Page 112 of 15 Summers Later

“I can’t wait,” she said.

Nicki grinned and set down her chopsticks. “Hey, I know we talked about heading out tonight and finding some live music somewhere. I’ll be honest, I’m not really in the mood.”

“I get it. You might run into Austin.”

“There’s that. But I was thinking how nice it would be to stay in. We could get in our jammies, pop some popcorn and stream a good movie.”

Madi felt so much relief, she wanted to hug Nicki. The idea of hitting the bar scene seemed pointless and exhausting, especially when she knew she would have zero interest in dancing with anyone except Luke.

“That is the best idea I’ve heard all week,” she declared, already heading for her bedroom.

She had just slipped into a loose T-shirt and her favorite sleep pants, pink with little black doggy paw prints all over them, when the doorbell rang.

Mo and Mabel both barked and hurried to stand sentry beside the door. Nicki, who had been busy putting away the leftover Chinese food and had yet to change into her pajamas, reached the door first.

Since she had already taken off her bra, Madi had no intention of going out in her pajamas until she heard Nicki’s greeting to their visitor.

“Ava. Hi. This is a surprise. We were about to watch a movie. Why don’t you stay and join us?”

Madi winced, all her good feelings toward her friend disappearing in a rush.

Why did Nicki have to go and say that? What if Ava took her up on the invitation and decided to stay?

That would be the last thing Madi would find relaxing at the end of the day, forced to spend even more time with her sister right now.

In fairness to her roommate, Madi knew why Nicole had issued the invitation. Since Madi and her sister had gone up into the mountains together a few weeks earlier, they had been getting along, if on a superficial level. Nicki must have assumed everything was cool between them after Ava started working at the animal rescue with her.

It was Madi’s own fault for not telling her friend about the fight she and her sister had that day at the market.

She held her breath and was deeply relieved when she heard Ava refuse the invitation.

“No. Thank you. I just... I need to speak with my sister, then I’ll get out of your way so you can watch your movie.”

“Sure. No problem. Come in. Can I get you something to drink?”

Nicki didn’t know Ava was pregnant, Madi remembered, as her sister was keeping the information under wraps for now.

“I could use a glass of ice water,” Ava said as Madi walked into the living room.

Ava looked upset by something. Madi wasn’t sure what gave her that impression. Maybe something in her pallor or the way she was kneading her hands together.

“I can get you some water,” Madi said. She headed into the kitchen and filled a glass with ice and water, then returned with it to the living room.

“Here you go,” she said, handing over the glass. She heard the coolness in her voice, the tightness.

“Thank you,” Ava murmured. She grasped it, sipping it gratefully as if Madi had handed her a healing elixer.

“Please. Sit,” Nicki offered.

After a pause, Ava perched on the front edge of the soft easy chair that was usually the dogs’ favorite as it gave them a good vantage point out the window.

Predictably, Mabel jumped up beside her and snuggled in and Ava reached down automatically to pet the dog.

“I’ll get out of your way,” Nicki offered.

“You don’t have to,” Madi said quickly. “Stay.”

Something told her that both she and Ava needed a buffer between them right now.

---