8. 8
8
As she walked across the crowded street, Ava wondered why she agreed to the dateand why, on God’s green earth, she let Madison, of all people, dress her.
Not having gone on a datewith someone other than Danin nearly eleven years, she wasbeyond rusty.The dating scene seemed foreign to her. There were apps for everything now with swiping involved, painful amounts of topical chit-chat, and loads of lingo she was sure she’d never get the hang of. Like ‘hooking up’? Was that kissing ? Was it banging ? She was always too embarrassed to ask when Madison used the term.
Should she mention her divorce?
Was this just going to be a fling?
Of all of the eligiblewomen in Jackson Hole, most of them wealthy beyond measure, how was she the one heading toa date with Will Jessup?He was a man with an ass that looked like it had been sculpted out of marble and a jawline sharp enough to cut a steak with. How was he possibly single and interested if he’s not a psycho ?
Oh my God, is he a psycho?
She passed by the front window of The Million Dollar CowboyBar and stared up at the bulb lights curving along the fun font of the marquee. Above it, a large metal ‘buckin’ bronco’ hovered. It was the infamous symbol plastered on damn-near everything around the state of Wyoming. Behind the signage stood a large, snow-dusted hill eclipsing the nearly-set sun.
The place was packed, as it often seemed to be, even for a weekday. Ava stood on the sidewalk, debating whether to turn and run or brave the popular hangout spot.
She slowly exhaled a gust of hot fog, straightened her posture, and waltzed inside with a faux confidence that would impress even the harshest acting coach.
The laughter, shifting glasses,twangy country music, and loud conversations instantly assaulted her with a barrage of noise.The smell of yeasty craft beer, cocktails, and sweat filled the air. Amplifiers from a live honky-tonk band carried vibrations through the wood up through the short carpeted runners. There were lively people everywhere, chatting, howling, and enjoying life. As Ava took her first few steps inside and removed her coat, her eyes enlarged as she took in the place as a whole, like some chaotic, country version of Where’s Waldo .
Having stayed hidden away for the last few months, suddenly being plunged into a fishbowl of so many people felt suffocating.
Off-white wallswere adorned with garnet inlays. The corners were trimmed with dark wood, whittled into lumpy oak bears every so often. A room to the side housedseveral billiard tables with well-worn edges,pool sticks lining the walls.
In the main room, sandwiched in between two large glass display cases with taxidermied black bears and mountain goats, sat a long bar crammed with people. Worn saddles were mounted on pipes and bolted into the floor as clever stools, complete with stirrups. Various liquors and taps lined the mirrored back wall.
Aha, there you are, Waldo…
Ava finallyspotted Will beside asavedseat, well-dressed in a powder blue button-down shirt and black slacks. She bit her lip. Something about a man in a button-down shirt made her instinctively want to rip it off.Will was no exception.
She stood for a moment, watching him sip his beer. Every move he made was suave. Controlled. Intentional .
The warm lights cast a bronze hue on him that would make a statue jealous. Everything on him was neatly in place and clean, fromthe flawless honey-blondehair to the shine onhis dress shoes.
His calm, easy manner was the total antithesis of how Ava felt inside:Messy. Out of control. Aimless .
Two attractive brunettessitting on saddle seats at the bargawkedat him, whispering to one another and laughingflirtatiously. They looked like they were trying to get him to buy them a drink, even though it was abundantly clear they’d already knocked back quite a few.
As Ava made her way through the throng of people, ayoung blonde in skin-tight jeans and an Americanflag crop top showcasing hertrim stomach strutted over to Will from one of the billiard tables. She leaned against the bar topbeside him, pointed down to his jacket in the empty seat,and offered aslysmile.
The sight of it all evokedstrong feelings of jealousy in Ava’s gut.
She wanted to turn on her heels and walk out, but something about being all dolled up and already there glued her heels to the strip of burgundy carpet beneath her.
What the hell are you doing, Ava? Have you seen that body?He can have any woman he wants!
Despite still feeling the burning sting of all of the cheating, she had to remind herself that Will Jessup was not her ex-husband. It wasn’t right to assume that Dan’s failure as a husband equated to Will not being a stand-up guy. Hurricane Ava had thoroughly ravaged her own life with resoundingwaves of emotional mass destruction. She’d found herself unemployed and divorced in the wake of the shit-storm of accidentally un-ended Zoom calls and botched job interviews.She wasn’t about to let herself implode all of this, too. She wasn’t ready to add another casualty to the list.
Ava stepped forward, feeling the intense desire to reclaim all that she wanted from life.
Will said something, and the blonde’ssmile faded. A moment later, she slunk back toher gaggle of awaiting girlfriends.
Maybe… just maybe… he is one of the good ones.
A smirk spread across Ava’s facejust as Will’s startlingly blue eyes settled on her across the crowd. He waved her over with a smile.
As Ava made her way across the room, Will muttered quietly into the ether, “Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world… she walks into mine.”
Forging her way through the busy establishment, Ava finally made it to the bar, took the saved seat next to him,and exhaled deeply. She took off her crimson petticoat, exposinga little black dress beneath. The low-cut neckline showed off a tasteful amount of milkycleavage ( Thank you, Wonderbra! ) The hem of the skirt skimmed her knees. She could practically hear her mother’s voice squawking in her ears: ‘ The shorter theskirt, the shorter the relationship!’
“Wow, you look…. phenomenal .” He whistled. “Thanks for coming.”
“Of course.” Ava fought her body’s urge to blush at the compliment.
Will’s eyes fluttered down the length of her body, drinking her in slowly before returning to her clover-green eyes.“ My my. That dress… I am speechless.”
“Thankyou.” Heat radiated through her cheeks. “Madisonpicked it.”
His eyes glinted with mischief.“Remind me to send her a thank you card.”
