Nobody's Obligation (Swimming Upstream #2)

by Rebecca Barber

  “Sorry,” Ava murmured as her face flushed an embarrassing shade of crimson. Tyler remained silent and tried to stifle his chuckle unsuccessfully. Instead he pulled out her chair, and waited until she was seated before taking his own.

  Chapter 12

  Ava

  Without a chance to wrap her head around the absurdity of the situation, a fiery redhead with too much makeup appeared in the same crisp white shirt and black bow tie as the blonde at the front.

  “Good afternoon. My name’s Nina and I’ll be serving you this afternoon,” she said with a thick British accent. “Here are your menus,” she explained, handing them each a deep crimson folder. “Would you like to hear today’s specials?”

  “Please,” Tyler encouraged.

  “Today we have as an appetizer scallops with peperonata and aioli. For the main dish, duck confit with crispy potatoes and bitter leaf salad. And for dessert we are serving roasted pears with saffron, rosemary, and bay.”

  As she summed up the menu, Ava’s stomach let out an embarrassing groan in appreciation, causing Tyler to cackle.

  “Can you give us a minute?” he asked politely as Nina half curtseyed before vanishing as quickly as she appeared.

  Silence fell over them as they both studied the menu fastidiously. Ava was determined to pick the best item on the menu, and after hearing the specials she was having a hard time deciding.

  “This is harder than I thought,” Tyler broke the silence, peering over the top of his menu and catching Ava’s eye.

  “Definitely,” she quickly agreed.

  “Anything strike your fancy?”

  “Everything,” Ava admitted.

  “Order whatever you like. Lunch is on me,” Tyler instructed.

  “You don’t—” Ava protested but was cut off.

  “I know I don’t have to. I want to,” Tyler said with a shrug of his shoulder.

  After a few minutes of silence Ava placed her menu back on the table, and she barely had time to take a breath before Nina appeared to take their order. After making their selections for appetizer and main, Tyler insisting that Ava order both, Nina suggested a bottle of wine that would complement their meal.

  “Well, we are at a winery,” Tyler agreed with a laugh, not bothering to look at the price. Ava couldn’t squash the evil thoughts that filled her mind. Nice for some to not have to worry about their bank account, she snarled to herself bitterly.

  “Everything okay?” Tyler asked, noticing the change in Ava’s demeanour.

  “Perfect,” she lied effortlessly.

  Moments later Nina reappeared and uncorked the bottle of red before pouring a sample into a glass and offering Tyler a taste. After swishing it about in his glass, sniffing it, and taking a long swallow, he deemed it perfect, and Nina poured them each a glass before disappearing again.

  This is hell, Ava repeated in her head.

  “Seriously, Ava. What’s up?” Tyler asked.

  “Nothing.”

  “Have you ever been told you’re a terrible liar?” Tyler taunted, watching as Ava scrunched up her face.

  She knew she was caught like a deer in the headlights, but still she didn’t want to bend. If she told him the truth now, he would see how truly fucked up she really was. And the thought of Tyler, her idol, the love of her life, her saviour, knowing how truly screwed up she was, it was just too much. She would try harder to bury the truth and fake it. She had to. Tyler was her idea of heaven, and Ava wasn’t going to let the truth ruin it.

  “I am not,” Ava protested, pulling herself up as straight as possible.

  “Sure you’re not. Just tell me—” Tyler’s pleading was cut off by his phone ringing in his pocket. Ava watched silently as he pulled it out and looked at the name on the screen before silencing the phone and dropping it on the table beside his fork. “So where were we?”

  “We were discussing this amazing wine,” Ava encouraged.

  “Oh that’s right. We were talking about how bad of a liar you are.” Tyler chuckled and the sound reverberated through Ava’s body, sending chills down her spine.

  “I’m fine.”

  “I don’t believe you, but I’ll let it go…for now.” Tyler softened as his phone vibrated to life on the table beside him.

  “If you need to get that, I don’t mind,” Ava tried, secretly pleading for a moment or two to herself so she could find some composure that she had surely left at home this morning.

