Age of Ava by Melanie Moreland

Chapter 10

Hunter

Ishook my head in astonishment, staring at her accurate and detailed drawings. I tapped her forehead. “You had all that up there after only seeing this place for a few hours? You should be in design, not running the show.”

She smiled, her cheeks flushed, her eyes dancing. “No, I like my job. But I’m around all the areas so frequently that I know just enough to be dangerous. A good designer like Liv or Heather could do better.”

“No one could do better. Your ideas are amazing. I really like the concept for the kitchen. And reusing the wood panels.”

She nodded enthusiastically. “Use drywall in the guest room and reuse those panels in the master bedroom addition.” She ran her hand over the thick mahogany boards. “It’s beautiful. Lighten up in here but strip it in the master and leave it natural. Seal it, but let the grain and color be the star.”

All her ideas floored me. Pushing out the back wall and adding to the kitchen. Repurposing the cupboards and cutting out the center panels in the top doors and replacing them with glass. Adding shelves and a new island.

“Stock cupboards can be easy on the budget but painted and arranged to look custom,” she offered.

“Stone work tops?”

She nodded. “You get more bang for your buck. But you might be able to find a deal on those too. Something with movement but not overly busy. I’d go darker since you’re lightening up the walls.” She glanced up. “You said you were doing a new roof. Maybe add in a skylight? Let in more light.”

“Your ideas will give it the whole cottagey-but-modern look I wanted. It would appeal to renters looking to get away but who don’t want to rough it.”

For a moment, she looked sad, then nodded. “Exactly.”

“I’ll need to replace the furniture and rugs.”

“There are always garage sales, Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji. We have…” She stopped talking, her cheeks flushing a dull red.

“We have?” I prompted.

“We have warehouses full of furniture, doors, windows, everything. Bentley’s first passion was flipping houses. The company still does it. Liv is always staging places. She thins out the inventory and sells and donates things all the time. She keeps architecturally nice doors and newer windows.” She didn’t meet my eyes. “It might help the budget, but I realize you’re probably not interested if it comes from my family.”

I wasn’t. Or at least, I hadn’t been yesterday. But I didn’t want to hurt her. She was too amazing to do that. “Little Dragon,” I said, waiting until she looked up. “Thanks for the offer. I’ll think about it, okay?”

She smiled so widely, it made me want to smile back at her. It felt as if the sun had just come out of the clouds and was blinding me with its brilliance. All because I hadn’t rejected her idea. She was so easy to please.

“We can poke around places too,” she said. “You never know what you’ll find.”

“Sounds good.” I held out the thick pad of paper. “You want to take some measurements and jot down your ideas?”

She took the pad eagerly, settling at the table, and immediately began working. I watched her for a moment, then, without thinking, bent and kissed her head. She looked up with another smile, and I couldn’t resist kissing her.

“Thanks.”

She winked. “Sure.” Her stomach growled and I chuckled.

“I’ll rustle up some sandwiches then we’ll go outside and relax, okay?”

“Sounds good.”

* * *

I carried out a plate of sandwiches and some cold sodas. We sat in the sunshine and ate, not talking much but enjoying the warmth. I opened a bag of chips, and Ava took a handful, munching on them happily.

“I was thinking…” I started, watching her with enjoyment.

She paused, her cheeks full of food. I chuckled and tapped her face. “Squirrel-like behavior. I promise to feed you later, so no need to save a snack.”

She chewed and swallowed, looking mischievous. “I love chips.”

I tilted up the bag, adding more to her plate. “Good. I was thinking we’d throw something on the grill I bought this week if I put it together later, but I’ve got nothing aside from the last of the casseroles your womenfolk brought.”

She snorted. “My womenfolk. I’ll tell them you called them that—they’ll love that.”

“Your Gen Two or whatever. Needless to say, I still have nothing to grill.” I grinned her way. “I wasn’t expecting company.”

“We can eat the Chinese food.”

“Ah, Little Dragon, we finished that off in the middle of the night. You were ravenous.”

She ducked her head with a small laugh. “Right. You were as well, if I recall correctly.”

“For something totally different, yes. I ate to keep up the strength you kept depleting with your sexual demands.”

She burst out laughing, tilting back her head, the sable color of her hair catching the light. I joined in her amusement.

“So, we’ll head to the store and grab something. I can pick up a few things for next week while we’re at it. You can too,” she said when she stopped laughing.

I scratched my head. “Like grocery shop together?”

She rolled her eyes. “Would you prefer if I went alone? I’ll grab a few groceries I need at the same time.”