Warmth seeped into her bellyat the compliment, and his grinsent her nerves into overdrive. “You look great,too. It’s no beat cop costume, but it’ll suffice.”
“Thanks. I almost came dressed as agladiator tonight, but I decided on this at the last minute.”
She chuckled. “Yeah, I’m sure these fine people appreciate that. ”
“What?” He flexed his arms out into the air and quietly growled. “ Are you not entertained ?”
Ava fired back a line from the same movie, “ He enters Million Dollar Cowboy like a conquering hero. But what has he conquered ?!”
Will’s eyebrows raised, and his jaw dropped. “I am impressed!”
“I told you I like to watch movies.” Ava shrugged with a smirk and waved two fingers to politely catch the attention of the bartender swishing past. He didn’t acknowledge her.
“Hope you don’t mind. I ordered one while I was waiting. I’m usually obnoxiously early to stuff like this.” Will held up his half-downed beer andtook another sip.
“Not at all. I’d have done the same.” She turned to him. “Order a drink that is, not be early. I always have to rush just to be right on time.”
Another bartender whooshed past, on a mission to break a ten-spot at the other register. He paid Ava no mind.
“So tell me, if I might be so bold as to ask, what was it that you, uh, did for a living?” He leanedin, trying to make himself heard over the Luke Combs cover dribbling out of the amps.
The woodsy undertones of his cologne made something inside of her stir.
Easy girl.. .
“I was basically like asales rep. I worked for a large laboratory that purchased smaller labsaround the world. We turn… sorry, turned… them into specialized hubs, swapping their existing equipment and staff to streamline results. Half the time, I had a lot of meetingsand presentationsfrom home, but the other half consisted of procuring and acquiring some of the international labs. I was gonea lot. Theyhad me flying to Japan, England, Ireland…all over the world.”
“Oh wow, it seems like it would be interesting to get to see all those places.”
“It was. Especially on other people’s dimes. Now, who knows when I’ll have enough to travel abroad again.” She leaned forward on her elbows, lifting her butt off the saddle, hoping the copious cleavage would help catch a bartender’s attention. “I’ll figure it out,” she said, leaning back. “Thankfully,I had been saving upfor a bit. Maybe during this transition, I can try to remember what fun is…or write a bookor something.”
“Ooooh, what would you write?”
“I dunno. They say to write what you know.” She chuckled, making quotation marks in the air. “ How to Get Fired by Ava Quinn has a nice ring to it. ”
Will laughedand sucked back the last foamy sip of his IPA. “Eh, we’ve allbeen there. It’s times like these when you appreciate the people who help break your fall.”
Ava’ssmile washed away like a tide. “Yeah, this job was hellon my marriage and friendships. But Maddy stuck around, thank God. I’ve never been more grateful to have her.Especially after the divorce.”
Shit, shit, shit, don’tbring up the divorce!Leave your baggage on the carousel, Ava. Now is not the time…
She clammed up, afraid to say more.
“I’ve never been married, so I can’t pretend toknow what that’s like.”
“ What ?” Ava’s eyebrows crawled up her forehead. “You’ve never been married?”
“Nope.”
“Ever been engaged?”
“No.”
“Serious relationship?”
Will hesitated before nodding. “Only one that was ever serious. High school sweetheart.”
“Fizzled out?”
“She cheated.” He cleared his throat and waved at another bartender.
“One sec, hun,” she said, briefly making eye contact .
“Oof. Sorry to hear that.” Ava, unfortunately, could relate. “So, just the one?”
“Yeah, no one else ever hung around more than a month or two. Just never met the right person.Didn’t want to waste anyone’s time. Just kept things casual for a while.”
Ava nodded, taking it all in. She nervously tapped the cardboard coaster in front of her, wishing there was a beverage on it.
“Some movies make it look so easy, but relationships are so damn hard sometimes.”
“Amen. If I had a drink, I’d cheers to that.”
He held up his empty glass, and she pretended to clink it with a pantomimed one of her own.
Ava suddenly thought back to her wedding day, back to thehope and optimism she’d felt while staring into the eyes of the man who she truly thought would be by her sideforever. Now, the memory was tarnishedfor good. Astain on her brainthatno amount of alcohol or sappy movies could scrub out.She forced a slight smile. “We grow around the pain, though.That stuff never goes away, but our capacity to handle it grows.”
“Damn. Well put.” He smiled.
The bartenderfinally bounced over to themand sighed dramatically.“Ugh! Sorry about that. Some sort of conference just let out at the hotel over there, and we got slammed all of a sudden.”The young woman’s tits were pushed up to her chin in a skin-baringtank top with acowl neck that hung so low patrons could practically see her navel. When she leaned forward on the counter,she gave Will a first-class ticket to the show of herlacy lavender bra. Ava watched, fighting to keep her mouth closed at the shameless display.
If Will noticed,he didn’t show it. His gaze remained on her face with the dedication and restraint of aeunuch.
“Another?” the bartender cooedto Will.
“Yes, thank you,”he answered, sliding over his glass.
“Yeahhhh, buddy.” She snatched it off the bartop and turned to Ava, visibly less peppy. “And what can I get you, ma’am?”
Fuck, did I just get ma’amed ? How old does she think I am? I’m too young to be a ma’am! I’m only thirty-three, for God’s sake!
Ava swallowed her agitation at the moniker.“Lemon drop martini, please.”
Will looked at her and made a silly face as if to say, ‘ That was not what I was expecting. ’
“You guys wantin’anything food-wise,” the waitress asked asif reciting the question was as natural as breathing .
“No, thank you. Just the drinks,for now,” Will answered politely before returning his full attention back toAva.
The waitress nodded and walked away.
“So,tell me a little more about yourself. Madisonhas colorfully described you as a ‘workaholic, out of work.’”
Thanks, Madison.
