Chapter 25 Ava #2
“I can’t believe you used your PTO to come see me.” I grin. “Especially during softball season.”
Lexie pulls a face. “Yes, well, as it turns out, that was a non-issue.”
Kayla snort-laughs. “She got kicked off the team!”
I nearly drop my glass. “What? How do you even get kicked off a rec team?”
“Apparently there’s such a thing as being too competitive.” Lexie sniffs. “Which is ridiculous because I was definitely the right level of competitive. The real problem was that my team wasn’t competitive enough.”
“So you were just trying to make up the difference when you hurled your glove at the catcher?” Kayla asks, batting her eyelashes.
“It was one time!” Lexie protests. “And he deserved it.”
Kayla and I dissolve into giggles.
No matter how much time passes or how busy life gets, I love that the three of us can just pick up where we left off. We met in grad school, but I know without a doubt that we’ll be lifelong friends.
“I guess some things really don’t change,” I tease. “It’s the Beach Olympics all over again.”
“Hey!” Lexie jabs a finger in my direction. “That worked out for you, if I recall.”
She’s right. I met Knox that day. Those silly games were the start of…everything we are today.
“Don’t deflect,” Kayla says, jumping to my defense. “I’ll bet you still have the gold medal on your trophy shelf.”
“Of course.” Lexie swirls the wine in her glass and arches a brow. “Are you saying you guys don’t?”
I laugh. Because, of course Lexie’s plastic medal is still on display. She’s the most competitive person I know. I still have my medal, but I’m pretty sure it’s in a shoebox somewhere. Probably under my bed.
I’m about to say as much when there’s another knock at the door.
Surprise washes over me. I just spoke with my mom and Nana, and my best friends are here, so who’s left?
I give my girls a pointed look. “If that’s a door-to-door salesman, you better save me.”
Kayla laughs. “Deal, but if it’s a Jehovah’s Witness, you’re on your own.”
Throwing caution to the wind, I jog downstairs and yank the door open without checking the peephole.
Oh. Oh.
My knees go weak. Knox stands before me, holding a gorgeously decorated cake. It’s pale pink with a delicate gold topper that reads Happy 30th Birthday. The top of the cake is covered in delicate rosettes and little gold pearls, proving he can bake and decorate.
He flashes me a devastating smile, revealing the dimples I love so much. “Happy birthday, Ava.”
My body heats at the sound of my name on his lips. “How did you know?”
“Will you judge me if I say light social media stalking?”
For the second time today, tears sting the backs of my eyes, and I burst out laughing. I immediately clap a hand over my mouth, but it’s too late. This day has been full of surprises, and my emotions are all tangled up.
“Thank you.” I give myself a shake, but it does little to calm my riotous emotions. “I can’t believe you made me a cake.”
“Darlin’, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you. It’s your birthday. Of course I made you a cake.” He holds it out for inspection. “It’s strawberry, your favorite.”
I don’t even remember mentioning my favorite flavor of cake, but of course Knox remembered. I fan my eyes with my hand, and it’s a good thing that cake is between us, because otherwise I’d jump this man and climb him like a tree.
“Who is it?” Kayla asks from the top of the stairs, craning her neck to see who’s at the door. “Is it the sexy neighbor? Please tell me it’s the sexy neighbor.”
I roll my eyes, but there’s no wiping the grin off my face. “You might as well come in and say hello.”
Kayla hoots when she sees Knox. “Long time no see, Flamingo Boy.”
He nods in greeting. “It’s good to see you again, ladies.”
“Did you bring us cake?” Lexie asks, perking up. “This is turning into a legit party.”
Knox carefully sets the cake on top of the counter. “I apologize. I didn’t realize Ava had company.”
“It was a surprise,” Lexie says. “She didn’t know we were coming.”
“Don’t ever apologize for bringing cake.” Kayla plops down on the nearest barstool. “Besides, you’re just in time to tell us all about your intentions toward our girl.”
Knox slips an arm around my waist and draws me close. He plants a gentle kiss on top of my head, and I curl into him, feeling like I’m right where I’m supposed to be. “I want Ava to be happy, and I want her to realize how damn incredible she is.”
“That’s it?” Lexie deadpans.
“I think it’s sweet,” Kayla says, a wicked gleam in her eyes. “How do you feel about sushi?”
“I love it.” His brow furrows. “Why?”
“We’re going out for sushi and birthday drinks. You should come with us.”
Knox chuckles. “I know better than to crash a girls’ night out. Besides, I’m pretty sure you ladies will have more fun without me.”
I poke him in the side. “You’re just afraid of having to answer more questions about your intentions.”
“There’s that too.”
We all laugh, and Knox excuses himself so we can get ready for dinner.
I walk him to the door, and despite the fact that my friends are peering down the stairs like a couple of nosy teenage girls, he cups my cheek and ducks down to whisper, “Have fun tonight, gorgeous.”
“Oh, I will. Starting right now.”
I’m pretty sure he was planning a chaste kiss, but it’s my birthday and I won’t settle for anything less than a scorcher.
I grab the back of his head and kiss him hard, pouring all the pent-up emotion of the day into the joining of our lips.
His arms immediately go around me, hands skating up my back as I deepen the kiss, willing him to understand just how strongly I feel about him.
How much I appreciate the cake and the birthday wishes and the way he just freaking cares and always seems to know the right thing to do.
