by Paige Parker
As much as she wished she could have stayed home, tucked away in her bed and watching Lifetime movies while she licked her wounds, Ava knew she had to return to work. There were people at the rehab center with real wounds that needed healing and she couldn’t let her clients down. Besides the fact, Ethan had left his portion of the rent unpaid and Ava honestly couldn’t afford more than one day off of work without pay. Today would be an easy day anyway, she was seeing Lucas again. She tried her best to cover up her puffy eyes with makeup in her car’s review mirror before she took a big gulp of her coffee and got ready to walk into work. Ava plastered a fake smile on her face and greeted everyone as she walked by, pretending that everything was absolutely normal and that she was fine. Still, Ava was feeling drained and tired before her day had even begun.
Lucas was uncharacteristically late today, which concerned Ava a little but at least it would give her more time to prepare. She decided to go into the nurses break room and grab another cup of Joe before Lucas arrived. She paused just outside in the hallway to check her cell phone, just as she had neurotically done every fifteen minutes or so since Ethan had left her. There were still no texts or calls from her former fiancé and Ava could feel her heart sink a little bit each time she checked. Before Ava had the chance to walk into the break room, she could over hear the other nurses talking. The group never tired of their gossip but Ava was shocked to overhear that this time they were gossiping about her. To be more specific, about her and Ethan’s recent breakup. Ava had gone to school with a few of the other nurses there and it didn’t surprise her that some of them were Ethan’s friend on social media. It was a small town and even at the large university, the students were tight nit and friendly with one another. He must have either posted about leaving her, or removed his relationship status on his page. Ethan had wasted no time blocking Ava’s profile so she had no idea that her misfortune had been made so public. Ava felt embarrassed and crushed, but also angry at Ethan and the other nurses. Ethan made no attempt to protect Ava’s feelings or even try to let her down gently. As far as the other nurses, they had no right to meddle in her life and Ava considered them only to be acquaintances. Feeling her eyes begin to brim with tears once more, Ava decided that perhaps it would be best to skip the second cup of coffee and to avoid facing her hecklers for the time being.
Ava walked back towards the waiting room and was greeted by Lucas and his killer smile, which she returned with a grin of her own. She marveled at how easily her mood changed when she was around him, he seemed to bring positive energy with him wherever he went. “Ready?” Ava asked Lucas, still smiling. She was eager to get her day going and allow herself to be distracted by her work. Her work as a physical therapist proved to Ava in a way that there was still hope in this world, even if it wasn’t in her own personal life. She went through the motions during Lucas’ therapy session, barely noticing when it was over. She felt bad for once again neglecting her patient, her personal life shouldn’t have interfered with her work but Ava was too upset to help herself really. Lucas had definitely picked up on the vibe and was giving Ava the same adorably concerned look that he had given her two days prior. This time Ava had her guard up however, and she was prepared. It didn’t matter to Ava how charming or handsome Lucas appeared, he was of the male species and he was the enemy. It would take a lot more than good looks and a nice smile for her to allow anyone in her life or even a little insight as to what was on her mind.
Thinking quickly, Ava initiated the conversation so that she could keep the focus off of herself. “You were late today,” Ava said, pretending to scold Lucas for his tardiness. He grinned sheepishly at Ava and she had to look away just to avoid it and the thoughts it brought on. “No, actually I wasn’t. I came by yesterday to let you know of my schedule change. I’ll be coming here at ten am now instead of nine. You would have known that missy if you hadn’t played hooky from work.” Ava instantly blushed, cursing her lack of self control under her breath. Surely she could converse with a handsome gentleman without giggling and turning red like some school girl but her own face betrayed her. “I was not playing hooky,” Ava replied matter-of-factly. “I had some personal issues I needed to deal with and had to take a day off of work.” Lucas nodded slowly, while squinting his eyes, Ava could tell that he was mocking her and had caught her in a lie. She tried desperately to flip the conversation once more back to him. “I don’t mind the schedule change and thank you for coming in just to tell me, but do you mind me asking why?”
Much to her surprise Lucas told her the exact reason; he was normally such a quiet and private man. He told Ava that he had also begun counseling at the hospital to help him deal with some post traumatic stress issues. Ava was understanding, most of her other patients often attending counseling for the same reason. She had definitely not expected Lucas of all people to be so open and forthcoming about it though. It helped to soften her mood and Ava knew that it was a huge breakthrough for Lucas to be able to talk about his issues both with her and the therapist. She commended him on his bravery and wished Lucas good luck in his new therapy sessions, but he was not done with her yet. As Ava tried to tell Lucas goodbye and scurry out of the room, he held her gaze and kept the conversation going. “So are you going to tell me the real reason you weren’t in work yesterday?” Lucas asked her.