Ava relaxed into her saddle seat and turned back to Will. “Unfortunately, she’s not wrong. I’m a bit of a go-getter. Sort of a shark in the water. Alwaysmoving. Normally, I drive hard toward my goals,but now I’m trying to figure out what they are exactly. At the lab, I was a big‘people person.’ Always superoutgoing.”
“So…maybe you can become, like,a tour guideor something where you can be around a lot of people.”
“Yeah, or, like, a madame ,” she added, immediately regretting the word as soon as it slipped from her red lips. “Sorry. Here I am, talking about sex workers on a first date. I’m just… rusty.”She nervously chuckled, and her mind spiraled.
Did I just say sex on the first date? Isn’t it something we are supposed to pretend neither of us are thinking about? Shit. Way to go, Ava.
“Second,” he corrected.
“Hmm? ”
“Morad Park was our first. Although, after my falling into slush and dog poo, I can see why you’d want to forget all about it.”
Ava laughed. “No, I just wasn’t sure if that technically counted. Felt like more of a hangout.”
Will only smiled and rubbed a finger nervously across a knot on the wooden bar.
Ava nudged him with a knee. “How are you feeling, by the way? That was a pretty hard fall.”
“I feel great. A full bottle of ibuprofen and some intense physical therapy, and I was right as rain, like, two days later.”
Ava laughed. She wasn’t sure when it had started, but her leg was jiggling full speed.
Will placed his hand on her knee to stop it. The heat emanating from his hand burned through the fabric, seeping into her freshlyshaven flesh.“You have nothing to be nervous about.”
She stared down at his hand and felt her heart ram against her chest like a raging bull locked in a cage.“At least I know better than to talk about my divorce, right?” She rolled her eyes to chastise herself, mind screaming, ‘ Stop talking!’
Will removed his hand and placed it back on the bar.“I couldn’t help but notice the photo in your hallof you in your wedding dresswiththegroom ripped out ofthe picture.”
The riotous butterflies in her belly settled, and a deep ache arose.“I keep it as a reminder. That was the best day of my life…so far. My goal is to replace it witha better one. Until then, it serves as a reminderto get out and do something worthy of framing again.”
“I like that. Using something negative to make a positive change.”
The drinks arrived. The bartender set the beer down carefully. “One beer.” Then, yellow liquid sloshedover the edge of the sugar-rimmed martini glass garnished with a lemon sliceas she slid Ava’s brashly across the bar. “And one lemon drop martini.”
Will looked at Avaas the woman shuffled off. “Wow. She really seems to like you.”
Ava laughed, glancing into Will’s eyes.She couldn’t seem to tear herself away. Those crystal blue orbs radiatedall the warmthand comfort ofbeing home beneath a blanket with a good book. As a smile graced his lips, they feltinviting.
She flasheda cursory glance over her drink,which seemed surprisingly spit-free despite the bartender’s apparent disdain for her.She took a sip and pinched her eyes closed. “Mmmm. Oh my God , that’s good. ”
Even though the woman seemed like a bit ofa bitch, Ava had to admit she made one hell of a martini.
Will was enamored by the sound of her pleasurable moan, feeling the crotch of his dress slacks shrink a little at the sound.
“Igotta ask.” Ava laughed. “How much did Madison pay you to clean my house in a police uniform?”
“I can’t say.”He smirked. “You know, maid-client privilegeand all.”
“ Oh. Of course ,” her red-brown hair bobbed through the air, “the infamous maid-clientprivilege.How silly of me.”
Will felt captivated by her smile.
“You seem like a smart guy, Will. You could probably do a million other things.So,why this profession?”
His smile faded, and his tone grew deeper.“My daughter, Starla, is a Type1diabetic. Her insulin is expensive as hell. Before this, I was making decent money when she was diagnosed, and it was fine. But about a year and a half ago, the company I worked for laid myself and about eighty other people off. I couldn’t afford CObrA. It was outrageous.” Anxious, he picked at the design on the side of his glass with a short fingernail. “I couldn’t afford her pump and her medicine.I had to improvise.I had to figure something out fast.”
“Oh, wow. I’m so sorry.”
He looked back up at her and gave a tight grin that didn’t meet his eyes. “I was able to pay down the doctor’s bills and get her medicine this way. And it’s not a bad way to earn a living. I actually enjoy it a lot. I get to meet a lot of really interesting people. The work is easy. Hell, battling my pride was literally the hardest part of the whole thing.”
“I think that’s pretty admirable. You seem like a good dad. She needed something, and you did anything you could to provide it.”
“I think I want to keep doing it, too. I’ve built up a nice little client base and filled out my costume collection.” He smiled warmly at her. “Ithinksoon I may even file for a business license.”
“You got a name picked out for your company?”
“Nah. Maybe something short and simple like… Jessup Cleaning .”
“That’s… a name.” Her eyes widened comically and then went back to normal. “Do you plan on staying a one-man operation?Or do you have goals to expand to, say, a fleet?”She took anothersip of her martini and moaned with satisfaction .
Will cleared his throat. The way she licked sugar from her luscious bottom lip hypnotized him. He felt his dickstir.
“I know a couple guys who might one day be interested,but I’m not sure if I want to grow like thatjust yet. I’m enjoying having it all to myself for now.”
“How do you advertise?” she asked, genuinely intrigued.
“Word of mouth.” He grinned.“Why? Thinkin’about hiring me again?”
She wagged a manicured finger at him. “No. And technically, I didn’t hire you the first time. I ask because I have a bachelor’s in business management with a minor in accounting. Iwasjust curious.”
“This is a date, not a Shark Tank pitch.”