Lexie and Kayla applaud, and we break apart, breathless. Knox’s cheeks are flushed, and in a moment of unexpected role reversal, I smirk and bow to our audience.
“Who knew the sushi in Atlanta was so good?” Lexie asks, popping a piece of rainbow roll into her mouth.
“Right?” Kayla pushes her plate away. “If I eat one more bite, I’m going to burst.”
Lexie smirks. “Is this your way of saying you don’t want to hit the club tonight?”
Kayla feigns a look of horror. “The day I’m not up for dancing will be the day I die.”
She’s always been the boldest among us, and it’s one of the qualities I most admire about her. It’s also the reason people constantly underestimate her. Like she can’t be pretty, opinionated, and smart. Which reminds me…
“How’s your new job going?”
“I freaking love it.” Kayla beams, her overfull stomach forgotten. “The hours are good, the kids are great, and my boss is not a giant asshole.”
I shoot her the side-eye, my own slice of the rainbow roll half-way to my mouth. “That sounds awfully pointed.”
“That’s because it was,” Lexie says, jabbing her chopsticks in my direction.
Kayla shrugs, feigning innocence. “Just pointing out the perks of private practice in case you want to make a change when your contract is up.”
“Noted.” God knows I have zero job security at the moment.
And it’s not like you have anything tying you to Atlanta.
Exactly. I can pick up and move at any time. No spouse, no mortgage, nothing.
Except Knox. My father. And the team.
I shove the sushi into my mouth. We aren’t talking about me. We’re talking about Kayla.
“I like the challenge of working with athletes from so many sports. I’m coaching one right now who plays rugby.
Talk about a brutal sport.” She shivers and takes a dainty sip of her French 75.
“There’s another coach I’ve been spending time with,” she says, her cheeks growing red, “and we’re getting pretty close. ”
I set my chopsticks down because when has Kayla ever blushed when talking about a coworker? Or, heck, even a romantic partner?
“How close?” Lexie asks, cocking her head. “Like, swapping book recs close or HR violation close?”
“I don’t know. It’s not like— We haven’t put a label on it. We’re keeping things casual for now.” Kayla laughs. “Last weekend we went to an AHL game and let’s just say, I can see the appeal, Ava.”
Now it’s my turn to blush, but Lexie’s not so easily distracted.
“Pics? And don’t even say you didn’t take any. We know you take pictures everywhere you go.”
Kayla huffs, but she’s all smiles as she pulls up her photo stream.
She settles on a picture of herself and another woman standing in front of the ice, grinning at the camera. Her coworker is tall and blonde, Kayla’s complete opposite in every way except for their matching smiles.
“Aww, you guys look so cute together! What’s her name? When do we get to meet her?”
“What she said,” Lexie echoes.
Kayla slips her phone back into her bag. “Her name is Julie and, I told you, it’s not that serious.”
She’s full of crap. Kayla has never shown off pictures of a casual hookup in her life.
Lexie and I lock gazes across the table. “The lady doth protest too much,” she says, a devilish grin curving her lips.
Kayla makes a show of rolling her eyes, and I’m reminded of Knox’s admission and the fact that he carried our pictures in his wallet for five years.
Things have a way of working themselves out over time.
I’m not sure things between Knox and I have exactly worked out. Most days it feels like the universe is working against us, but I’d rather have him in secret than not have him at all.
I push my plate away. “Hey, have you guys heard of the good girl trap?”
They shake their heads, and I quickly explain what I’ve learned from the book Emerson lent me.
Lexie nods slowly. “That actually makes a lot of sense. It’s no secret that girls and boys are socialized differently, even though they shouldn’t be.”
“Right?” Kayla says, brows pulled low. “It’s everywhere you look, from sex to the boardroom. The rules for us are always different.” She laughs. “Which is probably why I never follow them.”
“Fuck the rules,” Lexie says, raising her glass.
I laugh, the sound bursting from my mouth. Isn’t that exactly what Emerson said?
It’s no wonder we’ve become such fast friends.
She reminds me of the other women in my life. The ones I admire for forging their own paths, for being forthright and honest, no matter the circumstances. For taking up space and saying screw the patriarchy and the self-policing women who’ve been taught to abide by its rules.
“Fuck the patriarchy!” I raise my glass and clink it against Lexie’s.
“Speaking of fucking…” Kayla turns to me, amused. “Why don’t we call you an Uber so you can go home and get some hockey player birthday cock?”
I nearly choke on my gin and tonic. “You came all this way to see me. I am not about to ditch you for a man.” I dab the alcohol from my lips with a napkin. “What kind of friend do you think I am?”
“The kind who deserves to get dicked down on her birthday.” Lexie shrugs. “Consider it our gift. And by ‘our’ gift, I mean that if you do all of your screwing while we’re at the club, we won’t have to hear it when we get back to your place tonight.”
I laugh in spite of myself. “You don’t even know your way around the city.”
Kayla snorts. “And you do?”
Fair point. I haven’t exactly made a habit of club-hopping.
“Babe.” Kayla grabs my hand and gives it a squeeze. “Don’t worry about us. Go get it in with that big sexy hockey player.”
I bite my lip, thinking it over. It feels wrong, but…I’d much rather spend the night with Knox than in a dark, overcrowded club. “You’re sure?”
“Yes,” they say in unison.
I pull out my phone and text Knox.
Me: My bed. 30 minutes.