Page 85 of Honest With You

Dad is holding the doorknob, his smile brighter than I’ve seen this past year, but it drops slightly when he catches sight of Ryder. His head swivels to look behind him and that’s when I see him.

The last person I thought I would ever see.

The guy who broke my heart…. twice.

Six years.

It’s been six years since I last saw her.

I watch as she steps even further away from Ryder.

Fucking Ryder, who had his hands wrapped around her.

I know she’s not mine anymore. Maybe she’s even his now, but the piercing ache in my chest has not ceased since I walked away from her in that hospital. The truth is, I never stopped loving her, even after all these years. I’ve tried to get over her. I’ve tried to lose myself in other women, and when that didn’t work, I immersed myself in music, learning music production and growing as a songwriter which is why I now work for Uncle Luke.

All I want to do right now is step in between them, get down on my knees and demand she give me another chance.

I had heard rumors that Ava was coming back. I learned about her success in Europe from company meetings but I didn’t expect her to be here right now. I certainly never expected to find her in the arms of Ryder, who swore up and down they were just friends.

An awkward silence settles between us, and even though I’m painfully aware of both Uncle Luke and Ryder watching us with bated breath. I can’t stop staring at her long enough to even form any words and it’s not just me caught up in this staredown, she’s looking at me with the same intensity.

She has both changed and stayed the same. She’s wearing her gorgeous black hair straight and shoulder length now. Unintentionally, I let my eyes trail down her body and I have to adjust the tablet I’m holding to hide the way my own responds to the changes in hers.

Uncle Luke clears his throat and I tear my eyes away from her to find him gesturing for us to enter the room, away from the prying eyes of the rest of the office.

I nod my head in understanding. After spending the last two years working in this building, I’ve come to realize that no one gossips more than people who work in the entertainment industry. No wonder gossip rags always have the scoop. They come straight from the source.

We both enter the room and though I can feel her eyes on me with every step, as soon as Uncle Luke closes the door, she’s flying across the room to hug her dad.

The tension in the room dissipates with their reunion and Ryder catches my eye. He offers me a friendly smile and a slight shake of his head, as if to say ‘you have nothing to worry about’.

My jealousy isn’t abated in the slightest because he still gets to hold her, to know her.

But all of that pales in comparison to Ava’s reunion with her dad. I may not have seen her or been privy to the details of her personal life, but I know her stint in Europe kept her busy and away from her family, something I know couldn’t have been easy for Ava. Uncle Luke suffered a heart attack a few months ago and it was bad enough that Stephen left his residency to fill in for him. Unfortunately, since Ava had to single-handedly launch the Europe branch of their company, she had to stay back. Uncle Luke has since stepped back from working too much, while Stephen is learning the film and tv production side. I stepped in to help him with the music production side of the company, which I’m not sure Ava knows, judging from the surprised look on her face.

“Ava, honey. I thought you would be here next month.”

Ava steps back from her father’s arms and pushes him, almost forcefully, to sit on the recliner. Uncle Luke smiles adoringly at his daughter, humoring her. “I haven’t even had time to decorate your office yet.” He looks around the room, his smile faltering when his eyes fall on me as he remembers I’m in the room.

Ava’s tense shoulders stiffen even more at the reminder, and the pang that hit me when I first caught sight of her slams into my chest yet again.

She swings her head back and offers me a small smile.

It isn’t much, but since it’s the first one she’s given me since that day, I return it with my best one. Her eyes slide to the dimple she used to love to press her finger on and my grin grows even wider.

“Hey, Ava. Long time no see.”

“Hi, Jesse. It’s nice to see you.” The corner of her mouth tips up as she looks over to Ryder, who clears his throat and points to the door.

“I'm going to get these shots to post. I’ll see you later with Van?”

After a quick nod from Ava, Ryder tips his head in greeting Uncle Luke and salutes me before he closes the door behind him.

Ava rounds her desk and flashes me an awkward smile as she passes. At least she’s acknowledging my presence. I was afraid she would pretend I didn’t even exist.

“Dad.” She folds her arms on her desk. “I feel like I need to warn you before the rest of the Torres cavalry gets here.”

Uncle Luke leans back on his chair with a sigh. “I had a feeling.”

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