Page 80 of Corkscrew You
“Hi,” she says, as I peer round the door. “I’m Ava. Nate’s sister. Which you probably guessed, owing to us having the same face.”
“Is he OK?”
She gives me a crooked smile. “You mean, apart from being a stubborn half-wit?”
I open the door wide, relieved, and, I have to admit, exceedingly curious.
“Want some coffee?” I ask. “Be warned. It kicks like a mule.”
“The perfect start to every day,” she says, and follows me down to the kitchen.
“Nice place.” Taking a chair, Ava glances around the room. “Homey.”
It’s a slightly odd comment – isn’t every home homey? But then, I’ve no idea how Nate and his family live. Or where, for that matter. I was going to find out tomorrow night, but…
Ava waits until she has a mug of coffee in front of her before speaking again.
“I’m here to ask you to come to dinner still.”
Durants obviously don’t believe in small talk.
“Um, won’t that be … awkward?”
“Absolutely,” she replies, without hesitation. “Awkward-plus. But I can guarantee that the atmosphere created by my father will be way worse. He isnotin a good space right now.”
“And this is you persuading me?” I have to ask.
Ava grins. Her eyes areexactlyNate’s blue. I honestly think I’m going to have heart failure. My urge to see and touch him isintense.
“My brother will come round.” Seems she’s as psychic as Chiara. “But he’s a slow burner. Needs time to process.”
“I said a horrible thing,” I confess. “I didn’tmeanit to be that horrible, but that’s how it came out.”
“Well, don’t hold back when you’re speaking to Dad,” Ava tells me. “Cut out your heart and lay it bleeding in front of him. And cry. A lot, if possible.”
“I think I cried myself dry last night,” I admit.
“Do you care about my bone-headed big brother?”
“Yup.” No point in lying; she’d see right through me.
“Good. He cares a lot about you. About time, too,” she adds.
“What do you mean?”
“We’re a family of control freaks,” says Ava. “Well, to be scrupulously honest, the control freak gene got partially diluted down the line. My younger siblings tend to be more relaxed – when it comes to emotions, anyway. They’re ambitious as all get-out in their chosen careers.”
She sips her coffee, and lets out a whoosh, like she’s knocked back a shot of tequila.
“Man, I could refuel the car with this.”
“It’s a secret recipe,” I say. “Involves melting down an iron girder.”
“I like you,” Ava informs me, with a broad smile. “Anyway, as I was saying: control freaks, all of us. But Nate had the extra burden of being the oldest. Given that he was born serious, he took a lot of responsibility on his shoulders that he shouldn’t have. And he also decided it was important that henevershows weakness. Which meant, the dumb cluck, that he never let himself fully experience any emotions.”
That rings true. Nate and emotions are not the easiest of bedfellows. Though now I wish I hadn’t started thinking about Nate and bed.
“His relationship with Camille was a disaster,” Ava continues. “Should have called it quits after a year. Butshewas equally pig-headed, was convinced she could change him. He hung in there because she did. Never blink first, that was his motto, the dolt. Plus, they probably had ashitloadof hate sex, which would also have helped.”
