Page 24 of Sugar
“Us.”
“Oh.” My stomach rumbles at the delicious smell of the pizza, so I start divvying out pieces onto two plates. “He’s proven to be persistent,” I explain. “He’s still trying to get a hold of me. I mean . . . I obviously didn’t come back knowing anything about your uncle or your ranch. I only thought of this . . .marriagewhen I realized you guys were dealing with that. But Tobias knows where I’m from—I’ve talked about Saddlebrook Falls. If he happens to come sniffing around looking for me, it wouldn’thurt for him to find proof that I’ve moved on.” I put a plate with two slices of pizza in front of Kasey. He just keeps looking at me, mouth tight. It’s a little unnerving?—
“Did he ever physically hurt you, Ava?” He sounds way too calm, considering what he’s asking.
“No,” I reply quickly, focused on carefully floating a large slice of pizza to my plate. It’s not a lie, but I don’t have the heart to look at him. I don’t want him to see all the things I’m not saying. “Nothing like that.”
He exhales through his nose, finally looking away.
“Kasey Bennett!” a man shouts. Kasey turns around in his seat. I look over his shoulder to see Gus Romano marching toward us from the kitchen, a lopsided smile plastered to his face. “Well, I’ll be—it is you!”
“Yes, sir,” Kasey says, standing to shake the man’s hand, his blue jeans stretching around muscled thighs. He towers over him by at least a foot. “Nice to see you again, Gus.”
“Been way too long, kid—waytoo long.” Gus pushes his glasses up his nose and looks at me. “And Ava! What a blast from the past seeing you two here together. I didn’t know you were home, sweetheart.”
I find it hard to believe he hasn’t heard I’m back in town by now, sure he’s just being polite, but his delight seems genuine. I return his smile with my own. “Been back for a couple weeks,” I confirm.
“Gosh, it’s been years, hasn’t it?”
I nod. “Almost ten.”
His eyes widen. “Get out! Ten whole years?” He looks to Kasey and then back to me. “Well, it sure is good to have you back. Are you staying for a while?”
“That’s the plan,” I say, feeling Kasey’s gaze shift my way. I look over at him, letting a secret smile play on my lips. “Finding it hard to stay away, you know?”
Kasey shoots me a strange look, but then Gus turns to him again and his face wipes clean. “Yeah, uh,” he stumbles, “it’s been . . . great . . . having her back.” His mouth tips up into a sad attempt at a smile, but it looks so painful and forced I almost laugh. He’ssonot good at this. Like, really bad, actually.
“I bet,” Gus says, nodding. “Well, look, you’ve made my night coming in here. Can I get ya a couple milkshakes or a slice of cake? On the house of course!"
“You don’t have to do that, sir, really,” Kasey says.
Gus sighs. “You’re a man now, Kasey, no need to call me sir. And I insist, please. Let me treat you.”
Kasey looks at me, brows raised.
“Milkshakes, please,” I say. “Vanilla.”
“Extra cherries,” Kasey adds. It surprises me that he remembers.Again.
Gus smiles wide, slapping Kasey on the shoulder. “Nothing’s changed with you two, has it?”
Kasey flushes instantly.
“Guess not,” I tease.
“I’ll have Derek bring those right out. Please, stay as long as you’d like and let me know if you need anything else, okay? And don’t be strangers!”
“Thank you, Gus,” Kasey says, sinking down into his seat again.
Gus moseys back to the kitchen. I lift my slice of pizza, hovering it in front of my mouth. “Well, your acting could use some work, but all things considered I think I’d call that a win.” I take way too big of a bite and nearly moan with pleasure, closing my eyes as I savor all the rich flavors. The pizza isdamngood.
When I open my eyes again, Kasey is studying my mouth. He catches me staring and clears his throat. “My acting was fine,” he grumbles.
I laugh, taking another bite. He shakes his head and picks up his own slice, eyes tracing over the meat and vegetables before he digs in too. “Good, huh?” I ask.
He nods. “It’s good.”
A comfortable silence settles between us. I inhale my first slice and far too quickly serve myself a second, eager to put as much food in my belly as I can manage. Halfway through my third piece, I realize Kasey’s still watching me.