  Shaking his head, Tyler explained, “It’s not as important as this glass of wine or spending time getting to know you.”

  Without warning, Ava broke out coughing and spluttering. And after the day she was having, it was only fitting that she had a mouthful of the delicious red wine which was now dotted all over her shirt. “Seriously! Fuck me!” she moaned, dabbing her mouth with a napkin.

  Through his laughter, Tyler poured Ava a glass of water and handed it to her. He watched on with amusement as Ava tried to pull herself together. Tyler couldn’t refrain. “Maybe later,” he said, his wide eyes alive with mischief.

  “You suck, you know that?”

  “Yeah, but at least you’re smiling now.” Tyler grinned proudly as he raised his glass.

  “Ass!” she replied, peering over the edge of her water glass and watching Tyler.

  As humiliated as she was and no matter how many things had gone wrong today, it was still proving to be one of the best days of Ava’s normally boring and predictable life. She was having lunch with Tyler Andrews. The boy who had given her hope who grew into the man who saved her life. And although he didn’t know and he never would, Ava would always be grateful. All she had to do now was survive lunch.

  Two hours and way too much food later, they were both stuffed and sleepy. Ava politely excused herself and made her way to the bathroom. That’s when she saw what she looked like and was beyond horrified. How could anyone let her out in public looking like that? Let alone bring her to an obviously nice restaurant. Her once white shirt had been coated in everything today. Coffee, chocolate brownie, and then a splattering of red wine. It looked like an abstract masterpiece.

  “Fuck!” Ava cried to herself, knowing no one else could hear her. “Well, I can’t hide here,” she grumbled, running her fingers through her hair in a vain attempt to tame the strays.

  Walking out the door, she spotted Tyler on the veranda, patting Buddy again. “Damn dog,” she complained as she headed in his direction.

  “Ready?” he asked as Ava stepped through the door behind him, deliberately keeping Tyler between her and the dog.

  “Yep,” Ava agreed, wrapping her arms around her chest in an attempt to keep warm. Inside it had been perfect, but as soon as she stepped outside into the weather the cool breeze sent a chill to her core.

  “You cold?” Tyler asked, turning towards Ava, earning him a moan from the abandoned dog at his feet.

  “I’ll be fine,” Ava assured him.

  Without a word Tyler pulled his hoodie over his head, causing his shirt to ride up and giving Ava a sneak peek of his perfect abs and wide V hidden beneath his clothes. Without conscious thought, Ava sighed heavily at the sight.

  “See something you like?” Tyler taunted as he pulled the sleeves off his arms.

  With a groan, Ava turned away, trying to hide her humiliation. “Oh my God.”

  Tyler just chuckled. “Ava, it’s okay,” he assured her. He reached out and dropped his mammoth hand on her shoulder, causing Ava to jump involuntarily. With another laugh, Tyler turned her around. “Put this on. It’ll keep you warm.” He handed her his jumper with a smirk.

  Ava thought about objecting but knew he would find some way to talk her into it, so instead Ava pulled it over her head. It warmed her instantly. Not just through the fluffy material that engulfed her but the strong masculine Tyler scent imbedded in the thick fabric. If she thought she was in heaven before, being cocooned in Tyler’s scent was something else. Something better. Something religious. Ava couldn’t help herself. She g
rabbed the front and pulled it towards her nose, allowing his odour to completely overwhelm her.

  “Did you just sniff my jumper?” Tyler mocked her.

  “N-No.”

  “You so did!” Tyler laughed, stepping beside her and wrapping his arm around her shoulders to guide her towards the car. “Ms. Jacobs, what am I going to do with you?”

  Overcome with annoyance and embarrassment, Ava shrugged out of his reach and turned to face him. “I’m not sure, Mr. Andrews. But why don’t you try something different for a change? Maybe try being nice?” she offered casually.

  “Don’t you think I’m a nice, Ava?”

  “Actually no. I don’t.”

  “You don’t?”

  “Nope. All you have done all afternoon is make fun of me and make me feel uncomfortable. And on top of that your evil laugh and mischievous eyes seem to be enjoying every moment of it,” Ava declared.

