Love, Riley: Redemption Highway: Briarwood

by Leaona Luxx

“Do you have a decorator?” Thayer asks.

  “I’m gonna wait, hope Ava will do it,” I explain.

  “You’re sure about this?” One pins me with a stare.

  “I know it won’t be easy, but she loves me; she knows it, she just needs to admit it.” I chuckle.

  “Good luck with that. We have badass women, it’s tough business.” Hardy smiles.

  “Oh, I know. We’ve known each other forever, we just have to keep working,” I say as we stand, walking to the front office. One’s boys are here with Brannon.

  “I’m gonna run to my office. When you come back with plans, I’ll get to work on my part,” Thayer says.

  “So, what’s going on?” Brannon asks. At some point, he needs to learn I’ve got Ava. But until then, I’ll let it slide.

  “Building a house on the back four. No sense in wasting money on rent.” I shrug as his eyes grow wide. “Alright. I’m in love with Ava. I’ve been in love with her since I was a kid, I’ve never told her because she was always wrapped up with you. I left for five years to try to get her outta my system but damn, Ava’s not a woman you can get outta your system. I’ve spent most of my life being Lil’ Penn, and she’s never given me a second look.” My eyes dart around the room at their faces.

  “Listen, I know. I fucking know who she is and I don’t give a damn. I love her. I need to take care of her. I need to see her smile every day. I need to know she’s happy. I need her to know I love her. I want her, all of her. The good, the bad, and the worst of what she can dish out.

  “I want her beautiful crazy self. The way her eyes sparkle when she thinks of Andi, and I love her lopsided grin when she talks about her daughter. The thankfulness she has for Torrie. Torrie, a woman who is her daughter’s mom full time.

  “The faraway look in her gorgeous eyes as she thinks of how she’s let Andi down and the sheer will to be a better mother, no matter how many tell her she never will be. Her utter will to survive takes my breath away. The way she checks herself when walking by a window, only to lower her head because what she sees in that reflection comes nowhere near the incredible woman I see. It may be a battle, but I don’t care. I love her.” I swallow hard and wait to hear all the advice, but it never comes.

  “Damn straight, she’s hard work; all the good ones are,” One says with a smile.

  “Ain’t that the truth,” Hardy agrees.

  “Riley, have you told her everything? About you and what you do?” Brannon presses.

  “I’m going today to check on some things and decide on a job, but I haven’t told her. Why?” I ask.

  “Talk to her, it’ll be alright.” Brannon frowns.

  “Alright, I’m off and running. Oh, yeah, Ava has my phone until we can find her a charger. May have to go back to dickhead’s to get her old one, but I hope not.” I smile as I think of Ava’s reaction; I may be the dick head before tonight’s over.

  I finish a few more errands before running by my parents’ home. I’m hoping to talk to mom. Walking through the house, I set my bag down that I packed for Ava’s. Mom’s in the den, working on a design. “Hey, beautiful.” I walk over, placing a small kiss on her head.

  “Hello, baby. I was wondering if I’d see you today.” She pats my hand and gets back to work.

  “I got a few books and got things rolling.” I nod as I sit across from her.

  “And work?” She hesitates. I know she hates this part.

  “You know, I have four more years before I’m off the hook.” I shrug. “I know you think it’s a death sentence, but I’m gonna do my best not to go back. I put my application in at the academy.”

  “Not that it’s much better, but anything is better than you going back.” She offers me a tight smile.

  “I-I talked to Ava.” My eyes flicker between hers and the window.

  “And?” She wets her lips in anticipation.

  “I love her. She loves me, Mom. It’s gonna take more work, but she’s already come so far.”

  “You’ve always believed you two would work out. I pray you’re right.” She stands, rounding the desk. “Remember—patience, tolerance and understanding make a great relationship.” I stand for her to pull me into a hug.

  “Will you help her decorate when it’s time?” I ask.

  “You got it. Dinner, Sunday. Bring my future daughter-in-law.” She kisses my cheek.

  “From your lips to God’s ears.” I chuckle.

  I have just enough time to do a few more things before meeting her. Several times today I pinched myself to check if I was dreaming. I’ve smiled the entire day, I can’t stop. Ava’s home by the time I get there. I take a few bags in hand and walk to the door.

