Page 102 of Sugar
Rhett chokes out a sound of surprise. “Oh fuck, man. I knew you were in deep with this shit, but I didn’t realize it was like that.”
“Yeah.” I shrug. “I’m fucked.”
“What about her? What does she think?”
“I don’t know,” I say honestly. “She’s spooked.”
“She’ll come around.”
“I hope so.”
He looks at me, swatting me on the chest with the back of his hand. “Did you see the hit she got in on that fancy fucker?”
I nod, grinning. “Yeah. I saw.”
“Kinda hot.”
“Kinda like when Olivia hityou.”
Rhett frowns. And then smirks. “Guess we like ’em feisty.”
Ava’s waitingfor me on the porch steps when I get home from work at the barn. It’s been a long day, and the sun is just about to set. The light from the sconce by the door illuminates her with a golden halo that makes her look like a goddess, like an angel sent just for me. She’s got the comforter from my bed wrapped around her shoulders and a six-pack resting on the step below her. Two bare feet peek out from the blanket, two sets of toes pressed into the grainy wood. “Hey cowboy,” she says, eyes sparking in the twilight surrounding us.
I stand still in front of the house. Look up at her. Drink her in. I’d readied myself for another night without her here, but . . . damn, the relief is almost indescribable. “Hey, sugar.”
“How was your day?” she asks.
“Long. But good.”
She nods. Stays quiet.
“That for me?” I ask, jutting my chin toward the beer.
She shrugs. “Depends.” Her eyes are darker tonight, more ocean than sky. They regard me deeply. Knowingly.
The corner of my mouth lifts, just a little bit. She’s baiting me, looking for me to chase her. So achingly familiar my heart kicks to life inside my chest. “On?”
She pats the porch next to her. “Come sit.”
I take off my hat and hang it from the end of the porch railing before slowly climbing the steps, careful not to knock over the beers before settling down beside her. There’s an inch of space between us—far too much for my liking, but she’s in control tonight.
“Thank you,” she says quietly, turning to look up at me. “For knowing what I needed, and supporting it. And I’m not just talking about the last couple of nights—I mean all of it. From the beginning, it feels like you’ve known what I need even before I do. You see me in ways most people don’t, and I’m not sure how to explain how much that means to me.”
I tap a knee against hers. “I’ll always see you, Ava. Sometimes you’re all I see.”
Rosy lips curve into a soft smile. And then she looks down at the ground. “Why do you want to be a part of it?” she asks.
“A part of what?”
“The baby. Her life.”
“Oh.” I nod. And all at once I understand. I lean forward to rest my arms against my knees and look out into the setting sun, tracing the golden rays that stretch deep into the dark blue of impending night. “When I first saw you, I knew I wanted you. And not just physically, you know? I hung on every single smileyou ever gave, even if it wasn’t for me. And . . . I thought about what it would be like to have you. To have a future with you.
“I think I was always careful about sharing my feelings with you, because I didn’t want to scare you. But, sugar, I was literally planning it all inside my mind. I love the ranch, but I’m not sure I’ll stay forever. And I found myself imagining the house I would build for you. The kids we might have. What you’d wear on a beach vacation.”
Ava sputters out a laugh. “Not much, probably.”
I smile. “Trust me, that’s how I imagined it too.”
