Page 56 of Text Appeal

“I tried to get her to calm down.” She turns to me as if looking for validation.

I scrunch up my nose. “Not really sure you get points for deescalating a situation you caused in the first place.”

Ava smooths down the front of her white button-up vest and pants. Her long dark hair is hanging loose, and her heels are sky high. As Grandpa would say, she’s fire. Give or take the frown on her face. Though she’s so beautiful even that works. Woe is me.

“Con,” shouts someone dressed in football accoutrements. Many more in similar attire follow behind him. “Thought we all agreed we were wearing our jerseys.”

Connor grins. “I must have missed that one.”

“You’re fucking useless in a group chat, man. Just hopeless.”

“Yeah,” says Connor in an affable tone. There’re a lot of bear hugs and back slapping. Like a lot. I am surprised no one sustains an injury. My date steps close to me and whispers, “I’ll just be a minute.”

“Go. Run free. Have fun.”

He presses a kiss to the back of my hand. Very smooth. Debonair even. He’s getting good at this dating stuff. You can see it in the way he’s adapting to the role of romance hero.

After he disappears into the crowd of football players, I am on my own, which is fine. Tonight is for chilling and taking in the experience. Connor spent the day worrying about me. Whatever that means. I am determined to ride the goodness of my book taking shape and starting to feel more settled in Port Stewart. Nothing can kill my happy mood. Though Ava could give it a try.

What I don’t expect is for her to attempt the exact opposite.

“You’re right,” she says. “About this morning with Denise. I don’t like it, but you’re right.”

This is a surprise. “Okay.”

“Come on. They’ll be reliving their former glories for therest of the night,” says Ava, nodding toward Connor and his former teammates. “Let’s get a drink.”

“You don’t want to hang with your friends?”

Her girl gang of three from the welcome home party are here. They’re sitting at a table, laughing and chatting. She gives them a brief smile. “No. They’re talking about babies and local businesses and who banged the new football coach.”

“Anyone you know?”

“It’s always someone I know. That’s the beauty of Port Stewart.”

“That must be so weird. I didn't even know my neighbors half the time.” I smile. “Your friends are all about the small-town stuff, huh?”

“Yep.”

“That’s what I don’t understand,” I say. “Connor loves it here. Never wants to leave no matter how much this microcosm annoys him at times. But you know that, right?”

“Of course I know that.” She heads for the drinks table. “But people change. Things can happen.”

“Is that what you’ve been holding on to for the last decade?”

“Longer than that,” she says bleakly.

An Asian American woman in a hot-pink pantsuit is pouring herself a soda. I am instantly obsessed with her chunky vintage cocktail ring. “Hello, Ava,” she says with an arch look. “Fancy seeing you here.”

“Mari.”

“This is a surprise. I didn’t think you were attending.”

“Last-minute decision.”

“Who’s your friend?” asks Mari. “I noticed she walked inholding a certain someone’s hand. That’s got to hurt. Or at least sting a little. It does, right?”

Ava laughs. Apparently, she doesn’t take herself too seriously. Some of the time, at least. Along with her admission of guilt, it makes me like her more. Not sure how I feel about that.

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