34. ZANE
ZANE
“You could try and force on a smile, you know—that’s your niece on stage,” Jace whispers, his eyes trained on Daisy and the rest of her classmates who are singing the song I watched them rehearse Saturday after Saturday with Ava.
“Just be grateful I’m here,” I grumble, loosening the tie Ella forced me to wear for this recital.
From the corner of my eye, I note her glaring at me.
She’s lucky I’m not using it to strangle myself or her.
Hell, I can’t remember the last time I wore a tie—probably high school for my senior prom, almost a decade and a half ago.
Formal wear is not my thing, but Ella insisted we all look “nice” for Daisy’s performance.
I have nice jeans and some passable shirts, not these itchy clothes she forced on me.
Jace nudges me once more, and I growl under my breath before turning my attention to him. “What?!”
“You remember when I told you I’m not looking forward to the version of you that doesn’t have Ava in his life? This is exactly what I was talking about,” he says as if I’m not already painfully aware of the fact that I’m slowly slipping back into my old ways.
“Yeah, well, I’m not the biggest fan of me right now either,” I retort.
“Just get her back, man. It’s not that hard.”
“Says you,” I scoff.
“What are you so afraid of? You just overcame what no one thought you would and rode a bull again. Why is this so hard?”
“It’s not the same thing, and you know it.”
He’s about to say something else when our father, who is seated in the row in front of us, turns around and smacks us with the folded-up program in his hand, like we’re a bunch of rowdy kids.
“Both of you, shut up.”
“He started it,” I defend, pointing at Jace.
“Traitor,” my brother bites back.
“I don’t care who started it—I’m ending it. Not another word out of you two until this recital is over. Do I make myself clear?” he demands.
He glares us down until we cave and nod. “Yes, sir.”
Jace and I flip each other off before focusing our attention forward.
Everyone in my family keeps telling me how cowardly it is not to go after Ava when none of them have ever been in my shoes.
This is the second time she’s left me in the dust, even after I forgave her for the first time because I understood it wasn’t her fault.
Her family is out of the picture now, so she has no one to blame.
No matter how many times they mock me or call me a coward, I refuse to be the first one to reach out when I’m not the one who left.
She should be here today, cheering the kids on, since she’s the one who worked so hard to train them. Instead, she left in the middle of the night like a thief and cut off all contact. Now I’m all alone, heartbroken, left behind to pick up the pieces of our shattered relationship.
The recital ends an hour later, and we finally leave.
Daisy looks so proud of herself and her classmates, but even I can tell that she’s a bit sad that Ava isn’t here. Just how many hearts will this woman break before she realizes that she’s loved and we have her back, only if she opens up to us?
Beck drives me back home since I can’t drive due to my leg. Thankfully, he knows I’ve received enough shit from everyone else, so he leaves me alone, which I appreciate.
Unfortunately, my luck runs out as soon as we get home.
“Family meeting, and yes, that includes you too, Zane,” Father announces just as I’m getting out of the truck with the intention to disappear to my cabin for the rest of the year.
The look he’s giving me lets me know that now isn’t the time to challenge him. Why am I, a thirty-something-year-old man, still being bossed around by my old man? That’s a question I’ll probably never get an answer to.
We all gather in the kitchen, but Daisy is excused since this is an adult conversation.
“What’s this about?” I ask the minute everyone is seated.
I just want to get out of here and be alone.
“Ella has something she would like to say,” my father replies, then turns to Ella.
She glances at me first, and I know what her next words are going to be about before she utters them.
“I talked to Ava.”
My whole body freezes. I knew it was something to do with her best friend, but I didn’t expect this. Ava’s phone is back on? I hate to admit it, but I’ve been calling her multiple times a day in the week she’s been gone, but to no avail.
“And?” Jace prompts because I’m too tongue-tied to say anything.
“It was a few days ago—I got through to her via her manager, but I haven’t succeeded since then,” she explains.
