Two
Ava could still feel those smooth, gentle touches on her cheeks, even though it had been nearly four years.
They’d handed her Troy’s money and Ava had taken a cab home where she’d packed up her most important belongings before heading to the bus station. Though her initial plan had been to go to New Orleans, she’d gotten off the bus in Houston and decided to stay.
She’d left that town and had never looked back, doing exactly as those two strange men had told her. She’d found a job and with the money Marcus and Varos had given her, she made enough to pay the bills. It had been hard but just as they’d told her, the struggle had been worth her freedom.
Rolling out of bed, she made her way to the closet. Finding a job had been difficult. She couldn’t risk anyone calling Troy for a reference, so there was a huge gap in her resume that turned some heads. Though after a lot of determination, she’d found a new accountant job and loved every aspect of it.
As she got dressed, she looked at the mirror and couldn’t help but grin. She smoothed her hands over her waist, where she could no longer see the bones poking against the skin. Freedom rolls, she called them. They reminded her of how far she’d come and how happy she was. She was finally at a point where she didn’t feel guilty choosing ice cream over a granola bar or skipping a workout in favour of curling up with a good book. All the pain of having to have started over was paying off with each breath she took and every gummy bear she enjoyed. She spun in the mirror, tossing her golden-brown hair over her shoulder. If it caught the light just right, you could see the streaks of red and blonde peeking through. It was much longer now—the way she preferred it. Her brown eyes sparkled more too, no longer dull as she looked at herself.
Of course, there were still times when Troy’s memory haunted her, but with each passing day it got a little bit easier. The nightmares were less frequent, her dreams leaning more towards her two guardian angels. She was aware of how stupid that sounded but the more she relived that night, the more it had to be the only explanation. Their strength, their speed, and their kindness could only amount to one thing.
She snapped out of her daydreams, grabbing her bag and cardigan and making her way to the bus stop. Though she had a steady job, she hadn’t yet bought a car. It was intimidating to own something that expensive. As she sat down on the bus, she popped her headphones in and watched the buildings pass by.
It was a day like any other. The only difference in her commute home was a grocery stop to get some ingredients for a new recipe. Back home she turned up her music—perks to living alone—and danced around the small kitchen as she cooked.
Though she got along with her coworkers quite well, she didn’t have any close friends. Friends meant personal questions, and she wasn’t ready for those. Her life was simple, but she was happy with it. Simple equalled easy.
Dinner was spent in front of the TV before she curled up in bed with a good book and a few too many pillows.
The next morning was the same as most others. She put on a blue sundress and twisted her hair into a new braid she’d been practising. She couldn’t find a seat on the bus, but it wasn’t enough to change her good mood. Downtown, she walked to the skyscraper that hosted her company’s office and stepped into the gorgeous foyer. She mindlessly scrolled on her phone as she waited on the elevator, stepping forwards once a door opened.
When she finally looked up, she froze like a deer in headlights. She found herself looking into two pairs of eyes she’d never be able to forget.
“Avalon,” Varos hummed, stretching out her name in a deep, beautiful song. “Are you going up?”
“Oh, y-yes…” she stammered, entering the elevator.
There was another taller man with dirty blond hair in the corner, but she couldn’t quite tell if he belonged with the other two.
“You look well,” Marcus chirped as she pressed the button for the twenty-sixth floor.
“Thank you; you too.”
Varos leaned closer and she wasn’t sure if it was his intimate proximity and soft voice or the elevator’s jerk to life that made her stomach lurch. “I didn’t know you worked here too.”
“I just started,” she mumbled, her eyes glued to her gorgeous angels.
“Maybe we’ll see each other more often then.”
“I would like that,” she confessed.
“Us too,” Marcus agreed.
The elevator stopped on her floor, but before she stepped out she made a mental note of the button they’d pressed. She stayed until the doors closed again, her heart racing and her breathing ragged. The interaction was so quick and out of this world that it almost felt as if it hadn’t happened at all—as if she’d imagined it.
She shook off the thought, making her way to her desk. She didn’t have a proper office, and the desk was a bit small and hidden away in the corner, but it was hers. With the encounter behind her, she started up her computer and fell into her daily routine.
At lunchtime, she couldn’t help but look at the papers in front of her as she ate. Because she didn’t want to be too close to anyone, she spent her lunch breaks at her desk.
“I’m looking for Miss Ava Williams.”
Hearing her name made her turn her head and peak around the corner. There stood Marcus, in his sleek, charcoal suit that was perfectly tailored to his broad body.
“Right over there, sir.”
She snapped back to her hiding spot, heart racing so fast she couldn’t breathe. Her head was down, but she heard his footsteps approach and pause next to her desk.
“I see I’m too late. I was hoping to have lunch with you.”
She slowly lifted her head, taking in every inch of his expensive suit—from his shoes to the seams of his trousers and the buttons on his shirt. She wanted to soak in every moment, afraid that it was just another dream.
“I, um… I just started.”
“So, you still have a little time on your hands?”
She finally met his gaze, butterflies swirling in her stomach. “ Yes.”
