Chapter 25
The Date
Owen walked through the house, checking for anything out of place before grabbing the picnic basket and blanket on his way out the door.
If everything went well, he planned on having Ava in his home, and more importantly in his bed, tonight.
Cleaning the house from top to bottom had the added benefit of distracting Owen from overthinking what was going on between him and Ava.
Last night meant something to him, and he was sure it meant something to Ava, too.
What that was, he would find out tonight.
He climbed in the truck, swiping some dirt off the bench seat where Ava would sit.
Then he rolled up his sleeves a few times for good measure.
She thought he didn’t notice when she stared at his arms, but he knew her weakness, and he wasn’t above exploiting it tonight.
With a glance in the rear-view mirror at his appearance, he cranked on the truck and left to pick up Ava.
He’d picked Ava up countless times in this very truck. From the airport, from the cabin, from the lake. And yet, nervousness strummed through his chest. This time was different. This time, there was more at stake.
He resisted fidgeting with his hair and focused on driving around the lake and navigating through the many people milling about downtown for the holiday.
The fireworks over the lake drew a significant crowd of visitors each year, who often stayed the week and brought a much-welcome economic boost to Cedar Falls. His café included.
And soon the bed-and-breakfast.
A weight had shifted off his shoulders when Ava had learned the truth about the building. He had no more secrets to hide from her, but he had Avery to consider. He couldn’t take things any further with her until they were on the same page about Avery. The nervousness renewed at the thought.
I can’t screw this up. Avery can’t have another person in and out of his life.
He approached the cabin and drove more calmly down the gravel than he had this morning. Bringing the truck to a stop, he parked and checked his reflection a final time in the mirror before exiting. He pulled his phone out to check the time, his stomach sinking at the awaiting message.
Tori: Don’t forget our date. My ex arrives this weekend. I want to make a spectacle.
Tori: Enjoy the new pipes in the building. Hope those aren’t the only pipes I should expect.
Tori had been the furthest person from his mind since last night. He’d forgotten about the date he’d agreed to in his anger toward Ava.
He shoved the phone back in his pocket and knocked on the cabin door. He'd deal with Tori later and find a way out of their agreement. Maybe he could offer someone else in his place.
The door swung open to reveal Lucas on the other side. “Remembered to use the door this time, I see.”
“Sorry about that earlier.” Owen scratched the back of his neck.
“Don’t worry about it. Ava can piss off the best of us.” Lucas stepped back to let Owen inside the cabin. Except something seemed off. Owen glanced around the doorway, trying to figure out what it was. The space above the door frame clued him in.
“What happened to the loon alarm?”
Lucas led him to the dining table a few feet away. Scotch tape poorly held together the loon and it nowhere resembled its normal shape.
“It fell and broke yesterday. Ava and Noah were trying to fit it back together. You can see how well that turned out.”
Owen picked up the misshapen loon and turned it over in his hands. Nostalgia washed over him. Walking into the cabin felt weird without its welcoming croon.
“Something tells me they were still high when they attempted this,” Owen said.
“You would be right,” Noah answered, joining them at the table. “Not one of our better ideas.”
“Mind if I try to fix it? I've got better tools at my place,” Owen asked the brothers. He knew how much Ava loved that alarm. It was a piece of her dad's memory.
Noah gave him a big smile, so similar to Ava's. “That'd be great. Thanks, Owen.” Noah clapped his shoulder and walked away to the kitchen.
Lucas stared at him and gave a nod after a moment. “We'd appreciate it.” Lucas looked down at the Rolex on his wrist, then walked to the foot of the stairs. “Dodo, get your ass in gear,” he yelled upstairs to where she was getting ready.
“She always hated that nickname,” Owen laughed.
“All the more reason to use it,” Lucas replied, a rare grin on his face.
A door opened, and Ava's footsteps echoed down the wooden staircase. He'd sent her a text to wear comfortable shoes, but that was the only hint he gave her about their plans tonight.
“I'm in a good mood, so I'll let that slide,” Ava said as she came down the stairs. She walked past Lucas and came to stand in front of Owen at the table. “Ready?” she asked him. Her red-painted lips quirked in a smile.
Owen's fingers twitched with the urge to haul her closer. She’d dressed for the holiday, a red sundress with little straps and a blue gingham bandana tied around her hair, holding back her golden curls. She finished the look with the same white sneakers she'd worn last night.
