Chapter 18 #2
“You left without saying goodbye last night,” Ava said.
There was no accusation in her tone, but Owen felt it all the same.
“Matt had a few more drinks than me. Didn’t want him driving home,” Owen said.
“Right,” she dragged out the word. “It’s not because of, you know.” She cast a glance over her shoulder in Noah's direction.
Owen played dumb. “Because of what?” His heart rate sped up at the memory of the look on her face. The desire.
Her eyes narrowed, the pinched expression on her face cute and not intimidating as she intended.
Owen held back a smile, but that only seemed to embolden her.
She placed her hands on the counter and leaned across it to invade his space.
Owen resisted the urge to look down at the cleavage revealed by the change in position.
Instead, he leaned his hips flush to the counter, placing his own hands down on the counter inches from hers.
“Because of you coming on to me in the kitchen last night. I know what it’s like to be kissed by you, Owen.” She tipped her chin down, hiding her gaze from him. “Like I could ever forget,” she muttered.
Without thinking, Owen pinched her chin between his thumb and finger to lift her head back up to look at him. His fingers burned from the contact, but he didn’t let go.
“And I know what it’s like to be kissed by you, Ava. That,” he emphasized, “I will never forget.”
She inhaled; the breath so sharp Owen worried when she didn’t exhale immediately.
A patron bumped into Ava as they walked past, mumbling an apology.
Owen dropped his hand from the movement like he’d been caught doing something wrong.
He stepped back from the counter, and Ava blinked rapidly, as if waking up.
When will I catch a break?
Owen cleared his throat, remembering they were in plain view of the whole café. “What can I get you?”
Ava’s shoulders straightened, and she rattled off the order for her and Noah. He considered refusing her payment but had a feeling they’d made enough of a scene without adding a fight about paying on top of it.
“I’ll bring it over,” he said.
Ava nodded and turned to join Noah. Like a magnetic force, Owen’s eyes dropped to her ass, staring at the sway of her hips as she walked away. He was only a man, after all.
While waiting for their food, Owen grabbed the blueberry whoopie pie that was absent from her order, but he knew she would love it all the same and put it in a bakery box.
He grabbed that, along with their actual order, and tried to walk casually to their table tucked in the corner overlooking the lake.
“Here you go,” Owen said, lowering the plates to the table. He slid the packaged whoopie pie in front of Ava. Her brows furrowed in confusion, but the smile on her face was worth it when she read where he wrote Ava’s blueberry whoopie pie on the outside of the box.
She touched a hand to the words. “You’re spoiling me, Owen.”
Before he could respond, Ava and Noah’s phones alerted at the same time. Ava frowned at the message on her screen. So did Noah.
“Sorry, man, but looks like we need to head back to the cabin. Lucas found something important we need to see. Can we get a few to-go boxes?” Noah looked up from his phone to give Owen an apologetic smile.
“Of course. Is everything OK?”
“I’m sure it’s fine. But you know how Lucas is.” Ava rolled her eyes and shrugged.
Owen retrieved to-go boxes for the siblings and helped them box up the food they hadn’t had the chance to eat. On their way out the door, Ava brushed by Owen, the touch intentional. When his arm still tingled long after Ava left, Owen knew he couldn’t put off calling Tori much longer.
They were minutes away from the afternoon closing time when the door jingled. Owen looked up from where he was flipping through sales receipts. “Welcome to the Early Bird Café. We’re closing in the next five minutes, but we’d be happy to put together a to-go order.”
Owen’s greeting pulled the man’s attention away from scanning the café interior.
His head swiveled like he was looking for something.
He looked out of place in Cedar Falls with his crisp button-down, rolled up at the sleeves and dark blue slacks, like he was someone more comfortable in a suit than dressed down.
The man rolled his wrist to glance at the wide face of the watch he wore.
Must be a tourist.
The man gave Owen a beaming white smile, the kind of practiced smile meant to charm and put others at ease. Owen could admit he was a handsome guy, though definitely not from around here.
“That’s fine. I won’t keep you. I’ll take a black coffee to go,” he said, still flashing a too-white smile at Owen. He slid a credit card across the counter.
Owen rang up the order and handed the card back to the man.
“This place sure is charming. Even better than it was described to me.” He made a show of looking at the artwork on the walls. “This is one of those small towns where everyone knows each other, right?”
