by Heather Beck
They hadn’t gotten far when Isabelle stopped to admire one of the clients’ work. “Your painting is coming along beautifully, Milo,” she said. “I love that you’ve decided to use brighter colors. It really makes your work pop.”
“Gracias,” Milo said, beaming at her compliment, then hurrying to get back to work as if he was more motivated than ever.
They went a little further, Isabelle stopping once again to admire another client’s work. This time it was the girl at the potter’s wheel. She’d just finished making a bowl and was now cutting it off from the bat in which it sat, using a wire tool. “Sofia, that bowl looks lovely,” Isabelle said. “You clearly have a gift for making pottery.”
“Thank you, but are you sure it’s not lopsided?” Sofia asked in a thick accent, looking critically at the bowl even though it was perfectly symmetrical.
“Not at all. I can’t wait to see it once it’s fired and painted. Can I help you carry it to the kiln?”
Sofia nodded, appearing more confident than before. Together, she and Isabelle lifted the bat and made their way to the kiln, Rowan hurrying to help, too.
“I wonder if Mom ever gets tired of being so nice all the time,” Tessa said to Ava, both of them watching as Isabelle and Rowan helped Sofia place the bowl into the kiln for its first firing.
“I doubt it,” Ava replied. “That’s just who Mom is, and everyone loves her for it.”
They continued to watch as Isabelle said something else that made Sofia smile before saying goodbye to her and then heading back to Ava and Tessa, with Rowan at her side. When they finally got to Rowan’s office, the door was slightly ajar. Ava hadn’t seen Rowan’s office when he’d given them the tour of Artista, and it wasn’t hard to see why. It was jam-packed with stacks of paperwork, and even though it wasn’t exactly messy, with everything having its own place, it was definitely claustrophobic.
“Grab a seat,” Rowan said to Ava and Tessa, gesturing toward the two chairs in front of his desk. “You, too,” he said to Isabelle, offering her his black leather office chair – the only other seat that was left. He didn’t give her a chance to refuse as he started talking excitedly about the upcoming art show. “So, I know you girls have probably heard all about this from your mom, but in case you haven’t, we’ve decided to have a theme for our first – and hopefully annual – art show. It’s called A Night Under The Stars, and it will be held at Encantado en el Agua, this gorgeous banquet hall your mom was able to secure for us – and at a steep discount, too.”
“It was nothing,” Isabelle said as tactful as ever.
“It’s a miracle, that’s what it is.” Rowan gave Isabelle a grateful look and then turned back to Ava and Tessa. “You should see this place. It’s right on the beach, and there’s an enormous room that’s perfect for displaying all our artists’ work. Several art buyers have already RSVP’d, and at first, I was a little worried about having enough space for everyone, but now, with this place, that definitely won’t be a problem.”
“Sounds fancy,” Tessa said, a little more interested now.
“It is a pretty fancy venue, and our clients and guests can get dressed up if they want to, but we’re not making this an overly formal event, either. There’s an outdoor patio, and that’s where we’ll have finger food and maybe even a local band if we can find one on such short notice.”
“I’ve been looking into that,” Isabelle piped up, “and I think I found a band that would be perfect. They’ve only released a few singles online and are still very new, but they’ve got talent and might be willing to work for what we can pay them.”
“I trust your judgment. Book them if you can.”
Isabelle nodded. “I’ll reach out to them today. Let’s just hope they get back to us.”
“I’m sure they will,” Rowan said, upbeat, “and while we’re on the topic of hearing back from people, you’ll never believe how many corporate sponsors returned our call this morning.”
“Considering the number of companies we’ve pitched to and haven’t heard back from, I’d be happy with just one,” Isabelle said.
“Try three,” Rowan said, smiling. “They’ve all agreed to make a donation, and even though it’s not a lot of money from each company, together it really adds up.”
“Oh, that’s great news!” Isabelle said. “That money is exactly what we need to make this a memorable night for everyone.”
“It sounds like everything’s really falling into place,” Ava said, looking at Rowan. “So, what exactly can Tess and I do to help? You mentioned something about promoting the event?”