“You’re right. Youjust piqued my interest. It makes sense. It’s a low-overheadservice in a niche market. Client’s houses are going to keep getting dirty, so it’s a recurring service with some predictable regularity if scheduling is done correctly. And I’m sure you’re making a mint in tips by cateringspecificallyto wealthyclientele who can not only afford to hire a maid but to hire one who cleans in accordance with their tailored fantasies.” She shrugged and took another sip of her drink. “I commend you. It’s a great idea. ”
“Thank you.” Will leaned in a little closer. “I appreciate that.Thank you for not judging me or treating me like a stripper.”
“There’s nothing wrong with strippers. Sex work is real work. Plus, you’re not just stripping. You’re scrubbing and vacuuming and scouring, too.”
“It’s a dirty job, but someone’s gotta do it.”
“With the way you filled out that cop costume, I imagine it can be a very dirty job…”
Will leaned in, closer still. Avacould feel his body heat radiating at such a close proximity. His voice was quiet and flirtatious, barely rising above the sounds of the nearby slide guitar. “ You have nooooo idea. ”
Sherubbed her fingers absentmindedly along the stem of her glass. “How old isStarla?”
Will smiled brightly, face lighting up with momentary glee at the mention of his child’s name. “She’s six.”
Avaplucked the lemon slice from the rim of her glass and stirred the dwindling remainder of her drink with it. “What happened to her mother?Is she… still in the picture?”
“About a year-and-a-half after Starla was born, my ex, Sarah, decided motherhood ‘wasn’t for her.’She wanted to party and stay out late, drinkingall the time, whileI wanted to be home with our daughter. We drifted apart, and eventually,she left. Both of us.”
Ava’s lips curled into a frown, and she rubbed the damp ring on her coaster. “I hate to see someone piss away the giftof being a mother like that.Fires me up. Some women don’t know how good they have it. Some of us,” she bristled, feeling the dam of emotions she could barely contain, “we don’t ever get to be that lucky.”
Her mind flashed to her fertility doctor, to the results of her viability testing, to the tear-filled weeks of wallowing in her own self-pity, to the nurseryshe later converted into an officeafter the official verdict.
Will placed a hand on hers and pressed his lips together with a sorrowful expression. He held it for a moment. She could feel the genuine compassion in the silent gesture.
“Another round?” the bartender cawed from halfway down the bar to Will.
“Yes, please,” Will bellowed.
The bartender nodded, and Ava could have sworn the woman winked at him, too.
“Does Starla know why you have so many costumes?”
“Sheprobably doesn’t care much,to be honest. She’s in her own little fantasy world unless I pull her out of it sometimes. She’s a big reader. ”
“Oh yeah? What’s she like to read?”
“She adores those little interactive choose your own adventurekindabooks? Remember those?”
“I used to love those.”
“They’re making a bit of a comeback.”
She smiled, remembering back to when she was a child, like a mouse in a maze, searching for the right ending. If only she could go back to thechapter before she married Daniel,and do it over again to make the right choice…
“I recently just finished re-reading Journey to the Center of the Earth.”
“Oh God, I haven’t read that one since junior high.”
“I love the classics. Movies, too.”
“Pffft. You like classics ?”
“Yeah.”
“Like… black-and-white movies?”
“Yeah, of course.”
“I don’t believe you.”
He chuckled. “Why?”
“You look like an action movie or sports drama kinda guy.”
“What?!”
“You’re buff as hell. You look like you have Friday Night Lights and Rudy memorized.”
“Rudy’s not bad, but it’s no Citizen Kane , that’s for damn sure. ”
“ You like Citizen Kane ?” Her tone was incredulous. She’d fully turned on her saddle stool to face him, body poised in disbelief against the bar.
“Yes. Why is that so unbelievable?”
She smiled. “Because I love classics, too.”
“What? No, you don’t.” He waved her away playfully. “You’re a double-feature of Legally Blonde followed by Miss Congeniality kinda woman.”
“I find that downright offensive,” she joked. “If I’m watching a double-feature, it’s going to be something like Manhattan followed by The Last Picture Show . Or back-to-back Ingmar Bergman flicks.”
His eyes opened wide, stunned. “I don’t want to be crass, but now you’re just talking dirty to me.”
She laughed.
“Oooh, baby. Say Ingmar Bergman again, but, like, real slow and sensual, like you just did.”
The grin he flashed made her feel a rush of heat blast through her. “Alright, which is better? The Seventh Seal or Smiles of a Summer Night ?”
“Trick question. The answer is Wild Strawberries .”
Ava gasped and clutched her chest. “Wow.”
“You alright over there? ”
“Yeah.” She looked stunned. “I severely misjudged you.”
“Most people do. I’m more than just half a fireman outfit and a feather duster, you know.” Will winked.
“I can see that now.” Then, she pressed a fingertip to his knee gently. “Okay, now, big question…”
“Shoot.”
“On the count of three, name your favorite black-and-white movie.”
“Easy.” He shrugged casually.
She counted off on her fingers in the air. “One… two… three.”
“ Casablanca ,” they both uttered in near-perfect unison.
Ava clasped both hands over her mouth to keep from gasping loudly.
Will’s eyes bulged. The bartender set down their fresh round of drinks, and he chugged half of his beer in one go.
“No… effing… way,” Ava finally whispered.
As Will’s eyes returned to her,everyone else in the barseemed to fade into obscurity. They could feel an almostpalpable magnetic pullforming between them.
Finally, Will muttered, “Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. ”
Ava laughed.
Will stared at her for a moment, mesmerized. “Youare absolutely stunning. I’m sure you get that a lot.”
She shook her head, feeling her cheeks grow beet-red at the compliment.
Sensing he’d made her uncomfortable, he moved the conversation back to the prior topic. “That’s crazy. We have the same favorite movie. I was just trying to show it to Starla the other day. I think she made it a whopping ten minutes in before she started snoring.”
“Oh man, I love it. I just forced Madison to watch it with me the day I saw you at the gym. That movie fills me with so many emotions. They don’t make films like that anymore. Ones whose beauty transcends time. Never aging. Never going out of style.”
