28. 28
28
Ava’s phone rangyet again, and she sentthe call to voicemail.
The screen lit up with a notification: 11 missed calls. Will was persistent; she would give him that.
She knew what he did for a living, but as he stood in thatdoorway, bare-chested, kissing a woman he allegedly worked for, it broke Ava. She felt foolish for believing he offered a purely legitimate service. It all made sense now why Will was able to keep his hands to himself for so long…
Ava wasn’t the only woman in his life.
Watching him kiss Lena Putnamwas the final straw.One cheater had already insidiously snuck his way into her life. She wasn’t about to get entangled with another man just like him.
Mrs. Putnam had fake breasts and an evenfaker personality. If that’s the kind of woman Will wanted, so be it.
Ava was all natural.
A natural disaster , but natural nonetheless.
A fist hammeredthe door. Ava reluctantly pulled up the camerafeed on her phone.
It was Will, fully dressed in a button-down shirt and khakis.
Ava pushed the microphone button.“Go away, Will.”
“You’re not answering my calls. Ava, please let me explain what you saw. If you hear me out and still don’t want to talk to me, I’ll leave you alone,I promise.”
Ava growled,“If it’ll get you to stop blowing up my damned phone ,then fine.”She stormed to the front door and swung it open, gesturing halfheartedlyfor him to enter.
Will walked inside and moved a pile of unfolded clothes fromthe couch to clear a place to sit. Ava stood.
Will looked around. “I still really need to finish cleaning your house.”
“Don’t worry about my house .Speak! Make it fast.”
Will swallowed hard.“I’m sorry you saw that yesterday. I promise you that is not how my customers act.”
“Clearly, that’s how at least one acts,” Ava snarled.“God knows how many others.”
“I fired her, Ava. Right before she wrenched my face like that and laid one on me. She propositioned me, and I fired her. I was leaving two hours early when you saw me.”
Ava crossed her arms and grimaced.
“Mrs. Putnam kissed me. I didn’t kiss her back . She’s a lonely housewife whose husband’s constantly away on business. She shouldn’t have done that.That’s not part of what I offer, I swear. I don’t sleep with any of my clients. I don’t kiss my clients—”
“You kissed me .”
“You weren’t a client .”
Ava threw her hands up in the air. “Do you hear yourself?”
“Sometimes these women try to get a little handsy. But, I swear,I always shut it down, Ava!”
“And I’m just supposed to believe that you don’t fuck any of them?”
“ Yes !”
“Why?”
“Because that’s fucking prostitution. I would never want to do that! And even if I did , I would never risk that with Starla! Where would she go if I got locked up for banging some married broad for money, Ava? Her mom already abandoned her. She’s brought enough shame into the equation. I’m not gonna add to it !”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Ava, I need you to trust me right now.”
“Why? Why should I trust you? ”
“Because when you love someone, you have to be able to trust them!”
The words hung heavy in the silence between them.
“Ava, I care about you. So much. I can see myself falling for you.”
Ava felt her rage fading but clung steadfastly to it. Rage kept her safeandprotected.
I won’t fall for another cheater. Not again.
Fool me once; shame on you. Fool me twice…
“I’mjust reallynot sure I believe you,” she said weakly.
“Tell me how I can prove it to you. I can’t prove something I haven’t done. So, just tell me what I have to do.”
Ava could hear his voice cracking with emotion and sincerity. She could feel her defenses crumbling.“I need some time to think.”
“I’m not your ex-husband, Ava. Please,don’t make me pay for his mistakes.”
His words gutted her.
“I walked into your house and saw him kissing you and I trusted your explanation.”
“I just need time, Will.”
“Fine.” He hung his head and sighed. “I understand.” Will stood and turned toward the door, stopping before he reached it. “Why were you there , anyway?How did you know where I was?”
“It doesn’t matter now.”
“It matters to me.”
“Madison told me you’d probably be there. I was trying to meet up with you for something.”
“For something ?”
“...To finish what we started last night.”
Her eyes portrayed a deep hurt. Will’s shoulders sank.
Her voice cracked. “I think you should go now, Will.”
Will nodded and let himself out without another word. Ava felt tears prick the backs of her eyes. She put her head in her palms and sobbed.