Page 11 of Choose Me

“Ava didn’t take it well, I'm guessing?”

“Not at all. I just feel so fucking helpless. I don’t know what to do.” My hands clenched around the neck of the bottle so tightly that I could tell he feared it would shatter in my grip, so he carefully grabbed it from me and poured me a drink.

“Give her time,” he squeezed my shoulder, “She will come around. She’s a good girl with a big heart, but she’s also a spitfire that feels emotions deeply. Just give her some time to cool off and then go in and do what you can to fix things before you leave tomorrow.”

“Damn, Everett. It’s mind-boggling how you can give relationship advice but can’t keep one yourself.”

“I know, it’s a gift.”

“Yeah.” I scoffed, pouring him a glass and sliding it towards him.

“Does Ava know that Benjamin has a sister?” He asked in a hushed whisper.

“No. I didn’t get a chance to tell her, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to upset her any further, so I think it’s best if we both keep it quiet from her, at least until she has the baby.”

“I agree. No good will come from it. What about her stalker? Are you still thinking it’s Commons?”

“Absolutely. He’s the only one with a vendetta against her. He most likely blames her for falsely accusing him of being The Skinner and condemning him to a decade-long prison sentence. So far, IT hasn’t been able to locate him. His last location was in Massachusetts, but he fell off the grid once he was released. So, I am going to ask you for another favor.”

“Done.”

“What? You haven’t even heard what I was going to ask.”

“I don’t need to. If you have to be in Miami, I will do whatever I can here to find Commons and keep Ava and the baby safe.”

“Thanks, man. I really appreciate it.”

“Don’t thank me. I want to do this. You put so much on the line to keep Ava safe, and now you are being punished for it. We are a team, and I know you’d watch my six if I needed you to. Right now, your six is Ava, and I will take care of both of them until you get back. But don’t take too long because I am not cut out for changing diapers and burping babies.”

“Fuck, man. This is a fucking mess. I feel like I am going to lose her if I leave.”

“No, man, I’ve heard you guys having sex. You are most definitely not going to lose her. She can’t catch a break. Neither one of you can. But this is what makes relationships strong, and you will come out of this rock solid. Just make sure you fly home when you can, and I will make sure that she and the baby are taken care of while you’re gone.”

“You’re a good friend,” I told him, toasting him. “Now, sit with me while I build myself up some liquid courage.”

“That I can do,” he laughed.

Everett and I sat in the kitchen, steadily drinking and discussing the case. I felt a sense of relief wash over me as I confided in him like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. We discussed the case details and what I would need to do to provide a psychological profile of Benjamin’s sister.

As the whiskey flowed and the hours ticked by, I came to the realization that I didn’t want to leave Ava. I needed her just as much as she needed me. We’d been through so much together, and the thought of being away from her was unbearable.

“I can’t leave her,” I said, my voice cracking with emotion.

“I know,” Everett said gruffly, his hand heavy on my shoulder as if to keep me from collapsing with emotion. “Once this is over, you can come back to Ava and your baby and be a father and put all this bad shit behind the two of you. You both deserve happiness for once, especially Ava.”

“Thanks, man.” My lips stretched into a torturous smile as I let the numbing heat of alcohol seep through my veins and deep into my broken soul.

SEVEN

AVA

My body was tired from crying, and my eyes felt swollen and painful. I had fallen asleep on our bed, and when I woke up, the glittering lights of the skyline watched over me from the window. As I sat up in the bed, memories of the fight I had with James came flooding back—the fight, the tears… my hurtful words. I wondered if we could get past this and if things would be the same between us after he left. My heart felt heavy, and for a moment, I considered just heading right back into bed. But when I looked out the window again, there was something about how the lights danced across the skyscrapers and the traffic rushing through the streets below. The view was breathtaking, the skyline stretching as far as the eye could see. But even the beauty of the city couldn’t distract me from the ache in my heart.

I pressed my forehead against the cold glass. The city bustled below me, people rushing to and fro on the busy streets. It was like a living, breathing organism, full of life and energy 24 hours a day. I couldn’t help feeling a little envious of that energy, that vitality. I felt so drained, so empty.

But then, as I watched, I saw something that made me smile. A young couple walked hand in hand down the street, laughing and chatting like they were the only two people in the world. Their joy was infectious, and I couldn’t help but feel a glimmer of hope as I watched them disappear around the corner. It had been a shitty day, and I really didn’t want to leave things this way between James and I, but I didn’t have the energy to fight with him again.

As I stood there, lost in my thoughts, I heard a faint knock on the door. It was a hesitant knock as if the person on the other side wasn’t sure if they actually wanted me to answer. I took a deep breath and walked towards the door.

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