Ava’s breath caught in her chest, boy was this man a good judge of character she thought to herself. She felt badly for having lied to him after he had shared something so personal with her. She knew that talking about their problems was a huge part of a veteran’s recovery process and Ava didn’t want to be the person to shun him and stunt the progress that he had made. Besides, it was nice to get something other than a smile out of Mr. Talk Dark and Handsome. As an extra bonus, it would make the other catty nurses jealous that Lucas was warming up to her. Ava began to tell Lucas simply about how Ethan had left her, but the second she started talking it all poured out of her all at once. She told Lucas all about her and Ethan’s fight and what an insensitive jerk he had been towards her. She bawled her eyes out as she recalled opening their closet to find that all of his stuff was gone. By the time Ava was done, she had even told Lucas about her walking in on the other nurses all talking about her.
Lucas sat quietly listening to her sob story and Ava suddenly felt insane. She had just used one of her patients as her own personal therapist and told him much more than she had ever intended. She was surprised to find that he was actually listening however, and not just nodding his head and waiting for the crazy lady to go away. When Ava finally had finished pouring out all of her emotions, she took a deep breath and dried the tears from her eyes. “So, that’s why I wasn’t in work yesterday. Sorry for the insane ramblings but you did ask after all.”
Happily Ever After
Lucas sat quietly, seemingly contemplating everything she had just said, but Ava mistook it as annoyance. She tried apologizing again but Lucas interrupted her. “If you ask me, he didn’t deserve you and it’s a good thing that he left. As far as the other nurses here go, they’re like a bunch of cackling hens all of the time, why do you think I prefer you as my nurse instead of them?” Ava giggled which made Lucas happy, he smiled broadly back at her. “You need to be with someone who appreciates you,” Lucas continued. “Someone who realizes how smart, how kind and how special you truly are, someone like me.” Ava’s eyes opened widely, she thought she had heard what had just come out of Lucas’ mouth but surely she had misunderstood. Still, her curiosity got the best of her as it always did. “Did you just ask me out on a date?” she replied boldly. “I believe I just did” Lucas replied equally as confident.
Ava began to politely explain that it was against hospital policy for staff to date the patients, which was a partial truth. It was a policy, although it had never been enforced before as far as Ava had known. She needed an excuse to turn down a date with the man of every woman’s dreams, and it was an excuse both for him and for her. Ava tried her best to remember
the promise she had made herself not to be fooled by another man again. Her career and her schooling would be the only two things she would allow herself to focus on now. Lucas was no so easily swayed however, and persisted on the matter. She wasn’t exactly sure how he had done it, but somehow Lucas had managed to sweet talk Ava into saying yes. He used the argument that his physical therapy was almost over and done with and soon enough he would be rehabilitated. That would mean that he would no longer be her patient by the time anyone even caught wind the two had been on a date, providing that there was even more than one.
Ava convinced herself that there would only be one date and that she would not allow herself to become attached to another person, especially so soon. If Ethan had done anything for her in ending there relationship, it had been to prove to Ava that there was truly no one in this world that she could trust other than herself. One date surely couldn’t do any harm to either of them, or so Ava hoped. Besides, she could really use a distraction and while she had never been one for rebounds, Lucas was not a shabby start. Lucas was elated when she finally agreed to meet with him later that evening and asked for her address so that he could pick her up. Ava shared her concerns over Lucas driving them and if it would cause him any physical stress, but he assured her that he was much stronger than he looked. Ava wasn’t sure exactly how true that was, Lucas looked pretty damn strong. Upon Lucas’ insistence, Ava consented to both the date and to letting him drive. Ava couldn’t help but finish out her day feeling as if her spirits had been lifted and she was shocked to find that she was completely excited about later that night.
She was still completely heart broken over Ethan but if he had wasted no time in moving on, then why should she? Besides she would only be having dinner with Lucas, it wasn’t anything too serious. As much as she tried convincing herself that was true, Ava must have sped home after work that day. She spent most of the time between getting off of work and when Lucas got there trying on almost every single outfit she owned. Ava finally settled on a delicate floral dress that she seldom wore. Ethan had seen her in it once and immediately had reprimanded her over its length and how revealing it was, telling her that it made her look classless. Ava knew the real reason he never wanted her to wear it was because she looked really hot and he was jealous, which made it the perfect dress for tonight’s date. Although Ethan would never learn about it, it was Ava’s way of metaphorically slapping that jerk in the face. She looked herself over in the mirror, admiring her own reflection. She looked more than hot that night, she looked flawless and she was sure that Lucas would be pleased. The dress clung to her curves in all the right places, the short hem showing off her long and toned legs. It was feminine and flirty, a far cry from the demure nurse’s uniform Lucas was accustomed to seeing her wear.
Ava was suddenly startled by the sound of her doorbell, when she looked at the clock she couldn’t help but laugh. Lucas was a true military man, perfectly on time for everything and it wasn’t one minute past eight when he arrived at her apartment. Lucas escorted Ava to his truck, which she also couldn’t help but admire. She was expected a beat up old pick up like most of the country boys in Michigan drove, but it turned out Lucas had a nice set of wheels. He looked handsome and rugged in his casual jeans and button down shirt. Even with the long sleeves, Ava could see his muscled protruding from behind the material. A shiver ran up and down her spine and Ava had to force herself to turn her eyes away. Lucas was smiling ear to ear from the moment she had opened the door and seemingly didn’t stop smiling for the remainder of their date.