“Fantastic. I was hoping we could sit outside. The autumn weather has been quite refreshing the past few days.”
“Sure.” She packed up her lunch and stood from her seat.
He patiently waited until she had all her belongings and held out his arm. At first, she hesitated, Troy had always made her hold his arm when out in public. But Marcus wasn’t Troy. A lot of men offered a woman their arm. With her lunch bag in one hand and the other holding him, she allowed him to lead her through the office, earning herself a few curious stares.
“I see you have settled into your new life,” Marcus admonished, smiling as he led her to the elevator. “May I ask why you chose Houston?”
“I was on the bus to New Orleans but then I remembered that I’d told Troy about my dream to go there. I wasn’t sure if he would remember so when we stopped in Houston, I stayed.”
“Clever woman.”
Heat rushed to her cheeks, her stomach doing a flip.
“We thought we’d never see you again. Imagine how pleasantly surprised we were this morning.”
Her legs wobbled as they descended to the ground floor. “How have you and Varos been doing?”
“Very well. We’ve been travelling quite a bit but have been staying in Houston the past few months.”
“That sounds exciting.”
“I would ask you to tell me all about your newfound freedom, but I think Varos is eager to hear it too. He said he would find us a table at the coffee bar around the corner.”
“I heard they have really good sweet tea too.”
“Well, we should get you one so you can try it out.”
Marcus was only a few inches taller than Ava, not quite as tall as Varos. He had thick, muscular arms that made her feel safe. It was odd because she’d gotten used to the quiet and the lonely, but at the same time she liked this too .
Varos was waiting at a small table in the shade, with three to-go coffee cups before him. His eyes met hers, and his face lit up. “Wonderful, you came!” He gave her that gorgeous smile she’d committed to memory.
“Why don’t you sit with Varos, and I’ll get you that sweet tea?”
“No coffee?” Varos asked, more curious than upset.
“It’s fine if Varos already got coffee.” She tried to protest, but Marcus was already laying her hand into his friend’s and disappearing inside the shop.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you’d already gotten us something.”
“How could you have? I should’ve waited on you. How long is your break?”
Troy would have scolded her, so Varos’s forgiving response was… odd. Refreshing, but odd. “I think another forty or forty-five minutes.”
“We’ll make sure you’re back in time,” he assured, pulling out a chair and gesturing for her to sit.
“Thank you. Marcus told me you’ve been travelling a lot.”
“We have, but the past few months we’ve been here. You look well, Avalon.”
“I feel good too.”
Marcus reappeared, setting another cup in front of her and taking the empty seat. “Now, why don’t you fill us in on what you’ve been up to?”
“Not much. I’ve just been trying to enjoy myself and find me again, you know?”
“Have you been here all along?” Varos asked curiously.
“Yes. The original plan was New Orleans, but Troy knows I want to visit there so I made the decision to stay here.”
Varos unknowingly repeated Marcus’s praise. “That is very smart.”
“I told her the same. What have you been doing with your freedom? ”
“The typical things someone does after a breakup: changing my hair and eating as much ice cream as I want without being chastised for it.”
Varos nodded in agreement. “As you should. Have you made many new friends?”
“Not really. I kind of like being by myself and just explored Houston after I found my footing. I’ve even started painting again.”
Varos’s eyes sparkled and Marcus leaned closer in interest. “You paint?”
“Not very well, but I like doing it.”
“Maybe one day you’ll feel comfortable enough to show us something.” Marcus seemed hopeful without sounding pushy.
“Are you working as an accountant?”
Ava nodded. “It took me a while to find something because of the gap in my resume but they took me without hesitation.”
“And you clearly enjoy it,” Varos beamed.
“I do.”
The three fell into conversation and she was surprised by how… easy it all felt. She recounted how she visited the zoo and all the museums. She babbled away but not once did they make her feel silly, listening intently and hanging onto her every word. Her break was over far too soon.
“I think we should get you back upstairs before we get you in trouble,” Marcus chuckled, rising from his seat.
Just like before, Marcus offered his arm so she could hold on to it.
“Should we meet up again when there’s more time?” Varos asked.
“I’d love that.”
She waved Varos goodbye, letting Marcus lead her back to the office.
“That went by too fast,” she admitted, stepping into the elevator .
“It did. Next time we can meet after work if you like?”
She felt herself blush and those butterflies fluttered away in her belly. “I would love that.”
“Friday evening?”
“Sounds good to me.”
“Wonderful. What time do you finish?”
“Four, Fridays are my early days.”
“How about you meet us upstairs whenever you’re ready and we can decide from there.”
Ava agreed and Marcus led her through the office and to her desk.
“It was a pleasure, Ava.”
“Same.” She really liked how Marcus used her nickname when around others. Avalon wasn’t a name she used often.
“See you Friday.”
She gave him a shy wave goodbye and took her seat, distracting herself with paperwork to resist the urge to watch him walk away. The whispers and stares weren’t lost on her. She knew her coworkers were curious, but she was happy to keep her mystery man to herself for the time being.