“Yeah, we want to spread the word online, but since your mom and I know very little about social media, we were hoping you girls could do that for us. Only if you don’t mind, that is.”
“Are you kidding? I’m so your girl for this job,” Tessa said before Ava could answer, her interest now fully piqued. “I’ll set up company accounts on all major social networks – posting only the coolest content, of course – and I’ll connect with entertainment hubs all across Mexico to make sure everyone knows about Artista and A Night Under The Stars. It will be awesome. Trust me, it’s my thing.”
“I can see that,” Rowan said, clearly impressed. “Thank you, Tessa.”
She smiled. “My pleasure.”
Rowan then turned to Ava, a hopeful expression on his face. “We could really use someone to put up flyers around town. I was thinking about getting a hundred – a hundred and twenty-five max – printed sometime next week. Do you think you’d be able to help us with that?”
“Sure, count me in,” Ava replied, happy for any excuse to explore more of the town.
“Thanks, Ava,” Rowan said. “It doesn’t go unappreciated.”
“Yes, and neither does the fact that I have two very sweet and supportive daughters,” Isabelle said, casting Ava and Tessa a smile. “We really shouldn’t take up any more of your time, though. I know you both have homework to do. Ava, why don’t you take the car back to the villa? I’m sure I can get a ride with Rowan.”
“Yeah, no problem,” Rowan said, a little distracted as his phone beeped, likely something to do with work. “I might need you to stay a little late today, if that’s okay with you.”
“That’s fine,” Isabelle said before turning to her daughters. “I’ll see you tonight, okay, girls?”
Ava and Tessa nodded and then left the office, taking a quick glance at some of the new pieces of art as they made their way out of Artista. It was easy to see that the clients were putting everything they had into their work, likely hoping to catch the interest of buyers at A Night Under The Stars. Ava felt a sudden pang of sadness as she thought about Javier, working so hard to help his mom pay the bills when he should’ve been focusing on his art and exhibiting at the show. She wished there was something she could do to help him, but she didn’t know what.
“So, I was thinking,” Tessa said as they stepped outside, snapping Ava out of her thoughts, “if this being famous thing doesn’t work out, I think I’d make a really good publicist.” She slipped her sunglasses over her eyes, protecting herself from the early afternoon sun as they headed toward their car.
“I think you’d make a great publicist,” Ava said as she opened her purse and searched for the extra car key her mom had given her days ago. “Shit,” she muttered, realizing that it wasn’t there.
“What’s wrong, sis?”
Ava zipped up her purse. “I must’ve left my car key at home. I’ll have to ask Mom for hers. I’ll just be a minute, okay?”
“Take your time,” Tessa said, lowering her sunglasses onto the bridge of her nose as she watched two sexy Mexican guys walk by. “There’s plenty to keep me busy here.”
“Can you please stay out of trouble, Tess? I already have enough to deal with.” Ava gave her sister a warning look, but Tessa just rolled her eyes, as if Ava was worrying about nothing.
Not wanting to leave her sister alone for longer than she had to, Ava quickly headed b
ack to Artista. She made her way past the paintings and then the pottery, coming to a stop in front of Rowan’s office door, which was slightly ajar again. She opened the door, about to step inside and ask for her mom’s car key when she came to a sudden stop, her eyes falling on a scene that made her heart sink into the pit of her stomach, a feeling of sickness washing over her. There, just a few feet away, was Isabelle and Rowan standing in the middle of the office, his hands on her waist, his lips against hers.
As soon as Isabelle and Rowan heard Ava come in, they jumped apart, looking extremely guilty and as if they wanted to say something but couldn’t find the right words. Ava knew how that felt. She wanted to say something, demand to know how her mom could cheat on her dad and betray her family like this, but when she opened her mouth to speak, no words came out. Not knowing what else to do, she shut her mouth and spun around, hurrying away from the office.
“Ava, wait,” Isabelle said, chasing after her. “Let me explain.”
“Explain?” Ava snapped, turning on her heel and facing her mom. “How could you possibly explain…that?” She almost choked on her words, unable to believe that this was happening.
