The Night Before

by Jacinta Howard

  She frowned and looked away.

  “C’mon let’s go inside. It’s cold out here.”

  “Exactly.” She glared at him, her mood changed, just that fast.

  “Exactly what?”

  “Exactly what you always do, Elias. Run. Leave when things get inconvenient.”

  He pushed out a breath and shook his head.

  “I’m going inside.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I’m not tryin’ to sit out here in the freezing cold with you, arguing the same argument we’ve been having for forever.”

  She rolled her eyes, tears welling in them again.

  He sighed. “Why don’t you come back inside?”

  “You can go back in. I’m good out here.”

  He shook his head, pulling open the patio door, just in time to hear the front door close on the opposite end of the house.

  Immediately, he looked toward the kitchen. No Ava. Shit.

  “Hey, Noelle, where’d Ava go?” he asked his niece as she skipped past him toward the den, her eyes on whatever device she’d received for Christmas.

  “She’s outside with that man,” she answered, dismissively.

  With that man? Elias grabbed his coat from off the back of the bar chair just as Janay walked back into the house, watching him. He couldn’t say he didn’t care about the look on her face but he couldn’t dwell on it either, as he quickly rounded the corner, headed for the front door.

  Ava looked up at the sound of the front door of the house closing, then turned back to the tow truck driver, who has just finished unloading her car across the street from the house.

  “You were just gonna leave without sayin’ anything?” he asked, when he reached her, his breath puffing in the cold. He was trying to keep his tone even but what the hell?

  “I called to see if I could get someone out to get my car before dinner since I got a text saying the roads were clear,” she explained. “I came back in to thank you again for all of your help but I didn’t want to interrupt you.”

  The look in her eyes told him she’d heard at least a little of his conversation with Janay. Probably the part about them being together a couple weeks ago, if he had to guess from her expression.

  She turned and accepted the slip from the lanky, mustached man. He shook his head and took it from her, ignoring her when she started to object. He pulled out his wallet so he could pay the dude.

  Elias looked at her while his card was being run, but she looked away, off down the icy street, her lips in a tight line.

  “Thanks, man. Appreciate it,” Elias said, nodding at the guy, who saluted him after handing his card back.

  “Thank you,” Ava told the guy, earning her a salute as well.

  “Thank you but you didn’t need to do that,” she told him.

  He ignored her.

  “So, what’s up?” he asked. “You’re just gonna drive back to Atlanta right now?”

  “I want to leave before it gets dark. I’m gonna stop and get gas first, so you don’t have to worry about fetching me from the side of the road again.” She offered him a plastic smile, and Elias frowned.

  “Why are you just leaving like this?”

  “It’s time for me to go,” she said pointedly. “I wasn’t supposed to be here in the first place.”

  “Come on, Ava.”

  “Come on, what?” Her eyes were lowered when she looked at him, nostrils slightly flared. “So, I was supposed to be here, spending Christmas with your family and your ex?”

  “I didn’t know she was coming.”

  “I know,” Ava said, resignedly, staring down at her brown boots. “It doesn’t matter like that anyway. We had our night. It’s over. We should just… go our separate ways.”

  “I ain’t tryin’ to do that.”

  “Well, I am.”

  He stepped closer to her, and her back hit the side of her door. He saw her intake of breath.

  “That isn’t what it felt like last night.”

  He stared into her midnight eyes, challenging her to remember. He could see by the way her pupils dilated that she did.

  “Last night was last night,” she retorted. “We should leave it there.”

  He shook his head, stepping closer still, so that they were touching. He grabbed the bottom hem of her leather jacket, tugging her slightly toward him. She wet her lips when he stared down at them.

  “You need to handle your stuff, Elias. Because what’s going on in there,” she tilted her head toward the house, “I’ve been there, done that. And I’m not trying to go there with you. I don’t normally… I’ve never done anything like this before. And now I know why because this isn’t me, and it’s not how I want to feel.”

