Chasing Ava: A Bachelor of Shell Cove Novel (The Bachelors of Shell Cove) (39 page)

The human brain is a remarkable organ. It works even when you are incapable of functioning. In fact, she was malfunctioning.
 

The raised trunk concealed Ava from view. Aron couldn’t see her walk of shame. She was a poor excuse for a big sister.
 

Then, as if on cue, Logan rounded the tall green shrubs of the neighboring property. The bare muscles of his chest ripped and coated in sweat. He looked leaner, stronger, and meaner than when she had left. Arms pumping, pecks flexing, abdominal muscles rippling. Her stomach did a triple dip with a backwards somersault into a split. Seeing him after all these weeks shot her internal temperature gauge to fever pitch. Would he feel the same? Ava coming back to Shell Cove, probably ruined his plans with Rebecca.
 

“Ava. What are you doing here?” The tears couldn’t be contained. They flowed like river rapids. Each tear seeming to pull a more forceful surge than the one before. They left a heated trail down her cheeks. Logan was moving toward her now. He looked good. He had a full shadow. He never had a beard before. Rebecca must like her man with a beard.
 

She walked past him. She couldn’t stop. If she stopped she would crumple to his feet in heartbreak.

“Why are you crying?”

She looked at him incredulously. “How dare you ask me that question? I know you think I’m a selfish coward, but I would never do what you’ve done. I can cry if I want. I may never stop crying. But you’ll never know.” She walked away from the man she loved. Aron’s truck was now her getaway vehicle.

“Where are you going? Ava! What’s happened?”
 

She ignored him. Logan was moving toward her, but before he could reach her, Aron planted himself in front of her.
 

“Leave her alone.”

“I will not. Why is she crying?”

“She was smiling before she came back to your house.” Ava could see the challenge in Aron’s eye. Logan’s face took on a questioning expression.
 

“Ava please, this doesn’t make any sense. Talk to me.” She shook her head no. She knew if she opened her mouth no force on this earth could contain the sobs of anguish that would be unleashed.

“Aron, we need to leave.” She sobbed, there was no use in trying to contain her sorrow.

“Ava, do not leave.”

“Logan, is everything alright out here?” Her replacement peeked around the doorframe, her French manicured toenails barely visible.

 
“What are you doing in my house?” Logan’s bellow had her jumping, the birds taking flight from nearby trees.
 

Ava couldn’t watch anymore. Logan lied to her. He had something going with Rebecca. Why else would she be dressed that way?
 

She walked to the vehicle she’d exited only minutes before, opened the door and collapsed in the seat. She pulled her knees to her chest, let her head fall onto the glass window, then she let what remained of her emotional dam crack wide open. She wailed, and she didn’t want to stop. She may never stop crying.
 

“Sis, what can I do?” Ava turned to face Aron in the driver’s seat then closed her eyes, but not before she recognized the pity in Aron’s eyes. Humiliating. Here she was spouting off about what she needed from Logan. When he didn’t need anything from her.
 

“Just drive.”

“I can do that.” Ava felt the hum of the engine, before the backward slide of the tires took her away from Logan.
 

“Ava! No!” She lifted her head to see Logan eyes locked on her.
 

It caused too much pain to look at him. She lowered her head back to the warmth of the glass closing her eyes. “Get me out of here,” she said between sobs.

She wanted to lie down and not wake up. Her face was wet with tears. Her body was damp, fine hairs stuck to her forehead where it rested against the window. Aron hadn’t said a word. She didn’t know how much time had passed. She didn’t care. That wasn’t true. She felt guilty for dragging Aron into her melodrama.
I’m such a mess.
 

“Logan is with another woman. He said he wanted me. I believed him. How stupid am I?” Raw, guttural sobs broke from her lips.
 

“You’re not stupid. Please stop crying, Ava. I don’t know what else to do. I want to turn this car around and knock Logan on his ass. Let me take you home. It’s been a long day. You need to eat and get some rest.” She had the best brother in the world. He was trying to comfort her even though he was uncomfortable with her tears. She was mad at herself for putting that helpless look on his face.
 

“I don’t want to go home. I can’t face anyone.” She curled her fingers in the material of her dress to keep from screaming. She wanted to scream, wail, and hit something. She wanted to grab Rebecca by her long glossy blonde strands and drag her out of their house. But it wasn’t her house. Ava had been replaced.
 

“We are your family. You haven’t been gone so long that you’ve forgotten that our love is unconditional. You know mom and Granny Lou will worry and rip out my tail feather if I come home without you.”

