“Come on, man. How long did you two think you could keep this up before I’d notice?” He hitches a thumb over his shoulder. “We live right next door.”
I shrug, but I’m not fooling anyone. My shoulders are tense as fuck. “You spend all your free time chasing puck bunnies, and you’ve got the attention span of a gnat, so…”
“So…” he says, picking up where I left off. “What’s a guy got to do to get a cinnamon roll?”
Lexie snorts. “Is this some weird pastry-fueled attempt at blackmail? If so, you’re failing miserably.”
“Who said anything about blackmail?” He pats his stomach. “I’m just a growing boy searching for some good eats.”
“So you’re not going to say anything?” Ava asks, her voice a few octaves higher than normal. “To anyone?”
He turns to her, face angelic as he points to his chest. “Who wouldItell?”
My pulse thrums. It’s one thing for him to fuck around with me, but Ava is off-limits. My voice is a low rumble when I speak. “McGinnis.”
He throws up his hands. “I’m kidding. Your secret is safe with me.” He rubs the back of his head, making his sleep-mussed hair stick up even more. “I really was just following my nose. Can I please get some breakfast already?”
“Help yourself.” Ava shakes her head in disbelief, as if she can’t believe this is her life. Ditto. “Plates are over the sink.”
“Thanks,” he says, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet. “You totally get me, Ava.” He glances at me and then cups his mouth to stage whisper, “Unlike some people.”
This fuckin’ kid. As usual, I can’t decide if I want to throttle him or hug him.
After breakfast,we drop Lexie and Kayla at the airport. The women exchange hugs and promise to plan another girls’ weekend, and when they’re through, they turn their attention to me.
“You’d better treat our girl right,” Kayla says, giving me what I think is supposed to be an intimidating stare. “She deserves the best, and she’s suffered enough assholes. She doesn’t need another one.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” I assure her. “You’ve got nothing to worry about.”
“Good.” Lexie flips her braid over her shoulder. “Because I’d hate to have to come back here and de-nut you mid-season.” She glances at Ava. “Not that I wouldn’t love to visit you again, babe.”
I must pass muster because both women hug me before they disappear into the terminal.
Ava watches them go, her smile wilting a little more with each passing second.
“Hey.” I slip an arm around her shoulders. “Are you up for a little ride? There’s something I want to show you.”
Forty minutes later, we pull into the driveway of my childhood home.
The brick exterior has been cleaned, the shutters have been replaced, and the landscaping—my summer project—is thriving, but the house still looks bereft.
Probably because it’s sitting vacant with a thousand unfinished projects.
“This is your family home?” Ava asks, her face warm and open as she turns to me.
I can’t help but notice the way she phrased the question, calling it a family home. I suppose that’s what it is now. It was my parents’, and now it’s mine.
“Got it on the first try.” I gesture toward the door. “Come on. I’ll show you around.”
We climb out of the truck and make our way up the path to the front door. The house sits on a two-acre lot at the end of a cul-de-sac, giving us plenty of privacy. Not that there are many prying eyes inside the gated community, but you can never be too careful.
“It’s beautiful,” she says quietly.
“Thanks.” I pull the keys from my pocket and search for the one that unlocks the front door. “My mom loved this house. When I bought it, I thought it would be like keeping a part of her alive, you know?”
Ava nods. “That makes sense. I’m sure you made a lot of happy memories here.”
Plenty of unhappy ones too, but I don’t want to dwell on that today. The sun is shining, I’m here with the woman I love, and for now, that’s enough.