  The vulnerability in her eyes overpowered her anger.

  He put his hands in her coat pockets, pulling her against him, as he released a breath.

  “I hear you. I do. I ain’t about drama either. It caught me off guard today. But that,” he bobbed his head toward the house too, “that ain’t where my head’s at.”

  “You’re still in love with her.”

  “No,” he said immediately because it was true. “I haven’t been for a while.”

  “Are you over her?”

  “Yes,” he answered because that was true too.

  She blinked up at him, and he could tell she was trying not to press against his body because when they were this close to each other, it was difficult not to touch.

  “When we get back to Atlanta, I’ll call you. And the invite to New Year’s Eve still stands. I really wanna see you again before that.”

  She blew out a cold breath and looked away. He pulled her closer, with his hands still in her coat pocket.

  “Ava.”

  She looked up at him.

  “I wanna see you again.”

  She bit her lip and he pulled her against him again.

  “Can I see you again?”

  He could see the debate in her eyes when she looked into his. Finally, she blinked and looked away.

  “I need to go,” she breathed, refusing to meet his eyes.

  For a long second he didn’t move. She was staring off down the street and he was staring at her. When it was obvious she wasn’t going to relent, he sighed, reluctantly taking a step backward.

  Immediately, Ava opened the car door, sliding into the driver’s seat.

  “Can you let me know you got back safely?” he asked before she shut the door.

  She looked at him and nodded, and he knew she was lying. He backed away from her car, stuffing his hands in his pockets. Ava looked up at him once then drove away.

  12

  “We should go.”

  Ava ignored Ellie as they made their way through the crowd gathered at Ponce City Market, people who also decided today would be a great one to get out, because after falling below freezing just a few days prior, it was now hovering around sixty degrees.

  It always seemed to Ava that people had an extra pep in their step right before the New Year. All Ava wanted was the Barolo she loved, at Ponce City Market had the only wine store in Atlanta that sold it.

  “We oughta just pop up over there tonight after church,” Ellie persisted as they dipped into the moderately crowded wine bar and store. “You’d mess his head up.”

  Ava rolled her eyes. “I’m not trying to mess up anybody’s head.”

  “Well, he definitely messed yours up,” Ellie retorted, arching a brow as they wandered over to the Italian section of the wine.

  “Nobody messed my head up,” Ava lied.

  “I can’t believe you actually slept with him,” Ellie said, studying the wines. She looked up at Ava. “My mind is still blown.”

  Just the mention of Elias made her heart race, along with her thoughts. Just the reminder of him was enough to distract her, send her into a daydreaming tailspin. She hadn’t seen him in a week since she left his parents’ house on Christmas Day. Hadn’t talked to him either. Not once. He called, and ev
ery time he did, she ignored it, even though it was hard. Everything she heard and witnessed on Christmas told Ava that no matter what he believed, Elias wasn’t available to her. But that didn’t keep her from wishing. Imaging a scenario where neither one of them had any significant baggage, and they could really see what they could be.

  “Well, I wanna see what’s up with Kendrick,” Ellie said.

  “Then you should see what’s up with Kendrick,” Ava said absently, scanning the massive wine section.

  That was the thing about coming into Wine Down, she always ended up getting sidetracked. She grabbed the red blend she’d been staring at, and continued down the aisle to where her Barolo was typically located.

  “I want you to come with me, though, in case the vibe isn’t right,” Ellie practically whined.

  “And mess up my vibe?”

  Ellie paused mid-aisle when Ava did.

  “And why would the vibe be messed up?” Ava questioned. “I thought you two were on the same page.”

  “We are. But you know men are trash. It’s a new day. He might start acting brand new.”

  Ava smirked.

  “You know you want to see Elias.” Ellie wiggled her brows.

  Ava bit the inside of her lip, staring unseeingly at wine bottles. Of course, she wanted to see him.

  “He’s drama. And I don’t need that.”

