Page 61 of Accidentally Sliding Into A Second Chance

Tossingmyduffelinthe back seat, I turn the ignition and blow out a heavy breath. I tap the controls on the steering wheel and press the call button. The ring hums through the truck as I wait for her to answer.

“How’s my favorite brother-in-law doing?” Ava’s voice rings through the speakers just as I turn onto the highway heading home.

My cheeks pull up. “I’m looking for my best friend, do you know if she’s around?”

“Hold on and let me see if I can find her.”

“You’re so dramatic!” I huff out a laugh, and Ava chuckles.

“That’s why they pay me the big bucks! You know, actress and all.” The smile lingers on my lips. “What’s going on?”

A huge breath escapes me, and I run a hand through my hair before sighing. I open my mouth to say something, but stop, trying to find the right words. But I don’t know if I have the words, forget about the right ones.

I glance at the touchscreen and see the seconds ticking by. Ava’s still there, waiting patiently for me to tell her why I’m calling. My mouth quirks at the corner, and I chuckle softly. This is why she’s so good with Duncan.

“A?” I grip the steering wheel and blow out another breath. “How do you think Fiona would feel about Cat?”

“What would Fiona think of Cat?” Ava repeats, a slight shake to her voice. “I’m pretty certain she would love her.”

My grip on the steering wheel loosens, and I swallow hard, trying to ease the tightness in my throat.

“I think she would love your story,” Ava continues. “I think she would love the way she adores Scarlett and Scarlett adores her.”

I try to take a deep breath, but my chest feels like it’s clamped in a vice.

“I think she would love the two of you together. But David?”

The pressure in my throat is overwhelming, and I try to talk past it, but I can’t. The back of my eyes burn, and my heart thunders.

“The thing I think she would love the most is that you found someone. You found someone who makes you happy.” Her voice is so sure, filled with conviction, and I want nothing more than to wrap her words around me and let them dissolve the heaviness weighing me down. “Someone you can love who loves you.”

A single tear rolls down my face. I try to swallow past the lump, but I can’t—it’s jammed there.

“Do you love her, David?” Ava asks.

I nod, but remember she can’t see me. “I do, A.” Pulling over to the side of the road, I put the vehicle in park. The tightness gripping my chest makes it hard to breathe. “But why do I feel so guilty? I’m plagued by this gnawing guilt that’s tearing me up.”

“David, you didn’t choose to leave Fiona, you lost her.” Her words strike me, an arrow piercing its target. “If she were stillalive, you’d be together. Of course, you feel guilty. I think it’s a normal emotion.”

I wipe my chin, tears streaming.

“I feel guilty every year I celebrate our birthday,” Ava’s voice strains, and I hear the pain she’s been hiding from me for years.

“Ava! How come you never told me?” My heart aches for her. I was so lost in my own grief that I never even thought about hers. She always seemed to handle losing Fi so much better than I did. “You did it for me.”

“No, David. I did it for her. Fiona asked me to take care of you for her. She asked me to take care of you until you found someone else to do it.” I can hear the smile in her voice, and the lump in my throat moves.

The tightness in my chest eases, and I can breathe again.

We sit in a comfortable silence, each of us letting the moment breathe.

“So what are we going to do about making this marriage of yours real?”

“We?” I lift a brow, my mouth tugging at the corner.

“Yes, we! You’re going to need someone to watch Scarlett while you date, and her godfather and I are up for the task.” She chuckles, and I laugh with her. “Do you have any ideas for—”

“No, I don’t have any ideas yet,” I scoff.

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