“Honey, please, calm down. There’s a lot going on here that you don’t know about.”
“That’s pretty damn clear.”
“Can we go into the office and talk about this?” Isabelle asked, her cheeks flushed as she looked around, all eyes on them.
Ava glanced at the office. Rowan was now standing outside the door, his cheeks flushing, too, and his eyes turned toward the floor. She didn’t want to go anywhere near him, but she knew she and her mom couldn’t have this conversation in the middle of Artista, either.
“It will just be me and you,” Isabelle promised, as if she could read Ava’s mind.
Ava hesitated, but when she met her mom’s pleading eyes, she felt like she couldn’t say no. She was, after all, still her mother. “Fine,” Ava said, “but it better just be the two of us.” She followed her mom toward the office, blatantly ignoring Rowan as she passed him.
Once they were inside, Isabelle closed the office door and turned to Ava, a distraught expression on her face. “I know what you must be thinking…”
Ava interrupted her with a snort. “I doubt that.”
“If you just let me speak, you’ll realize that I haven’t done anything wrong. I’m not cheating on your dad…”
“Are you serious?” Ava cut her off again. “Are you really going to stand there and lie to my face? I saw you kissing Rowan. Maybe you don’t consider that cheating, but I do, and I’m pretty sure Dad would think so, too.”
“Ava,” Isabelle said, slowly and oddly calm, “I’m not cheating on your dad because…” she paused slightly, “because we’re no longer together.”
“No longer together?” Ava repeated, trying to process her mom’s words. “What the hell are you talking about? Of course you’re together.”
“No, we’re not. We haven’t been for a few months now.” Isabelle reached for Ava’s hand, but Ava stepped backward, refusing to take it. “I know you’re upset, honey, and this isn’t the way I wanted you to find out. But, please, don’t worry. We’re going to get through this. I promise.”
Ava’s mind raced as she thought back to the last few months. She had noticed her parents, especially her mom, behaving a little differently, like they were stressed out or something, but she never thought – not even once – that their marriage was in trouble. They’d always seemed so in love. “You’re…you’re serious. You’re actually broken up?” Ava asked, the words feeling strange on her tongue. “But…but how? What happened?”
“It wasn’t just one thing that happened. It was a lot of little things, over a lot of years. No one’s to blame. It’s just, your dad and I, we’re…different, and maybe that’s what attracted us to each other in the first place.” She stopped to blink back tears, a wave of emotion coming over her. “We’ve had so many wonderful years together,” she continued, her voice cracking. “And, of course, our marriage gave us you and Tessa – the best part of both our lives.”
Ava choked back a sob. “It sounds perfect. I don’t understand what’s changed.”
“To tell you the truth, neither do I – not really. We’ve just grown apart. Maybe it’s because we didn’t make enough time for each other until it was too late. Or maybe it’s because we want different things out of life. Whatever the reason, we still love each other and always will.”
“Sorry if I find that a little hard to believe because if you truly loved each other, you’d still be together, or at least trying to work it out.”
“We tried, believe me, we did.” Isabelle took a deep breath, as if determined to get her emotions under control. “We went to marriage counseling on and off for over two years, but nothing seemed to work, to make us really want to be with one another again. Then, as time passed, and we started missing our therapy sessions because of work and volunteer commitments, that’s when we knew it was truly over.”
“Oh my gawd. How long were you planning on keeping this a secret from me and Tess?” Ava suddenly felt sicker than ever, worried about what this would do to her little sister.
“We needed a little more time to figure out the logistics of our divorce. Who would live where, who’d get what, how we’d handle the press…there were all these factors to consider. We were planning on telling you girls everything after I got back from Mexico, but then the thing with Christopher happened, and all that mattered was keeping you and Tessa safe.” Isabelle paused, taking another deep breath. “Speaking of Tessa, I think it would be best if we waited to tell her.”
“You want me to lie to my sister?” Ava couldn’t believe what her mom was asking her to do, and she definitely didn’t know how she’d get through this without her sister to lean on.
