Page 168 of Heartache Duet

“I think maybe the first time, you fell in love with the idea of him, you know?”

I nod.

“And now… now you’re in love with him.”

My breath catches while I let her words sink in. “Yeah,” I whisper. “You’re right. I am. I’m so in love with him, Karen.”

She smiles, but it’s almost sad. “I love that you’re in love, Ava. You deserve it.” She links her arm with mine, nudging me gently. “And as far as this fear of forever that you have? Forever’s never guaranteed. You know that more than anyone. So, I guess you should ask yourself if forever ended tomorrow, would you rather go out holding on to regret or holding on to Connor.”

“Connor,” I whisper, facing her. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” She kisses my cheek, then giggles. “I guess I should probably stop hitting on him now.”

“I mean, yeah,” I laugh. “I’d appreciate it.”

FIFTEEN

connor

“If you plan to go pro, you have to get used to this shit,” Rhys says after hearing me complain about the open practice we’re about to have. It’s not that I mind doing stuff like this, and I know how important it is… school spirit and all that, but I’d prefer to be using my practice time doing things that better my skill, especially since playoffs start this week. It just seems like a waste of time. I may as well go home and sit on my porch for the slight chance of seeing Ava. It’s been days since I’ve had any real time with her, and it’s getting under my skin. We text every now and then, but it’s not the same.

“Let’s go, gentlemen,” Coach yells.

We file out of the locker room and onto the court, one by one, surrounded by the loud support of our peers. “Just get it done,” Rhys says, smacking the back of my head. We start as we always do, with warm-ups, and it’s not until I’m halfway through them that I see her. Sitting next to Karen in the front row, Ava’s biting back a smile as she watches me. There’s a balloon in her hand, bright orange, and she lifts her hand in a wave. I make my way over to her, ignoring everything else. Squatting down to her level, I say, because it’s the only thing my brain can come up with, “Hi.”

“Hi,” she replies through a breathy giggle.

“What are you doing here?”

“Baking.” Smart ass.

“I mean, how did you manage to—”

“Ledger!” Coach calls.

“One second!” I shout back.

Coach yells, “Now, boy!”

Ava laughs, her head dipping. “Ooh, you’re in trouble.” Then she pushes on my shoulders hard enough that I have to catch myself on an outstretched arm. “Go! Do your thing, number three!”

I flex, I admit it. But there’s something about Ava’s presence that makes me want to push myself harder than I usually do. Besides, it’s not often she gets to see me in action in real life, and so of course, I give her a show.

I have to.

As soon as the practice is over, I race over to Ava, making sure I catch her before she leaves.

“Hi,” I say again.

Shaking her head, she smiles up at me. “Watching you on the court is like watching paint dry. I’ve never been so bored in my life.”

“Sorry,” I laugh out. “I’ll try harder next time.”

She clucks her tongue. “I don’t think there’s going to be a next time, number three. You were that bad.”

Karen stands to the side of us, watching our back and forth with a dip in her brow. “So, this is what being in love looks like?”

“Karen!” Ava whisper-yells, her eyes wide and focused on her old best friend.

---