“My job schedule limits my availability to spend quality time with my family,” she placed the emphasis on my family in hopes he would catch on. “This will probably be my last season hosting a Sunday dinner for a while.”
“I’m sorry to hear that because what you provide keeps my body running with the precision of a well-oiled machine. Too much of the wrong food clots up my gears for days.” No, he did not go there!
She could hear Aron’s laughter above the Deacon’s comment. Aron and his wife Zari were newlyweds. He laughed a lot these days, even at his sister’s expense. The couple had met at the drug store where Aron worked as a pharmacist. Zari was a second grade school teacher at Shell Cove Primary. They made being in a relationship look easy. Ava liked Zari. She was happy for her brother. If only her experience with the opposite sex was as carefree.
“Don’t laugh Brother Aron. You never know when you’ll need a burst of power. You need the engine clear of debris for the best fuel efficiency,” the deacon chastised.
“Is that right?” Aron queried, egging the man on. She’d make him pay for that.
“Yes, indeed. I’ve lost sixty pounds in the past two years. The doctor told me my high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes will continue to improve if I lose another hundred pounds.” Ava blew out a breath. How had the conversation descended in the Deacon’s bowel patterns?
“Losing sixty pounds is a wonderful accomplishment Deacon. Thank you for the compliment, the meal was prepared with herbs and vegetables from my garden. Mom and I canned a lot of the vegetables from the summer harvest.”
“Well now. Granny Lou put your cooking on my radar, but I didn’t know you could work the land. I know my grandkids would love to have you helping them mow the lawn and clean out the flower beds.”
“Ah, gardening is different from lawn maintenance. Besides, mom and I help each other with the gardens.”
“I recognize the difference, but you’ve got natural ability, Ava my girl. You’ve been gifted with wonderful hands.”
Ava noticed her sister in-law’s eyes tearing at the corners as they darted upward, then left and right in rapid succession. Zari’s body trembled with pent up laughter. Aron was struggling more than his new wife. His recurrent throat clearing was a poor cover for the peels of laughter.
Deacon Hill seemed to grasp his poor choice of words after taking in her father’s disapproving gaze.
“Hmm, I didn’t finish my thought. What I meant to say is you have wonderful hands in the kitchen. You should cook a few meals for my children. They would welcome a home cooked meal from such a beautiful lady. My third wife spent most of her waking hours in the kitchen trying to keep the kids fed.”
No he isn’t trying to turn me into meals-in-heels for his grown kids.
“That is a kind offer Deacon, but I am more adept at preparing meals for smaller settings. Perhaps you and all the children could join Granny Lou at my parent’s house for a mini feast.”
Clue number four, please exit via the front door.
“I’m sure the kids would love all the attention.”
Please take the hint. I am not interested.
The doorbell chimed at six thirty-one. The bottom dropped out of her stomach.
Please, please let it be Jehovah’s Witnesses or those people selling weekly subscriptions of the newspaper. Not Logan.
Everyone would be gone by now, if it weren’t for the deacon. She didn’t want to explain anything to her family about her budding relationship with Logan.
Aron was at the door before she could concoct an explanation for Logan being at her house.
“Ava,” Aron called in a singsong voice, “you have a visitor.”
Everyone turned to see Logan standing in the living room with a tropical fruit platter in one hand. His smile was fixed on Ava. She moved with robotic motion toward him. At the sight of him, her heart leapt with anticipation, while panic churned in her stomach.
“Hello sweetheart.” Logan bent and kissed her cheek. All the clinging of glasses, plates and utensils came to a halt in the background. Ava was temporarily comatose. No he didn’t call her sweetheart and kiss her in front of her family, but he had.
“Now wait a minute, that’s my Ava girl. I feel a burst of power coming on. We need to move outside so I have room to move.” She recognized the Deacon’s voice through the mental fog. Glancing right, Deacon Hill struggled to push his chair away from the table. His belly trapped under the table edge. Granny Lou’s hand at his shoulder stayed him from rising to his feet.