“I know what I’m asking you to do isn’t easy, but I’m afraid Tessa might have a hard time coping. With everything else that’s going on, it’s a lot to deal with – for all of us.”
“You’re right, it is a lot to deal with, so why the hell are you bringing Rowan into all of this? Are you trying to complicate things, or is he just so irresistible that you couldn’t keep your hands off him?” Ava felt her anger resurface as the image of her mom and Rowan kissing flashed in her mind.
“Is that what you think of me?” Isabelle said, sounding hurt. “That I could be so spiteful, so selfish? This thing with Rowan, it just…happened. He’s a good man, and I’ve been feeling so alone in all of this.”
“All of this?” Ava repeated, her eyes growing wide. “You told him why we’re really here, didn’t you?”
“I needed someone to talk to.”
“You could’ve talked to me. You could’ve talked to me a long time ago. I might’ve been able to help you and Dad fix things before they got so bad.”
“I know you want to believe that, but not everything in life can be fixed.”
“Clearly,” Ava said, her tone curt. “Listen, Mom, I really have to go. Tess is waiting for me, and the only reason I came back was to get your car key. So, can I borrow it?”
Taking the hint loud and clear that Ava was done talking, Isabelle nodded and then reached into her purse, pulling out the key and handing it to her. “I know you don’t agree with what I’m asking you to do,” she said softly, “but please don’t say anything to Tessa – not yet.”
“Like you’ve really given me a choice,” Ava muttered loud enough for her mom to hear as she opened the office door and walked out. She’d only taken a few steps when she saw Rowan coming straight toward her, an apologetic expression on his face.
“Ava, I’m…” Rowan started to say.
“Not now,” Isabelle interrupted him in a gentle voice.
Rowan looked conflicted, like he really wanted to speak, but instead of continuing, he listened to Isabelle and stepped out of Ava’s way. Ava cast him a cold stare and then marched past him, not stopping until she was out of Artista and at the car.
&nb
sp; “Gawd, you really did take your time,” Tessa commented, leaning against the car impatiently. She looked bored, making it clear that there had been no more hot guys for her viewing pleasure. “Did you get lost in there or something?”
“Or something,” Ava mumbled as she unlocked the car and got into the driver’s seat, turning on the ignition before Tessa could even sit down.
“Wow, what’s up with you?” Tessa asked, frowning. “Did something happen?”
For a second, Ava contemplated telling her sister – she had every right in the world to know, after all – but then her mom’s voice, pleading with Ava not to tell Tessa, played in her mind. “No,” she lied quickly before she could change her mind. “Mom and Rowan started talking about Artista again. You know what they’re like. I thought they’d never shut up.”
Tessa rolled her eyes. “I know, right? It’s like they’re obsessed or something. Still, I can’t wait for A Night Under The Stars. It’s going to be so awesome, especially now that we’re involved.”
As Ava drove away, Tessa continued to talk. She tried to listen to what her sister was saying, but her words soon became white noise as Ava’s mind raced with thoughts. Was it really over with her mom and dad? What was it going to be like coming from a broken family? How the hell would Rowan fit into all of this? Even though she couldn’t answer these questions, she knew one thing for sure – things were about to get ugly.
* * *
Chapter Thirteen
Thank goodness that’s over with, Ava thought, hitting the send button before turning off her laptop. She’d spent yesterday and almost all of today catching up on her schoolwork and even finishing next week’s assignments. She couldn’t complain, though. It was a welcome distraction and the perfect reason for locking herself in her bedroom and not having to deal with anyone.
Ava was avoiding her mom like the plague ever since the incident with Rowan, and she even found herself avoiding Tessa, too, but for much different reasons. She was overcome with guilt for keeping something like this from her sister, and she was afraid that if they talked, she’d blurt out the truth because of this guilt, or at the very least, Tessa would figure out that something was wrong. Ava hadn’t talked to her dad, either, even though he’d left her a voicemail, asking her to call him back. It didn’t sound like her mom had told him that Ava knew about their impending divorce, and if she had to guess why, it was because Isabelle didn’t want to tell Mitchell how Ava had found out.