by MJ Masucci
“Sam, you don’t seem to keen on Tim. What’s the matter?”
“I’ve seen him somewhere and I just can’t place it. Is he the best you can do?”
“I can’t believe you would say that to me! Would I ever say that to you about your boyfriend?”
Sam smirked at her. “Hell, no! Robert is freaking hot; besides, he’s your cousin. You would never say that about him.”
“Or any other guy you ever dated.”
“There is just something about Tim. I can’t put my finger on it.”
“Please, don’t make trouble. I like him.”
“Okay, okay. I promise to keep my mouth shut until I can figure out who he is.”
Ava walked away feeling uneasy. Sam might know Tim from somewhere and after what happened with Liam years ago, she was on alert.
Later she asked Tim to take her home, and they went to the roof of her building to watch the fireworks. You could see them on the Hudson River from there. As they watched, he held her back against him with his arms around her. She felt happy, but she wanted this relationship to move slowly. Maybe she wasn’t made to have relationships. Maybe she was meant to be alone. As she stood on the roof, she wondered what Xander was doing even though she was standing with Tim.
After fireworks, she invited him inside for coffee since this was the first time outside of camp they could really talk. Sitting in her living room, she realized that they had shared a perfect first date. He was cordial and polite to her family. He had hit it off with everyone except Sam. To go with the coffee, she warmed apple pie that she had baked earlier in the day and had forgotten to take to the party.
Tim helped her clean up and after they sat on the couch and talked. He told her about his family, and she told him about hers. In mid-sentence, he reached for her and began to stroke her cheek. Then he leaned in and started to kiss her. At first, her response was cold, but then she warmed to him. Their tongues danced with each other, and he put his arm around her waist pulling her closer to him. She felt a warm flush come over her that she had only felt with Xander. Maybe this is right. Or maybe this is wrong. She pulled away from him apologizing.
“I’m sorry, Tim. I like you a lot, but it’s been a long time, and I need to go slowly.”
“I understand, Ava. I will be patient with you, but don’t make me wait too long.”
He got up from her couch, kissed her forehead, and she followed him to the door. When he was out of her apartment, and the door was secured, she wondered, What exactly did he mean by not making him wait? That was a curious thing to say.
Chapter 7
Xander spent most of the holiday wandering the streets of Manhattan. He stopped by the hospital once again to visit his mother. She was asleep, and his father was not there. He kissed her cheek and left. He took a cab to his parent’s apartment in midtown. He had a key, and when he opened the door, his father was just coming out of the shower.
“Where were you all day? Your mother was worried. Did you at least see her before visiting hours ended?”
“Yes, Dad. I just saw her not long ago. She was asleep. Can I use the guest room tonight?”
“You don’t have to ask. Just make sure you leave the bathroom clean when you go. How long are you staying?”
“I guess after mom gets home and settled. When is she coming home?”
“If all goes well, she should be home tomorrow morning. You know Alexander, I know, and I’ve known for awhile now.”
Xander yawned and braced for the start of another argument. “Know what?”
“That you have been staying at Janelle’s for the past four years. I’ve known for a few years now.”
“How did you know?” He felt betrayed.
“Janelle’s mother told us. Gabby’s sister never could keep secrets. What I don’t understand is why you didn’t want us to know?”
“Because, it would be easier for you to not harbor this from Ava or any of the Keenes. I didn’t want you to have that burden.”
“It’s a burden you created. I want you to stop this already. Daniel told me she is dating someone now.”
Xander looked at him astonished. “Jacob said she wasn’t dating anyone and hasn’t for the last four years.”
“According to Daniel, she was taking him over to the barbecue today. Or do you want her to pine for you for the rest of her life?”
“Why do you care so much about whether she is dating or not?”
His father leaned in close to him. “Because whether you know it or not, I think she is your perfect match. I never saw you care about someone as much as her. You will regret it if you don’t let her back into your life.”
“She doesn’t want me. She told me before the accident.”
“That was out of anger, and you will never know if you don’t give her a chance.”
Peter Wilder went to his bedroom and closed the door leaving Xander to think about what he had said.
Xander had trouble sleeping that night. He was thinking about Ava. He had gotten his wish and seen her body. She had gained weight since they were last together and finally looked healthy again. Her body was more athletic than he remembered but she still had the same beautiful curves. He tossed and turned until the wee hours of the morning when sleep finally claimed him.
He had several dreams about her. One was about them marrying. He was at the altar, and she was walking towards him but she never quite made up the ground. Then poof, she disappeared, and he was left all alone. Another was her calling out to him, and he tried to find her. He couldn’t and he called for her then her voice stopped. He woke up to the sounds of his father walking down the hallway and decided he should get up since his mother was coming home today. He wanted to be there to help her.
“Good morning,” Xander said as he entered the kitchen. His father was making a pot of coffee.
“Did you sleep okay last night?”
“Not really. I had a lot on my mind.”
