by Amity Hope
Ava arched an eyebrow at him. “So dragging me off to my bedroom was all part of your big plan?” she asked with mock indignation.
Gabe grinned. “Maybe I didn’t plan it as much as I simply hoped for it. But that’s irrelevant because the way I remember, it ended up being you dragging me to bed.” Before she could come up with a comeback to that he wiggled the gift. “Here, open it.”
She did as she was told, smiling the entire time because last night, tearing that wall down, had changed Gabe somehow. Now that there were no secrets, now that he wasn’t holding back, he was just as she remembered him.
He was himself and not some guarded, worried stranger.
Her eyes sparkled with delight. “I love it! It’s perfect!” she said as she held up the shiny black helmet with pink, glittery stripes swirling around the sides. “You didn’t need to do this, though. I didn’t mean to have a fit the other day.”
He looked at her with mock solemnity. “You didn’t exactly throw a fit. But yes, I did need to, because you’re not riding with me without it. And also,” he added, looking a little sheepish, “I missed your birthday. So maybe we can consider it a belated birthday present.”
“How do you know that?”
“Molly,” Gabe told her. “She made it perfectly clear to me that it was the most miserable birthday of your life and that I should do what I could to make it up to you.”
Ava groaned. “Sorry. Molly gets a little assertive sometimes.”
He shrugged. “I don’t mind. She told me your birthday was the first week of June. Right after…”
She nodded. “Yeah, you disappeared the week before graduation. My birthday was just a few days after that. That whole timeframe is kind of a blur. Not something I would ever want to relive. So I guess, in a way, I can relate to why you don’t want your memory back.”
He nudged her. “Enough about all that. Try it on.”
She did and it was a perfect fit. “This is one of the best presents ever.”
“Just one of them?” he asked, trying to look offended as she took it off again. “What could be better than a helmet? A lot of thought went into that helmet and it has one of the most important jobs I could imagine.”
“Well, this is nice and I’m pretty attached to it,” she said as her fingers glided across the infinity pendant he had given her what felt like far too long ago.
It was shaped like an S with a small, light pearl nestled into the top crook and a larger, dark pearl nestled into the crook at the bottom. It rested on the chain next to the cross.
“That’s from me?” he asked, his forehead creased. He lifted his finger up, letting it trace the shape.
She nodded and his face smoothed out as he smiled.
“Good. I’ve noticed you almost never take that off, either.” Then his face became a little more serious. “So, I have something to tell you. Let’s say that that gift was ‘good news’.”
“What do you mean by that?” she asked, clearly suspicious.
“I mean,” Gabe said warily, “that now I am following it with bad news. Well, hopefully not bad. Just questionable.”
“Questionable news?” Ava parroted. “What is it?”
“We’re having dinner with your parents tonight. Surprise,” he flatly intoned.
“We’re what? Why? Why would you know that?!”
“Your mom stopped by. If you look in the kitchen, there’s a pan of lemon bars.” He paused before amending, “Half a pan of lemon bars, now.”
“Ohhhh,” Ava groaned as she raked her hands through her hair. “What did you tell her?”
Gabe looked a little too nervous for Ava’s liking. “Actually, I didn’t tell her much of anything.”
Ava narrowed her eyes at him. “Are you sure it was my mom then? Because believe me, my mom would’ve had a hundred questions to throw at you.”
“I think she was distracted,” Gabe admitted.
“By…?”
“Well, see, I was in the shower when she came, so I didn’t hear her come in. When I came out, those,” he said as he pointed to the rather large pile of shopping bags with the logo of a men’s store clearly visible, “apparently had caught her eye. So I didn’t really have to tell her anything. She just kind of figured it out.”
“Oh my gosh,” Ava moaned.
“I almost blew it. At that point, I had no idea who she was. I mean, she looks nothing like you,” he admitted. He recalled how startled he’d been to see a short, plump, auburn-haired woman standing in front of him staring at the results of his impromptu shopping expedition. “Then I remembered that you’d told me you were adopted and of course, it made sense that you didn’t look like her. So I realized it had to be your mom because who else would it be?”
“Did she realize that you didn’t remember her?”
“Uh, no. I think she was too flustered by the fact that I was standing in your living room wearing nothing but a towel.”
“Gabe!” Ava groaned again. “Tell me you’re joking. Tell me you made that up.”
“I would. If I hadn’t just told you last night that I wasn’t ever going to lie to you again. And if I told you your mom hadn’t been here, that would definitely be a lie.”
Ava jumped up and started pacing. “I knew I’d have to tell them sometime. I just wasn’t ready yet because honestly, they’re going to freak. I didn’t want them to find out like this. What am I going to do?” she whimpered.
“I don’t know,” Gabe said as he glanced at the clock. “But dinner is at six-thirty so we’ve got less than two hours to figure it out.”
“In the meantime, we should probably get this stuff put away,” Ava said as she pointed to Gabe’s new wardrobe.