“No, you’re right.”

“Okay, we can go to Grimsby later. There’s a bigger grocery store, and it’s never busy Saturday in the early evening. We’ll get a few things and grill whatever strikes our fancy later since we just ate the sandwiches.”

I tamped down the feeling of worry. It was a grocery store. What could happen at a grocery store?

* * *

“What’s the matter?” Ava asked from her perch on the steps.

I looked up from the small grill I was assembling. After lunch, she’d opened her book, enjoying a little relaxing time in the sun while I put together the grill. I had music playing in the background, humming under my breath as I worked. It was fairly easy, but the one piece was proving stubborn.

“This gas connector is refusing to cooperate,” I grumbled. “It’s an odd angle to get to.”

She set aside her book and strolled over, peering over my shoulder. “Tight space,” she agreed. “Your hands are too big.”

I smirked up at her. “You know what they say about big hands and feet, Little Dragon.” I winked and leered at her.

Laughing, she pushed me aside. “Yeah. Large gloves and shoes. They both match your ego.”

Chuckling, I moved away. She bent and slipped her hand into the tight space and, a moment later, lifted her arm in triumph. “Ta-da!”

Without thinking, I spun her and dragged her to my chest, then kissed her. She flung her arms around my neck, enthusiastically returning my caresses. It surprised me how natural it felt—holding her in my arms, kissing her in the sunshine. Teasing her, laughing. Even working on a simple project as she read quietly in the background. I experienced no tension, no feelings of unease or that she was invading my solitude. I enjoyed having her with me—yet another surprise since I usually preferred to be alone. But somehow, her sitting on the porch, Cash lying on the grass, tunes filling the air, and me puttering around, felt easy and right. As if we’d done this a hundred times before. It was comfortable. It felt like—home?

That word drifting through my mind brought me up short. Home was a concept I didn’t understand. I’d lived many places—far too many to count. Dwelled in apartments, houses, all sorts of horrid places—some worse than others. But they had all been a place to sleep, to escape the outside world. They had never been home.

But then again, Ava had never been there.

That thought stopped me cold. I lifted my head from Ava’s tempting mouth and stepped back.

“What?” she asked, sounding breathless. Her hair moved in the breeze, fluttering around her shoulders, the sun catching the purple streaks. Her eyes glimmered in the sunlight, the color swirling and mixing the way it always did. I never knew what hue to expect, although I was slowly realizing the shade of her pupils seemed to match her mood. Right now, they were a soft green, relaxed and at ease.

I shook my head, not answering her. Instead, as Hall & Oates began one of their catchy songs, I twirled her, enjoying her burst of surprised laughter. I began to move, dancing with her. That was something else I liked about her that astonished me. I had always loved to dance—I wasn’t particularly good at it or polished. I just moved my feet and hands to the rhythm and stomped around, enjoying the movement and music, but it was something I only ever did alone. I liked dancing with her—she moved freely, and we somehow fit. We fit together in many ways—and I wasn’t entirely sure how I felt about that fact.

I certainly wasn’t prepared for it.

Yet, as I twirled her again, then yanked her back to my chest and kissed her in the sunshine, I couldn’t find it in myself to care.

* * *

We pulled into the parking lot of the grocery store, and I was pleased to see it didn’t look overly busy. Ava had been correct, which was good since it meant we could be in and out quickly.

She pulled out her phone. “Okay, got your list?”

I scratched my head. “List?”

She shook her head. “You didn’t make a list?”

“No, I just pick up whatever I decide I might want.”

She dropped her head to her chest. “God help me,” she muttered.

I chuckled at her frustration. As I was discovering, Ava was highly organized in everything. After I’d grabbed a quick shower, I walked into the living area to discover she had taken all my piles of paper and organized them. They were now in color-coded files. I wasn’t sure if I was more impressed at her swiftness or her brazenness. Both made me smile.

She glanced up, looking guilty. “I couldn’t take it anymore, and I couldn’t help myself. Now you’ll know where everything is, and you won’t have to search. Look,” she said. “Permits, ideas and drawings, receipts—everything in its own file.”

“And where did the folders come from?” I asked. I knew I had nothing like those in the house.

“In my SUV. I always carry extra file folders. I’ll leave a few blank ones so you can make up new folders as needed.” She paused, pursing her lips. “I can’t leave you my label maker, but I could get you one.”

That made me want to laugh. As if I would bother with a label maker.

