Chapter 42Avery
Chapter Forty-Two
Avery
I stir awake, my eyes fluttering open to the soft morning light filtering through the curtains. Victor lies beside me, still deep in slumber. It's strange seeing him like this – all the hard edges softened, worry lines smoothed away. He looks... peaceful. Happy, even. My heart skips a beat as memories of last night flood back.
My phone buzzes softly on the nightstand. I reach for it, careful not to disturb Victor. It's a message from Samantha in our group chat.
Samantha
Hey Avery! Olivia's doing great, had a blast at our sleepover. How'd the board meeting go ?
I bite my lip, unsure how to respond. Before I can type anything, Jessica's message pops up.
Jessica
Emily and I snuck in late after her shift. Sat in the back. You won't believe this – Victor postponed the whole development for a month!
Samantha
WHAT?! No way! How? Why?
I chew my lower lip, debating how much to share. The mattress shifts as Victor rolls over in his sleep, his arm draping across my waist. My breath catches.
Avery
I'm not sure of all the details. It was pretty intense.
Emily
Intense how? Spill, girl!
I glance at Victor's sleeping face, remembering the fire in his eyes as he faced down the board.
Avery
Let's just say Victor surprised everyone
Jessica
Including you?
I can't help the small smile that tugs at my lips.
Avery
Yeah. Including me.
Emily's next message makes me freeze:
Emily
We waited for you after, but everyone left and we didn't see you. Got caught up talking to board members?
My fingers hover over the screen. I hesitate, debating whether to tell them about Victor. These women are my closest friends, my support system. But this thing with Victor feels so new, so fragile. I'm not even sure what it is yet.
Before I can decide, the bed shifts. Victor's sleep-roughened voice rumbles right next to my ear, "Good morning."
I startle, nearly dropping my phone. Heart racing, I flip it face-down on the covers. Victor props himself up on an elbow, raising an eyebrow at me.
"Already keeping secrets?" he asks, his tone light but curious.
I shake my head, feeling my cheeks warm. "It's just the other moms," I explain quickly. "Don't worry, I'm not telling them what happened."
Victor's piercing blue eyes study me for a moment. "What happened?" he echoes, a hint of a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth .
I swallow hard, memories of last night flashing through my mind. The intensity of his gaze, the softness of his touch, the way he made me feel...
"You know," I mumble, suddenly shy. "Us."
Victor rolls onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. His voice is surprisingly soft when he speaks. "I wouldn't care if you shared it with them, you know. I'm proud of the fact that we're together. Why would I try to hide it?"
My heart skips a beat. "Together?" I echo, confusion clouding my thoughts. "What do you mean by 'together'?"
He turns to face me, his blue eyes searching mine. "It's whatever you want it to mean, Avery. I'll take as much as you'll give me."
I open my mouth, but no words come out. What do I want? The intensity of his gaze makes it hard to think straight. Before I can formulate a response, my phone buzzes insistently against the sheets.
I can't help but laugh, grateful for the distraction. "Sorry," I mutter, reaching for my phone. The screen lights up with a flurry of new messages from the group chat.
"Everything okay?" Victor asks, his brow furrowing slightly.
I nod, skimming through the texts. "Yeah, I just... I need to go pick up Olivia."
Victor sits up, running a hand through his tousled hair. "Do you want me to come with you? We could grab breakfast after, if you'd like."
His offer catches me off guard. I blink at him, unsure how to respond. The idea of Victor picking up Olivia with me, of us having breakfast together like some sort of... family... it's simultaneously thrilling and terrifying.
Victor must sense my apprehension because he quickly backpedals. "I'm sorry, I overstepped. How about I just take you back to town hall so you can get your car?"
The disappointment in his voice makes my chest tighten. I want to say yes, to see where this could go, but the protective instincts I've honed as a single mom are screaming at me to be cautious.
I take a deep breath, looking at Victor's crestfallen expression. His blue eyes, usually so piercing, now seem clouded with uncertainty. It hits me then - he's just as scared as I am.
"No, I'm sorry," I say, reaching out to touch his arm. "I'd actually love it if you came with us for breakfast."
The change in his demeanor is immediate. His whole face lights up, a smile breaking through like sunshine after a storm. "Really? Are you sure?"
I nod, feeling a flutter in my stomach. "Yeah, I'm sure. We'd love to have you come along."
Victor hesitates, his brow furrowing slightly. "I don't want to intrude or cause any problems..."
"You won't be," I assure him, surprised by how much I mean it. "It'll be nice. "
He nods, still looking a bit uncertain but happier than I've ever seen him. "Okay, then. I'll just go use the bathroom and change."
As Victor disappears into the en-suite, I grab my phone. My fingers fly over the keys as I type out a quick message to the group chat:
Avery
Coming to pick up Olivia.
Victor's coming too.
Please, no comments when we get there.
I hit send and almost immediately my phone explodes with notifications. I catch glimpses of shocked emojis and all-caps exclamations from Samantha, Emily, and Jessica. Shaking my head, I switch off my phone. They'll just have to wait for the full story later.
As I hear the bathroom door open, I quickly get up, my mind racing. What am I going to wear? What will Olivia think? How is this going to work? But underneath the nerves, there's an undeniable excitement. For the first time in years, I'm letting someone in. And somehow, despite everything, it feels right.