  Before I can knock, the door swings wide and she bounds at me, wrapping me in her arms. Her lips land on mine as we walk through the door. I drop everything, pulling her into my arms. She invades my mouth, her tongue sweeping over mine, fighting for more time.

  “Hey, you,” she says breathlessly.

  “Hello, gorgeous. I’m gonna assume you had a great day.” I smile before stealing another kiss.

  “I did. It was good.” She bites her lip. “But that’s not why I kissed you.”

  “Oh, really? Do tell?” I hold her close to me.

  “When I got here, I actually looked for you.” Her eyes gaze into mine. “I was disappointed when you weren’t here. I’ve never had anyone to come home to or to wait for, it feels good.”

  “Well, we’re gonna work on making that permanent.” I kiss her nose. “But there’s time.” I bend over to grab some bags.

  “Oh, let me help.” Ava takes a few from me.

  “I have a few more in the truck.” I glance at her when she starts looking over the number of bags here. Placing them on the table her eyes snap to mine.

  “What is this?” Her eyes flicker from one bag to the other.

  “Ava, I had two choices. Ask and be told ‘hell no’ or do it and be told, ‘fuck you’. For the record, I’d rather you fuck me than me fucking myself.” I stand back, waiting for the ticking time bomb.

  “You bought me food?” She scans the bags. “You bought things for my house?”

  “I bought things that were needed. If I’m here from time to time, I thought I could pitch in with the basics.” I cross my arms, still waiting for the explosion.

  “I don’t know what to say. I mean, had you bought it just for me, yeah, I’d be mad but I can’t be.” She shakes her head as she glances at me. “I’m also starving. Are you cooking?”

  What just happened? “I can. You get started on your homework, and I’ll get the rest.”

  “Really?” Her eyes go wide.

  “Yeah, really.” She leaps at me, throwing her arms around my neck. She kills me; what’s worse, she knows she owns me.

  Halfway through dinner, she notices the three extra bags. “What are those?” She points her fork at them. I don’t even look, I just wince.

  “Oh, well, one’s my overnight bag,” I say off-handed.

  “And those other two, tucked in beside it?” She pins me with her stare.

  “Things for you,” I mutter as I break eye contact.

  “Things for me?” She lay her fork down, crossing her arms. Here we go.

  “Here me out, please, before you kill me.” I plead with big eyes. She nods with her lips held in a tight line. “You needed more scrubs. No way can you do laundry every other night.” I shrug. “And the other is a phone,” I mumble as low as possible.

  “A what?” She blinks.

  “A phone. For you.” I stare at her, waiting.

  She begins shaking her head, and I know I’m fucked. “Who the fuck do you think you are? Buying me a phone. I’m not a charity case. I’ll make my own way, damn it. You think because we’ve fucked a few times that you own me. That you can just do whatever you want?”

  “It’s my money; if you don’t want it, fine. Toss the motherfucker, but, Ava, I’m not fucking playing fuck and run with you. Hell no, I’m not.” I st
and as my blood thrums through my body. My face turning hot to the touch.

  “But it’s your money, don’t you see? Damn, Ry. What’s everyone gonna think? You’re already spending money on me, your money. I bring nothing to this, zip. Zero. I have nothing to offer.” She knocks her chair over when she jumps up. “I refuse to let you be the laughingstock.”

  “Hold the fuck up, Ava.” I step in front of her, and she flinches. “Baby, I will never hit you. No matter what’s going on. Do you understand?” She nods with a sniffle. “What happens between us, is here. Me and you.” I motion for her to come to me.

  “They’ll think you’re keeping me, like a whore.” Her lips tremble with each word.

  I tilt her chin up, urging her to look at me. Once her eyes settle on mine, I speak clearly. “You’re as fine a person as any other woman. We will not allow others’ opinions on our relationship to hurt us. They don’t pay our bills, and they sure as hell will no longer be in our bed. From the minute, you took me in your arms, I was done with other women. I want you and only you.”

  “I want you,” she whispers.

