Page 47 of We Never Kissed

Before I could respond, he looked at Ava again. “And he’ll never give you what I could have.” Then he walked away.

We stared at each other a beat before I said, “Well, that wasn’t what I expected.”

She sighed. “Yeah, and if Mark figured it out, I wonder who else did.”

Chapter 27

Ava

I snuck a peek at my phone, which rested on the counter, so Gunnar wouldn’t see me. “Do you know if these dishes are clean or dirty?” I asked, pulling the door open.

“Neither,” he said from his perch on a barstool. He dug into his microwaved lasagna and then took a big bite.

Looking inside at the empty racks, I said, “Oh.”

“How late is he?”

I sighed and leaned my elbows on the counter. “Forty-five minutes.”

“No text… No call?”

I shook my head. The average woman might have gotten worried if she hadn’t heard from herboyfriend, who was supposed to pick her up for a date, but Alex often worked late into the night and sometimes got caught in meetings with clients. It wouldn’t be the first time this happened, but I never cared before.

“So, what are you going to do?” He shoved the cardboard container toward me. “Wanna share my dinner?”

I managed a small grin for his kindness.

Alex and I were supposed to have the serious talk about how and when we’d tell the family about us. I wouldn’t voice this to Gunnar, but in the back of my mind was a little voice that said Alex had changed his mind about us, that it was all too much for him to face my parents and Sammy. “Thank you. No.” Sighing, I straightened and grabbed my phone. “How hard is it to send a text?” I’d sent him two and called once, and even that, I worried, was too much.

“Not that hard.” He pointed his fork at me. “And I was just starting to like the guy too.”

“What? You said you liked him.” I tilted my head.

“Let’s just say, he rides a fine line.” He wiped his mouth with a napkin, then added, “Now the jury’s out until I see how tonight plays out.”

I wasn’t the best with being patient, so I grabbed my keys, phone, and purse. “I can’t just sit around here.”

“You goingto his office?”

“No, I’m going to his house.” I had a key, and I would decide on the way over if I would use it or not.

He swiveled on the stool as I passed him. “Call me if you need backup.”

“I will,” I said over my shoulder and headed out the door.

At Alex’s place, I sat in my car, trying to decide if I was the same Ava who knew exactly who Alex was and what his life was like… Or, was I Ava the girlfriend, who had expectations? The former would have me going inside, getting naked, and waiting for him on his couch with a bottle of wine. Obviously, that Ava was more fun, less complicated. And yet I didn’t move. I’d settled once before—with Mark. Yes, this was different, and Alex had told me he wanted to make this work, but had he really understood what that meant?

My phone chimed, and I snatched it up. I’d texted Alex before I left that I was coming here, would wait thirty minutes, and then I was going home and to bed. That was twenty minutes ago.

Alex:On my way…

I stared at it, waiting to see if there would be more. “That’s it?”

My irritation was growing by the minute. Even though I knew at least he was alive and on his way, still, I sat in mycar. I was irritated, but I couldn’t go home until I heard his excuse—uh, reason.

When Alex finally arrived, I opened my window as he approached my car.

“I’m sorry,” he said instead of a greeting. “It couldn’t be helped.”

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