Owen eyed the man from behind the coffee maker as he prepared his drink. “Something like that. You know someone from Cedar Falls?”
Owen put a lid on the to-go cup and pushed it across the counter, crossing his arms once the drink was no longer in his hands.
“I do. They told me all about this place. I came to visit and see it for myself. Only problem is my navigation is acting up, and I’m having trouble finding the address I’m supposed to drive to. Don’t suppose you can give me more reliable directions?”
Owen went back to the pile of receipts, grateful for something to distract his hands. “Depends. I know most people around here. Where are you trying to go?”
“Gavin Hanson’s cabin. I know it’s off Loon Cove Road, but I can’t seem to find it.”
Alarm bells sounded in Owen’s head. He paused shuffling the receipts and looked at the man more closely. He could be a realtor. Was he here to buy the cabin? Why didn’t Ava say anything?
“Why are you looking for Gavin’s cabin? He died back in May,” Owen said, suspicion laced his tone. He didn’t trust the guy.
The man smiled another practiced, perfect smile meant to put Owen at ease. Owen’s hackles rose further.
“Right. I know it was unexpected. A terrible loss.” The man shook his head in pity. “I’m actually looking for his daughter. I wasn’t sure if you would know who I was referring to. Her name is Ava. Ava Hanson. That’s who I’m here to see.”
Owen’s stomach swooped with discomfort as his heart dropped. His ears tingled with a staticky sensation. Why the hell was this guy looking for Ava?
“I know Ava. Is she expecting you?”
“Of course, I’m her boyfriend. I’d call her for directions, but her service has been poor since she got here. It’s been hard to reach her.”
The man spoke with confidence, like it was a fact of life he was dating the woman Owen couldn’t get out of his head.
His every interaction with Ava from the past month ran through his mind, looking for clues she was in a relationship.
It certainly didn't seem like she was in the kitchen last night.
Or earlier when she flirted with him in his café.
"That's odd. I haven't had any trouble getting in touch with her since she's been in town."
Alec's smile dimmed the slightest bit, but he recovered quickly. He raised a brow.
"Must be a fluke, then. You talk to her often?"
Owen straightened even taller at Alec's tone.
"Like I said. I know most people around here."
"Including my girlfriend?"
"Apparently."
Alec eyed him more critically from across the counter, seeming to come to a decision.
“Any chance you can point me in the right direction?”
Owen swallowed down his hurt. Ava made a fool of him, getting close to him and Avery when she had someone waiting for her at home. But he wouldn’t let it get the better of him. He'd let go of Ava before. He could do it again, this time before he did something stupid. Like, actually kiss her.
“Yeah. Head left out of downtown and turn right at Teaberry Road. Turn off on the dirt road on your right about a quarter mile up the road.
The man typed the directions on his phone, nodding along. “Thanks, I appreciate the help. What was your name again?”
“Owen.”
“Alec Dolton.” Alec held out his hand toward Owen.
Despite his churning emotions, Owen grasped his hand and shook it. Bitterness tinged the back of his throat.
“Thanks again, Owen.” Alec tipped the coffee cup in Owen’s direction, then walked out the door.
Owen stalked to the entrance and locked the doors.
The rest of the dining area had cleared out before Alec’s arrival.
He went through the motions of closing, waving away the other staff when they tried to take the trash bag from his hands.
Owen’s steps thundered as he stomped outside to the dumpster and threw the trash bag with more force than warranted.
I'm her boyfriend.
The words echoed through his mind on repeat. The sharpness of his earlier jealousy lessened, replaced with a sinking doubt.
Had he misread everything between them? The way she'd been turned on the night before. The way she'd leaned into him in the cabin's kitchen, just as eager and flustered to kiss him. Her disappointment today that he'd left without saying goodbye.
He made a fool of himself, almost falling for her again.
She didn't stay ten years ago because she had better things waiting for her in the city. It was still the same story. History repeating itself.
He wouldn't give her the chance to get any closer to him and Avery. He wouldn't risk his son getting attached to someone who would never stick around.
He pulled his phone out to make the call he’d put off all day.
“Owen, I’ve been waiting to hear from you,” Tori’s voice purred through the phone.
“I’ll do it.”