  “You do understand, you’re not the only one with a past, right? I have a past, I’ve slept around. What would you do if one of my exes said something?” I ask.

  “I’d whip her ass.” Her eyes narrow as her face flushes.

  “Well, yeah, I would if it were you.” We laugh. “As long as we know who we are, no one else matters.”

  “What about your parents?” Her mouth twists to the side.

  “They know.” I wink. “They’ve always known. I told Mom today that we’re working on it.”

  “Does she know who I am?” She drops her head.

  “She does. Ava, it wasn’t that long ago you were in my treehouse. For the love of God, I let you go first so I could look up your dress.” I laugh.

  “What?” she asks with wide eyes.

  “Yeah, Walker and Brannon always fought to get up there first, and I was more than happy to let them go.” I wiggle my brows at her.

  She play slaps me. “And here I thought you were being sweet.”

  “Naw, I watched that fine ass become all it is today.” I wink at her as she narrows her eyes.

  “Freakin’ perv. I was a little girl,” she snarls at me, trying not to smile.

  “Until you started becoming a woman.” I laugh as she hits me with a pillow. “I told you, you’re what my wet dreams were made of, baby. Every hard on I had until eighteen came by your hand.”

  She freezes. “Ewww, I think you mean, came in your hand.”

  My face glows red with shame. “Shit. Yeah, so. I’d walk behind you and take mental pictures of your ass. You almost caught me looking down your shirt one day, but when your boobs came in, fuck me, I just about went blind jacking so much.”

  Her mouth hangs wide as her eyes pop outta her head. “Oh, my God. What will we tell our kids? Daddy jacked off thinking of Mommy and told her later. That’s our love story, kiddos.”

  I wrap her in my arms, kissing her fast. When I release her, she melts into my arms. “Our love story, Ava, will be the best one ever told.”

  “Yeah?” She wrinkles her nose.

  “Yes. Our kids will be the happiest ever, just like their sister, Andi.” Her lips part, drawing my eyes to them. I place mine over hers, pressing lightly.

  “We’re gonna make it.” She nods. “Doesn’t matter it happened so fast.”

  “Fast? Girl, I’ve chased your ass for damn near twenty years.” I smile at her.

  “I’m glad you caught me.” She kisses me. “Don’t ever let go.” She runs her finger over my bottom lip.

  “Never.” I take her mouth as sweetly as she does mine. “Now, the phone?”

  She rolls her eyes, falling onto the couch. “Fine. But after today, don’t buy another thing with me in mind until you’ve asked.”

  Shew, that covers a multitude of things. Her eyes narrow at me. “What?”

  “You look terribly guilty, Ry.” She folds her arms.

  “Not another thing without your approval. Scouts honor.” I hold up three fingers. “Unless…”

  “Unless, what?” She glares at me.

  “House fairies.” I’m not even cracking a smile.

  “You cannot be serious? House fairies?” she exclaims.

  “Yes. Everyone has them!” I declare.

  “Whatever.” She shakes her head. “Where’s it at? I don’t even know how to work it, except to make calls.”

  “You’ll learn,” I say as I pull the small box out.

  “You have a lot more faith in me than you should.” I twist my mouth but decide to bite my tongue.

  “I’ll show you as much as possible this week, but it won’t take you long.” I pull the seventh generation, red phone from its box.

  “What the fuck? That’s the best one on the market.” She knows something about them.

  “At least you know that. And yeah, I had to get red.” The screen lights up as I send her a text.

  She shakes her head with laughter. “Trouble? My phone’s name is Trouble.”

  “Yep, fitting. You can change it, but it’s in my phone as Trouble.” I smile.

  “I think we need to switch names.”

  I clean the kitchen as she finishes her work. We play around with her phone before I get lucky on the couch. It doesn’t take long to return the favor when we hit the bed.

  Ava and I settle into a regular schedule in the following days. Things couldn’t be better. Sunday’s here before we know, but as always, Ava’s more than a handful. “But I have nothing to wear, Ry. Why didn’t you tell me earlier in the week?”

  I sit on the end of the bed, watching as she goes through every item in her closet, throwing them all on the floor. “Baby, wear what you have. It’s not a big deal.”

