She found herself thinking about Marcus as the afternoon progressed. He was such a charming little boy in spite of his obviously being a street kid. From the little he told her it sounded like he lived with his grandmother. Maybe he was too much for the woman to handle, especially if she was elderly. But then again, it seemed like grandmothers were getting younger and younger these days. Just two consecutive generations of teenage pregnancy would make for grandmothers under forty. Still, any child was the main responsibility of his parents. Where were they, she wondered. Did they know what their son was doing? Marcus didn’t look like the rebellious type, and even she had been able to control him last night.
“Ava.”
She looked up. Woody was waving her hands frantically in an exaggerated effort to get her attention, although she stood only about three feet away.
“I’ve been talking to you for five minutes,” Woody said. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, of course. I was just…” Her voice trailed off as she was unable to come up with an explanation for being distracted. “What is it?”
“I was asking you about Catherine’s party.”
“Oh. It was nice. You wouldn’t believe her house.” Ava launched into a description of it, glad to have something else to think about than the troubling situation with Marcus and her own unexplained concern about his welfare.
*****
Woody left promptly at three, and Ava spent the rest of the day confirming arrangements she had made for her friend Vicky Sanders’ wedding, to be held the following weekend. Vicky was marrying Danny Graves, who had been her first love back in high school. College had taken them down separate paths, and eventually they’d each married other people; but Fate brought them back together when Danny’s grandfather died shortly after Vicky and her daughter had returned to live with her parents in Nile Beach. They rekindled their romance, and Vicky relocated to North Carolina to be with him. The wedding was going to be held the following Friday at a private club owned by Kendall’s husband. Ava and Kendall were both attendants, as they had been on Vicky’s first trip down the aisle, and Ava had coordinated the entire affair as a gift to her lifelong friend.
Ava looked up expectantly when the bell jingled at ten minutes to six, indicating someone had entered the salon. She’d gladly close up a few minutes early if Kendall was ready to go; she’d only had a few browsers all afternoon.
But it was not Kendall who stood looking at the shop’s decor; it was Hilton White. Surely he’d come to see her, why else would he come to a bridal shop? The thought made her feel all warm and tingly inside.
After her surprise subsided she decided to have a little fun with him. “Good afternoon, sir. How can I help you?” she asked, as if she’d never seen him before in her life. But she was unable to keep the broad smile off her face, though, and when she finished speaking she burst out laughing.
He joined in, the sound rich and deep. “I thought you might need a ride home, since your car’s not working.”
“Oh…that was thoughtful. I really could use a ride, too.”
“What did you find out about your car?”
“I won’t have any news ‘til Monday. They picked it up for me as a courtesy, but they won’t be working Saturdays until after New Year’s. Everybody’s slow right now, except the retailers. Well, most retailers.”
“How’s the bridal business?”
She shrugged. “Slow, but my time is coming. It always does. Just give me a minute to close up.”
“Sure, take your time.”
It only took a moment to empty out the cash register; she’d bring the money back with her Tuesday morning. As she closed the drawer, the bell jingled again and Kendall walked in. Of course, Ava remembered; she’d asked Kendall to give her a ride home. Good heavens, she’d forgotten all about her friend the moment Hilton walked in.
“Hi, Kendall,” Ava said quickly. “I have it for you back here.” She gestured for an obviously puzzled Kendall to follow her to one the private showrooms, which she did after first giving a polite nod to Hilton.
“What’s going on?” Kendall hissed when they were alone. “There’s a ma-an in your shop. And a doggone good-looking one at that.”
“I didn’t know he was coming. Oh, Ken; I’m sorry.”
“Hmph. You should be sorry, turning me out so you can run off with somebody full of testosterone.”
“I’m sure if it had been you, you would have stuck by me and flatly refused his invitation.”
“Absolutely, my fair-weather friend,” Kendall replied with a straight face. Then she giggled. “Y’all have fun.”
