Page 46 of Maid in Heaven

“Positive.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Starla, my little girl, her blood sugars spiked while she was at a sleepover. One of the parents didn’t know she was diabetic, and they ordered pineapple pizzaand washed it down with punch.”

“Disgusting.” Ava feigned gagging. “The pineapple on pizza part, I mean.”

“Agreed.” Will pointed to her and then fondled his glass again. “She’s a little self-conscious about her illness and how it makes her different from other kids, so she was too shy to say anything. When she checked her numbersafterward,they were sky-high. She went to the girl’s dad and showed him, and he freaked.Started calling me over and over.Across town, I was in the middle of…um…it.My phone was across the room.I didn’t hear it for like an hour.”

“Oh…”

He rubbed his lips, struggling to keep the emotion out of his voice. “She had to go to the hospital so doctors could intervene. Iwasn’t there when she needed me.”

Ava’s eyes dropped to her martini for a moment. It was hard to watch him chastise himself for being a human with needs and desires.

“I wasn’t thinking.” He cleared his throat again, hoping to swallow the lump that had arisen. “I wasso busy trying to get laid instead of being a dad.It was selfish. I don’t want to be that guy. I’m looking for somethingmorenow, anyway.”

Ava suddenly felt empathetic, “You really seem to care about your daughter. She’s very lucky to have you.”

“I’m the lucky one.” He took a swallow of his drink and smacked his lips. “Ah, so, you’ve heard some of my drama. Now, I want some of yours.”

“Like what? I’m an open book.”

“So, how long ago did you and your ex…husband…?” He fished to see if he was correct.

“Yes,” she nodded, “ex-husband.”

“How long ago was your split?”

She looked up at the light as if to calculate. “The divorce was finalized… just about sixmonths ago.”

“Whydid you guys split? If you don’t mind my asking.”The dangling light over the booth illuminatedthe closely-shorn stubbleon his face, bathing him in delicious honey-colored light.

“Oh, you know that old story… boy meets girl. Boy marries girl. Girl finds out she’s infertile. Boy stops touching girl. Boy starts touching every girlbuthis girl. Boy knocks up his secretary. Girl finds pregnancy test in her kitchen trash can.”

“Wow.” His eyes were large.

She laughed through the pain in her gut. “She just had the baby last week.”

Will sat stunned across the table, scrambling for something to say.“I’m so sorryI even asked.”

“Nah, don’t be.” She waved him off. “I’m not. Single best decision I ever made. We weremiserabletogether.”

“Sounds like you landed on your feet.”

“I landed on my face… I get knocked down, but I get up again—”

“Neva’gonna keep me down,” Will finished the lyrics.

Ava clapped quietly. “Encore!”

Will smirked and pretended to curtsy in his seat.

A comfortable silencepassed between them as they looked into each other’s eyes.To Ava, his blue eyes felt like…home.She couldn’t explain it. She had the urge to touch him, to caress him. Every cell of her being screamed for her to leanacross the table and kiss him.She picturedtheir lips pressedagainst one another, his hungrytongue exploring the depths of her mouth, manly hands in her hair, eagerly pulling hercloser…

Ava didn’t dare to tell him his crystal-blue eyes felt like peering into glacial waters she wanted to endlessly swim in.

She licked the rim of her martini glass, and Will’s mind drifted, imagining what the inside of her mouth would feel like wrapped around him.He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat. “Penny for your thoughts.”

“You have a really kind, disarming smile.”

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