Page 14 of Flirting with Sunshine

“What do you want, Ava?”

Jesus.Even when I so desperately needed her to not think badly of me, I was pushing her away. My defense mechanism was one hell of an asshole.

“I want to talk to you,” she said softly as she reached me, her hazel eyes glassy. Had she been crying? “About what Liam said back there.” She thumbed in the direction of her restaurant, but I knew what she meant without the added gesture.

My skin prickled as I thought of Liam and his words. How harshly he’d said them. The fire inside me raged. I was embarrassed. Broken. Humiliated.

“Please,” she begged sweetly, and I knew that I couldn’t deny her. Not anymore. Not after today.

I still couldn’t believe that she was the woman who used to be married to that little prick. A long breath escaped my lungs, and I thought my body might deflate into nothing but a pile of bones. I’d been holding it all in for so long now, afraid that once I started admitting the truth, saying it all out loud, I might never be able to stand on my own two feet again.

“Okay,” was all I managed to get out.

When she reached for my hand, I let her take it, reveling in the contact.

It had been too long since I’d let anyone touch me. I understood that now.

When we reached my front door, I twisted the knob, knowing it would open. I rarely locked it once I was off my boat for the day. Barley was at our feet in an instant, wagging his tail and rubbing his head against Ava’s legs.

I watched as she looked around the space, her hand petting Barley’s head absentmindedly. The house had come fully furnished, and in the nine months since I’d been here, I’d changed and added very little.

“Are you all right?” she asked me when I should have been the one making sure that she was.

Her ex had shown up here and created a scene. Even though I hated what he’d said to me, I hadn’t been the point of his visit; Ava was. At least, that was what I assumed.

“Me? Are you?” I asked before sitting down on the couch and directing her to take a seat as well.

“Seeing Liam was”—she paused as she sat, searching for the right word—“unexpected. And definitely unwanted.”

Barley followed her every step. He moved in between her legs on the floor at her feet, wanting her attention. Or maybe he sensed that she needed comforting. Whichever one it was, it worked. She grinned at him before scratching behind his ear.

“You had no idea he was in town?” I asked, and she shook her head.

“I haven’t seen him since I left.” She stopped petting Barley and leaned into the chair, her head resting against the padded back. “His parents still live here, so I should have expected that he’d come back home at some point. I don’t know.” She stumbled on her thoughts. “I just didn’t.”

“I get it. He could have come to town without going into your restaurant,” I said, my voice rising as I realized how big of a jerk the guy truly was. “He did that on purpose.”

“I know,” she agreed.

“Any idea why?”

Her eyes held mine. “Because he thought it would hurt me?” she asked, so I knew she had no idea either and was simply offering up a guess.

“Did it?” I wondered out loud. “Hurt you, I mean?”

“No. Six months ago, it might have. But not anymore.”

I still couldn’t believe that sweet, gentle, full-of-light Ava had been married to that piece of shit. He’d been screwing his assistant for years behind her back, seemingly proud of that fact. He used to brag about it all the time. I remembered thinking how young and stupid he was. That cheating on your wife wasn’t a badge of honor and, one day, he’d realize that. Until then, I’d hoped he’d get caught. Guys like him deserved to.

“I can’t believe you were married to him. I’m sorry for what I said,” I apologized, hoping that I hadn’t embarrassed her with my harsh words.

She folded her hands in her lap as Barley rested his head on her thigh.

Lucky dog.

“You said the truth.”

“I didn’t realize I was talking about you though.”

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