“Good night,” Kendall called to Hilton as she breezed past him on her way out.
“Good night,” he answered, his head turning to avoid talking to air as she rushed by. Then he turned to face Ava. “Friend of yours?”
She nodded. “I would’ve introduced you, but she seemed to be in a hurry.”
“Didn’t she, though.”
They both looked up when the entry bell jingled a second time. Kendall reappeared, and flashing a sly smile she said, “Oh, I forgot to tell you, Ava. Spencer and I will save two seats at our usual table tonight in case you two don’t have any other plans. Hope to see you at the Sundowner. ‘Bye.” Then she was gone, this time for good.
“I’ve been to the Sundowner,” Hilton remarked. “Nice place. Your friend must have pull to rate her own table.”
“She does. She’s married to the owner.” Ava took her purse and keys. “Let’s go.”
Outside, Hilton pulled the steel latticework gate across the entry and large display window, which featured a bride, honor attendant, bridesmaid and flower girl in the latest spring wedding attire. Standing a few feet behind him, Ava noted that he did fill out his faded but crisply creased jeans well, as she had speculated he would. His waist-length dark brown leather jacket allowed a clear view of his rear end, which rivaled that of the best built pro football player.
“I was going to offer you some dinner,” he said rather matter-of-factly as he opened the passenger door of his Pathfinder. “I know they serve food at the Sundowner. Would you like to go over there a little later?”
Ava hedged. Hilton’s asking her out was something she wanted—and because he’d made his interest clear last night, something she’d expected—but she had a visual flash of Catherine reminding her she’d seen him first. She didn’t want to be disloyal to a friend, but on the other hand she was sensible enough to know that if he’d wanted to take Catherine out he would have asked her. And his saying he planned to invite her for something to eat anyway made her feel good; she didn’t want to think the only reason he’d asked was in response to Kendall’s blatantly transparent attempt at matchmaking. Honestly, ever since that girl had gotten married she was determined to match up the whole world! She’d practically told Hilton he had an unblocked path to her attentions.
The last of her doubts dissolved when she felt his strong hands guiding her intimately by her waist into the high-sitting vehicle. “Um…you really don’t have to do that, Hilton.”
“You seemed to be having trouble last night.”
“That’s because I was wearing heels. I’ve got flats on today.” At his hurt expression, she quickly added, “But that was a very kind gesture on your part. Thank you.”
He started to close the car door, then opened it a hair. “About tonight,” he said before closing it and walking around to the driver’s side.”
Ava waited until he was seated behind the wheel before acknowledged his reminder. “About eight?” she asked, almost shyly.
“I’ll be there.”
Chapter 4
As they drove up Main Street, Ava caught sight of Marcus rounding the corner onto Calhoun Street. Her head jerked sharply, and she leaned forward and to the right as the Pathfinder closed the distance so she could look back until she lost sight of him. Did he live on that street, she wondered. It was possible. Marcus was hardly a rich kid, and Ava knew that in the
area beyond the historic district the houses became smaller and rambling from front to back—‘shotgun’ houses, so named because a shot fired through the front door would travel down the long hallway and ultimately come out the back door.
“You all right?”
“Hilton’s voice made Ava realize she was still leaning forward and staring out the window. She sat back in her seat. “I’m fine. I just saw somebody I know. You caught me being nosy.” And if I had my car I would have followed him.
Ava didn’t understand why she was so curious about a street kid. Maybe it was because in the brief time she had spent with him she sensed that under the tough persona was an eight-year-old with the fun-loving and curious instincts of any other boy his age. She had a good idea of who was making him steal, but what she wanted to know was why.
“You’re awfully quiet, Ava. Want to talk about it?”
She blinked, then glanced out the window. They were a block away from her house. “I’m sorry, Hilton. I’m not a space cadet, honest.”