“I’ll use a pencil,” I assured her. “Not as fancy, but it works.” I doubted I would ever add to anything, although I had to admit her files looked good. At least the top of the little table was clear now. She picked up the completed files and slid them onto one of the shelves in the living room, the bright colors easily found. She gazed at me nervously.

“Are you mad?”

I met her eyes and slid my arm around her waist. “No, Little Dragon. I’m surprised you were able to rein yourself in for so long.” I had seen her eyes return to the piles on the table many times, and now I understood why. It must have been driving her crazy.

She grinned. “It was difficult.”

I kissed the end of her nose. “Try to refrain from reorganizing the store displays when we get there, all right? Maybe leave the label maker here.”

“Okay.”

I had only meant to tease, but I had a feeling she was serious. The thought amused me to no end—Ava reorganizing an entire store to make it more efficient. Chances were, she’d be right.

I undid my seat belt, still chuckling. “I’m a simple guy, Ava. Now that I have a grill, all I need is some meat to cook on it, some salad stuff, and a few staples.”

Inside, I took a handbasket, and Ava grabbed a cart. She eyed the handbasket. “Your groceries won’t get cooties sharing the cart with mine.”

I really hadn’t planned on getting much, but to make her happy, I put the basket in the bottom of her cart and took it from her. “I’ll follow you since you know the place and I’m not getting much.”

She nodded. “I have my list organized by aisle. It’s faster.”

“Of course it is.” I hid my smile.

I had to admit, she was right. She knew exactly what she wanted, where to get it, and she didn’t waste time. My basket contained a lot of meat, some odds and ends that caught my eye, snacks, and a large box of dog biscuits for Cash. A couple of bottles of wine because I knew Ava liked red wine. For some insane reason, I had picked up a little bunch of flowers, thinking they’d look nice on the table, and I knew Ava would like them as well. Luckily, she didn’t notice and pulled me along quickly before I changed my mind. In Ava’s part of the cart, I could see the meals she was planning. Spaghetti. A whole chicken. Short ribs. The ingredients to go along with them. Cereal for breakfast. Cream for her coffee, which reminded me I needed some as well. Our two worlds summed up in a grocery cart. One organized and methodically planned, one chaotic and barely thought-out.

We turned to the last aisle—the produce department—and Ava stopped, cursing under her breath.

“What?” I asked.

“Turn around,” she hissed. “Just turn around.”

I attempted to, but the cart hit the display, and some cans tilted, then toppled, rolling over and hitting the cart, then the floor, making a loud noise.

“Shit, damn, and blast,” she muttered. “What are the odds?”

“Odds of what?” I asked again, picking up the cans.

“That.”

I looked up and saw a familiar-looking man headed our way. There was a little girl with him, and he was frowning as he approached. For a moment, I thought it was Ronan, then realized it was actually another brother. It had to be, given the resemblance.

I stifled a groan at the thought of meeting yet another family member. They were bloody everywhere. Ava was right—what were the odds?

Her brother stopped, not speaking but staring. He glanced between us, then at the cart. The little girl looked excited, smiling widely.

“Auntie Ava! I told Daddy that was you!”

Ava bent and hugged the little girl. Her brother continued to stare. I cleared my throat and held out my hand. It felt as if I were doing that a lot lately. “Hello. I’m Hunter.”

He shook my hand, his grip firm. A little too firm. “Liam Callaghan.”

I withdrew my hand, resisting the urge to flex my fingers and get some feeling back in them.

“Hi! I’m Lucy!”

“Hi, Lucy.” I grinned at her since she was hard to resist. “It’s nice to meet you.”

She beamed at me. She was adorable, with the biggest smile I had ever seen. I noticed she had a prosthesis on her arm and wondered what had happened. I would have to ask Ava later.

“What are you doing here, Liam?” Ava asked. “You usually don’t shop this time of the day.”

“Mommy had a headache. Daddy and I were making supper, but he burned the grilled cheese. So we had to come get something else,” Lucy informed her.

Liam grinned, his expression loosening. “I ordered one of their deli pizzas. Paige and Lucy love them. I decided to get a few other things while we were here waiting. The grilled cheese is a lost cause.”

Ava laughed.

Liam lifted one eyebrow. “I was wondering what you were doing here, to be honest.” He eyed the cart. “Shopping for two?”

Before I could protest, Ava spoke.

“No. Hunter is Mr. Owens’s grandson. He just moved here, so I’m showing him the best places to shop. I had to get some groceries, so we came together.”