As Lucas started to drive, Ava tried asking where they would be going but all she got out of him was that it was a surprise. She guessed it was out to one of the local restaurants in town for a bite to eat. Her confusion and curiosity grew however, when Lucas drove into town and kept going. He didn’t stop until they had pulled up outside a ranch on the far side of town. She was taken aback by his directness when he revealed to Ava that he lived there. She couldn’t help but think that taking her to his place was a little presumptuous but she didn’t want to appear rude. Besides, Lucas had never given Ava reason to believe he was anything more than a total gentleman. Once they walked through the ranches front door, her confidence in Lucas was reassured.
The house was grand and warmly decorated, not something Ava would have expected from a bachelor and a vet. There was a fire already lit in the fireplace and the delicious aroma of food filled the air. She was impressed that he had cooked for her, another bold move for a first date. She was even more impressed when she actually tasted the food and found that Lucas was an amazing chef. He had transformed his home into their very own romantic restaurant, complete with dinner over candlelight. It was the perfect date for a socially awkward soldier and a recently heartbroken nurse. She was also surprised at Lucas’ openness, he was twice as talkative as she normally knew him to be, though she could tell it wasn’t without strain. She wondered why he would bring her to such an intimate setting when he was obviously still so uncomfortable communicating himself to others. As if Lucas had read her mind he began to explain himself.
“Ava, I have to be completely honest with you and I hope you aren’t offended by what I have to say. I’ve had my eye on you since I first started going to the rehab center, but in a way I thought that maybe it was best that you were dating some one else. You deserve to be with someone who can make you happy, not a man that has been damaged both physically and mentally. I could tell there was something wrong from the start, even though I know you tried to hide the tears in your eyes. It might have been selfish of me but I was a little happy to find out that there was trouble in paradise, not that I would ever want you to get hurt.” Ava wanted to interrupt to tell Lucas that she was very flattered and that she did not see him as damaged, not in the slightest bit but she wanted to let him speak his piece. It was refreshing for Ava to see this side of Lucas, as opposed to reserved and shy normal self.
“I like you Ava, I really like you a lot and I hope that those feelings are mutual and can blossom. Its part of the reason that I’ve signed up for other counseling, so that I can be normal and whole again. So that I can be the man that you need and that you want. I want to give all of myself to you Ava and I know that might seem crazy to say on our first date. It’s just that it’s something that I’ve never given to anyone before, especially not since I’ve come back home but you’re special. Something about you makes me want to put my heart out on my sleeve and be there for you one hundred percent. I want very much for you to like me back and to be the man you want and need me to be.”
Ava hadn’t realized that Lucas had felt so strongly about her. Although, she must truly be a fool because the chemistry between them was undeniable even if it had only been in the work place before. Ava hesitated, unsure of how to react. She was flattered but she had felt weird even going on a date so soon after her breakup with Ethan. It also felt odd to her for someone to have such strong feelings for her so soon. She thought of Ethan and how he had shown her affection by buying her love. He had never really given all of himself to her or opened up to her in such a way. It was raw and honest; it felt good even if it was wrong. Ava had always thought that love meant courting one another, dating and getting married, then buying a house with a white picket fence, having children and adopting a pet golden retriever from the local pound. Ethan thought that love meant compliance and that good wives were rewarded with nice homes and fancy gifts. Ava knew that Ethan’s idea of romance was dead wrong, and she began to wonder if hers were too. Maybe love was spontaneous and unexpected. Maybe it was something that was meant to sweep you off of your feet, or as it had Lucas, hit you in the face like a ton of bricks.
Ava hadn’t realized how long she had sat quietly without responding to Lucas’ outpouring of his feelings. It wasn’t until he began to shift uncomfortably in his seat that she took notice. There was something very attractive about such a strong, hard man putting himself out there and looking so vulnerable. Ava decide
d it would be unkind to prolong his misery any longer, no matter how cute he looked. “I normally don’t do this, go on a date with a man so soon after a breakup. Actually, I haven’t had many breakups in my life. Ethan and I have been together since I was just a sophomore in college. I am not offended, although I have to admit it’s another first for me to have someone claim to fall head over heels for me on first sight. I also can’t deny that I feel it to, a deeper connection between us. There’s mysteriousness about you, more than meets the eye and that both intrigues me and terrifies me. I gave all of myself to someone once, he took it but he still wanted more and all he ever gave me in return was abandonment and a bruised ego. I thought I knew what love was and I thought that I had it, I don’t want to make the same mistakes again.” Lucas frowned, wearing his defeat and disappointment clearly on his face. He knew that it had been crazy to just confess all of this to a girl he barely knew on a personal level, but every time that he saw Ava, his heart would skip a few beats. It ate at him until it finally forced him to push passed his anxieties and fears to ask Ava on a date. Now he had blown it, he wanted to be open and honest with her but instead he came across as desperate and insane.