  She thought of Elias outside on the porch with Janay, her reminding him that they’d been together as early as two weeks ago. They obviously had a back-and-forth relationship that Ava wanted no parts of, even though it hurt. Way more than it should’ve.

  “He literally told you he wants to get to know you. And that he’s not with ol’ girl anymore and he’s over her. You know I wouldn’t be sticking up for a shady character but the way you talked about him, and the way he’s been blowing up your phone… I dunno, Ava. Don’t let Ty ruin you,” Ellie said as Ava finally selected her wine. At that, Ava looked up at her.

  “Ruin me?”

  “Yes,” Ellie said, her eyes serious. “Well, not ruin you but,” she shrugged. “Change you. Make you all afraid and suspicious. Scared to give anybody a legit chance.”

  “Um, aren’t you the person who literally said, ‘all men are trash,’ like five seconds ago?”

  “Don’t give him power he shouldn’t have,” Ellie warned again, ignoring her, sounding just like her mother.

  Ty had been blowing up her phone for the past week and she finally answered because she was starting to think something was wrong. It was a mistake because Ty didn’t want anything important at all, only to chit-chat, as if he still had the option to do that with her.

  After that, she’d stopped answering his calls too. She was done being concerned with men period. She was going back to work in another week and she’d turn her focus that way. Maybe realistically start plotting her exit from the network and the launch of her company.

  “Yo,” Ellie suddenly uttered under her breath, eyes wide. She subtly nodded her head in the direction of the South African section on the next aisle over. “It’s fate.”

  Ava followed her gaze, her pulse racing rapidly the second she spotted him.

  “Crap.”

  Ava turned, ready to make a break for it. Ellie rolled her eyes.

  “He’s one aisle over, dude. He’s gonna see you if you go running out of the store like Usain Bolt, Ava,” Ellie chastised quietly.

  “Crap,” she muttered again.

  “Be cool; he’s coming over here,” Ellie said under breath. “You okay?”

  Ava nodded quickly, and inhaled, turning back around, her eyes fixed on the wine display.

  “Ava.”

  She looked up at the sound of Elias’ sexy baritone, and tried to feign surprise. He smirked, and she knew he wasn’t buying it.

  “Hey Elias.”

  He grinned and she couldn’t help but smile back. He looked good. Better than good. A black pea coat covered his shoulders, his jeans low on his hips, the burnt orange sweater he was wearing bringing out the rich chocolate tone of his skin. And glasses. He was wearing glasses, which gave him an entirely new level of sexy.

  “I didn’t know you wore glasses,” she said lamely.

  He grinned, giving her another look that said he thought she was adorable. “Just when my contacts are bothering me.”

  He quickly exchanged greetings with Ellie but even then, barely took his eyes off her.

  “So, you’re wine shopping?” she asked the obvious, her gaze dropping to the bottle in his hand, a South African pinotage she’d never heard of before.

  “Had to grab some for tonight.” His eyes skated over her features, as if soaking her up, and heat spread throughout her body. A week hadn’t killed her pull to him. Not even close.

  “How’ve you been?” he asked, his voice dipping an octave. It didn’t sound like a nicety coming from him but like he really was concerned with her wellbeing.

  “I’ve been good. Just laying low, chilling out mostly.”

  She could tell he wanted to ask about her ignoring his calls, but instead chewed on the inside of his bottom lip, his gaze penetrating once more.

  Ellie had casually wandered off toward the opposite end of the store, giving them space. Ava pushed out a breath.

  “Come have a drink with me,” he offered, just as she was about to tell him goodbye.

  “I can’t.”

  “The bar’s right there.” He bobbed his head toward the right of the space, where there was a bar running alongside the wall, with metallic stools. “Just one drink, Ava.”

  “I can’t. We have a few more stops to make.”

  “And then?” he stepped a little closer, bringing his warm masculine scent with him.

  “I’m going to the eight o’clock watch service at Ellie’s church.”