“Those times had to be crazy to live in. No text messages or emails. No cheap fare discounts or travel Groupons. You fell in love hard and fast, and the best you could hope for wereletters back and forth.”
“Women were devoted. Men were sincere.”
“No modern-day dating games—”
“...Just vulnerable, uninhibited passion.”It was like she had finished his thought, both romanticizing monochromatic films as if they shared one mind .
“Those times had to be especially hard for women. The men got to be in charge. The women stayed barefoot and pregnant.”
“No way, what about Gone With the Wind ?”
She clenched her teeth and looked at him almost apologetically. “I actually haven’t seen that one.”
“What? And you call yourself a lover of classic cinema?!For shame, Ava.”
“I know. I almost saw it once on seventy millimeter at an Alamo, but there was some sort of projection issue.”
“Well, nowI know what our next date’ll be.”
“Ooooh, very presumptuous. So there will be another date?”
“Won’t there be?” Will asked, his expression was hopeful.
Ava shrugged and smiled, downing the last of her second martini. The cacophony of busting billiard balls, country crooners, riotous laughter,and loud conversationsseemed to swell.
“It’s loud. Would you maybe want to go for a walk?”
“Yeah.” Ava nodded, looking around. “I can barely hear you in here.”
Will fished out his debit card and held it out forthe bartender. “Check,please. ”
The bartender nodded and scurried off with Will’s card. Within a few moments,she handedhim a pen and several receipts, one of which had a string of ten digits and the words ‘Call me. Carly’ below. Will fought the urge to roll his eyes at the phone number as he scribbled his tip and signature.
Ava thanked him for the drinks, collected her things, tied the belt of her coat, and started for the exit.
“Wait.”Will pulledopen the front doorof the bar, greeted by a wall of arresting air, and gestured to the frigid snowdrifts outside. “After you, beautiful.”
“Which direction?”
“That way.” Will pointed to the left.
Ava nodded and strutted out of the bar, sashaying the way Madison insisted, exaggerating the movement of her hipsa little with every step.
Willstudied her entrancing form as if she werea swaying pocketwatch in the skilled hand of a hypnotist.
Nearly at the corner, Ava slipped on some half-frozen slush. Will lunged forward a step and steadied her.“Whoa. You alright?”
Ava nodded, clutching his arm closer to her ribs. Partly for stability. And partly because touching Will filled her with a giddy excitement she hadn’t felt in…
Well, maybe ever .
They took a few more steps before Ava’s worn boot tread slipped again. She tumbled, legs failing her like a newborn deer. Will thought fast and reached out, wrapping his arms around her, catching her before she could fall to the concrete. Suddenly stabilized, their bodies were pressed together. She could feel his abs pressing into her with every deep breath.
Ava looked up at him from inside his embrace, faces dangerously close.His irresistible smile broadened, making her kneesfeel like jelly.
“I’ve seen women fall for me before, but jeez,”he said with a laugh.
The sound of it bulldozed Ava’s defenses.
He gazed down, words catchingin his throat. “I have a place in mind that I think you’d love. It’s still a shorttrek, but it might be treacherous in those boots.Hold onto my hand for balance.”
Ava nodded and interlaced herglovedfingers with hisbare hand. She felt a sudden rush of heat racefrom her bellyto her face.
As Ava waddled beside Will, she tried to remember the last time she’d held handswith anyone. It had to have been the better half of a decade, surely. Well before her weddingto Dan, before his chivalry vanished like a feather in the wind. Before years of complacency and infidelity and nights spent pondering what she’d done wrong. Before the vicious fight about the positive pregnancy test in the kitchen trash…
A pregnancy test that wasn’t hers .
A gust of wind dustedAva’s face with fine powdered snow, dousing her tainted trip into years past with winter’s icy glitter. She walked in silence, his hand bathinghers with a radiant warmth.
The man was a human furnace, she decided.
Will tugged gently and turned toward the door of one of the shops in the plaza.
Ava stepped back, pulling her hand from his to read the sign. “The Mount Olympus Cafe .” Two faux pillars were stationed at each side of the door,lending the modest exterior a Greek theme.
“If you don’t like coffee, this place makes a mean hot cocoa, too. They make their marshmallows in-house.”
Ava moaned a little at the thought of it and smiled. Will held the door open for her, and they both wafted in with the cold. The scent of ground coffee beans and warm, frothed milkfilled the air.
“I’ve walked past this place so many times but have never come inside. ”
“Well,tonight is a night offirsts,” Will said, gently placing a hand against the middle of her back. “If they were open right now, I’d take you next door and buy you some actual snow boots. Like, ones with tread .”
“Are you kidding me? These boots make my whole outfit,” she joked.
“Oh. Of course. Priorities .”
At thecounter,a young woman with plum-colored hairin a messy bun greetedthem. Her dermal piercingsglinted in the dimoverhead mood lights.Her eyes landed onWill and stayed there.
“Hello-welcome-to-the-Mount-Olypmus-Cafe,” the woman said so fast that it all came out as one jumbled word. She sounded like she’d recently chugged a Big Gulp full of espresso.
Will blinked hard, unable to process how fast she’d spoken.
“What-can-I-get-for-you?”Again, her words all bled together.
“As good as that hot cocoa sounds, I need some java . I’llhave,uh, a Helen of Troy,” Ava said definitively, still staring up at the Greek-themed menu.
“The latte or frappe?” Finally, they were starting to turn into individual words. Still, the woman’s gaze stayed fixed on Will.
“Latte, please.”
The woman typed it onto the point-of-sale screen. “And you?”
Will smirked. “Surprise me. What’s your favorite?”
The barista giggled. “Can’t go wrong with the ZeusLightningCappuccino .”
“I’ll have one of those then, please.”Will reached into his back pocket and whipped out his wallet.