They were at a red light, and Hilton leaned in close, making Ava’s breath catch in her throat. “Tell you what,” he said, his voice low and intimate. “I’ll let you off the hook if you promise not to let your mind wander when I pick you up…” he glanced at the digital clock on the dashboard…“just under two hours from now.”
Ava smiled at him warmly, delighted that he was so understanding. “Thanks a lot. And I promise, tonight I’ll be all yours.”
The words were out before she was able to think about the phrasing. Mortified, she closed her eyes and shook her head for a moment at her gaffe, then faced Hilton sheepishly. She simply shrugged her shoulders and said, “You know what I mean.” He continued to smile at her, and Ava’s embarrassment changed to defiance. She held his gaze, stubbornly not averting her eyes from the smoldering, seductive look that left no doubts of his interpretation of her ill-chosen words. Her strategy was successful—he eventually took on a more innocent ‘aw shucks’ expression—but her right palm turned pale from gripping the arm rest so tightly.
*****
Ava was surprised at the wonderful time she was having. She usually dreaded the holiday season; it only served to remind her how much was missing from her life. But in spite of the obligatory Christmas tree, mistletoe and lights strung along the main stems of the miniature palm trees, the mood at the Sundowner was more nostalgic than anything else. Prime Cut, consisting of four men and two women, specialized in finger-popping rhythms and classic ballads dating back to the seventies—the same music, Ava thought wryly, that was turning up on the radio today, re-covered by contemporary artists in what were usually pallid recordings; or in television ads, selling everything from cars to household products.
Being with Kendall and Spencer always guaranteed a good time…and a good seat. They had the best table in the house, on a platform with an unobstructed view of both the dance floor and adjacent bandstand. Kendall was her usual effervescent self, while Spencer’s more subdued demeanor was a perfect complement.
Ava double-dated with her friends whenever she happened to be seeing someone, and while it had always been fun, she couldn’t help noticing that Hilton fit in like he’d known them all for years. It made her feel good.
The band played a lot of old-school favorites, and they all recounted what they were doing when the particular song came out…provided they remembered it. Spencer broke them up with his memory of having a Jheri curl as an adolescent and staining the back of his father’s favorite easy chair with the moisture from the activator.
The band shifted into a ballad, and Hilton wordlessly held out his hand to Ava. Suddenly there was no one else in the room, and, her hand in his, he led her to the dance floor.
Neither of them spoke during the dance, which suited Ava fine. She wanted to savor being so close to him, being in his arms. The song, the Average White Band classic A Love of Your Own, was one of her favorite ballads. She liked the words. Getting a love of your own was simple, or at least it was according to the lyrics. Ava knew better, but how nice it was to believe it could be so easy.
She realized she it wasn’t her past that she missed, but the promise her youth had held, the hopes and dreams she’d lost so long ago. That was what she yearned for. It was all supposed to be so simple…fall in love, get married, have two-point-three children, settle down in a house in the same suburban atmosphere in which she’d grown up with a picket fence, an SUV with three rows of seats and a family-friendly dog like Khufu. A nice thought for sure, but for her it was more than difficult; it was impossible.
Eyes closed, Ava threaded her arms under Hilton’s armpits and rested her palms on his shoulders as she moved to the music, letting the emotional burden she’d carried for so many years dissolve in the simple joy of being in his arms. She was careful to keep enough distance between them to not allow the front of their bodies to touch. She was relieved that Hilton didn’t try to pull her closer. Not only was he handsome, but he was witty and a gentleman to boot. She actually knew very little about Hilton White other than those three attributes, but what she knew so far she certainly liked.
*****
“That was fun,” Ava remarked when they were back in his truck on the way home.
“Yeah, it was. You’ve got nice friends.”
“The best. Kendall and I go way back, all the way to high school. We both grew up in Nile Beach.” She turned her head to face him, suddenly remembering something. “You probably ought to talk to her and Spencer about your work. They’re going to be building a house.”
“Where are they in terms of construction?”
