54. Ava
AVA
I wander into the kitchen, smiling, feeling as lazy as one of Lexy’s cats. My men were even more attentive than usual this morning.
When my phone rings, I pull it from the pocket of my robe and see it’s Lexy calling. “Hey girl,” I answer.
“Hey, Ava. Have you got a minute?”
Uh-oh. Not one of our usual social calls. “Sure,” I say, and go out to our living room, curling up in one of the overstuffed chairs there. “What’s up?”
There’s a pause before she says, “Kai and Gage think that maybe Ember’s involved with her men at the shop. Despite what she told us at lunch that day.”
My stomach clenches. “Why do they think that?” I ask carefully.
“Based on some things the men said when they stopped by the main shop, and the way that they said them. They sounded very protective of Ember, and said that one of their female clients was jealous of her.”
Oh, crap. “Is she in trouble?”
My anxiety must come through. There’s another pause before Lexy says gently, “She’s not in trouble if it’s serious between them, and not just flouting the rules. I wondered if, maybe, she’d said something to you.”
“She did,” I admit. Promising Ember I won’t go running to Lexy with her secrets is one thing, but outright lying for her is another. I can’t do that.
“And is it serious?”
“It is for her. She’s not sure if it is for them. I have to tell you, though, that she knows it’s against the rules and is eaten up with guilt. She feels terrible about it, like she’s letting Kai and Gage down after they’ve given her such a great opportunity.”
“She didn’t tell me because she didn’t want to put me on the spot,” Lexy guesses.
“Exactly.” I hesitate, then, “What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to talk to my men, and hopefully we can work this all out. I know they’ve been happy with Ember’s work, and I don’t think she’d break the rules for no reason.”
“I don’t either.”
“Okay. Talk to you soon, chica. Have a good day.”
“You too.”
I hang up and head back to the kitchen. It’s definitely time for one of my calming teas. I fill up my electric kettle and switch it on, hoping as hard as I can that I haven’t gotten Ember in trouble.