“No,no.I’ve got this.” Ava protested, laying her hand over Will’s. “You got drinks at the bar. This is my treat.”She unzipped the caramel-coloredpurse that perfectly matched her boots and dug through the contents, looking for her wallet. Before she could produce any money, Will’s debit card was eagerly takenby the barista.
“Will! I was going to get that. I believe in equality.”
Will shrugged. “Old habits die hard. It’s nice to spoil a good woman every once in a while.”
The barista handed his card and receipt back with a bashfulsmile. Will was clueless about the cashier’s dumbstruck display. “Thank you.”
“I-I-it’snoproblem,” she stammered, blending her words again.
Ava and Will wove their way through the tables, passing a few patrons. Some typed away on laptops or were enthralled in paperback novels.The clack of the keys, murmured phone calls, and scrape of ceramic mugs gave the cafe aquiet hum of life.
They took a seat beside a large front window with spidering frost that collected atthe corners. A loud gust of wind whirleda layer of fine, white snow.The breathtaking view of the inky night sky hovered overhead, millions of stars visible. Will brought his focus back to Ava.
“So, have you lived in Wyoming long?”
“My whole life. Born and raised right there in Riverton, actually. Came to Jackson Hole when I moved back because of the airport.”
“Came back? From where?”
“Jacksonville. Went there for a few years to get my Bachelor’s.”
“You had a taste of the beach life, and you came back ?”
“Oh yeah. Florida’s heat is absolutely brutal. And there wasn’t much to look at if you’re not dazzled by Spanish moss. Not like here.” She motioned to the moon-kissed mountains outside. “I missed Wyoming. To me, this is it. I’ve been all over the United States. Been totwelve other countries, too. I can honestly say I’ve never seen any placemore captivating than right here. I know I’m not the only one, either. I always see tourists flood in, and new shops pop up every year. Turns out this place is not exactly a well-kept secret.”
“Yeah, this state has grown a lot since I was a kid.”
Looking into his sapphire eyes, she could feel her defenses weaken, walls cracking. Walls she had put in place for a reason. His gaze made the temperature of the room feel like it was rising to a rolling boil.
One side of his lip raised in a sexy grin that cranked her body temperature up to inferno.
“So what about you? You from here?”
“Casper, actually.”
“Oh, nice. I’ve been there a bunch of times. What brought you to Jackson Hole?”
“The jackalopes,” he said with a straight face.
Ava erupted into a sudden burst of loud laughter, one that turned the heads of nearly every person in the establishment. “Sorry,” she said with the flourish of her hand to the others before covering her mouth with it. She tried hard not to crack a smile. “Jackalopes, huh?”
“Ohhh yeah,” he said with mock seriousness. “They’re good eatin’. Figured if I came here, as long as I could afford ammo, I’d never go hungry a day in my life. ”
Ava buried her face in her hands to keep from spooking the other patrons a second time with her laughter.
The infamous jackalope was the state’s gimmick to earn tourists’ money, stemming all the way back from the 1930s. Taxidermied bunnies with antelope horns glued to their heads remained a common staple at nearly every kitschy souvenir shop and antique dealer in the state.
“I’m obviously kidding.” Will snickered.
“Oh, I assumed you were. Otherwise, this date was about to be over.”
The barista wove her way through tables toward themwith a cup in each hand. She set down Ava’sbrashlybefore placing one delicately in front of Will.
Avoiding Ava’s glare, the barista gave Will a flirtatious smile. “If there’s anything else you need, just let me know.”
“Thanks.” Will nodded.
Avafelt a pang of irritationas shewatched the barista retreat.Women were hungry tonight. It seemed Will was on the menu.
Will held up his mug to cheers. “Here’s lookin’ at you, kid.”
Ava forced a smile, still a little agitated at the barista, and clinked mugs with him. “Cheers. ”
“No, to answer your question…” Will’s voice snapped Ava back into the moment. “I came here because it’s beautiful, and I feel like there’sroom to breathe. I was going to CWC here when I found out we were going to be graced with Starla’s presence. That obviouslychanged my path. I needed money,so I put my degree on hold.Kids are expensive.”
“What were you going to school for?”
“Nursing. I wanted to be a traveling nurse. You know, see the world. Interact with people. I didn’t want to be a doctor. I wanted to know the patientsand actually help, you know?”
“Ever think you’ll go back?”
“Doubtful, but who knows. I like what I do. It may not be as admirable, but I still feel like, with the cleaning, I’m helpful and serving people, making people’s lives a little better.Now, Starla can have the stability she needs. She doesn’t have to bounce around schools and stuff like she would’ve.”
“Your daughter is very lucky.”
“I don’t know about lucky. It’s been a challenge from time to time. She deserves the world, but at least I’m there when she needs me.”
“That’s more than a lot of little girls have.”
“True. Thankfully,I feel like I’m getting a little better at this whole single dad thing.”
“Oh yeah? How so? ”
“Well,recently, I learned how to iron a pleated dress and do a half-decent ballerina bun.”
Ava smiled at the mental image of Will ironing a dress. “Can I ask why things didn’t work out between you and her mom?”
He sighed, knowing the question was coming. The sting still lingered in his chest.
“We hadn’t been dating longbefore Sarah got pregnant. Something like two months. Starla wasn’t planned. Sarah and I liked each other a lot by then,but the love part never came. Years later, Sarah started hanging out with a weird crowd. She started doing a lot of things I didn’t approve of. Acting less and less like a mother and more like a rebellious teenager. She still wanted to go out, see the world, and partyas if she had no obligations.She’d disappear for, like, two days and come back with a hangover from Hell and offer no real explanation of where she’d been.”