Please, don’t let the deacon to Father Time confront Logan at my dinner table.
After witnessing Logan handle Randall, she knew Deacon Hill should remain seated.
Her mother’s southern lilt drifted over the deacon’s commotion “Not a visitor I see. Ava, don’t be rude. Introduce this young man to your family.”
Ava still hadn’t found her voice. Logan stepped in to appease everyone’s curiosity. “Mrs. Walters I presume, I’m Logan Masters.” Logan took her mother’s proffered hand, delivering a business handshake with a charismatic smile. He was good. “Ava and I work together.”
“How nice of you to drop by. You’re one of the nurses at Ava’s job.” Her statement camouflaged the question in everyone’s mind. Logan was good, but Ariss Walters was better. A collective, very audible, sigh rose from the table. Ava was sure the gay male nurse stereotype was the reason for the reaction. A reprieve.
“Actually, I’m one of the pediatric surgeons on staff.” Reprieve aborted. Gee thanks, Logan.
Her father’s eyes narrowed at Logan’s comment. He studied Logan from head to toe. Again he repeated the sequence. Target identified she thought. She knew what would come next, missile locked and loaded. Her father’s base filled the room, “Why are you at my daughter’s house?”
“Ava and I are seeing each other,” Logan said in a firm and determined tone. He made eye contact with every person in the room before settling his gaze on Ava. Challenge hardened his stare.
“Well now, my grand baby is finally interested in something other than the Navy.” Granny Lou’s shrilled well now had a siren quality on the room occupants. Every person in the room looked at her grandmother. “Lord, I didn’t see this one coming. You are a lot lighter than I expected, young man. The pastor’s always saying we should be specific in our prayer requests.” Granny directed her statement at Logan.
“Please don’t say anything else, Granny Lou.” Ava wanted to bury her head in the backyard garden.
Of course, Logan unleashed his charismatic smile on her grandmother.
“Yes ma’am, I may not be what you were expecting, but I will be sticking around.” The man had no shame. It had to be wrong to charm a woman’s grandmother.
Ava turned to her mother pleading with her eyes for help.
In two minutes, Logan had done exactly what she did not want to do, let anyone know they were together.
“Guess who’s coming to dinner,” her brother said. Ava shot him a glare. Now was not the time for comedic commentary.
But his comment snapped Ava out of her vocal paralysis. “Logan let me take the tray. Thank you for the fruit. They are my favorites.”
“You’re welcome. There’s a bed of quinoa under the fruit.”
“I love it.” Sitting the platter on the table, Ava gave Logan her attention. “Let me introduce you to everybody.” Logan grabbed her hand, holding it loosely in his grip.
The action momentarily stilled the words in her throat. She lowered her eyes to their conjoined hands. Looking at him, reassurance glowed in his emerald depths. This was a huge step for her. He acknowledged that truth.
He instinctively knew what she needed. And he had met that need by offering himself. Not just words. She was a grown woman with more unrequited needs than fulfillment in her life. Logan wanted her. And she wanted him. Admitting her desire for him bolstered her confidence.
Logan gave a barely perceptible nod. She took a deep breath of “big girls aren�
�t afraid to introduce their boyfriends” into her lungs.
“These are my parents, Andrew and Ariss Walters.” Starting at the seats closest to the sitting area she worked her way around the eight-seater square oak table.
“It’s nice to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Walters. I look forward to spending more time with both of you.” The table fell quieter than a judge’s chamber. The shocked expression on her mother’s face quickly gave way to a soft smile. Her father hadn’t moved a muscle.
“See that you do, Logan,” her mother continued, “Drew and I are both retired and would love the company.” Ava’s father had retired from the postal service earlier that year. Her mother was so excited that they both were vibrant and healthy to enjoy retirement together. Her mother had retired from teaching after thirty years last summer. “Isn’t that right, Drew?” Not a word came from her father’s lip. “Wouldn’t it be nice to have Logan and the kids over for dinner when we return from our trip, Drew?”
