Broken Love (19 page)

Her cheeks turned red as she took the pad. “It’s mine, yes. Ever since I got to the house, I’ve never felt so creative and I couldn’t wait to start on my own designs after I finished up what Maurice had sent me. I truly felt like I could really step outside my normal thing, and by normal I mean the limits to which Maurice lets me step. But after a few days in the house, I started to picture this dress in my mind. I started it a week ago in my spare time. When I saw what Kate had been working on … well … needless to say I was stunned by the similarities to which her and I design.”

Placing her drawing down next to Kate’s, I could believe my eyes. “Here, y’all take a look for yourselves.”

“Wow,” I whispered as I took both gowns in. Clearly Kate hadn’t finished hers, and Ava was almost done with her design.

Nate leaned in closer. “If I didn’t know any better I’d … I’d say …”

“They’re the same design?” Ava asked.

Nate’s eyes caught mine before he looked at Ava. “Or they were designed by the same designer.”

Ava smiled. “I know. I won’t deny that it feels like I feel her presence. At first I thought it was silly and I was only feeling that way because she died in the house, but now after seeing this. I’m not really sure what to say anymore.”

I cleared my throat and shook my head. “Wait. I mean I think this is all easily explained. Ava, you said yourself you needed some time to just design with no restrictions and pressures from the outside world. Don’t you think maybe your designing is just a reflection of that and merely a coincidence and that’s all?”

Her eyes looked sad, and I wasn’t sure if it was because I doubted her or if she honestly believed me. “Probably. But I still find it all very crazy weird that it’s so similar.”

“I agree with Ava. Kate’s dress looks almost identical to Ava’s.”

Pushing my hand through my hair, I looked around the house. “Maybe you picked up a magazine or a book that Kate looked at as well and saw the same dress.”

She pinched her eyebrows together and shot me a dirty look. “I think I know my job well enough to know I don’t unintentionally put someone else’s work into my own.”

I held up my hands in defense. I could see that pushed Ava to the edge. “I’m sorry … I guess it is a little strange how similar they both are.”

When I reached over, I began thumbing through some of Ava’s designs and my heart dropped. The last time I had sat in this very room with Kate, she had shown me some dresses she had designed. She said she was going to bring back the style our great-great-grandmother Lizzy wore. Ava’s sketches were eerily similar to those drawings as well. “Are you going for an older look with these?” I asked as I turned the pages back about four. The gowns almost seemed like they were from the early nineteen hundreds.

With a weak grin, she tilted her head and said, “I’m not sure. It was something I was feeling at the time, so I was mostly playing around.” With a deep breath in, she grinned bigger and said, “Maybe we should get a move on if we’re heading to Helena.”

My heart felt heavy as I watched Ava glance at the designs and then shut the books. I’d seen my sister Kate get lost in the world of her own, the last thing I wanted to see was Ava do the same. I’d help her with this little adventure, but as soon as we got back, I was going to suggest moving into the main house and out of the stone house.

I wasn’t sure how much longer Ava would be staying here in Montana, and as greedy as it sounded, I didn’t want to share her with some romance story of Robert and Lizzy. I wanted her to myself, but at what cost would that come?

THE FORTY-MINUTE DRIVE into Helena wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought with Ryder’s truck being plenty big for my stupid broken leg.

“This is it,” Ryder said with a huge smile as he pulled into the driveway of a beautiful Queen Ann Victorian house.

My heart was racing. I hadn’t had any time to read more of Kate’s journal because I was consumed with her drawings, so I wasn’t really even sure what I was looking for. Kate’s secret might not have had anything to do with Robert and Lizzy. But now that we were here, I couldn’t wait to see the inside of the house.

“Oh. My. Word,” I gasped. “This house is amazing!”

“Wait until you see the inside,” Ryder said as he parked and took my hand. Turning to him, I shook my head in wonder.

“Why is no one living in this house?”

With a shrug, he said, “Don’t know.”

Nate pulled up behind us and quickly jumped out to try and beat Ryder to opening the truck door and helping me out. I couldn’t believe it when they got into a pushing match right there in the driveway.

“Seriously? Are the two of you twelve?”

Ryder acted as if he was going to leave it be, but turned suddenly and tackled Nate to the ground. As they rolled around in the snow in the middle of probably one of the most prestigious neighborhoods in Helena, I managed to get out of the truck and get my own crutches. I wasn’t about to try to walk as I wasn’t sure if there was ice on the sidewalk.

“Stop putting snow down my pants, you asshole!” Nate yelled out as I waited for the two of them to grow up.

“I see some things never change.”

Turning to my right, I saw a woman my age walking up. She had blonde hair that was pulled up into a French twist. Even though it was freezing outside, she was without a coat. Her pencil skirt and tight blue blouse showed off her curvy body as she stood in I swear ten-inch heels. With a smile on her face, she reached out her hand to me. “Vanessa Emerson. I live next door.”

What? How in the hell does someone my age afford to live in this neighborhood? “You own the house next door?” I blurted out.

She must have caught my stunned expression because she chuckled and said, “Let me rephrase that. I live with my parents … next door.”

“Ava Moore, and I’m sorry for the stunned expression, it was rude.”

With a bigger smile, she simply said, “No worries.”

Vanessa glanced over to Ryder and Nate and shook her head. “You’d think they would be too old to do this.”