Will sighed and looked up at Ava, debating whether to continue. “Eventually, we had to have a come-to-Jesus moment, and I told her I didn’t want to live like that anymore. I mean, last I saw her, she had tract marks all up her arm. She started screwing her dealer not long after that, and a few weeks later,Sarah went completely AWOL. Eventually, I ended up with full custody, and she ended up… who knows where. Haven’t heard from her since Starla was about three when she came poking around wanting to see her.” He eyed his drink. “Not everyone is cut out for parenthood.”
“Wow, I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Thanks.” He sipped his drink and fidgeted with the cup’s handle.
“That had to be such a rough time.”
“It was. I’m not gonna lie. It really was. Right after my ex’s little disappearing act, I found out Starla haddiabetes,sogetting her the right treatment was stressful. It was a lot to learn, even with the nursing courses I’d taken. It was alot of trial and error.”
“I’m sorry you went through that.”
“Thank you.” He shifted back against the leather of the booth with a squeak and watchedthe swirling steam rise from the lightning bolt drawn in the foam of his cappuccino. “So, since we are asking the hard-hitting questions, I know you have your fur-baby, Kuda, but do you ever want kids?”
Ava’s heart sank. The words hit her like a cinder block to the stomach.
He should know now before we waste each other’s time .
“It’s sadly not in the cards for me. I unfortunately can’t have kids,” she said, voice laced with melancholy. “I really wanted them, but I’ve seen several specialists, and… it’s just not the way my life was meant to go, I guess.”
Will’s eyes locked onto hers, apologetic and dazzling. “Oh my God, I am so sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”
“No, it’s fine. Better you know upfront. I know that’s usually a deal-breaker for people.”
Will shook his head and took a tiny sip of his piping-hot drink.
“Iconsideredadoption or fostering, but my ex-husband, Dan, wasn’t a big fan of eitherone. I didn’t feel like it was fair for a child to only be truly wanted by one parent, especially when some come from such painful situations. So I threw myself into my workas soon as that door closed for me.”She leaned back, mimicking his body language without thinking about it. “And, now, I don’t even have that.”
I have nothing to offer you. Hell, I have nothing to offer anyone right now, she thought.
A sting of embarrassment turned her cheeks pink. Her eyes told more of a sad story that her lips could never utter.
“I’ve made the most of it. I’ve seen and done all the things I wanted to do instead. I travel. I eatexotic foods. I’veexperienced different ways of life. And I’m sure I’d be a lot more stressed about losing my job right now if I had someone dependant upon me. ”
“Truth,” Will said quietly with a nod. Their eyes locked for a moment. Ava felt suddenly giddy, her stomach clenched with excitement. Will looked away.
“So, what are your customers like?”
Will chuckled. “Well, none of them are quite like you, if that’s what you’re wondering. Most of them are excited to have a man cleaning their house in basically his underwear.”
Ava blushed again and covered part of her face with her hand. “I’m sorry. Madison caught me off guard. It was bad timing. Plus, it’s not every day I just let a total stranger rummage through my home, clothed or not.”
“I get that.” Will smirked. “The majority of my clients are awesome. I meet a lot of cool people doing what I do. Some of these people are new to being millionaires and tipobscene amounts of money for the basics.They’re never gonna get on theirhands and knees to scrub their own bathroomwhen they can afford to hire it out. But the costume thing just exploded with the lonely housewife crowd. They feel a little zing of naughty excitement using me for their cleaning… and entertainment .With their husbands being gone all the time, the wives are just looking for a cheap thrill. Plus, I genuinely enjoy cleaning.”
“I wish I could say you caught me at a bad time, but that would probably be a bit of a fib. I can thrive in messy. I know where everything is.”
“Yeah, not me. Since I was really young, I’d always help my mother around the house. She’d let me use the vacuum and showed mehow to do the dusting. We’d listen to music, spray each other with water, and just enjoy time with each other. I loved that feeling you get from scrubbing out a stubborn stain and the accomplishment of looking at a clean room that was chaos before. People seem lighter when their home isin order. I’m helping people like I always wanted. Just…in a different waythan I thought I would. Plus, the schedulinggives me the flexibility to be there like I want to be for my daughter. I want to pick her up from schooland go to her recitals and choir performances. I want to be there to monitorher sugars, make sure she’s eating right,and tuck her in at night.”
“Do you have any family around to help with her?”
“Nope.My parents are old-fashioned conservatives. I havebarelytalked to them since my daughter was born‘ out of wedlock .’My folks had a huge problem with that. They retired just after she was born and moved down to Boca Raton. Barely heard from ‘em since.” He shrugged. “My brother and I aren’t really close either. He moved down to Florida to be near them. So,it’s just me.”
“Wow, I didn’t realize.”
“Yeah, my neighbor’s daughter babysits from time to time, like tonight, but it’s mostly just me and Starla.”
“I’m sorry your family’s so distant, but they’re the ones who are really missing out in the end.”
“Yeah.” Will sounded quiet, unsure.
“...And what is it with people and Florida? I didn’t like it there. It’s like everyone thinks it’s some sort of mecca or something.”
“It’s certainly not for me. I like the snow. Feels like they have one season year-round down there.”
Ava smiled. “I’m glad you’re there for your daughter. There are a lot of deadbeat fathers in this world. It’s nice to see one that cares as much as you do. And, not to toot your horn too much, butfrom a business perspective,if it’s any consolation, I think your service isfairly genius.”
“You can toot my horn anytime.” Will smiled playfully. “Yeah, I can’t believe how much it’s already grown in such a short time. I started out with one client, and now I have so many that I’ve had to start a wait-list. I only showed up at your place because Madison called in a favor. ”
“Well, now I feel like an ass.”
“Don’t.” He waved a hand at her. “But yeah, I enjoy what I do for the most part. And the money’s great. Hell, I’ll stand on my head or do a jig for what they pay me. I don’t mind looking a little silly if it makes peoplehappy. I get to do what I enjoy, and ultimately, I take a lot of pride in knowing I made people’s lives a little bit better and made their day a little bit brighter.”