She was a summer treat he couldn't wait to enjoy.
“Ready,” he said, settling for grabbing her hand and leading her to the door.
“Have fun,” Noah said with a wave.
“Keep the details of this date to yourself, Dodo,” Lucas said, walking them to the door and shutting it behind them as Owen tugged Ava outside.
Once out of view of her brothers, Owen turned around and pinned Ava to the side of the cabin. He cupped the back of her head and pulled her into a kiss he hoped would smudge her lipstick. She fisted his shirt and tugged him closer, leaving no space between their bodies.
“You look incredible, Birdie.” He brushed her bottom lip with his thumb. Her lipstick hadn't budged.
“And you look edible.” She rose on her toes to press another quick kiss to his lips.
He relished the ease between them. How naturally they fit together, like no time had passed.
His playful, sexy Birdie was back in his arms, and it felt damn good.
He led them to the truck, opening the passenger side door and helping Ava inside.
The red sundress swished around her thighs as she settled in the seat.
Owen walked around the truck and climbed inside, pleased to see Ava had shifted to the middle of the bench seat so their thighs pressed together.
Once he backed out of the steep driveway, he slid a hand up her leg and under the skirt of her dress, squeezing her thigh.
She let out a happy sigh at the contact.
“So, where are you taking me tonight?”
“It's a surprise.” In his peripheral view, he saw her pout.
“How far away is this surprise?”
“Not far.”
She wrapped her hand around his wrist and urged it higher up her thigh. “Is it far enough for us to fool around on the way?”
Owen laughed, tugging his hand free of her grasp and smoothing her dress down. “Definitely not. Still as impatient as ever.”
“I'm not impatient. Just curious. And horny. You've unleashed my hidden sex drive, and now I want more.”
Owen groaned as his cock stirred to attention at the mention of sex. “Ava, baby, you can't say stuff like that when I'm driving. Let me take you on a proper date and then you'll get what you need.”
“Really?” She straightened in the seat.
“Have I ever left you wanting, Birdie?”
Ava pretended to think next to him. He knew the answer. It was a resounding no.
“Okay, I guess not. I can wait.”
He pulled off the side of the road just outside of downtown. Recognition lit up Ava's face when she saw the manmade trail.
“Owen Fowler, are you taking me to the old watermill to have your way with me?”
He got out of the truck and held out a hand to help her cross the bench seat and exit the door behind him.
Then he grabbed the blanket and basket he'd set in the truck bed.
“While I wouldn't say no to that, making out like teenagers is not why we're here. This is the best spot to see the fireworks over Cedar Lake.”
“I hadn't thought about that before but makes sense. We only ever came up here to make out when we were younger.”
“Like I could forget,” Owen muttered.
They walked the short trail to the watermill, and Ava’s fingers curled in the belt loop of his jeans as she followed behind him.
Much like the Agatha Building before he'd bought and renovated it, the old watermill sat in disrepair since being damaged decades earlier.
It was an abandoned structure just outside of town, serving as a popular spot for teenage trysts.
There were always talks of reviving the mill, but the town never seemed to take it any further than a petition here and there.
Owen spread out the blanket on a flat area with a good view of the town. A short distance away, Cedar Lake glittered as the sun began its evening descent. The firework show would start within the hour.
Ava kicked off her shoes and sat on the blanket, her tempting red dress spread out around her. Owen joined her and unloaded the basket, pulling out the bottle of wine. He popped the cork and poured them each a glass.
She held her glass to toast. “Cheers.”
“Cheers,” he repeated.
He held Ava's gaze as she sipped the red wine, which stained her lips even darker.
“Are you ready for Avery to come home tomorrow?” Ava leaned back on one of her hands, crossing her ankles in front of her. The relaxed stance emphasized the swell of her breasts. Owen continued unpacking the basket to avoid getting distracted by all her curves on display.
“I am. It's crazy how much I miss that kid when he's gone. Not that he's away from home all that often.”
“He doesn't go spend time with Madeline?”
Owen handed her a cloth napkin and set the basket to the side. “She usually comes here to see him. I keep the guest bedroom set up for Maddy when she's in town. With how much she moves around for work, she doesn't always have the room for Avery to stay. Selfishly, I prefer having him nearby.”