  “Mischievous eyes, hey?”

  “Oh, shut up!”

  “Ava, you and I could be great friends,” Tyler conceded, pulling Ava back into his grasp and draping his arm around her waist.

  Ava was gobsmacked. She had tried her damnedest to make him as uncomfortable as she was, and he had simply shrugged it off. What the hell is wrong with him? Ava wondered as she walked along all wrapped up in him.

  Moments later Tyler was holding Ava’s door open for her as she slipped into the car. Tyler silently started the car. A strange sense of melancholy settled over the car as they edged closer to town. Tyler changed the radio and some sad melody played softly, but it was quickly interrupted by the loud screeching music coming from Tyler’s phone.

  Ava reached into the front pocket of his hoodie that she was wearing and pulled the phone out, holding it in her hand.

  “Who is it?” Tyler asked nervously, his eyes never leaving the road. One traffic violation a day was more than enough for him.

  Quickly Ava flipped the phone over. “Um, it’s a number. Did you want to answer it? I can put it on speaker.”

  “You sure?” he said reluctantly.

  Ava didn’t answer but instead just accepted the call and clicked on the speaker function. “Tyler!” a deep voice boomed through the phone. Suddenly aware that she might be intruding on a personal conversation Ava focused her sights out the window.

  “Hi,” Tyler offered, his voice wavering slightly.

  “Where the fuck are you?” the voice roared angrily. “You were supposed to be here two hours ago.”

  “Ah, shit,” Tyler muttered. “Sorry, Jonathan. I had something urgent come up that I had to take care of,” Tyler confessed, sneaking a look at Ava.

  “Something you had to do, hey?”

  “Yeah, sorry, man. I can be there in half an hour?” Tyler suggested.

  With a huff, the voice agreed and Tyler quickly ended the call before turning his attentions back to Ava. “Look, Ava, I’m so sorry—” he began, but this time it was Ava’s turn to cut him off.

  “Tyler, please don’t. It’s okay. I know you didn’t plan on having lunch with me,” Ava admitted with all the fake strength and resilience that she could conjure.

  Ten minutes later a very bewildered and disappointed Ava stood in the driveway and watched Tyler drive away. Releasing a deep breath Ava hadn’t even realised she was holding, she watched as Tyler turned the corner and vanished out of sight. It was only four o’clock and Ava was torn between right and wrong. Should she climb the stairs and face the ever growing mountain of paperwork, or give in and head home early? Since Tyler’s unexpected arrival, her whole day had been thrown into chaos, and she was under no illusions that it wouldn’t continue.

  “Fuck it,” Ava swore under her breath as she stuffed her hand deep into her bottomless handbag searching for her car keys. Moments later Ava was sliding behind the wheel of her beat up silver Mazda and willing the engine to life. As it coughed and spluttered, Ava couldn’t control the snort as she realised just how far she’d fallen in a matter of minutes. From Tyler’s prestigious all leather, all creature comforts and every gadget invented car to her own battered and bruised Mazda. Pushing the thought from her mind, Ava slipped the car into gear and headed home.

  By the time she made it into the parking lot of her shoebox apartment she had no idea how she’d gotten there. She’d completely forgotten the forty-five minute traffic congestion she’d fought through while she daydreamed her way home. The frustrating part was she couldn’t even recall the daydream she’d had that had gotten her there.

  Bumping her way through the front door, she kicked off her shoes and sank into the threadbare carpet. It wasn’t comforting and relaxing but after spending the last two years in the same apartment, Ava knew what to expect, and that alone brought her comfort. “Honey, I’m home,” Ava called out sarcastically, knowing there was no one there to answer her—not even a cat.

  Instead she padded across the blood red shag pile rug, her only decorating indulgence, and flopped heavily into her favourite oversized armchair. Rubbing her eyes roughly with her hands, Ava allowed herself, for the first time since this crazy day began, a chance to look back and soak it all in. “Seriously,” she said five minutes later. “Tyler fucking Andrews!”

