Chapter 8 - Lincoln
LINCOLN
The faint echo of laughter reached me outside as I jogged up the steps of Jaden’s house.
The closer I got, I could hear the distinct sounds of female and male pitches.
The woman had to be Ava. She was scheduled to meet up with Jaden this morning, and from what I'd seen so far, she was quite the early bird. So was I.
It was barely seven, and I wasn’t supposed to come until eight. But when your client was a twenty-year-old with a short attention span and a calendar full of practices, endorsement deals, and contracts, you showed up early to keep him on track.
I let myself in with the key Jaden insisted I keep. My younger clients did that often. It was like they took me for a substitute dad or something. Not that I minded it. Another laugh rang out. The airy giggle made my steps falter.
The sound of Ava’s laughter was permanently etched into my mind.
I’d always loved the sound of it. It had a contagious quality.
In my current world of fake laughter and fake everything else, it was refreshing to hear that unpolished, genuine sound that made you smile even when you weren’t in on the joke.
I had to take a deep breath before I went into the kitchen, where the sound filtered from. Every time I heard her voice, I was hurled back into the past. When I turned the corner, I paused.
Jaden stood, leaning on the island beside Ava.
He chatted animatedly. Ava sat on a stool, holding a mug between her hands.
My gaze dropped. She was barefoot with one curled under her as if she were in her own kitchen.
Her full attention was on Jaden. They both threw their heads back and cackled about something he said.
I didn’t hear because I was too busy being disturbed by how comfortable they seemed with each other.
I blinked and realized that I was—dear God—jealous. My jaw clenched so tightly I thought I might crack a molar. The two were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn’t realize I was there. Finally, Ava glanced in my direction.
In the blink of an eye, her entire demeanour changed. Her smile vanished, her shoulders hiked up, and even her toes curled. You’d think I was a dark, ugly cloud coming to rain on her happy parade.
Jaden followed her gaze. At least, the mere sight of me didn’t suck away his happiness. His grin stayed intact. “Linc! My man!”
For once, I didn’t smile at his enthusiastic greeting. I was still wallowing in the ridiculous wave of jealousy that had swamped me out of nowhere. Why was Ava so comfortable in Jaden's home?
My sour mood finally put a damper on Jaden’s happiness. His smile dimmed an iota of a megawatt. “You good, Lincoln?” he asked with uncertainty.
I shook off whatever came over me. “Yeah. I’m fine, just tired.”
He didn’t question me. “I told you, you work too hard. You need to relax, man.”
“Uh-huh.”
My gaze drifted back to Ava. She gave me a faint smile and readjusted herself on the stool. The ease from earlier was gone.
Jaden went right back to his storytelling, completely oblivious to the uncurrent of tension building between Ava and me.
“So, anyway, before every game, Mom texts me good luck, and it always ends with ‘my little rocket.’ One of my teammates saw it, and it’s a whole thing now. The entire team and even the coach call me ‘Little Rocket.’ I’m a grown-ass man. It’s embarrassing.”
Ava smiled, but I could tell it was forced.
I scowled. Was I really that much of a killjoy that even her smile went away?
“Maybe I should spare you the embarrassment and not put your nickname in print," she said.
Jaden laughed. “Nah. It’s fine. It will make Mom smile.”
“You are too sweet,” Ava cooed, which made Jaden grimace.
I finally moved into the kitchen and made my way to the cupboard to grab a mug. As I poured myself some coffee, I listened to them chat. Now and then, Ava jotted down things on her notepad. The longer I watched and listened, the more my discontent grew, and I felt bad about it.
Me, a grown-ass man, as Jaden just mentioned, was jealous of a twenty-year-old because he was chatting so easily with my ex-girlfriend. I was so disappointed in myself. It was just that mine and Ava’s relationship had once been that easy, and now that she was back in my life, I missed it.
When the two were finished, Jaden decided to acknowledge my existence once more. “Hey, sorry, Linc. Once Ava gets you started, it’s hard to stop talking. She’s easy to talk to, you know?”
Yeah, I knew that.
“I like her. I’m glad that Walt dude couldn’t make it.”
He winked at Ava, and she smiled.
It was all I could do not to roll my eyes. “Careful of the honey trap. They can be charming to get you talking.”
“They?” Ava glared daggers at me.
I took a sip of coffee. “Reporters.”
Jaden’s eyes darted between us. He rubbed his nape. “I don’t think Ava is like that, though.”
“Thank you, Jaden. I’m not.”
“Time will tell,” I threw back.
Ava scoffed, her head whipping back to me. If looks could kill, I’d be dead. “You know what, Lincoln, this,” she waved a hand around the kitchen, “has nothing to do with you. You know, you could leave and come back. This is my time, after all.”
“And leave poor Jaden at your mercy?” I muttered.
Jaden’s discomfort seemed to be growing by the second.
He cleared his throat lightly. “I’m getting the vibe that you two don’t like each other.
My aunt and uncle talked to each other like this before their divorce.
” He chuckled nervously. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you two know each other.