“You know, it occurred to me on the way home that the money I’ve been using for everything; my clothes, the motorcycle, dinners out, it all came from Azael. I decided not to spend any more of it. It feels wrong. Like dirty money, probably because it is dirty money,” he mumbled. “And I realize that it’s a little late to be thinking that way since I already spent most of it but I did decide not to spend any more of it. In fact,” he admitted, “I donated the rest.”
Ava nodded slowly. “I think that was a good idea, actually. Who did you donate it to?”
He leaned over and kissed her nose. “Can’t tell you. I did it anonymously and I plan for it to stay that way. Now, how do you think this dinner is going to go?”
***
As it turned out, dinner went well. Right up until the point when Leah asked her daughter if there was anything she would like to share and Ava had frowned and said, “No. Not particularly,” causing Leah to frown right back at her.
Daniel St. Clair had looked between his wife and daughter before allowing his gaze to settle on Gabe. “So, Gabe,” he began, “what brings you back to town?”
“Ava,” was Gabe’s simple answer. Gabe had only met her parents a few times. They did not know each other well. Because of this, they’d decided they could probably make it through dinner without having to mention the complication of his memory loss.
“Oh,” was Daniel’s simple reply as he took another bite of his ham. Gabe had hoped that would be the end of it. Of course, it wasn’t. “How is work going?” Daniel asked after a bit. “Are you still enjoying your work at the radio station?”
“I’m not actually working there anymore, sir,” he replied, not able to look at Daniel.
He didn’t need to see his face to hear the surprise in his voice. “I wasn’t aware of that. May I ask why not?”
Gabe steeled himself, finally looking Ava’s dad in the eye. “I’ve had a falling out with my family, sir.” He paused, weighing his words carefully. “We’ve had several disagreements lately. My father and brother follow some business practices that I, myself, am not particularly comfortable with. I thought it would be best if I distanced myself from them.”
“I see,” Daniel said as he took another bite and thoughtfully chewed.
“I’m sorry to hear that,�
�� Leah said. And to Gabe, she did sound sorry. “Family problems are never easy to deal with. It’s unfortunate but if I correctly understand your implications about your family, then perhaps it’s for the best.”
“It is,” Ava quickly assured her.
“Where are you working these days?” Daniel wondered.
Gabe’s face clouded over as he glanced at Ava, she gave him a nod of encouragement. “At the moment, sir, nowhere.”
“Are you looking for employment?” Leah wondered.
“Mom,” Ava cut in, “he just got back. Give him some time, okay?”
“Tell me about the living arrangement,” Leah demanded, taking a more direct approach this time.
“He’s staying with me,” Ava said as she shoved her mashed potatoes around on her plate.
“For how long?” Leah asked, keeping her voice as even as she could.
Ava gave her mom an apologetic smile. “Indefinitely.”
“I don’t think so,” Leah said, already shaking her head. “Ava, that’s not a good idea. You are far too young—”
“Oh, Mom,” she interrupted. “Please don’t even go there. I’m eighteen.”
“Exactly my point!”
“And I want him there,” Ava firmly replied.
“Of course you do,” Leah said in a tone that was surprisingly understanding. “However, that doesn’t make it a wise choice.”
“So, what? I’m just supposed to kick him out? Because that’s not going to happen.”
“Ava, maybe—,” Gabe started but Ava cut him off.
“No, Gabe, you’re not going anywhere,” she firmly told him. He’d already made the offer to move out. He didn’t want to cause problems but Ava knew there was no way around it. Her parents would never approve of the living arrangement but she didn’t approve of him leaving. Not unless he truly wanted to and she didn’t think that was the case. His current offer was made from nothing more than guilt. Or a sudden, newly minted and somewhat inconvenient, desire to do the right thing.
“Then maybe you should think of moving back home for a while and Gabe could stay at the cabin,” Daniel suggested.
Ava shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
“Ava, you know we do not condone cohabitating before marriage it’s just not right.”
“Ugh, Mom, can’t you just say ‘living together’? We’re living together. That’s it.” She knew better than to point out that people did it all the time because then her parents would simply point out that she was not just anybody. She was their daughter and they expected more out of her.
“Regardless of what you want to call it,” her dad began, “you know it’s something that we can’t approve of. Possibly if you had separate bedrooms but Ava, you don’t,” her dad gave her a look that implied what he was too polite to say at the dinner table. “So even if Gabe is sleeping on the couch it still makes us very uncomfortable.”
“Oh, Ava,” her mother lamented as she noticed the guilty look on her daughter’s face.
Did they honestly think Gabe was sleeping on the couch? Ava wondered and then realized that yes, yes they probably did because that was the way she was raised. The revelation had her feeling even more guilty than she had initially. “He’s too tall for the couch. I’m too tall for the couch!” she tried to reason.
“So you’re sleeping in the same bed?” her dad asked, his face had suddenly turned an unhealthy shade of gray.
“Dad! It’s not like that!”
“Maybe not yet but—”
“Mom! We’re not discussing this! We’re not discussing the sleeping arrangements. I’m sorry,” Ava said carefully, “I don’t mean to be disrespectful but I am eighteen. And the cabin is mine. Grandpa left it to me.”
“Your grandpa would feel the same way we do, Ava, you know that,” Leah reminded her.