  With a shake of her head Ava sat up and ripped her shirt over her head and tossed it on the floor. She didn’t want to look at it anymore. She knew it bore the evidence of today’s humiliation and right now Ava just didn’t want to deal with it. She just wanted to pretend like it didn’t happen. Well, at least the embarrassing bits.

  As she stalked down the hallway, pausing only to flick her iPod onto shuffle, she stripped off her clothes, leaving a trail all the way to the bathroom. By the time her underwear hit the floor, Ava’s voice bounced off the walls, her off pitch singing drowning out Beyonce’s soulful tones.

  Standing in the steamy shower, Ava sung her heart out, trying to distract her racing mind. In a vain attempt to drown her thoughts, Ava sang louder and more off key with each song. When the water finally started to cool, Ava stepped from the shower and wrapped the thick white towel around her body and stood in front of the mirror. That’s when Ava realised she couldn’t hide anymore. There was nowhere to hide. As soon as she was trapped in her own gaze, reality hit her. From the coffee mishap, fainting, and dropping her brownie to spitting red wine across the table. And as humiliating as her day had been, the memory that made Ava want to crawl into a hole and die was the absolute and total shame that had consumed her when Tyler had caught her drooling like a love sick school girl. Granted that’s exactly what she’d been, but that didn’t mean that she wanted anyone to see it. Especially not Tyler. Quickly Ava averted her eyes and raced out of the bathroom and threw on her favourite yoga pants and sweater.

  Still unsure of herself and unable to pull her mind into any semblance of order, Ava wandered out to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water before collapsing on her bed with her iPad in hand. Her Kindle app was already open. Within minutes Ava was absorbed by a world of make-believe and happy endings. A world where Tyler Andrews no longer existed.

  Chapter 13

  Tyler

  Tyler was completely lost. His mind was consumed by Ava’s infectious blush, something she’d done more than any girl he’d ever known, which only intrigued him further. He sat in an ugly brown pleather tub chair, flipping idly through a trashy magazine while he waited. Tyler couldn’t stifle the chuckle that bubbled up from deep inside his chest as he read some of the headlines. Occasionally his name would be included, announcing he’d been spotted somewhere or done something, and more than likely there wasn’t a fact in sight. But the headlines that earned the heartiest laugh were those declaring a baby bump watch. When he checked the date, they were almost twelve months old and the women still showed no sign of a stroller. Tyler felt a strange reassurance surge through him. It wasn’t only his personal life they debated and got so spectacularly wrong.

  The minutes ticked by and Tyler’s frustration grew. It was bad enough he had been s
ummoned to appear, cutting short his afternoon, but then they kept him waiting when they knew he had to drive home before getting up to train before the sun tomorrow. Letting out a perturbed sigh, Tyler glanced at the clock ticking loudly on the wall above his head.

  “Seriously!” he muttered to no one in particular.

  After what felt like an eternity, but was really only about ten minutes, a short, wide man shuffled his tiny feet and stood in front of Tyler. Even sitting, Tyler towered over him and dominated the space.

  Extending his short stubby fingers with a crooked smile, he wheezed, “Afternoon, Tyler. Nice of you to find time to fit me in.”

  “Of course, Jonathan,” Tyler stated confidently, rising to his feet while his hand wrapped around Jonathan’s sweaty palm.

  “Come through. Would you like anything to drink?” Jonathan offered over his shoulder as he led Tyler down a sterile corridor.

  “I’m fine, thanks,” Tyler said stiffly, noticing the life-size print of himself plastered on the wall. Fuck that’s awkward. Tyler grimaced, turning away from his picture. Although he wasn’t exactly surprised that the picture was there, it still made him feel squeamish. Tyler had never liked his photo appearing anywhere—magazines, newspapers, and especially not office walls. And definitely not on that scale.

  As Jonathan hobbled into his cluttered office, Tyler’s eyes darted about. The whole office was buried by mountains of paper in varying shades of yellow. Jonathan squished his oversized body into the high-backed management chair which dominated the office. A chair chosen purely for its implication of prominence and importance. As Tyler sank into the worn foam, he heard the chair groan under his weight and Tyler swore silently, hoping it would hold out until he got out of there. Preferably as soon as possible.