Her father offered a grunt in response. Ava guessed Logan was the only man responsive to hearing his name. She decided to cut her losses and moved on to the next seated couple.
“My much younger brother Aron, greeted you at the door.” Aron was slow to extend his hand in greeting. “And next to him is my favorite sister-in-law Zari.”
Zari gave Logan a warm welcome, but not before she nudged Aron in the ribs with her elbow.
“I’m her only sister in-law and it’s a pleasure Logan.”
“Thank you Zari, the pleasure is mine.” Logan focused on a seated Aron.
“Aron, I noticed your Red Skins jersey, you a big fan?”
Leave it to Logan to identify the one thing Aron couldn’t resist talking about.
“I bleed burgundy and gold, you?”
Logan looked affronted.
“Baltimore Ravens through and through. I graduated from Johns Hopkins.”
“I look forward to the coming months. May the best team win,” Aron replied.
“I’ll buy your first Ravens jersey when they do.”
“Oh, you got jokes? We will see who makes the playoffs this year.”
Team sports bridged many a divide.
“Ah … this is my grandmother, Mrs. Louise Stanton. She answers to Granny Lou most days. Deacon Hill has been a friend of Granny Lou’s for over thirty years.”
Deacon Hill bristled in his seat at Ava’s explanation of his role at the table.
“My older sister, Shaylah is a PhD student at Howard University in Washington, D.C.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you all. Please don’t let me disturb your meal. I can help Ava in the kitchen.”
Ava recognized Logan’s ploy to get her alone. He hadn’t fooled her family either by the looks of their faces. Knowing Logan the way she did, he had every intention of giving her mouth what it had been craving all afternoon.
“Young man, Ava doesn’t need any help in the kitchen, she’s got experience with pots, pans, and a hot stove. You come sit yourself right next to me. Move down Deacon, we’re about to get this interview started.” Granny Lou clapped her hands in obvious excitement.
“No Granny.” Ava was terrified for Logan. Zari gripped Aron’s shoulder as if warding off a bad dream. Granny Lou made an FBI interrogation resemble Jeopardy. The level of probing Logan was about to undergo at the hands of the Walter’s family matriarch was equivalent to exploratory surgery minus the anesthesia.
“Mom,” Ava whined, “help us out please.”
“There’s an interview process?” Logan laughed, but this was no laughing matter. He was about to be cracked open, the peanut under the boot heel. Logan was the unsuspecting peanut.
“Mom, do something.” Ava pleaded for a lifeline.
“Granny Lou, let Logan sit down and enjoy dessert with us, before you bring out the electroshock therapy.” Logan’s deep laughter echoed in the room.
“For Ava, I can handle anything you throw my way.” She was beginning to believe he would.
Logan pulled out the vacant seat next to where she sat. Ava promptly cut a slice of cake, placing
it in front of him. If she kept his mouth full he couldn’t answer any questions.
Her father peered across the table at Logan. “You ever been married?” Oh my Todd. Her
father asked that question.
“Drew, that’s a terrible question to ask.” Her mom looked mortified.
“No, I’ve never been married.” There was a strain to Logan’s voice.
“Ava is a grown woman. She doesn’t need her parents to ask those types of questions.” Thank
you, mom.
“But since we’re getting acquainted with one another. How old are you, Logan?” Oh no.
“I’m discovering age is important to all of the Walter’s family. I’m thirty four.”
Some unspoken communication passed between her parents, but she recognized the message. What happened to her in college would always haunt them. That’s what they saw when they looked at her.
“Whoa, Ava,” Aron said, “you picking up guys that need to buy long-term care insurance?” Ava shot him an icy glare.
“Aron Walters you are sleeping on the couch if you crack one more joke at Ava’s expense. I think it’s fine if she wants to date an older man.” Thank you favorite sister-in law.
“Well, I’m older than this interloper. And I’ve known Ava girl longer.” Oh my Todd, she had forgotten that the Deacon Hill was ready to duel on the front lawn.