  “For you, but for a girl meeting a mother, it’s a huge deal,” she huffs.

  “You’ve met my mother.” I smirk.

  “Ughhh, that was years ago. Seriously, I’ve been a whore, a cocktail waitress, a waitress, and a student nurse. The best thing I have are scrubs.” She sits down on the floor, defeated. This is my fault. Everyone keeps thinking Ava is the one who’s gonna screw this up.

  I walk over, taking her in my arms. I kiss her head while she cries. “I never meant to make you cry, I’m sorry. Let me fix it.”

  “How?” Her voice cracks.

  “Watch.” I send out a group text to Torrie, Lea, and Thayer.

  S.O.S. I’m in trouble. Need help.

  Told my mom we’d come for dinner

  Didn’t tell Ava

  Something about nothing to wear

  Can’t meet mother she knows because she has nothing

  I wait, watching little bubbles ripple on the bottom of the text as Ava’s phone buzzes. She types something, I’m still waiting. She types again, giggling. Then, the following text appears.

  Men. SMDH. We got her.

  I’m not even sure who sent it and right now, my girl is smiling so I’m good with being a man. Can’t figure how I’m the dumbass considering the situation, but I’m keeping my mouth shut. Within thirty minutes, it’s like a fashion runway in this place.

  “You did good.” Torrie bumps my elbow.

  “Well, I’m gonna get my ass kicked but this’ll not happen again. She’ll have new clothes by week’s end.” Torrie grins at me. “Will you help?” She bursts into laughter.

  “I’d be happy to,” she adds, “with the shopping, you’re telling her about buying them.”

  “Fuck. You’re pregnant, she won’t kick your ass.” I join her, laughing like a fool.

  “Future reference, Riley. Women, no matter how many times we’ve been around your mother, want something different to wear. Unless we’re pregnant, and then we don’t give a fuck. I’m sitting down, you’ll need to help get me up or I’ll tell Malone and he’ll kick your ass.” Lea tells me with a smirk.

  “Please don’t say pregnant around him,” Ava yells from the other
room.

  “Why the hell not?” I cross my arms. Both rooms are filled with uncontrollable laughter. Ava enters the room with the others following, when she’s in view, my mouth goes dry.

  “Ava’s wearing a high-low skirt in corals, blues, and white. A white crop top and wedges complete her ensemble.” Em giggles with her runway rendition. Ava’s nose wrinkles when I don’t blink. Torrie elbows me.

  “You’re damn near perfect, baby.” I step forward, kissing her.

  “Careful. Makeup!” several call out to me.

  “Chill. I got my girl, I only almost messed up.” I smile. “Thank you, ladies. I appreciate it.” They all return my smile. “Dressed like this, I might talk her into a baby after all.”

  “Lord, help me. Riley, it’s been two weeks.” Ava shakes her head at me.

  “You wanna borrow some of the years I had to wait, make it longer and more acceptable?” She can’t help but laugh with me, I pull her into my arms.

  “You’re terrible.” She rolls her eyes.

  “Baby, if you only could see yourself the way I do. You’d understand my need to marry you yesterday.” Her face glows as her smile spreads. The room fills with ‘awes’ when I kiss her.

  We leave after seeing off our Project Runway cast. They were great, I owe them. Ava fidgets all the way to my parents’ house. As we walk to the door, I take her hand in mine in hopes of making her feel more relaxed, but she panics and pulls away. “What?”

  “I don’t want them to see this older woman, who’s known as the town whore, all over their son when we walk in.” Her eyes dart to mine as she rubs her hands.

  I stop us, spinning her into my arms. She giggles as I take her chin in my hand. “Listen. I love you. They’ll love you. Kiss me and tell me that one day you’ll marry me.” She stills in my arms, searching my face for any sign that I may be joking.

  “You’re serious.” She blinks rapidly.

  “I am. I know I scare the shit outta you when I say things like this, but it’s not like we’re total strangers, just learning who the other is. I’m not asking for you to marry me today, tomorrow will work perfectly.” I kiss her quickly.

  “You’re killing me. You know that?” Her face softens as this little ‘v’ forms between her eyes. “Do you know when you say things like this, what it does to me?”