“I’ve never met a man who enjoyed cleaning.” Ava chuckled.“You certainly are a unicorn of sorts.” She scoffed. “Hell, most of us are lucky to find one that can get their clothes in the hamper instead ofon the floor beside it. Drives me insane.”
Will smirked. “Yeah, it’s way too commonplace.”He stared out the frosted window for a moment and then returned his eyes to her. “I wouldn’t say this isthe bestlong-term gig. Eventually,I’ll age, and scrubbing on my knees will get old. People will start paying me to keep my clothes on.”
Ava laughed at that.
“But for now, it works.It would be cool one day tomanage like a fleet of other men doingthe same thing.What would that make me? Like a pimp or something? ”
“Not unless they’re doing a lot more than cleaning.” She giggled. “I’d say supervisor or manager would be more apt.”
“Right.” a handsome smile curled onto his lips. His eyes tracedthe delicate line of her neck to the feminine curves of her collarbonebeneath the lapel of her petticoat.Her skin looked sensitive like it might respond to the brush of his stubbleor a trail ofsoftdownwardkisses.
“If you wanted to expand, you could make exponentially more.” She was starting to sound like a financial advisor, tugging Will from his momentary fantasy of where he wanted to press his lips…
“You have a decent client base already established, sounds like,” she continued. “There’s very littleoverheadbeyond, what, gloves, gas, and costumes? You don’t even buy your own chemicals,so that even lessens your expenses—”
“Whoa.” He heldup a hand. “Is this a date or a board meeting?”
“Sorry.” She looked truly embarrassed, flashing her green eyes to freezing couple out the window, brushing past the coffee shop arm-in-arm. “You’re right. I apologize. I wasn’t trying to overstep. Ijustknow a good business idea when I see it. Seeking out businesses with wider potential was my sole job for over a decade. Occupational hazard. My apologies.”
“So what is it that you want to do now? Can you do the same for another corporation?”
“No. I signed a hefty five-year non-compete. Standard for my field.By then, so much will have changed, and I’llbe too far out of the loop, finger off the pulse of what’s a good buy and what’s a waste of time and effort.Atotally new avenueis, unfortunately, in order. It’s justoverwhelming.”
“I can only imagine. But you’rebright. You’re ano-nonsensewoman who takes no shit, I can tell.”
“Oh,I still have plenty of nonsense,” she chuckled.
“Oh, please . What’s your nonsense? You’re a little messy?Not a biggie. What else you got? A designer clothing addiction? An Only Fans foot fetish page?”
“Come on. Nobody would subscribe to see my Only Fans, ” she grumbled.
“I mean, you’d have one subscriber right here.”He bounced his thick, manicured brows.
His flirty words made Ava’s stomach flutter.She motioned to her drink. “This is delicious. You were right about this place.”
“You should try my coffee. Man, I make a mean mug. ”
Ava nodded, trying to hide her smile. “I’d like that.”
“What are you doing Friday evening?”
Ava’s eyes bolted from her coffee to his in a flash. “Huh?” She wasn’t certain she’d heard him right.
“Well,” he looked at his watch, “I only have my babysitter for another twenty minutes, but Friday, Starla’s spending the night at her friend’s house. I could do some light fare or charcuterie or something and make you one of the best cups of java you’ve ever had in your life.”
“Bold statement.” She arched an eyebrow at him.
“I can back it up. What do you say? I can text you my address.” Will smiled gently. “Say yes.”
Ava looked like she was debating the proposition.
“You’re not having any fun. That’s why the hesitation, right?”
Ava laughed. “No. I’m having a great time. It’s just… Madison claims you’rea good guy, but John Wayne Gacy was a well-respected socialite, too. What’s to saythis isn’t some ploy to get me in your basement dungeon?”
“While I just love to be compared to serial killers,you could always just text Madison before you come and have a set time for her to call you back. If you don’t answer, she can call the cops.”
She pressed her lips together and bobbed her head, doing her best Robert Deniro impression.
“I take it you watch a lottatrue crimedocs.”
“Define a lot .” Her laughsaid it all.
“I never understood how people could watch that stuff.”
“Dating isentirely differentfor a man than it is for a woman. For us, it can be downright terrifying. Only one percentof serial killers are women. Statistically speaking,men are the more dangerous of the sexes. The more we know,the more wecanavoidbecoming victims. For instance, if you saw someone walking around with a surfboard and a cast on their arm, would you help them if they struggle to load it?”
“With a cast? Sure .”
“That’s how Ted Bundy snatched two victims in one day.”
Will adjusted uneasily in his chair.“That is definitely… unnerving .”
“This isn’t an ideal date conversation,is it?” She snickered and rubbed her forehead.“Sorry, I’m more than a little rusty.”
“It’s okay. You are the most stunning, interesting weirdo that I have met in… maybe ever. ”
She imaginedlunging across the table to kiss him, hands gripping his shoulders, lips meshed, hands wandering.
She could practically taste his chapstick...
“So, million dollar question: are you looking for something casual or something…more?”
“Something more.I’ve tried casual. It’s just not me. After my divorce,it took timeto figure out what I wanted and who I was.” Ava absentmindedly finished the contents of her cup, set it back down, and turned her body fully toward Will in her seat. “I’m going to take a leap of faith that you aren’t a cold-blooded murderer.”
“If I was, I’d be amazing at the clean-up.” He laughed.
Ava’s lip twisted upward into a grin, and her eyebrows furrowed.“Boy, you are really convincing me.”
Will shook his head, “I’m so sorry. It’s not the time to make a joke. I see that now. You were saying?”
“I was saying I’m free Friday night.”
He made a fist and jerked his elbow back to his side. “Yessss.”