Chapter 32
thirty-two
GAGE
“No, but you have to understand, I was ten, and Gage was only home for a few days!” Leo shouts from across the table.
“So you hid his underwear?” Ava laughs next to me.
“In my ten-year-old brain, if he didn’t have his underwear, he couldn’t leave, and I would get to spend more time with him.” Leo’s eyes jump between my dad and Asher before he looks back at Ava. “He spent all his time with Asher.” He points at him like it’s Asher’s fault. “It was Gage’s punishment to live without underwear for not spending time with me.”
“If I remember correctly, didn’t you spend the whole weekend at a friend’s house, even though Dad tried to convince you to hang out with all of us?” I ask, my brow raised.
“That’s beside the point!” Leo slams a hand on the table. This time, everyone—including Leo—laughs.
The warmth I’ve felt in my chest since telling Ava I love her hasn’t dissipated in the slightest. If anything, I feel it more—especially when she glances at me over her shoulder, a twinkle in her eye. I never thought I could feel like this, filled with so much love for someone outside my family, but I do.
With how close her chair is to mine and the fact that my arm is draped over the back of her seat when Ava sits back, she ends up leaning partially against me. Her body melts, and her hand falls to my leg. With just a tilt of my head, I place a kiss to her temple and relax even further into the moment. I’m surrounded by everyone I love most, and seeing the love and joy on everyone’s faces is more than I could have ever dreamed of.
I understand the saying of floating on cloud nine because that’s exactly what I feel.
“How’s working at the bookstore going?” Dad asks after we all settle, lifting his beer bottle to his lips.
“I love it.” Ava smiles, and her body melts even further into my side. “Abbey is such an amazing woman to work with. She’s been so welcoming.”
“She should be running her own bakery or something. That woman knows how to bake,” Mom offers from the other end of the table.
“And how to make some amazing cider,” Asher adds.
“I haven’t had the chance to try her cider yet, but I swear I’ve already gained five pounds from all the sweets I’ve had. And this is only my second week!”
“Well, I hope that won’t stop you from having a slice of pie. You did help make it after all.”
“Oh! What pie did you make?” Leo’s excited gaze bounces between Ava and Mom.
“Apple.”
“Yes!” He pumps his fist in the air, causing everyone to chuckle.
“First, you and Asher need to clean the table. Then we can have pie,” Dad tells him.
Asher doesn’t argue and stands from his seat, picking up the dishes in front of him and Olivia before moving to the kitchen sink. Leo, on the other hand, gapes at Dad.
“I don’t want to hear it. Go help.” Dad isn’t harsh, but his tone doesn’t leave much room for argument.
“Thank you, Leo,” Mom says, squeezing his hand when he reaches for her empty plate. He bends to kiss her cheek and nods slightly before moving to set the dishes on the counter by Asher before coming back for more.
“I’ll help,” Olivia says as she stands from the table, reaching for Dad’s plate.
Dad reaches for her before she can pick up his plate. “No, Liv. You helped cook; you shouldn’t have to help clean up, too.”
She gives him a small smile. “I really don’t mind. Besides, the pie needs to go back in the oven to warm anyway.”
“Thanks, honey,” Mom says as she lifts her wine glass to her lips.
Ava shifts in her seat, likely uncomfortable with not helping somehow. Before she can stand or say anything, I place my hand on her thigh, squeezing slightly. “They’ll never let you help. Not this time,” I murmur in her ear.
“You’re our guest,” Dad tells her, noticing her discomfort.
“At least for tonight you are,” Mom continues for Dad.
Ava glances between the two of them for a second, but I see the moment it clicks—what all of us are saying. She’s part of the family now.
She glances down at the table and tucks a piece of hair behind her ear before relaxing back into her seat.
“Thank you.” It’s said so softly, and with a slight wobble, I would have missed it if I weren’t sitting right next to her.
Mom reaches for her hand, squeezing it lightly before she looks down the table at Dad. “How was everything at work today?”
“You okay?” I ask Ava quietly.
When she brings her eyes to mine, tears are welling in the corners, but she smiles and nods before tucking herself into my side and turning back to my parents’ conversation.
I try to pay attention to what they’re talking about, but all I can focus on is the feel of Ava at my side. She fits so perfectly tucked against me, and this evening proves she fits perfectly in my family.
She gets along with my parents—something I already knew thanks to them ambushing her at Murphy’s a couple of weeks ago and constantly asking about her. She also gets along with my siblings and always encourages me to spend time with them. She understands the importance of family and why I hold them so close. And even when she’s hurting because she’s never had this with her parents, she’s still present and involved in everything going on around her.
