Page 26 of Too Little Too Soon
“The only hoodie I own has barbeque sauce on it,” she grumbled. “And no one informed me there was a dress code for breakfast with my sisters.”
“It’s a travel day,” Holly explained. “Comfort is the name of the game.”
A server led them to a table. Ava’s eyes suddenly filled with tears. What the hell? She swiped at them as she took her seat.
“What’s wrong?” Holly asked.
She shook her head, prepared to insist she was fine, but no. If her sisters were going to be back in her life, she was going to be honest with them. “I’m just so happy we’re all together again. And having fun. I wish we had more time.”
“Agreed,” Maria said, then ordered them a round of mimosas.
Once they’d decided on food, Ava said, “I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that both of my sisters now lead a rock ’n roll lifestyle. How do you do it, with Riley?”
Maria chuckled. “Riley is the easy one. Oz has three kids, and they are all school age.”
“What?”
Maria nodded. “They’re his sister’s kids. She died, almost five years ago. He and his mom are raising them now.”
“Those poor kids.”
“They’re great, though. Very resilient. And they’ve accepted Riley into the fold like she is their long-lost baby sister.”
“Now I’m really intrigued. Are you and Vic sharing custody?”
What did their mother think of this? Of Maria’s divorce? That was a stain as black as Holly’s decision to leave the nest and become a rock star. God, was Ava’s the only picture left on the mantel? She may skip this year’s trip home. That was pressure she simply did not need in her life.
“We are. And he’s being really amazing about it. Thanks to the divorce, he’s finally realized he likes being a dad. He and Riley went on vacation together last week. Just the two of them. He said they had an awesome time.”
“I’m so glad your divorce story has a happy ending.”
Maria sighed dreamily. “Me too. It’s exhausting, though. This afternoon, Oz and I are flying to Seattle to collect Riley, then flying down to LA to spend the rest of this week with his kids. We have to be in Boston on Friday, so we’re catching a red-eye Thursday night and taking Riley with us.”
“How’s that going to work?” Ava asked. “With you working for both bands now?”
“We hired Oz’s cousin, Carina, to be Riley’s nanny. She’s going on tour with us.”
Ava propped her chin on her hand. Learning about her sisters’ lives was so much more entertaining than her own boring existence. Hers could be summed up in a single sentence: go to work, go home, go to bed, do it all over again.
“What will you do when the two bands aren’t touring together?” she asked It seemed like that would eventually become a possibility.
Maria grinned. “I’ll clock a whole lot of frequent flier miles, that’s for sure. I don’t actually have to tour with the bands; I’m going on this tour because I need to learn the ropes. Plus, it’s Demigoddess Revival’s first, and I want to be with Oz.”
Ava had never considered herself a romantic, but she practically had hearts in her eyes listening to her sister flex her life around the person she loved.
Ava only vaguely knew her ex brother-in-law, as she’d already moved to New York by the time they met. She’d gone home for the wedding—she’d claimed work as her excuse for not attending the bridal shower and bachelorette party—and saw him when she was home for Christmas each year, but that was it. She hadn’t even flown out to visit after Riley was born, figuring she could meet her niece at the next holiday.
Maria hadn’t taken Riley to the funeral last summer, Ava suddenly realized. She hadn’t seen her niece in more than a year, as she hadn’t gone home for Christmas this year. No reason to, since neither of her sisters had either.
God, she hoped they spent next Christmas together. She had a desperate desire to finally get to know her niece and both of her sisters’ significant others.
Their food arrived; the server placed their entrées before them and then hurried off to refresh their drinks.
“I admit, I’m jealous of the time the two of you get to spend together,” Ava said, waving her finger between Holly and Ava.
Both sisters reached out a hand and squeezed her arms. “You’re welcome to join us anytime,” Holly said.
“Shoot, you could go on tour with us,” Maria said, “since you aren’t working right now.”