Ava did know that. Her grandpa had been a pastor as well and she hated the idea of disappointing him as much as she hated the idea of disappointing her parents. Yet, while it bothered her, asking Gabe to leave bothered her more. If only she could explain everything to her parents, then maybe they would understand but there was no way that was going to happen. It was all just too…unbelievable. If she tried, she was sure she’d sound like a loony farm escapee—or a delusional, pathological liar—and neither of those options would help matters.
“Don’t you think out of respect for your grandpa, you ought to rethink this?” Leah wondered as she set her fork down. She was starting to lose her calm and it was noticeable in the slight rise of her tone.
Gabe had been listening to the verbal volleying in silence. He hated knowing that it was because of him that Ava was having such a heated argument with her parents.
Ava released a deep breath. “Look, I’m sorry that this isn’t what you want from me. I get that you’re disappointed. I get that this isn’t what you had envisioned from me. But things are complicated and Gabe’s not going anywhere. I’m an adult. I’m making my own choices. I’m sorry that you don’t agree with it but really, right now, there’s nothing I can do about it. That’s all there is to it.”
“Complicated how?” Leah demanded. “Because he doesn’t have a job?” She turned to Gabe. “Are you even looking for a job or are you just going to live off of my daughter? Or perhaps you’re just going to disappear again?”
Ava gasped because that was one of the harshest things she’d ever heard her mom say. Leah was usually so calm and polite.
“I—,” Gabe started to say, his expression showing the guilt he felt.
Ava put her hand up to stop him. “No. You don’t have to say anything. This conversation is over.” She got to her feet and pulled Gabe with her. “Mom, I know you’re not happy with me right now but you can’t talk to him that way. I’m sorry you don’t like my decision but I need to ask you to respect it. I’m an adult and it’s my choice to make. I hope that someday you can accept it but if you can’t, I understand. It still doesn’t change anything because it’s my decision.” The words came out sounding rehearsed because, truthfully, they were. She’d thought about what to say and had decided that little speech summed things up quite nicely.
“Ava Louise St. Clair,” her mother said, fighting to keep her voice calm, “you sit back down!”
“No,” Ava said, “I don’t think I will. Come on Gabe,” she said as she tugged him toward the door.
She heard her mother’s chair scrape harshly across the floor. It was followed by the soothing sound of her father’s voice urging her to just let them go. Ava could hear him softly explain that now didn’t seem to be a good time. No need to continue the conversation when everyone’s emotions were so high.
“Louise?” Gabe asked with a snicker when they were safely driving away. “Seriously?”
“Don’t even start,” Ava said but a smile tugged at her lips.
“You know, your parents are right,” Gabe admitted.
“About what part?” Ava wondered with a sinking heart.
“Well, probably most of it, actually. But I was thinking about the fact I don’t have a job. I really should get one,” he said glumly. “But I have no idea what I can do. I have a feeling I didn’t really work before. Probably not ever. What would I say during an interview? Yes, I’ve had experience running heinous errands for my father who happened to be a demon. Please, let me deliver your pizzas?”
“Probably not,” Ava agreed. The very thought of Gabe delivering pizzas seemed completely preposterous.
This wasn’t the first time the thought had crossed his mind. He knew he probably should be getting a job. However, Ava’s reluctance to let him leave her side sort of hindered that endeavor. Unless he chose to wrap himself up in a pink apron and work side by side with her at The Sugar Shack, he’d been fairly certain she wouldn’t have been happy with the idea. He’d used that as his excuse. But Leah had a point and he couldn’t be making excuses any longer.
“So,” he said as he cleared his throat, “now that I gave all of my money away, I�
�m not sure how long that tank of gas or those groceries we got the other day will last. I should probably start looking.” He paused, looking thoughtful. “How do you even get a job, anyway?”
Chapter 16
“Were they furious?” Molly wanted to know.
Ava grimaced as she dumped another packet of sugar into her tea. “Not furious so much as a little shocked and a whole lot disappointed. I haven’t talked to either of my parents since then. I figure I’ll wait for them to call me. In the meantime, it’ll give them a chance to cool off. Or at least get used to the idea.”
Despite the fact that her parents were upset, it was worth it to go to sleep tucked into Gabe’s arms and to wake up the same way. She had no doubt if she could do that every day for the rest of her life, she would never tire of it.
Molly nodded as she dragged her onion ring through some ketchup. She’d known Ava since kindergarten and had been spending time with her family for nearly as long. “At least it’s out in the open now.”
“Right,” Ava said. She glanced at the clock hanging over the bar at Cheaters. She only had ten more minutes left of her lunch break. Then only a few more hours left of her workday. At the start of the summer she had nearly begged for extra hours and Becky had complied. She had been desperate for something, anything to keep her busy. Now that Gabe was back, she was wishing for more time off. Which she would finally have, after today.
She pushed her salad around, swirling a cucumber through the dressing but not bothering to eat it. “They also aren’t happy that he’s not working.”
“I wondered about that,” Molly admitted. “Why doesn’t he just go back to the radio station?”