Chapter 10
Avery
Today had been a terrible, no good, very bad day for me emotionally.
To start, I was pretty sure my period would be coming next week, so I was already moody.
Because of that, I decided to stay at my hotel instead of going over to Ali’s house.
I got some horrible news that my cousin was in the hospital, and as much as I wanted to go and see her, I knew it would be pointless.
Our family had been at her side since she was admitted, and they were already driving her crazy.
She’d texted me and let me know she hadn’t even had a moment alone to cry and process what was going on with her health, so I knew I’d just be another person hovering and creating anxiety for her.
I felt helpless knowing she was suffering and there was nothing I could do to help.
Hell, her doctors hadn’t even figured out what was causing her seizures and fainting yet.
On top of that, Laya had been calling me for the past two days, and I was pretty sure she wanted an update on my nonexistent article. I hadn’t answered her calls yet because I knew if I told her Ali wasn’t budging that she’d tell me to come home. And Jessica was also in my head.
Usually she approved of my shenanigans, but this time, she had me questioning everything.
I’d shared with her the sweet words Ali had said to me yesterday and she told me to be careful because it sounded suspect.
I immediately got irritated and didn’t even respond, because how could a man expressing himself and appreciating my presence be suspect?
It made me feel like she was suggesting Ali wasn’t to be trusted, which would have made me paranoid, and I didn’t have time for that.
There was a ticking clock between us already, and the last thing I needed was to wonder about his intentions.
Hell, if anyone should be suspicious, it should be him of me.
What ulterior motive could he possibly have to have me around?
The more I tried to convince myself I had nothing to worry about, the more nervous I became.
Snatching my phone off the bed, I slipped into my shoes and called Jessica. As I waited for her to answer the call, I paced.
“Hello?” she answered sweetly, and for some reason, that only irritated me more.
“What do you mean him being sweet to me sounds suspect?”
The line was silent for a few seconds before she laughed. “What?”
“You heard me. Why would you say that? Now I’m over here overthinking when he’s given me not one reason to doubt him.”
Jessica sighed. “I’m just saying. What are the odds the man you’ve pined over since we were in high school just so happened to be pining over you too, and when you reconnect, y’all connect and just . . . stay together forever?
“What man talks all gratefully and sweet to a person he probably doesn’t even trust?
Ali is probably keeping you close to distract you from your article.
Or did you forget that’s the reason you’re there anyway?
The man hasn’t been in a relationship for what .
. . three years you said? And he just clings to you and never lets you go?
Either he’s playing you, or he’s crazy, and I just want you to be careful. ”
Rolling my tongue across my cheek, I chuckled as I walked over to the window and looked out into the bright sky.
“Wow.” My head shook. “So let me get this straight. You’re saying it’s not possible our connection is real and that he’s genuine.
The only options are he’s using me and trying to distract me, or he’s crazy.
Because that’s the only way a man could like me, want to spend time with me, and talk sweet to me. ”
She groaned. “I didn’t mean it like that, A.”
“Then how exactly did you mean it, Jessica?” I stressed, voice raising.
“I mean this isn’t a fucking fairy tale! It’s real life! You’ve been there for two weeks, you haven’t gotten his permission to do your damn job, and you haven’t mentioned when you’re coming home. You have to write the article, whether he lets you interview him or not.
“If you don’t, Laya is going to end the assignment and make you come home. Then what? You think he’s going to just ask you to stay? No. Whatever the hell y’all got going on is going to be over and you’re going to have to return to reality.”
My nostrils flared as I massaged my temple and shook my head.
“If this isn’t reality, I don’t need you or anyone else trying to wake me up.
I’m happy here. I’m at peace. And I’m going to enjoy it until it’s over.
Now that I know how you feel, I’ll make sure I don’t tell you anything else that happens between us. ”
“Come on, Avery. You’re being dramat—”
I ended the call and plopped down on the bed.
How dare she suggest what was happening between us wasn’t real?
That it wouldn’t last?
Well, technically I knew it wouldn’t last but still.
I also knew it was real.
What Ali and I shared couldn’t be faked . . . could it?
I mean . . . there was no way he was keeping me close just to distract me from writing the article . . . or was he?
When my phone vibrated, I picked it up and didn’t bother looking at it before I answered and said, “I don’t want to talk to you for the rest of the day.”
“Sheesh. What did I do to you?” At the sound of Laya’s voice, my heart dropped. Closing my eyes, I inhaled a sizzling breath and squeezed the back of my neck.
“Laya . . . hi. Sorry. I thought you were someone else.”
She chuckled. “I see. I’m not mad about it, seeing as you probably wouldn’t have answered if you knew it was me. Is there a particular reason you’ve been avoiding my calls?”
I couldn’t lie. It went against my nature. Sighing, my shoulders slouched as I confessed, “Yes. Ali hasn’t agreed to the interview yet. I was hoping I could change his mind before we talked, so I’d be able to report back with good news.”
“Well, we knew there was a chance he’d say no. I don’t want you wasting your time or the company’s dime waiting for a yes we know we won’t get. Why don’t you come on back home, and I’ll give you a different assignment?”
My head shook as I stood. “I want to stay on, if possible. I want the full thirty days to try and get him to agree. Even if I have to pay for my expenses myself. I don’t want to give up on him just yet.”
The breath she released was shaky, and I heard the sound of her pen tapping against her desk in the background.