“You do need to make some decisions. Your mother and I would love to have you back in the city. Having Lidia in California is one child too many to be away from us. But you being upstate doesn’t help matters. Please think about coming back. You can always come back to the firm.”
Xander looked at him horrified.
“Dad, do you think I could honestly work around Ava? We would both be an emotional mess.”
Peter Wilder looked at his son. “Then do the right thing and go get her. Even if she doesn’t want to get back together at least, you will know.”
“And I would be devastated,” he mumbled. His father ignored him and served him a cup of coffee. As he drank it, he tried to decide his next move. He had a lot of thinking to do.
Xander spent the day with his parents. His mother got settled at home, and when he was sure she was okay, he prepared to leave. He packed his few belongings and kissed his mother goodbye. His father hugged him, and he set off to the Twelfth Street garage to get his truck. It had been there for two days, and he had a decent sized rental bill. On an attorney’s salary, it was no big deal, but he was no longer making that kind of money. He made decent wages at the lumberyard, but it was only a fifth of what he previously earned.
On the drive back to his cousin’s he hit traffic. It seemed that people were heading upstate to the lakes region for the rest of the weekend. He crawled northbound and was happy to see the sign for Saratoga Springs after more than five hours on the road. He had texted Janelle and let her know he was on his way. Pulling into the garage just before darkness fell, he went up to his apartment and was hit by stagnant heat when he opened the door. He immediately turned on his air conditioner and stood in front of it.
The old truck didn’t have A/C, and he sweated the whole drive in the ninety plus heat of July. He stripped and took a quick shower before exhaustion overtook him. He had missed two days, and made the two entries in the spiral notebook before putting it back on the pile. Tomorrow was Saturday, and he was off. He would call the lumber yard tomorrow to let t
hem know he was back and would be in Monday. He lay down on his bed, and he fell asleep so fast that he didn’t hear the ping of his phone indicating an incoming text.
The next morning he woke up at 5:00 AM. It was so much of a habit that he didn’t have to set his alarm. He listened closely and heard rain hitting the roof. He hated running in the rain when it was this hot. The heat would spiral mist of the hot, slick pavement. He decided against it and closed his eyes only to remain awake. He finally gave up and got up to make himself some coffee. It was a new day, and he got the notebook off the pile and wrote his entry. He checked his phone and saw that a text had come in the night before. The number was hers.
Why didn’t you see me?
He wasn’t sure if he should respond or delete it. In the end, he deleted it.
Chapter 8
Ava spent most of her weekend with Tim. The firm had given everyone off not only for the fourth but the fifth of July, too, making for a four-day weekend. She helped Tim get his apartment in order. He lived in Greenwich Village in a small one bedroom apartment that needed some artwork. While her cousin, Dani, had great pieces, it wasn’t cheap. Ava gifted a few to him without him knowing the price. She didn’t want him to think she was showing off her wealth if he didn’t think that already by seeing her large condo after the evening at the barbecue.
His new place had a small courtyard outside. It was cute, and some of the residents had planted some vegetables and flowers. There were a few bistro sized tables and chairs. Several trees threw shade over them, which made it comfortable to sit there during the afternoon.
Tim was careful not to overstep his bounds again when it came to physical contact. He chastely kissed and lightly hugged her, but he kept his hands to himself most of the time. She was glad he was respecting her wishes.
The next week was busy for Ava. She had taken on more hours after the holiday because the following week, she would only be working three days. She was leaving with Rachel on Saturday morning for Montreal. She was excited because she had never been to Canada. Fortunately, she had gotten a passport several years ago and kept it valid.
On Friday, she arrived home at her usual time of 1:30 PM and started to pack. Rachel had said that they would be doing some shopping and maybe go out to dinner. She packed one outfit for a fancy dinner, and the rest of her clothing was casual. She checked the weather in Montreal for the next few days, and it indicated that it would be cool in the evening. She made sure to pack a jacket or she would have to buy one. Next, she called Gage and asked if he could feed Riley and Boomer for the next few days. Her phone rang just as she hung up with him. Tim was calling.
“Hello, Tim.”
“What are you doing tonight?”
“I’m just going to take it easy. Why, did you have something in mind?”
“Since you’re going to be away for the next few days I would like to have dinner with you.”
Ava checked her watch. “I guess that would be okay. We are leaving early tomorrow, and I would like to get to bed before ten tonight.”
“How about we get some takeout? Is sushi alright?”
“Sure, I could go for some of that. Do you want to come over here?”
“Why don’t you come here? We can have dinner in the garden.”
Ava liked that idea, so she agreed to come to his apartment at 6:30. When she got there, he had just gotten back with dinner. They made their way out to the courtyard to sit under a tree at one of the tables.
“So what do you have planned in Montreal?”
“Rachel wants to do some shopping, and we will probably go out to dinner on Sunday. She isn’t meeting her client until Monday. I’ll probably tag along. I always wonder how she handles her elite clients. Now I will get to see firsthand.”
“Does she need you to go? I prefer that you stay here with me.”
