Page 43 of My Never
“Yeah, she dropped off wedding things a few times for Colin and Sydney.”
“Yes, that Ava.” Trystan comes in and taps her desk in good morning before smiling over at me.
“The one that always has him in such a tizzy?”
Trystan leans on his forearms across the desk like he’s sharing juicy gossip. Trish is eating it up.
“The one and only. They finally found common ground and quit fighting the attraction.”
“Ooooh, that fine line between love and hate.” She sighs dramatically.
Trystan nods, getting a kick out of how she’s playing into it. I interrupt their oh-so-interesting discussion about my love life.
“Hello…I’m still here.”
Trish snickers as Trystan winks at her and follows me into my office, shutting the door behind him. He plops down onto the leather chair across from my desk and props his feet up, which I automatically knock down.
“So… Ava…”
“Yes… Ava.”
“You’re serious about this? She’s not just another notch?”
I set down my pen, clenching my jaw hard while forcing myself to take a deep breath before I lash out. I know he means well. Exasperation is written all over my face when I look up at him with fire in my eyes because, damnit, I am sick and tired ofnobody taking me seriously. I know that I’ve kind of made that mess for myself, but I’m really trying here.
“Yes, I’m serious about her. I meant what I said at the river that day. That I was sick of the game. I want something meaningful in my life. It took me six months of fighting these feelings to figure out that they were indeed feelings. I’m fucking scared of how she makes me feel, but I want to try, and I want to try with her.”
“Shit…”Trystan rubs his palm across his mouth. “Okay. I’m sorry, but I had to ask. She’s one of ours and has been through a lot with Eric.”
I glare harder at him.
“I’m not Eric. I know how that bastard treated her. Got a front row seat to it a while back, remember?”
Trystan raises his hands.
“Okay, just checking in. I wouldn’t be a good friend to either of you if I didn’t ask. Just don’t hurt her, okay? Ava’s sweet.”
“Trystan, I have no intention of hurting her. Now get the hell out of my office.”
“Yeah, sure thing,” he says gruffly, sending a grimace of a smile before taking a sip of his coffee and heading off to the site.
I didn’t mean to get so testy with him, but damn, I just want someone to be happy for me. To have a little faith that I can do this. I’m twenty-eight for fuck’s sake. It’s beyond time for me to grow up, but now that I’m taking the steps, it feels like nobody actually thinks I’m capable of succeeding. At least in the woman department.
I open my phone and look at Ava and her coffee. Her hair looks freshly styled, and she’s got those red lips painted again for me. My insides twist with the memory of her swiping that lipstick across the plump flesh in the reflection of the hotel’s bathroom mirror. I smile and close out of the picture before Iend up with a hard on from hell. I need to be able to work here, that way, after lunch, I can get my ass out to the site to see how things are going and perhaps get my hands a little dirty. Sunshine and dirt will do me some good. Just have to get through a few more hours of busy work.
???
Ava
At ten til noon, I pull out my compact to retouch my lipstick and eyeliner. Today I picked a grey blazer and skirt with a baby blue blouse to match the thong I sent a picture of to Mark this morning. I know it was a little risque, but it wasn’t a picture of it on me. I know he’s not a morning person, and I wanted to put a little pep in his step. If he’s anything like me, he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about last weekend. I am craving his lips like crazy. I dab my rollerball perfume on and visit the bathroom to pee and finish freshening up.
I walk back in my office to gather my things when Sami comes slamming in the door and closes it behind her. She looks flustered.
“What’s wrong?”
“A seriously hot, and I mean hot-as-sin specimen of a man, just walked in and is at the front desk talking to the temp. What if he’s a potential client? I do not look nearly good enough to deal with him today.”
I giggle.