Leaning in, I kiss her temple before dropping my mouth to her ear. “I love you,” I whisper.
Her eyes close, and she takes a deep breath. Her exhale seems like one of utter contentment. “I love you, too,” she whispers back, her eyes focused on mine.
“Why do you love me?”
I don’t know how I manage to keep the car on the road when Ava’s words actually register in my brain.
“What?” It comes out as more of a breath than an actual word.
“Why do you love me?” she repeats, her words quiet.
After enjoying the pie Mom and Ava made, we sat around the table and played a round of Monopoly.
Leo firmly believes you can’t hide your true nature while playing Monopoly. It’s his go-to game whenever anyone wants to introduce someone to the family.
If they don’t want to play, they aren’t fun, and, therefore, can’t hang with the rest of us.
If they play but are afraid to win, they aren’t tough enough to be part of the family. You can’t be afraid to speak your mind in a family like ours.
But, if they play and aren’t afraid to go for the win, then chances are, they’re a good fit.
Ava wasn’t afraid to go for the win, and she proved that in spades, taking all of us out one by one. And she didn’t have a problem pointing that out to Leo a few times before we left, especially after he bragged about being the reigning champ three years running.
But we’re on the way back to my place now, taking it easy with the snow coming down. We’re only five minutes from the house, but I need to look her in the eye after that question.
Pulling off to the side of the road, I put the Jeep in park, unbuckle my seatbelt, and turn to face her. “Where’s that coming from?”
“Sorry, it’s nothing.” She shakes her head, her eyes focused on her hands in her lap. “Forget I asked.”
“Rebel.” I reach across the center console, taking her hand in mine. “I don’t want to forget you asked. I have a list of reasons a mile long, and I don’t have a problem sharing them with you. I just want to understand where that question is coming from.” My voice is soft, my tone gentle.
Ava releases a sigh before letting her head fall back against the headrest. She takes a few seconds before she turns to look at me, tears in her eyes.
“I don’t know why I doubt it. I’m sure it has something to do with my parents, but it’s not like others haven’t shown me love.” Her eyes may have tears, but her voice doesn’t waiver. “I mean, Declan is the best big brother I could’ve asked for. I’ve never doubted his love for me. And Scott and the rest of the Marks family. They’ve taken me in just like they did Declan.” She reaches up and swipes at the tear that escapes.
“It’s not the same, though,” I say quietly.
She’s quiet for a moment, but the next words out of her mouth break my heart. “I know I’m worthy of love.”
“Yeah, you are.” I cup her cheek in my hand, my thumb swiping at the tears that continue to fall. “I love you because of everything you are. Your strength and resilience. Your heart and your mind. I love you because of how you support me and everyone you care about.” I untuck and retuck the piece of hair she’s always messing with. “I love you because we fit together in a way that never felt possible. I love you because you gave me a life worth living instead of simply going through the motions. I love you because you give me peace.”
“Okay.” Ava places a delicate finger against my lips. The tears are still present in her eyes, but instead of anger and frustration at herself, I see love. “You can stop.” Her finger slips from my lips as she moves her hand to cup my cheek. “You give me peace, too. I forget everything else when I’m with you and I can breathe easily again.” She leans across the center console, bringing her lips to mine in a tender kiss. “Sorry?—”
“No,” I interrupt her, placing the thumb from the hand still cupping her cheek over her lips. “Don’t apologize. I’ll tell you every day why I love you if that’s what you need.”
“No,” she whispers, shaking her head slightly. “I’d rather you show me like you have been for weeks.” There’s a twinkle in her eye now, and seeing it has the tightness in my chest dissipating.
“I can definitely do that.” I smirk, touching my lips to hers in a soft kiss.
“Let’s go home,” she whispers against me, and I can’t help but capture her lips in a demanding kiss. I know we’re not there yet, but the fact that she could even think of my place as home has me desperate for more. She shifts in her seat, trying to get closer, but the pull of her seatbelt reminds us where we are.
Her moan—a mix of frustration and desire—has me tearing my lips from hers. “When we get home, your ass better be naked and in my bed within five minutes.”
Without waiting for her answer, I turn back to the steering wheel, buckle my seatbelt, and drive the last few minutes home with a raging hard-on in my pants. I want fast and hard with Ava, but I also want soft and tender. I want it all with her.