Chapter 4
FOUR
Ava
Did he scoot closer to me?
A giggle escapes me. He did, and his leg is up against mine. The heat radiating through my body is undeniable; this isn’t my norm. I rarely give men the time of day.
Kai is calm, comfortable, and I hear it in the way he talks, the way he stares deep into me, the way he carries himself. There’s more to him than meets the eye, than the label maker guy he professes to be.
We sit in silence for a few moments, soaking up the breeze and the murmuring from the cookout in the background.
Kai says, “I’m not ready for this conversation to be over.”
I bump his shoulder lightly. “Me either.”
He rises and takes my hand in his and lifts me from the bench. I intertwine our fingers. I wasn’t prepared for the sparks flying up my arm and shattering inside my body. Looking at Kai, I wonder if he feels it, too.
We stroll on the path back to Dane’s, feet in sync, hearts hesitantly trailing behind. The conversation is easy.
The onlookers’ nosy eyes are on us as soon as we emerge from the woods, including my sister and brother-in-law.
They’ve been on me to find a nice guy and settle down.
But this plan is backfiring because my body is betraying me in every way.
The way his hand fits perfectly in mine, the way he lazily holds it as he moves his thumb back and forth. I’m not sure he realizes he’s doing it.
Kai leans over and says, “Want to get out of here?”
I’m definitely leaving with him. “Sure do.”
With that, he slides his hand out of mine, and as we turn, he snakes his arm around my waist. His hand, now resting on my hip, tugs me closer to him. I can only imagine what my sister’s face looks like right now, and I’m giggling as he guides me to his car.
Opening the door, he gestures for me to get in. Once in the car, I’m laughing so hard tears are forming in my eyes, ready to splash down my face. I wipe my eyes as Kai hops in, starts the engine, and pulls out of the driveway. Where? Who cares? This is amazing.
“Can you imagine what those faces looked like as we walked away?” He laughs. “I’ll be the talk of the office on Monday. Those guys are a bunch of gossip queens.”
“I seriously thought the same thing…I’m waiting for my sister to text me.” I pull out my phone as the notification comes in. “Right on time.”
We laugh as we glance at each other, and I wonder how anyone could walk out on this guy, leaving him standing at the door.
It’s refreshing as we travel the dirt road through the lake community. The car moves slowly until the tires meet the pavement, then turns onto the main road and speeds away. My body presses against the seat as he continues down the road.
When the laughing subsides, I glance at my phone, and the text message taunts me as I debate whether I should read it out loud. “Ready to hear what my sister sent?”
Then Kai’s phone, which is connected to his car, pings with a text message. Of course, it’s my brother-in-law, Logan.
He points to the screen. “Told you, talk of the office…and the office cookout.” He smirks at me from across the car, and my stomach does a couple of flips.
I shrug, like, who cares what they think, but maybe Kai does, though it didn’t seem that way when he called them gossip queens. “I don’t think we’ll ever live this down, and I’m okay with that.”
“Me, too. So, which one first?” He has his finger hovering above Logan’s text with one eye on the road and the other on me.
I strum my finger on my chin and say, “Let’s read mine first.” Pulling up the message, I read it out loud.
Theresa: Where in the hell are you going with Kai? He’s a nice guy.
“Nice to know how she feels about you.” I raise my eyebrows, knowing my sister likes Kai, and she’d approve.
“I’m a nice guy, alright, and usually nice guys finish last,” he says, his hands on the steering wheel, knuckles turning white. He shakes his head.
The way he says, ‘nice guys finish last,’ is like a punch to the gut.
It has me questioning what the hell I’m doing.
Kai, playing along with my crazy ideas—inviting me to his house for sunsets in his hot tub, opening up to me—and here I am thinking this is only for fun.
But it’s like holding a mirror up to myself and asking, “Why do I always do this? Why am I dragging him into this?” A tinge of guilt looms over me. I should ask him to drive me back.
But then he asks me, “What’s that all about?”
Ugh, it’s time to be honest. “There have been times in my life when I don’t make the best decisions and can be impulsive.”
“Oh, I like the fact you’re impulsive. It’s how you’re in a car right now. Guess we’re spending more time together.” He gazes over at me with a smirk pasted on his face, looking a lot like hope. Hope for something more? I don’t do relationships, but I see I might be giving him mixed messages.
No, it’s all in fun…right?
“Well, then you’re reaping the benefits of my impulsive decisions.” I half-giggle.
Needing a distraction from my internal conflict, I point to the screen and say, “Alright, let’s listen to what Logan has to say.”
Logan: Man, this is my fault. I pointed out my sister-in-law and encouraged you to say hi. But leaving with her…you’re the talk of the party.
Logan: Call me later.
My brother-in-law is a closet romantic. He hides it fairly well, but I see through him.
The way he treats my sister is what I want for myself one day.
I mean, if I were actually interested in a relationship, but I’m not.
Relationships—they aren’t for me, and why I move around a lot.
I keep it lively and have my friends around. Who needs a guy around? Not me.
It’s fun until someone catches feelings, and I’d rather avoid all of it.
It doesn’t surprise me that Logan encouraged Kai to say hi.
Logan would love for me to stick around here.
He thinks it would be good for everyone.
I haven’t completely ruled it out. While my sister is pregnant with number two and due in September, it would be fun to be the cool auntie.
My niece, Giana, turned three a couple of months ago, and she’ll start remembering the times I’m not here.
“Not nearly as bad as my sister’s text.” I roll my eyes.
“I guarantee he knew you would hear it, so he kept it tame.”
“Maybe, so…where are we off to?”