Oh, so that’s how. Maybe I should have thought of that as well. But I’m not familiar with her manager, so I have no idea how I would even start.
I focus back on the conversation when Ella keeps speaking. “She didn’t sound so good, so I’ve decided to go to LA and check in on her.”
Ella is going to LA?
“Zane, you are going with her,” Father announces, taking me by surprise.
I’m quick to decline before I even think about it. “Not a chance in hell.”
“I’m not asking.”
“She left—why do I have to be the one to chase after her?”
“Because I raised you right, and in this family, men do the chasing, not the other way around.”
“I am not going,” I defy, refusing to budge on this.
“Oh yes, you are.”
“Daddy, can we take one of the private jets?” Ella requests, bringing up some random conversation in the middle of something serious.
I think she’s trying to diffuse the situation, but I’m too tense to play along.
“The princess can’t fly commercial?” I find myself blurting out.
She scowls at me. “Why would I fly commercial when we have seven private jets? Even you don’t fly commercial.”
“That’s because he never flies or goes anywhere,” Beck inputs, earning himself a dirty look from me.
Why is he even here? This conversation doesn’t concern him in any way.
“Either way, I said no—I’m not going,” I insist.
“Daddy,” Ella pleads, turning her pouty eyes to our father, the same ones she used when she roped me into picking Ava up from the airport with her. Come to think of it, that’s when this whole mess started.
“You’re going, Zane. I already made all the arrangements. The two of you will take one of the private jets and bring her back,” he demands.
“Yes!” Ella cheers.
“You can’t make me.”
“Why are you being so stubborn? Ella was right—you did do something to Ava,” Jace adds, and it pisses me off that they’re talking about me behind my back.
“I was planning to propose—why would I mess that up by doing something stupid?” I retort defensively.
Ella’s facial expression softens from my words. “You were?”
“Yes.”
“Aww.”
“Congratulations, son,” Father smiles at me, clapping my back encouragingly.
“There’s no need for that—I won’t be asking anymore,” I grumble.
“If you’re not to blame, then she must have left for a reason, so you need to go after her,” Ella demands.
“No.”
“Why not?” she challenges.
Done with this conversation, I get to my feet and pick up my crutches. “Like you’ve said, she must have left for a reason, so I’m not going to go after her. Whatever it is, she’ll be back once she finds it—or not. It’s her choice,” I answer, each word feeling like a direct stab to my heart.
I exit the kitchen and head to my cabin. I’m unlucky enough that Ella chooses to follow me there.
“Zane—“
“What?!” I scream, turning to her with a glower.
She steps back, startled by my tone. “I’ll come back later.”
I sigh and shake my head, realizing that it’s wrong of me to be taking my anger out on my family. “I’m sorry—that was rude of me. What’s up?”
“I didn’t want to say this in front of the whole family, but I think Ava is pregnant,” she says carefully, once again catching me off guard.
This time, her words nearly knock me off my feet.
“Why would you think that?” I whisper, surprised I can even make out the words.
“I was cleaning out her room when I found this in the trash can. It’s positive,” she explains, holding out her palm to reveal a pregnancy test.
I take it from her, my eyes wide at the two lines on the test. “Are you sure it’s hers?”
“Yes, she was the only one who stayed in that room.”
Her confirmation has me staggering back, so I lean against the closet wall before I fall and almost break my remaining working leg.
Holy fuck! Ava is pregnant.
I know I should be angry that she kept this from me, but I’m more worried. She must be so scared going through this alone while I’m here sulking like a kicked puppy.
“I’m coming to LA with you,” I find myself declaring before I can stop myself.
Ella’s eyes widen in surprise as she smiles at me. “Really?”
“Yes, it’s time to bring Ava back home where she belongs.”
I was so scared to go after her, for fear of more rejection, but knowing this, there’s no way I can let her go. She belongs with me, by my side, with our baby. Time to get them back.