“Ava’s only twenty six. That’s a pretty big age gap.” She could hear the worry in her mother’s voice.
“I care about Ava and we are already together. The age difference is not a factor in our relationship.” Logan reached for her hand, and squeezed. There was no mistaking the stress on each syllable. He sought her out for reassurance. This was a first. Holding his hand tighter, she smiled up at him. It was nice to have someone depend on her. He deemed her worthy. Not a broken woman in need of a champion, shielded from life.
Two hours later Ava’s family was at the front door headed for their respective cars. Granny Lou rested a weathered, fleshy palm on Ava’s cheek, “Try grandbaby.”
There was a sadness underlying her smile.
“What do you want me to try Granny Lou?”
“Being who you are.”
Ava didn’t know what to say.
“I love you Ava and remember what I said.” Granny Lou placed a kiss on her cheek. Then her gold sequined sneakers were carrying her down the few stairs across the walkway.
Being herself and speaking her mind hadn’t worked in her favor. Would this time be different?
The measure of control she used to close the door spoke volumes to the trouble cresting on the tide. Ava closed the front door softly. Her attention on the man left in the room.
Propping a hip on the arm of the oversized couch, he watched Ava through the living room window. It was obvious she loved her family and they were concerned about her. Especially now that he had entered the picture. Interesting.
“Logan.” He couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face at having her to himself. She wasn’t screaming his name. He would take that as a point in his favor. “You knew my family was still here. You should’ve left when you saw the cars in the driveway. How could you do that to me? I wasn’t ready to tell them about us.” He hadn’t done anything wrong in his opinion, but years of bedside training webinars kicked in at her unnatural calm tone. Tread carefully.
“Check your phone.” He pointed to the two-toned wood console against the living area wall. “I called and texted you before I left home. The wait till cover of night and I’ll sneak you in the house scenario will never happen.” She briefly glanced away from him in the direction of exhibit A. He could see her cellphone screen was illuminated denoting she had a message. “You wouldn’t deem my presence an intrusion if you had extended an invitation.”
“You presumptuous man.” Her voice was taut with unnecessary restraint and she was biting h
er lip again. He took her hands and gently pulled, closing the distance between them.
“I am when it pertains to you,” he said, in a low voice. “I apologize for telling your family about us before you had the opportunity.” Suspicion peppered his thoughts. Why didn’t she want them to know about him? Ava wasn’t Brooke. A cheating fiancée and lying friends were his past. With Ava he could have a semblance of happiness. She wouldn’t purposely deceive him.
“I haven’t told anyone about us,” she motioned with air quotes, “Us didn’t exist until twenty-four hours ago.”
“A lot can happen in a day.” He couldn’t keep his hands off her. He wanted her closer. Settling her between his spread legs, he placed his hands on her shoulders, delivering long, smooth strokes to her arms. “Not to upset you, but I am not sorry that they know about us. I will not be a secret, Ava.” Never again.
She sighed, “That’s not what I’m asking. Not really. It’s just they might get the impression you’ll be around for a while.”
Where was she going with this? He’d told her and her family he wasn’t going anywhere.
“I will be. Get used to it,” he said, in a slow matter of fact tone. “You can meet my family when you are ready. I was ready.”
“I don’t know Logan. We are just getting to know each other.” Last night she knew she wanted him.
“What is it you don’t know?” This was not what he had planned to talk about during their time together. When he’d arrived he was confident about them, but the encroaching uncertainty had him tense. He needed to know she was with him, that she wanted him to be a part of her life. No doubts, no boundaries. Being with Ava threatened to plunge his controlled, well-orchestrated life into chaos.
The words escaped her, how to explain the trepidation she felt about them being together. The demons she struggled against were complex, but her words were simple. “I don’t think I’m ready for you.” She saw the green of his eyes expand, enough depth in them to carry her deep into an abyss.
“You lied to me? What’s happened since last night? Or can’t I trust you to tell me the truth.”
Chasing Ava: A Bachelor of Shell Cove Novel (The Bachelors of Shell Cove) Page 9