Page 110 of Shelter
Ava nodded. “That’s the truth.”
Elise glanced between me and my sister. She ducked her chin and spoke in a whisper. “I’ll deny it if you tell her I said so, but these meatballs are better than hers.”
Ava gasped as though she’d blasphemed, but I just grinned. Elise smirked and took another bite, frowning in concentration as she did.
“Honestly. There’s more going on with these.”
I nodded. “It’s the Italian sausage mixed into the ground beef.”
“Well, it’s really good,” she said between bites.
“Thanks.”
“’Lady, running down to the riptide. Taken away to the dark. I wanna be your left-hand man.’”
I turned and stared at my sister. What the hell? A laugh escaped me. “Ava? Are you alright?”
She forked a bite into her mouth and nodded at me with the most bizarre expression. Her eyes were wide, and she looked like she was about to choke on a laugh.
Oh my God. Is she high?
I glanced back at Elise for an answer, but she was staring determinately at her plate, her face almost as red as the marinara sauce.
Ava snorted a laugh and then coughed.
I turned back to her, frowning. “What’s going on?”
My sister shook her head. “Nothing. You know that Vance Joy song ‘Riptide’? I’ve got it stuck in my head. That’s all.”
Since she’d gotten out of rehab, my sister had done and said a lot of things I’d never witnessed from her before. Was breaking out in song at the dinner table just another one of them? I narrowed my eyes at her, and she met my gaze head on.
“Quit worrying, Cole. I’m not high. I’m just enjoying myself.”
Her focus held mine, clear and steady. She wasn’t sweating or shaking. She wasn’t zoning out or staring into space.
Elise cleared her throat. “She was talking about it earlier.”
“The song?” I asked.
“No. Riptides,” Ava blurted cryptically.
Again, I looked at Elise for clarification, but she still wouldn't meet my eyes. Now her blush had spread down her lovely neck. Her hand that held her fork rested on the table, and I covered it with mine.
“Areyoualright?” I whispered.
Her gaze flickered to mine for just an instant, but in her wide amber eyes, I saw a look I’d seen too many times. Elise Cormier was embarrassed. I didn’t understand what it was, but Ava had done something that embarrassed her.
I shook my head. “Just ignore her,” I said, squeezing Elise’s hand. It felt unbelievably good beneath mine, but I let go. I wanted to touch Elise, but I wanted permission to touch her first.
Elise straightened up on an inhale, seeming to rally. “Ignore Ava?” she asked wryly. “Is that even possible?”
We all laughed, and the moment of tension broke.
I found myself wishing a bottle of wine sat on the table. I’d never do anything to jeopardize Ava’s sobriety, but now would have been the perfect moment to top off Elise’s glass and help her relax. Hell, I could use a glass too.
“Flora said you spend most of your time at work,” I said, watching the color of her complexion soften to pink. “Is that true?”
Elise shrugged and swallowed the bite she’d just taken. “I work a lot, and even when I’m not at the store, I work on designs or do the beading for my farmer’s market booth.”