Putting her fingers up to her mouth, she whistled so loud I was sure I would hear ringing in my ears for the next two weeks.

“Holy shit balls!” I said.

Ryder and Nate immediately stopped and turned to see who whistled. When they both saw Vanessa they began pushing each other to stand up first.

Once they stood up, they both shouted, “Vanessa!”

“I see the two of you haven’t changed much.”

I’d never seen Nate move as fast as he did. “Hey how have you been?” he asked, engulfing Vanessa in a hug.

When Ryder followed suit, I wasn’t sure how to take the way it made me feel. I’d never been a jealous type of person, but for some reason I didn’t like something about this whole Vanessa thing.

“Vanessa, you look amazing! Are you still working for Judge Walter?” Nate asked.

“Yes I am and loving every minute of it. How long are you boys in town for? I’m sure my mom and dad would love to have you over for dinner.”

Nate spoke up first. “Just tonight.”

“Well then how about I see if they are free.”

Ryder shook his head, “Oh no, Vanessa don’t do that. No need to bother your parents.”

I stood there like an idiot … not to mention I was freezing my ass off.

“Sorry to break up your little reunion here … but this Texas girl is cold.”

All three of them looked my way. It only took Ryder a second to realize I had been standing there waiting before he quickly rushed over to help me navigate up to the house.”

“Shit! Ava, I’m so sorry, sweetheart.”

“Sweetheart?” Vanessa asked as I stole a peek.

“Sorry, Vanessa. Ava, this is Vanessa, an old friend of the family. Vanessa, this is Ava Moore.”

I wasn’t sure why it hurt that he hadn’t elaborated on me being his girlfriend since he felt the need to say Vanessa was an old friend.

“I’ve got it, Ryder,” I snapped when I made it up to the front door.

His expression was one of confusion, but I didn’t care.

“Um … let me get the door unlocked. Nate had the caretaker come over and turn everything on so the house will be warm.”

It was childish for me to be having an attitude, but right now I didn’t care.

The door opened and my eyes widened in surprise. The sight before me had my skin tingling with just the idea of staying in this house.

“Oh wow.”

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Vanessa said walking into the foyer and making herself right at home. “Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery had it fully restored to how it would have been when it was first built. Right down to the original colors and wallpaper. The furniture is all original to the house as well.”

What in the hell? Did I ask for a guided tour?

Vanessa made her way into the living room and spun around. “Isn’t it amazing? I’d do anything to live in this house.”

“I bet,” I mumbled under my breath.

Vanessa tilted her head and looked at me as Ryder asked, “What was that, Ava?”

“Nothing. Nothing at all. I’m enjoying our little guided tour.”

My eyes wandered the room in delight. The wainscot on the living room walls was beautiful and continued up the elegant wood stairs. At the first landing was an amazing stain glass window that I was dying to know if it was original, but I’d rather gash my eyes out than ask Vanessa.

“If we make our way into the dining room, you’ll really see some beautiful architecture.”

Nate followed Vanessa like he was a lost puppy and she was the key to finding his way home. Ryder went to follow but remembered me and stopped to help me. When he put his arm out I snapped at him. “I’m fine. Go one with them … it’s clear I’m holding you back.”

Ryder pulled his head back in surprise and was about to say something when the tour guide called out for him. “Ryder! Come on, and bring Ava with you.”

Thank goodness the house wasn’t full of furniture so I was able to make my way around fine.

“I love the coffered ceilings in here,” Vanessa gushed as Ryder and Nate both looked up like they had never seen them before.

Ugh.

“Over here is the sitting room. Parker got the fire going for you in this room only.”

“Parker?” I asked.

“Caretaker,” Ryder said with a slight smile.

I couldn’t help but notice how Vanessa was looking at Ryder as Nate did everything in his power to get her attention.

“Let’s head into the kitchen, shall we?” Vanessa said as both men followed after her.

“I’m sorry … whose house is this?” I asked as all three of them stopped and looked at me. Vanessa’s smile faded as Nate let out a chuckle and Ryder cleared his throat.

Vanessa stood a bit taller as she said, “Excuse me, I’m so sorry. That was so rude of me to barge in like that and take over. I volunteer doing historical home tours and when I saw how excited you were seeing the house, I figured I’d give a better tour than the boys, but forgive me.” She slightly shook her head as she looked at me.

“I’m sorry … how exactly do you know Ryder and Nate?”

Oh, you bitch. The gloves just came off.

Ryder stepped up next to me. It was in that moment he realized he had never said who I was, but only gave my name. “Oh sorry, Vanessa, Ava is my girlfriend.”

“For now,” I mumbled as I made my way past all three of them and stepped into one of the most amazing kitchens I’d ever seen.

The cabinets were the same color as the rest of the wood in the house. The light-colored granite offset the darker cabinets perfectly.

“Beautiful,” I whispered as Ryder walked up next to me.

“Ava, is something wrong? Why are you mad at me?”

Looking into his eyes, I could see he was confused, but if he didn't realize how he had acted when Ms. Fancy Pants showed up, then that was his fault.

Vanessa walked in and sighed. “Couldn’t you see yourself baking in this kitchen, Ava?”

With a fake smile, I turned her way. “Yep.”

“Now upstairs are six bedrooms and two bathrooms. Every light fixture in the house is turn-of-the-century original to the house.”

Nate walked up next to me and leaned in close as he asked, “Would you like me to shut her off now?”

“Please,” I whispered.