10. Ava
Chapter Ten
Ava
What kiss?
“He can’t forget the kiss!” I exclaimed out loud in my hospital room just as Holly walked in.
She paused mid-step, arching a brow. “What kiss?”
My cheeks were on fire when I met her gaze. “Nobody’s.”
“Well, it’s obviously not nobody,” Holly pointed out.
“Tanner.”
Holly’s eyes lit up as she waggled her brows. “Spill,” she ordered.
“I kissed him the other night when he brought me pizza. I think it was crazy.”
Holly grinned. “Oh, I love that you kissed him!”
“You do?”
“Yeah, I do. Tanner’s a great guy. And his ex completely screwed him over.”
“No! What did she do? Or he?” I asked, blinking.
“Nothing horrible, but definitely hurtful. They were high school sweethearts. I never thought they were the greatest couple. Seemed kind of like an odd match to me.” She pulled the chair beside the bed. “Tanner was nicer than her. She told him he was boring.”
“Oh no,” I breathed.
“I know, right? Shitty.”
“He’s not boring. At all,” I said stoutly.
“Nope. He’s loyal, reliable, and steady. Also intelligent and a kick-ass firefighter. Anyway, I’m glad you kissed him.” She tilted her head toward me, eyes twinkling. “I think you should kiss him again.”
“You think? I’m not here long-term. I’m only here until I get better,” I pointed out. “Or, until I can fly on a plane without paying extra for the medical accommodation.”
“You never know what’s going to happen in life,” Holly pointed out. “Honestly, you don’t.”
Okay, true. I had tried to follow all the rules and do all the right things. Yet here I was, divorced after my ex cheated on me. I was tired of holding everything together. I wanted to be a little not so predictable.
Yet I loved learning that Tanner was loyal and steadfast. That was the kind of guy I thought I married. I turned out to be completely wrong on that count.
“Anyway,” Holly said, leaning forward, “I came to fill you in. I have a place for you to stay.”
“You do?”
“You’re just going to have to get up three steps to get in the door.
There are stairs inside, but there’s a bedroom downstairs, so you’re good.
My friend Tate rents some small houses. He usually rents them to tourists because”—she rubbed her fingers together—“money. But he’s got one available, and he says you can stay there. ”
“Oh, I can pay,” I said quickly.
“Well, you can work that out with him. He’s a good guy.”
“So how do I work this out?”
“I’ve already worked it out.”
“But I can’t drive there.” I pointed at my foot.
“Oh, oh! I didn’t work that detail out.”
She snapped her fingers. “I can give you a ride when you discharge tomorrow.”
“Worst-case scenario, I stock up on groceries and get some internet, so I don’t need to do errands.”
“Oh, there’s already internet. There’s everything.
” She smiled brightly. “You’re not going to be trapped.
Don’t worry. It’s a small town. Chris will give you rides.
I’ll give you rides. I’m sure Tanner will.
” She waggled her brows. “Oh, and conveniently, this place is about a mile away from where Tanner lives.”
“Really?” I narrowed my eyes. “Are you up to something?”
“No,” she said innocently. “I just found out you kissed him right now. I’m not up to anything. I promise. Anyway, I gotta run. I’ll text you all the information later. But tomorrow, I’ll take you there when you’re discharged.”
“Aren’t you going to be on duty?”
She shrugged. “I’ll make it work. It’s not very far away.”