“It hasn’t started yet; they’re still working on the plans. I think it’s safe to say nothing will be happening before the spring.”
“Looking for the perfect set of blueprints, huh?”
“Kendall’s very fussy. She’s got to have an island in her kitchen, a split bedroom arrangement, plenty of closets…”
“I studied architecture years ago,” he remarked.
“Did you?”
“Yes. I might be able to help them out. I’m glad it’s not a rush situation, though. I’ve pretty much got my hands full right now. It’ll probably be like this straight through Christmas.”
“Business is booming, ay?”
“I certainly can’t complain. Then again, that’s one reason why I came here. A bunch of old houses being refurbished, plus new construction. It’s an ideal place for my services. Sometimes it does gets a little crazy, since I can only do so much at a time.”
“Sounds like you could use an assistant,” Ava said.
“Not me, thanks. I like things just the way they are. I have no interest in expanding.”
Ava glanced at him sharply, but his expression was impassive. Hilton White was clearly content with the status quo. She put his age at about forty. He had plenty of work years left, and she found herself curious about his lack of ambition. Once again she acknowledged that she knew practically nothing about the man with whom she’d just had a date—but this time she conceded that maybe her lack of knowledge about him wasn’t such a great thing. She’d heard her whole life from her parents how important it was to be the best you could be and to keep reaching; it amazed her that he could be content with staying at the same level indefinitely and maybe forever. She could just imagine what her seemingly always critical mother would have to say about that.
Hilton pulled the Pathfinder parallel to the sidewalk in front of Ava’s house. He quickly got out and came around to the passenger side. When the door was open he took her hand, but instead of helping her down gently, in a sudden movement he pulled her entire body forward into his arms. Holding her tightly against him, he swung her around twice while she let out a sound halfway between laughter and a shriek. Ava was well proportioned but had never been thin, even as a teenager, and even now she weighed one-hundred-and-thirty-eight pounds—not overweight but far from model thin—but Hilton spun her like she was weightless.
When
he stopped she found herself flush against his front. Because he held her at his height level they were face to face, and her arms remained around his neck, where they had instinctively gone when he swung her. Perhaps she should just let go, even if it meant an awkward drop to the ground.
At that moment Hilton began to lower her. Ava straightened her legs, which had been bent at the knees, in preparation for landing on the ground, but Hilton was letting her down at a snail’s pace. Her wool blazer was open, as was his leather jacket; and she could feel the outline of his engorged flesh through the fabric of his trousers as he slowly slid her past his groin, leaving no doubt as to his desire.
At last Ava’s feet were on the ground. As she descended she released her arms from the sink-or-swim hold around his neck, but continued to hold on to his shoulders with her hands, then slid down to rest on his upper arms. She merely looked up at him, hypnotized by his bold action and his stare of open longing and feeling powerless to speak or move…until Hilton’s face moved forward, when she raised her chin, lips parted in eager anticipation.
His kiss was as slow and deliberate as his lowering of her body against his had been, his tongue lingering as it outlined her lips before pressing inside her mint-scented mouth. Ava’s grip on his biceps tightened as she united her tongue with his, not caring that she was visibly trembling.
Hilton’s fingers stroked the back of her neck, then threaded the tapered strands of hair at her nape. Ava hadn’t realized how sensitive the flesh of her neck was until she felt his fingers caressing her…or perhaps it was simply because Hilton knew how to touch her in a way that maximized her pleasure.
Their lips separated with a soft smacking sound, but Hilton did not release her, nor did Ava desire to back out of his embrace. She did feel she needed to say something to break the silence.
“Would you like to come in?” she asked haltingly.
He responded with his mysterious smile. “Very much,” he replied, his expression becoming serious. “But I think it’s best if I go. I might remember your telling me you’d be all mine tonight and forget myself.” He released her then, casually draping an arm around her shoulder as they walked toward her front door.
A Love of Her Own Page 4