He rubbed his chin. “Jack’s grandson. Hmm. Interesting. Ronan said he met you earlier—at Ava’s house. And here you are now, together again.” He nodded slowly, his eyes gleaming. “Yep. Interesting.”

Ava’s cheeks colored. “Just being neighborly.”

“Ava helped me with my dog earlier,” I interjected. “She mentioned she had to go grocery shopping. I asked her for another favor.”

“Right.”

“It’s just groceries,” I added.

“I’m not saying anything.” Liam smirked.

“We both had to come. Saved taking two vehicles.”

“Very responsible of you.”

I waved at the cart. “We have two different orders.”

“I see. Very circumspect.” He winked. “I’ll let you get on with your neighborly grocery shopping.” He tapped the wine and flowers in my basket. “Enjoy your evening. I’ll see you tomorrow at brunch, Ava.” He began to laugh. “Or not.” Then he met my eyes. “I’ll see you around, Hunter.”

“Not if I see you first,” I muttered.

Then just like his brother, he smiled. “Count on it.”

Why the hell did they keep saying that?

I could still hear his amusement as he turned down the aisle, Lucy waving as they disappeared.

Ava hung her head. “I am cursed,” she muttered. “I’ve been coming here for years at this time and never once run into a family member until today. Ronan rarely drops over to check up on me.” She peered up at me. “I’m sorry.”

I could only shake my head. “It’s fine. Let’s finish up before your parents make an appearance. I don’t think I could handle that today.”

She sighed, and I slipped my hand over hers. “It’s fine, Little Dragon. So, I saw your brothers, and they saw me with you. In your house, grocery shopping together. They can draw whatever conclusions they want. We know the truth, and that’s all that matters.”

She looked as if she wanted to ask something, then changed her mind. “Okay. Let’s finish up.”

I meant what I said. It was no one’s business but ours. We knew what was going on between us, and that was enough. We were scratching an itch. Filling a void for each other for a short period of time. This was no different from any other relationship I had ever had in my adult life.

I tamped down the little voice in my head that asked if I really believed my own bullshit. It needed to shut up and mind its own business.

* * *

Ava was quiet in the truck. It wasn’t unusual—I had noticed she wasn’t given to idle chatter, a gift I appreciated. But this seemed different, as if the silence had a heaviness to it. She stared out the window, her arms crossed.

I pulled up to the house, shut off the engine, and turned in my seat to face her.

“Little Dragon.”

She met my eyes, hers so indescribably sad, I was moved. “Hey, what is it?”

“I’m sorry about my brothers. I really had no idea—” She paused and swallowed. “I’ll make sure they know not to bother you.”

“It’s fine.”

“I know you like your privacy. I’ll grab my groceries and clear out. But I had a great day, Hunter.” She stretched her head and kissed my cheek. “Thank you.”

She slid from the truck, and I blinked.

She was leaving?

I was out of the truck, stilling her hands before she could reach in the back for her bags. “Whoa, hold up. What exactly is going on in that pretty head of yours? I’m not upset. I know you didn’t arrange for your brothers to see us. Shit, Little Dragon, it was just dumb luck.” Realization dawned on me. “That’s what you think, isn’t it? That I think you arranged all this somehow.” I barked out a laugh. “Not even you can be that meticulous.”

“I don’t want you thinking that I think there is more to this than there is. That I somehow was pushing—”

I cut her off and wrapped her in my arms. “I don’t think anything. We ran into your brothers. Hell, Ava, you know people everywhere you go. They can all think what they want. I don’t care. Just because your brothers ribbed me a little, I can take it. I don’t want you to go.”

“You don’t?”

“You really think I’m that much of an asshole?”

“No. But I know how it looks.”

I chuckled. “You were as shocked as me both times. If I hadn’t knocked over the cans, we would have made the escape you were trying to engineer. Stop overthinking this. Everything is fine.” I brushed a kiss to her head. “Stay. Please. I got wine and steak. I even bought potatoes because your mom said they’re your favorite.” I reached behind her and pulled out the small bunch of flowers she hadn’t noticed since she’d been so preoccupied with the crazy thoughts in her head.

“And these are for you.”

Her eyes widened, filled with shock. “Really?”

“If I give them to Cash, he’ll eat them. And when I buy myself flowers to feel pretty, I prefer roses,” I deadpanned.

She looked up, her lips quirking. “Red ones?”

“Peach, darling. I sprinkle them on the bed and roll around in them. I look fabulous in peach.”

That did it. She threw back her head in laughter, and I had to kiss her. Long, thoroughly, and deep.

“Stay.”

“Yes.”

I winked. “Good.”