Page 63 of Too Little Too Soon
It didn’t exist at all. The entire relationship had been a lie.
“That’s too bad,” Dad said sympathetically. “You two seemed so perfect together.”
Ava would have snorted—a sound their mother despised—if Maria hadn’t grabbed her hand and given it a squeeze.
“Maybe you’ll work things out and he’ll be back when you come for Easter. You are coming, right?” Dad asked.
“I am,” Ava assured him.But I’ll be alone.“I can come back sooner if you need me to help take care of Mother.”
“You’re certainly welcome to come back as often as you’d like. However, don’t feel obligated because you think I need help. I’ve decided to retire, so your mother and I can spend more time together.”
“Oh God,” Mother said with an eye roll and a lip quiver, like she was trying not to smile. Like she actually wanted him around more often.
This really was going to take some getting used to.
Just like Ava was going to have to get used to being alone again.
They said their goodbyes, Maria promised to be back for dinner, and Ava swore she’d visit more often.
And then the two sisters were in the car, heading into Seattle. Maria, much to Ava’s appreciation, did not bring up Travis.
Soon, she was on the plane, sitting in first class, drinking champagne. Alone.
Hopefully, it wouldn’t be too difficult to get used to it again. Before she met Travis, she’d done practically everything alone.
It was well after dark by the time the taxi pulled up in front of her apartment building. All she wanted to do was change into a pair of the sweats she’d purchased while on the road, pour an oversized glass of red wine, and curl up on the couch and lose herself in some mindless television show. Preferably not a romance.
Maybe she’d binge watchCriminal Minds. It wasn’t mindless, but the show would certainly keep her mind off a certain tall, dark, sexy drummer whose memory she’d prefer to have ripped out of her head. Better to have loved and lost than not ever loved at all?
Not a chance.
Her shins bumped into someone’s knees, and it took her far longer than it should have to realize the owner of said knees was sitting on her front stoop.
“Travis,” she said on a gasp, stumbling to a stop on the sidewalk.
“Hey, Ava.”
He looked like hell. His hair was disheveled. There were massive dark circles under his eyes. His clothes were rumpled, like he’d slept in them. He dragged his hand through his messy locks and plopped his fisherman’s cap onto his head as he stood.
“I, uh, heard you were coming home today.”
Which of her traitorous sisters told him? Whichever one it was, they were getting a piece of Ava’s mind, just as soon as she could get rid of Travis.
“It wasn’t one of your sisters who told me,” he added. “Holly said I should stay away. Said you hold a grudge, and I should give you some time before I tried to talk to you.”
“She’s right.”
“I couldn’t stay away. Three days was too many.”
She pursed her lips and tried to step around him. “I have nothing to say to you.”
He tugged her rolling bag out of her grip. “Good. Because I have a lot to say to you, and it will probably be easier if you don’t interrupt me.”
“What I meant was, I don’t want to hear anything you have to say.” She reached for her bag. He tucked it behind his back like they were playing a game of keep-away. “Seriously? What are you, five?”
“What I am is a desperate man. I can’t stand not being with you.”
“You should have thought of that when you decided topretendwe were dating.”