“Fine. You can stay for the full month, but we need that exclusive, Avery. This would be big for us. A ten year anniversary exclusive on the reclusive and elusive Ali Mitchell? We’d make headlines off that. I need that interview, no matter what.”
“Yes, ma’am. I’m on it.”
“Alright. I’ll reach out next week.”
I nodded as if she could see me as Laya disconnected the call.
Great.
What in the hell was I going to do now?
Hours Later
I didn’t believe Ali when he said he was going to pull up on me for a change.
During one of our random conversations, we talked about how he rarely went to public places, and in my head, that included my hotel.
While he wasn’t a complete recluse who never left home, he had a team of people who did his shopping and errands to avoid interacting with people if he didn’t want to or absolutely have to.
When we talked earlier, I was admittedly short and ended the call rather quickly.
He texted me and told me he was on his way to me, and I didn’t believe him, until I heard someone tapping on my room door.
Several seconds passed of me staring at the door before I took small steps toward it. I looked down at my attire absently and shrugged. The two piece satin short set was just fine for his unexpected popup. My hair was under a bonnet, but at least I had on lashes, so that was something.
“Who is it?” I asked, just to be sure.
“Ya man.”
His response made me giggle, and it was like a balm had already started to soothe my aching heart.
A part of me knew I was overreacting, but after so many emotional things happened today, I was jaded.
As soon as I opened the door and saw him, I couldn’t help but grin.
Ali had on a low sitting snapback and dark shades, a form fitting V-neck T-shirt, and loose sweats.
He looked good as fuck without even trying.
“Hi,” I spoke, heart settling at the sight of him.
“Why you in here hiding?” he asked, stepping around me and entering my room.
“You actually came.”
“Of course. You didn’t sound like yourself, so I had to check on you.”
“Well yes, but . . . I just didn’t think you’d actually come inside.”
“I’d risk being spotted to check on you a million times, Avery. Don’t ever doubt that.”
His declaration made my eyes water. I was already emotional, and him being all kind and caring didn’t help.
Closing the space between us, I wrapped my arms around him for a much needed hug.
Ali picked me up and carried me to the chair that was next to the bed.
He got comfortable with me on his lap then asked, “You wanna talk about it?”
Nibbling my bottom lip, I exhaled deeply. “My boss wants me to come home and start a new assignment if I can’t get the interview from you.”
His chest deflated and head bobbed once. “Oh.”
“Yeah.” A soft, bitter chuckle escaped me.
“I know you don’t want to give me an interview, and I wouldn’t want to write the article on you without your consent.
I don’t want to feel like I failed, and in a sense I don’t because I got something better than an interview.
I got a piece of you.” I smiled and cupped his cheek as he squeezed my waist. “But I can’t lie and say it wouldn’t be a huge boost for my career and the magazine to feature you.
“This is a monumental moment for you, and it means so much to the city of Memphis. So I’m conflicted. A part of me is okay accepting the fact that I’ll never get you to agree to the interview, but the other part of me wants to keep trying.”
“Try not,” he said, quoting Yoda, making me giggle before he could even finish. “Do or do not. There is no try.”
“That’s easy for you to say, baby.”
“And it’s easy for you to decide whether you want to continue to pursue the interview, or whether you just want to be here with me.”
“If I give up on the interview, I’ll have to leave.”
His brows wrinkled and mouth twisted to the side as his head shook. “Why?”
“Because I’ll get another assignment.”
“Or you could stay here with me. Can’t you work from home? Even if you couldn’t, Memphis is only a three hour drive from here.”
“Well . . . that was the other thing,” I muttered, playing with the gold chain around his neck. “I’ve been here trying to convince myself that what we have isn’t real. That you would’ve been like this with any woman who showed up at your doorstep.”
Ali laughed heartily as he pulled his hat off his head.
“Nah. I’ma have to stop you right there.
You could try and convince yourself of that, but it would be a lie.
I ain’t on no last woman on Earth shit with you, Avery.
I’m not attached to you because I haven’t seen a woman in years.
I’ve tried to date, but no one was worthy .
. . until you. I chose you because I want you, not because you were the only woman available.
What I feel for you is real, and whether you leave today, in a year, or never, the feelings I have are reserved for you and only you. ”
“Do you trust me?” I asked, holding my breath as I waited for his answer.
“I trust you enough. It’s not about you. It’s my own trauma I have to work through. Even in those moments where doubt creeps in, it’s not about you. I trust that you wouldn’t steal from me or use me or lie and lead me on. And that trust is a solid enough foundation for me to want to be with you.”
My head shook, and I swallowed hard as relief filled me. “You don’t know how much I needed to hear you say that.”
His smile was soft as he wrapped his hand around the front of my neck and used it to pull me close for a kiss.
“I will assure and validate you every day if you need me to. But what I need from you is to decide what you want to do. I ain’t doing that interview, honey.
If that means you have to leave me, I’ll accept that, but if you want to stay .
. . I would love that. Shit, I’ll fund you starting your own magazine or whatever the fuck else you wanted to do.
Whatever it took to keep you as happy as having you has made me. ”
Wiping away a tear, I snuggled against him and buried my face in his neck.
Damn this not being reality.
And if it wasn’t, Ali was my personal fairy tale.
My personal romance.
My personal happy for right now . . . or forever. Whichever.
I’d hold him close and keep what happened between us close to my chest before I let anyone, even my best friend, make me question what we shared again.