You are like an old married couple who went through a bitter divorce. ”
The kitchen descended into silence—uncomfortable silence—as Ava and I gawked at him. We hadn’t mentioned to Jaden or anyone that we knew each other.
“It’s not that—”
“I’ve never met this man in my life,” Ava blurted out, cutting me off.
Now, I gawked at her, slack-jawed.
The sound of a phone ringing in the distance broke the silence.
Jaden watched Ava and me with an air of curiosity… or maybe it was skepticism. “Okaaaay then…” He hiked a thumb over his shoulder. “That’s probably my parents checking in. I’m going to get it.” He smirked. “Try not to kill each other while I’m gone.”
I waited until Jaden disappeared before turning to Ava with a frown. “Did you seriously just deny knowing me?”
She folded her arms, her posture defensive. “Technically, it’s not a lie. I really don’t know you anymore, do I? I haven’t seen you in over a decade.”
I just stared at her and shook my head slowly. “You’re unbelievable.”
“Oh, please.” She rolled her eyes as she eased off the stool to put her shoes back on. She then turned to face me so she could scowl at me from a more direct angle. “What would be the point in telling Jaden or anyone else about us? We’re ancient history.”
Suddenly feeling defensive about our past—because it meant something to me—I murmured. “I wouldn’t say ancient history.”
“Well, there’s nothing relevant enough to share. We were stupid kids.”
The words hit me like a stinging slap in the face. It impacted me so much that I rounded the counter without thinking. I had to look at her face. Really look at her. There was no way she could have meant that. Not relevant enough?
“Do you really mean that? We were… irrelevant?”
Ava’s eyes collided with mine. They widened slightly, as if she were startled that I’d asked her.
She didn’t answer right away. Her lips parted, but no sound came.
I could see the defiant set of her jaw—the way she tried to play tough.
But it was slipping. I could see the walls crumbling right there in her expressive eyes.
I knew that look. I still knew her. We’d never be the strangers she so desperately wanted us to be.
Finally, she broke. Her gaze skated away. “No, but… you’re the one who called it nothing but a fling, Lincoln.” Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Her words punched me in the gut. I said some stupid things back then, for sure. “Ava, I didn’t—”
“It was a long time ago, Lincoln.”
Her tone told me she wanted to stop talking about the past.
We got quiet again. It got so awkward that I put my foot in my mouth once again. Apparently, my brain didn’t function properly in Ava’s presence.
“You seemed comfortable when I arrived earlier. Here. In Jaden's house.”
Her eyebrows climbed toward her hairline. “What’s your point?”
“Aren’t you… engaged?” Saying that word made me nauseous.
She stared at me, her eyebrows descending into a frown. “What are you…?” She scoffed. “For goodness’s sake, Lincoln.” She glanced over her shoulder and hissed, “Are you actually jealous? He’s twenty years old.”
My face almost caught fire. “I… jealousy has nothing to do…” Denial could be a disease.
“Then why bring up my engagement? That’s ridiculous. You’re ridiculous.”
I pursed my lips because I couldn't deny it. I felt like an idiot.
“Yeah, I got comfortable talking with him. He’s a sweet kid, and I’m doing my job.”
She’d inched closer, but only so she could jab me in the chest with her angry finger of reprimand. I got caught up in the moment, in the past, really. Ava, with her eyes sparking fire. That hot temper of hers was on the rise… her lips formed that pout they always did when she was pissed at me…
“I can’t believe you’d imply—”
“Will you be quiet, woman?” I growled.
I kissed her.
Maybe I was a masochist because I expected a knee in my nutsack at any moment, but I deepened the kiss anyway. Our mouths clashed in a rhythm riddled with twelve years of resentment, tension, and regret. She kissed me back with fervor, but only for a hot second before she pushed me away.
I immediately stepped back.
Our harsh breathing filled the silence. She gazed at me wide-eyed, and it sank in what I had done. Why in God’s name would I kiss her? She had a fiancé. She must have thought I was the biggest asshole on the planet.
“Shit. Ava, I’m so sorry.” I held up my palms as if I’d been busted by the law for a crime. “I didn’t…” I didn’t think. “I know you have a fiancé… I didn’t mean to disrespect your relationship.”
She clutched her chest, her cheeks turning the brightest shade of pink. “No, it’s fine. I mean, it’s not fine… I mean… I don’t have a fiancé.”
I blinked, my curiosity already at full peak. “You don’t? What—”
“It’s none of your business, Lincoln,” she snapped. “That shouldn’t have happened. It never happened.”
I quirked an eyebrow at that, as I watched her with growing concern and guilt. She looked more flustered than I’d ever seen her. She gathered her handbag and notepad with shaky fingers.
“Ava—”
“No.” She held up a finger. “Please, just tell Jaden I had to go.”
I sighed. “Don’t go. Let’s talk about this.”
“Just stay away from me, Lincoln.”
It was the desperate plea and the shimmer of hurt in her voice that made me stay put when she took off.
I hated being the cause of her distress.
My fingers curled into fists as I just stood there, rooted to the spot.
My actions had hurt her years ago, and I might never forgive myself for it.
But back then, I thought I had been doing what was best for her.