Page 44 of Unstoppable Love

Her door was cracked open, and from inside, a voice trailed out.

Ava.

“I can’t forgive him for this, Grams. I can’t. Do you know how much it hurts? And I don’t understand. I don’t understand any of it.”

“You were too young. He was too wild. You both needed time.”

My feet froze, and then slowly moved closer so she couldn’t see me. And shit. I should leave or announce my presence, but curiosity kept me in the hallway, begging for more of Ava even if she couldn’t see me.

“And now what? What did you think would happen when I learned he’d been lying to me for so long? Did you think I’d what? Throw myself into his arms and thank him for all the times he hurt me?”

“No. I knew you’d be upset, but you’re forgetting what I told you recently.”

“When? Because I am not helping Morty Jones salsa dance.”

I bit down a laugh. Grams was silent, and then said, “Think. Wasn’t that long ago I told you life was short. You only get one shot at life—living with someone you love, and I wanted that for you.”

“Yeah, well, you also said that was what you wanted for me, and yet you’ve apparently schemed to keep that from me.”

“When you wanted to run, I also told you that boy was closer than you thought, to listen and think. Instead, you hauled your fanny off to Florida and now you’re sulking here.”

“I’m not sulking. I’m living the dream I wanted. That’s what you told me to do too, and you know what? Fine. I ran. But I’m not running now. I’m here, living the dream I’ve always wanted, and that’s perfectly fine with me. I want to be here, in New Haven. I want my kids to grow up some day with Lydia’s, and I like knowing everyone in town, even if they’re in my business or bossy.”

Grams chuckled, and I imagined Ava pointing a finger directly at her.

“But that’s been my dream. So I’m doing it. And Cam, his dream is too big. Too large. He might have been part of that dream I wanted all of those years ago, but he’s not now. He’s too big for it, Grams.”

A memory sparked. Flickered. I pressed my back against the wall as they continued on, mostly Ava ranting and Grams correcting her, but it wasn’t long until it all made sense. What Ava had said yesterday…

“I was waiting for a different dream, but I finally realized that this small dream of mine is enough for me. The other one was too large, too impossible.”

And then.

That note.

The words that had never made sense to me.

Go live your huge life.

Jesus. She thought that? That a life in a small town raising a family was what… beneath me?

I’d heard enough. I stepped into the doorway, and since Ava was in a standoff, facing Grams in her recliner, it was Grams who saw me first.

Her tired eyes widened at my appearance, and then she looked at Ava. “Maybe it’s time you listen,” she said.

Ava turned slowly, shoulders pulling back as she did, and damn, twenty hours, well, less, had not at all dulled the pain I caused.

My knees weakened at the sight of her. The swollen, puffy eyes. The redness in them. The fact she didn’t have on makeup, and her hair was in a ponytail. She hadn’t taken the time to get all dolled up like she usually did before she came here. It looked like she’d rolled out of bed after a shittier night of sleep than I had.

“It hurts me to see you hurting when I know I’ve done that. It hurts me even more to hear you talk about how you think your dream is too small for me when you’re the only dream I’ve ever had.”

Ava’s mouth fell open, her red eyes widened in shock. Behind her, Grams hid a smile behind her hand.

“You can’t mean that,” Ava said, and her voice wobbled. God, I hated that sound.

“Doesn’t mean I’ve always done the right thing, and I know that, but if you give me a chance, I swear I’ll make it so you don’t have to ever be afraid of me, or doubt me again.”

She stood there, and for a moment, there was hope. There was a softening in her features, a slump of her shoulders. Until she blinked, and everything in her stiffened all over again.

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