Page 15 of Winter Solstice
“Are you trying to say he feels uncomfortable around me?” Potter says.
“It’s not surprising,” Trish says. “He barely knows you.”
“Because you won’t let him see me,” Potter says.
“You’re welcome to come to California whenever you’d like,” Trish says.
“Right,” Potter says. “Because I’m free to just fly to California every weekend.”
“Not every weekend,” Trish says. “We agreed on one weekend a month. That lasted… what? One month? Two? But I understand you have plenty of time to jet off to Anguilla.” She cuts a glance at Ava. “And Nantucket.”
“Traveling down this road again, I see,” Harrison says. He holds his arms open to PJ, who jumps into them like a spider monkey. “I’ll take this chap down to the lobby so he doesn’t have to endure the parental quarrel.” He winks at Ava. “Care to join me, Miss Quinn?”
Ava doesn’t have much of a choice. Clearly Potter and Trish need to settle things privately. Ava follows Harrison and PJ into the elevator.
“Why isshecoming?” PJ asks Harrison.
“‘She’ is Ava, PJ,” Harrison says. “I know you’re enough of a gentleman to address a lady properly, and when we reach the lobby, you’ll let Ava step off the elevator first. That’s what gentlemen do.”
“I don’t like her,” PJ says.
“What?” Harrison says. “You don’t like Ava? Well, I like Ava quite a lot myself. She’s a beautiful woman.”
“No, she isn’t,” PJ says.
“I’m standing right here,” Ava says with a smile. “I can hear you.”
“Maybe you’re not old enough to appreciate Ava’s beauty,” Harrison says. “And that is all well and good. You’re only seven years old, after all. Barely out of short pants.”
This gets a giggle from both Ava and PJ. The elevator doors open, and the gentlemen big and small wait for Ava to exit first.
“Why don’t you like Ava, PJ?” Harrison asks. “Did she lock you in a closet, feed you snakes, and then go and get her nails done?”
“No,” PJ says.
“Then tell me why you don’t like her.”
“Because,” PJ says.
“Because isn’t a reason,” Harrison says. “We’ve been over this a few thousand times, have we not?”
Reluctantly PJ nods. Ava is impressed with how deftly Harrison handles PJ. She likes to think she has solid skills in relating to children, but she was never this good.
“Don’t worry about it,” Harrison whispers to Ava. “He’ll come around.”
“Do you think?” Ava says. She wants to pepper Harrison with questions: How did Harrison first bond with PJ? What are a few of his favorite things, other than Minecraft? What is Ava’s best strategy for getting PJ’s guard down?
Harrison says, “I have an idea, actually. Why don’t you give me your cell number?”
“Okay?” Ava says, though she’s a bit taken aback. Why on earth would Harrison need her cell phone number? Still, she rattles it off and Harrison programs it into his phone.
A few seconds later Trish comes clipping through the lobby with a suitcase and a small backpack. She grabs PJ by the hand and says to Harrison, “We’re going.”
“Okay?” Harrison says. He smiles ruefully at Ava. “Cheerio, then, Ava. Lovely to meet you.”
“And you,” Ava says. She tries to catch Trish’s eye. They’re all adults; there’s no reason why they can’t be civil. But Trish storms through the revolving door to the street without a word or look in Ava’s direction.
“Bye, PJ!” Ava calls out, but it’s too late. He doesn’t hear her.