  “Then come by when you’re finished.”

  “I can’t.”

  “You stay fighting me, Ava,” he said exasperatedly, his voice low and somehow intimate, even in this very public, busy space. “What’s up with that?”

  “I’m not fighting you, Elias.”

  He released a breath, eyes never leaving hers.

  “The invitation still stands,” he said, reading the stubbornness in hers, “whenever you’re ready.” She swallowed, looking down at her feet before raising her gaze to his. Move away, Ava.

  “Bye Elias.”

  She turned and went to find Ellie.

  13

  He felt like a stalker.

  For the second time tonight, Elias was on Ava’s page, scrolling. He wasn’t even really looking for shit. Seeing her today, so unexpectedly, reintroduced the craving he’d had for her since she left him a week ago. After one night of kicking it. It didn’t make any sense that night, and a week later, it still didn’t.

  It wasn’t just that she was effortlessly pretty, or that his attraction to her was so magnetic. It was her entire vibe that made him want to be near her, just get a little bit more of her energy.

  But after his fifth phone call after Christmas he decided to chill. She obviously wasn’t feeling it, and if she was, she was too skeptical to act on whatever it was between them.

  He couldn’t fault her for being on guard because of Janay. He’d gone back inside after Ava peeled off on Christmas and Janay was waiting for him, ready to pick a fight. He was irritated but he also felt bad for her because he was sure her tripping wasn’t about him, or them, at all. She was missing something and was reaching for what was familiar to fill it. He knew, he’d been there with her too many times before. They didn’t talk again before she left with Zoe later that evening and he hadn’t spoken to Janay since, opting to ignore her call the couple of times she contacted him.

  He was really finished this time. And she needs the space to realize he was firm in his decision.

  His gaze landed on Ava’s pretty face again, smiling up from his phone screen, before he clicked out of her page, running a hand over his head. He grabbed his whiskey up off t
he end table, refocusing on the conversation he’d been drifting in and out of with Kendrick and Jeremiah’s friend, Lashay, and her girl whose name he didn’t catch. Well, “friend” might’ve been a generous description for Lashay. He got up, heading toward the kitchen, bored with the conversation, making his way past a group of folks Jeremiah invited.

  His house was full but not so crowded he wasn’t always aware of what was going on, which is the way he liked to keep their New Year’s Eve parties. A couple years ago, before mass gentrification and skyrocketing prices, he’d bought the small, three-bedroom split-level, located just around the corner from the Atlanta University Center. Back then folks looked at him like he was crazy for living in the so-called hood. But he’d never been about that—scared of his own people. Aware, sure. Scared? Hell nah. It was a new craftsman style house, built to look older, with hardwood throughout and a compact space that was airy because there were few walls. Right now, A Tribe Called Quest was playing, echoing through the living room and kitchen, as people bobbed their head to the mellow bass groove of “Find My Way.”

  “Who’s that with Lashay?” Daniel asked, when he entered the kitchen, where the makeshift bar was located. He poured a bit of whiskey in his plastic red up before grabbing a chicken wing.

  Elias shrugged, munching on his wing. “Ja-something I think. You check out that lead Kendrick sent you?”

  Daniel was contemplating moving from Dallas to Atlanta, especially since he was divorced now and had no real reason to stay in Texas when the family was in Georgia. His ex wife’s people were Texas natives, and Daniel made the adjustment. But now it was time for him to come home. Kendrick was trying to find him a reasonably priced spot, somewhere in town.

  “Tomorrow,” Daniel answered.

  The woman Daniel had been checking out, Lashay’s friend, got up, heading toward the kitchen. Daniel’s expression didn’t change much, but his eyes did run the length of her. She was Daniel’s type. Skin the color of dark coffee and petite, with a big chest. The woman came into the kitchen and poured herself a drink, chatting with them idly, though it was clear she was interested in Daniel, who’d leaned against the counter and was openly assessing her, a half-grin on his face.