“I haven’t spent a lot of time with Rachel recently. I want to go. You said you were fine with it.”
“I know what I said, but I would rather you stay here,” he threw back at her sarcastically.
Ava did not like how the conversation was going. It seemed that he wanted to dominate her time. “I’m sorry, but plans are already made and I don’t want to cancel at the last minute,” she stressed.
“That’s too bad because we could have spent the entire weekend together.”
Ava felt uncomfortable. Why was he trying to keep her here? “Tim, is there something you want to tell me?”
He scowled at her.
“No, why would you think that? I just want you to stay here with me. You spend a lot of time with your family. In another six weeks, I’ll be working the fall semester, and we won’t be able to spend a lot of time together. Don’t read into it, Ava.”
“I’m sorry. I should get home, though. I need to do a few things before I go to bed.” She rose from her chair expecting him to do the same. Instead, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down into the chair. She almost fell, and he loosened his grip without letting go.
“Hey, why did you do that?”
“It’s only eight o’clock. You don’t have to go to bed. Better yet, why don’t you stay with me tonight? You can leave early tomorrow morning,” he nearly groaned as he gave her a seductive stare.
“I think I better go. I’m not ready for what you are suggesting.”
“I’m not suggesting anything. I just want to be with you tonight.”
“It certainly sounds like you are suggesting something and I don’t feel comfortable with it.”
“I promise we won’t do anything. I just want to hold you tonight. What happened to building a relationship with me?”
“We’ve only been on one date, and you promised to take it slow with me.”
“And I have, but it’s hard not to want to be with you.”
Ava again rose from her chair, and she removed his hand from her wrist. “I have to go. We can talk about this when I get back.”
Tim reluctantly agreed and walked her out to the street where he hailed a cab. “Call or text me to let me know where you are during the day.” It sounded more like a demand than a request. She didn’t say anything but just nodded a little as she crawled into the back seat.
On the cab ride home, she was bewildered by his attitude. She would be sure to discuss it with Rachel tomorrow to see what she thought.
The next day, she woke up at 5:00 AM. Rachel was picking her up at 6:30. The drive to Montreal would take almost seven hours, and they wanted to get there to have a late lunch. She quickly showered, fed the boys and did a last minute check of her clothing, cosmetics, and toiletries. During the scan, she realized that she had forgotten to pack something for sleeping. She went through her drawer, and her hand grasped a t-shirt, his t-shirt. Despite how upset she was about his leaving her, she had started sleeping in it when she found it in the suitcase he had brought to her apartment.
In the beginning, it smelled of him and his cologne. She wore it until only her scent remained and then she washed it. She realized that his smell had disappeared as quickly as he had. It had become threadbare in spots, but she cherished it the way a child would cherish their favorite stuffed toy. She couldn’t wear it in Montreal. She was sharing a room with Rachel, and the fabric had become so thin that you could see through it. Instead, she chose a couple of pairs of lightweight pajamas. Rachel had seen her in these during many of their girl sleepovers so it wouldn’t be a surprise.
At exactly 6:25, Rachel texted her that she was waiting in front of her building. Ava hugged the two cats and lugged her bag to the elevator. She thought maybe she over packed, and she probably had.
The heat was already oppressive, and Ava was glad that they would be going northward. The temperatures would probably cool as they got closer to Canada.
Rachel greeted her warmly and asked, “How are you this fine morning?”
“You’re chipper this morning.”
“I have no idea why. I haven’t had coffee this morning.”
“W
hy not? You always have two cups before you get your day started.”
Rachel looked at her not sure if she should reveal the secret she was holding. But it turned out that she didn’t have to say a word.
Ava clamped her hand over her mouth.
“No! Are you kidding me? When did you find out?”
“I’ve only known for a couple of weeks now,” she said apologetically. “I’m sorry for not telling you. I know how hard it is for you.”
“Rachel, I’m used to it. Look at everyone around me. Sandra, Brooke, Alicia and now you. It’s a part of life I cannot share, but that doesn’t mean I’m not happy for you.”
“Thank you for saying that. Rigo is worried and said this would be the last trip that I would be taking before the baby is born. I told him not to be ridiculous. I’m only two months along, and we have more clients than he can travel to alone. We have a business to run, and the doctor said I could fly up to my eighth month as long as I have no complications. I think he is getting ahead of himself.”
“Just take it easy, Rachel, you know how you get when it comes to work. You can’t work late and get little sleep. That’s not good for the baby.”
“I know, I promise. Are we all ready to go?”
“I am if you are.”
Rachel pulled the Volvo SUV out into the almost empty street and navigated to the highway. The roads were clear at this early hour. With little traffic, Rachel was able to get to the halfway mark by 9:40 AM. That was when the trouble started.
The SUV started to shudder upon acceleration. Rachel slowed down to see if the vehicle would stabilize, but when she did the engine started to smoke. She pulled over, and they both jumped out worried about an engine fire. When she went to open the hood, Ava pulled her away.