Page 31 of Flirting with Sunshine

“I think we might be magic,” he said, and I couldn’t help but agree.

TURNING THE PAGE

TONY

THREE WEEKS LATER

Being with Ava was far easier than I had given us credit for.

I’d been so worried, so wrapped up in my own head about everything, that moving forward seemed impossible at times. I’d gotten so used to convincing myself that I deserved nothing good in life that I actually started to believe it. Ava shot that thought down immediately. And when I had confessed to her one night that I thought I might self-sabotage anything good that I tried to have, she had refused to buy into that way of thinking as well.

Ava forced me to make good on my promise to always communicate with her, and honestly, it was my saving grace at times when I felt lost in the dark.

After our first night together, we’d barely spent any nights apart. She was either at my place or I was at hers. Snickers still hated Barley, but Ava was convinced they’d become best friends at some point. I wasn’t so sure, but I held out hope. Something I wouldn’t have been able to do a couple of months ago.

I still struggled with feelings of guilt that would rear their ugly head out of nowhere, but whenever I did, Ava held on a little tighter. As much as I adored her, it was almost uncomfortable to feelthis happy. I’d been shrouded in the shadows for so long, stuck in my pit of despair, that joy had become a foreign feeling to me.

But now, here I was, watching my girl shop for fresh fish at the docks, like I hadn’t just been inside her earlier this morning. She was slowly becoming my world, if she hadn’t been already.

Barley whined when he saw her, tugging at the leash I had him on. He used to be such a good listener, but these days, he sprinted off without warning whenever he caught sight of Ava, so I had to start tying him up.

Rory worked diligently across the way from me, adding fresh ice to his catch. I still needed to thank him properly for all of his advice, but I hadn’t done it yet. Wiping my hands on the hand towel I kept at my table, I headed in his direction.

“Morning,” he said when he spotted me.

“I just wanted to tell you—” I started, and he put up a hand to stop me.

“It’s all good, man. I’m glad you two are finally together.” He gave me a smile before nodding his head in Ava’s direction. “I’ve never seen her so happy before.”

Warmth spread through my chest, but a part of me refused to believe it. “Even when she was with Liam? At the beginning? Or their wedding?”

Rory shook his head and made a face. “She was so young then. It’s not the same. You can’t even compare the two really.”

His words struck a silent chord inside my chest. She had been young when she first started dating Liam.

“Thank you anyway, Rory. I needed a kick in the ass, and you gave it to me. You’re a good friend.” I almost stumbled over the words.

He reared his head back in surprise. “Friends, huh?”

“I think so.”

“Then, you owe me, right?” he asked with a shit-eating grin on his face.

I shot him a glare. “What do you want?”

“I need a wingman.”

A loud laugh escaped from my lips. “You do not need a wingman. All the females in town love you.”

It was true. The handful of single ladies left in Port Rufton all had their eyes on Rory, and any one of them would be ecstatic to land him.

“She’s not a local.”

“You want me to help you land a tourist?” I asked almost incredulously.

Tourists were usually fairly easy, from what I’d heard. There was something about a summer fling with no strings attached that appealed to people.

“I’ve seen her here for three summers now. She keeps coming back with her girlfriends. Just help me out, man.”

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