. Don’t tell me there’s a viral video of me yelling at Zach.
That would be just great. Internet infamy. How embarrassing to have the entire world know that a boy doesn’t want you.
Emily
I wish there was—I’d have paid good money to see that. But this is something else.
Ava navigated to her social media. She scrolled through a few inane takes before seeing what Emily was talking about.
Several people had quoted-tweeted her articles. One had the subject line:
@jenniBtraveling: Can’t wait to revisit this quaint town. Thanks @AvaHarperChowsDown for reminding me of all the fun my family had on Jonathon Island.
The Michigan Tourism Bureau tweeted:
@MITourismBoard: Thanks for the shoutout to a great destination @AvaHarperChowsDown.
The notification number along the side of her profile kept ticking upward.
Ava’s fingers felt numb as she typed.
Ava
I can’t believe it.
Emily
I’m going to start introducing myself as Ava Harper’s friend. Might get me some street cred.
Ava
Ha ha. You do just fine on your own.
Emily
I’m so happy for you, friend. Enjoy your time in the spotlight.
She knew just how she was going to leverage this. And maybe she could make amends at the same time. She swung a jacket over her shoulders and pointed herself toward the Chicago Herald. Better to face the bear than to hide behind a phone line.
A few minutes later she tapped Judson’s office door.
Judson looked up, and his face cracked into a smile.
His Albert Einstein hair stood four inches high.
“Ava, my new favorite food writer. Everyone is loving your pieces on the food festival. The first ones weren’t great.
I knew you could rework them into something amazing.
” He waved her in. “AP called, wondering if they could poach you, but I said you were happy here. Sit.”
Stacks of papers teetered precariously on the two chairs in front of Judson’s desk. One stack had a banana peel on top. Standing was a good option.
“I wanted to talk to you about those pieces.” She laced her hands in front of her. Suddenly her rehearsed words felt hollow. Some of the determination she’d had at home leaked out of her and seeped away.
“I’m way ahead of you.” Judson tapped at his computer, and then his printer started spitting out pages.
“I’d love to see more proposals on stuff like this.
” He handed the papers over. Ava flipped through them and found they were all ads for food festivals.
The final page was an itinerary. “The higher-ups want you to write about more small-town festivals. They feel you’ve got the right voice for it.
” He waved at the papers she held. “They’re willing to approve you working remote since they’ll have you traveling so much.
What do you think about hitting the Desserts in the Desert cooking competition in Albuquerque, New Mexico? You’d have to leave in two weeks.”
Her head spun. So much information so fast. Her chest expanded with a feeling of pride so intense it felt like her heart might burst. “Thank you, sir.”
“That’s all I have for now.” Judson bent to his desk again. She was dismissed.
Except she hadn’t gotten everything she’d come here for.
She cleared her throat. Judson looked up, a surprised expression on his face. “What?”
“This is great. I appreciate the opportunity. I had an idea for what I could work on before I leave for Albuquerque.” Judson glowered at her, so she rushed on. “I’d love a chance to do a feature on Zach Sullivan.” Perhaps she could redeem some of the damage she’d done all those years ago.
“That chef you worked with on Jonathon Island?”
“That’s the one.” If he wouldn’t answer her text messages, maybe he would at least read an article written by her.
“Fine. Have a preliminary to me in the morning. You can finish it up and have the copy by next week.” He made a shooing motion. “Shut the door on your way out.”
“Thank you, sir.”
He responded with a grunt.
Ava shut the door, then pumped her fist.
A remote job, a sweet little house, and a chance to show Zach how she felt? The desires of her heart indeed.
Time to make some dreams come true.
Zach cracked the knuckles on his left hand. Ava would be arriving soon. Mia had told Dani that Ava was coming to look at this house, and Dani, with a gleam in her eye, had mentioned it to him.