It doesn’t matter where. I’m content to hang out with him for the rest of the day. Telling myself it’s casual, fun, and to forget about those sparks I felt. It’s been too long since it happened, and I’m not sticking around, so I need to let it go.
“I’m bringing you out to a hole-in-the-wall restaurant since we didn’t get a chance to eat.”
Taking charge, I like it. “Sounds perfect.”
We pull into the parking lot, and he isn’t joking. It’s called A Hole in the Wall.
He parks the car and glances over at me as he gets out. “Wait here.”
“Um, okay.” He comes barreling around the front of the car to open my door. His hand reaches for me, and as my hand slides into his, I’m overcome by the tingles in my palm spreading up my arm.
Eyes are only on me. I place my hand on his bicep and squeeze. He’s strong, yet gentle. I can’t ignore the prickles through my body.
With him still holding my hand, we stroll to the entrance. He opens the door with his other hand, never letting mine go, like it is meant to be there, intertwined.
The hostess walks us to a corner table. The bright orange and black walls, with light tile flooring, give me happy, fun vibes.
The floor-to-ceiling windows, which let in all the bright sunlight streaming into the dining area, illuminate the orange booths and scattered tables throughout the room.
The table she leads us to is private, but the buzz of everyone around us is full of energy.
He pulls out my chair, and I slip into it.
At the loss of his touch, I wipe my hand on my shorts, but it does nothing to wipe away the tingles in my palm.
As I lift my head to meet his eyes and see the fire raging in them, my breath hitches under the intensity of his stare and the pull of his lips into a sly smirk.
As he reaches over the table, the waiter lays the menus in front of us.
Kai glances over at me with an eyebrow slightly raised.
“I hope you brought your appetite because this place is the best around.”
“Did you bring me here to see what my favorite foods are?”
He points to himself with an innocent smile. “Me? Why would I do that?”
The smile on his face gives him away, and I can’t help but grin back at him.
He’s cute. No, he’s very handsome, and all I want to do is run my fingers through his hair and down the back of his neck, lingering there.
Shaking my head of these thoughts, it can’t be like that.
I’m leaving soon. Right? It’s what I do, so I guess, yes.
“You seem innocent, but I’m not falling for the act,” I say, wagging my finger at him, teasing.
“I know you’re gullible.” He winks at me.
Laughter erupts between the two of us. I haven’t laughed this much in a long time, never mind with a guy.
I don’t cozy up to guys; I try to keep them at arm’s length.
I’ve seen my mom struggle way too many times with my dad.
He’d leave, then come back, and she’d take him back over and over again.
The cycle continued throughout my high school years.
I vowed I’d never let a guy take advantage of me or hurt me like he hurt my mom.
Honestly, that’s probably why things went sideways with my high school sweetheart, Sam, while we were in college.
Wrestling with these thoughts isn’t helping my mood, and I need to shake them off. I’m here with Kai, and it’s comfortable. Too comfortable. Too close.
“Yeah, something like that,” I say as I let out a small snort. My hand clasps my mouth shut.
He reaches over the table and takes my hand off my mouth. “It was cute.”
His hand lingers on mine, and I want him to keep it there. I’m thoroughly embarrassed. All my adult life, I’ve buried those little snorts that come out when I get excited because people made fun of me. It hits my heart; my chest is full of three little words spoken in a soft, caring tone.
Who is this man?
He surprises me by ordering something called Rattlesnake Pasta.
It rolls off his tongue like he’s ordered it a hundred times before—penne pasta with crispy chicken.
I see on the menu that it has a couple of chili peppers next to it.
I don’t like spicy food. Not for me. I ordered baked scallops and shrimp with mashed potatoes and broccoli.
“Seafood?” he asks, gazing at me, waiting what feels like a long few seconds for me to respond. My tongue is stuck to the roof of my mouth.
Why is my mouth dry?
I reach for my water, and his eyes never leave my face. Putting the cold glass to my lips, I gulp down a few sips. So thirsty. I finally feel like I can speak. “If there were lobster on this menu, I’d be having it.”
“Oh, okay. See, I knew I would find out some of your favorite foods. So, tell me, Ava Sinclair, what are your plans while you’re here in Saxville?” he asks while clasping his hands together and resting them on the table.
I sip my water. “Well, Logan mentioned the breakfast truck isn’t by the courthouse anymore. The guy was getting older and decided to retire. I think it’s a great opportunity to park there and see how things go…at least for the month I’m here.”
“We do miss Hank, but you’re much prettier.” He smirks at me.
“Well, thank you.” I flash my widest smile as my cheeks heat.
The food comes out, and I’m starving. We eat quietly with a little small talk. Once we are finished, he asks if I want dessert. I’m stuffed, so we opt to take a walk.
As we walk onto the sidewalk, he guides me to the inside. Not saying a word, this is how it’s supposed to be. A couple of times, our hands glide over each other’s, and each time we both look at one another, wanting this time together to last.
Without thinking too hard, I hook my pinky finger around his.
We slow to a snail’s pace, and he glances at me like he is memorizing my face.
Bouncing from my eyes to my mouth, heat pooling in my belly, and my heartbeat thumping between my legs.
His crystal blue eyes see through my walls, my defenses lowering ever so slightly.
The comfort I feel with Kai is on a different level.
I shrug and break our staring contest to look ahead of us, knowing his eyes are on me as we walk.
Squeezing his pinky with mine, he glances over and says, “Should we head back?” It sounds like he’d rather be here with me than anywhere else, but it’s getting late.
I hesitate for a split second. “Probably. I promised a movie night with my sister.”
“I hope we can do this again.” He brings my hand to his mouth and kisses my pinky, still wrapped around his.