“I need to be by myself.”

“It’s not happening. You can stay with Zari and me or at mom’s house. Those are your options. I will not leave my sister standing on the street, crying and alone.”

“I’ve lost the only man I will ever love because I was too afraid to be honest with him. I think I have earned the privilege of wallowing in self-pity without the audience of my family.” Trembles racked her body with that admission. She had sabotaged her happiness.
 

“I knew you loved him. Trust me, all relationships have rough patches. Remember when I arrived in Zari’s classroom to find her whispering with some man. I almost ripped little Nathan Carter father’s head off. Now she tells me well in advance about parent teacher conferences. Our family never chooses the easy road.”

“No we don’t. I am a saboteur. I should get an award for the best intentions with the worse outcomes. It seems to be my trademark. But, I love him Aron. I can admit I love him, only he’s with another woman. I can’t believe it.”

“Then don’t.”

“Are you serious? How can I ignore what I saw?”

“What did you see Ava?”

“I saw the same thing you did.”

“I saw Logan pleading with you to stay and talk to him.” Ava was stunned.
 

“Did you forget Miss Legs for Days that came sauntering out of his house?”

“No, I didn’t forget the woman. Logan is possessive, thick skulled, borderline control freak, but he doesn’t strike me as a cheater.”

“You’re taking his side over your own sister’s?”

“I’m your brother. I’m not taking his side, don’t insinuate anything different.” His voice was stern. “I didn’t see Logan with another woman. I saw a woman come out of his house while he was begging you to stay.”
 

“How do you explain the blonde pin-up girl in his kitchen?” Ava sobbed. “She was throwing away the food I cooked for him.” Tears filled her eyes. “She said Logan didn’t want my food anymore.”

“Stopping cry, it’s killing me. I don’t have all the answers, but Logan does. You need to talk with him.”

“I can’t face him knowing he’s with her. I messed up and he’s moved on.”

“Logan’s mom basically called you a gold digging tramp, and he didn’t move on. He couldn’t find you for two weeks and he tore this town apart looking for you. His research funding was suspended and he didn’t move on. You just walked away from him and he roared loud enough to rip the veil open between heaven and earth. I think it’s a reasonable assumption that he has not moved on.” Ava caught his side-glance and smiled. She sniffled and turned to Aron.
 

“When did you become relationship savvy?”

“When I got a wife. Discovered quickly, it’s a lot of work to keep my wife.” They both laughed, but Ava knew he was serious. “Ava relationships, marriages, whatever the term is when two people decide to share a life, they don’t last if you can’t talk to each other. If you aren’t willing to talk to Logan then, you should move on.”
 

They rode in silence to nowhere in particular. Ava closed her eyes and considered all that they had discussed. Weariness had settled over her when the car came to a complete stop and cut the engine. She tensed expecting to see her parent’s house come into view.
 

Aron had parked the car in front of the high school track and field they ran on as children. Where could she run to now?

Chapter 20

Two hours later, Aron parked behind their mother’s candy red, four-door sedan. Her family’s two-story Victorian home sat on a corner lot surrounded by a white painted fence. The rose shrub garden complete with an ivy trellis entryway gave the neighborhood an enchanted feel. The familiar sight of Granny Lou, on the porch, occupying her padded, rocking chair greeted them. Ava waved to her beloved Granny Lou from the car. Tilting her face away from the windshield, she wiped away the remnants of heartbreak.
 

“Be more convincing,” Aron stated without moving his lips. “One look at you and they will know something is wrong.”

“I’m not ready to get out of the car.” Ava sniffled, wiping at her nose.

“See what I mean,” he pointed toward the porch. “She’s already slowed the rocking speed.” Ava made the mistake of looking up. Granny Lou moved forward on the rocker’s edge, peered into the car, only to push to her feet seconds later. Snow cone blue sequined sneakers peeked through the railing. She called out for both of them to exit the vehicle post haste. When that didn’t produce the desired results, Granny went formal.
 

“Ava Elaine, get out of that car, so your Granny can see you.” Make-up ruined, puffy eyes brimmed with tears and blotchy cheeks didn’t say homecoming. Her feet were rooted to the floorboards. Her legs wouldn’t move. There would be questions about Logan. Questions she didn’t want to answer.

“If you don’t get out of the car, she’s going to think we’re conspiring to hide something.” Aron had his hand on the door handle.

“We are.” At that, Ava took a deep breath, mustering her tattered courage. She hopped out of the car and bounded up the steps. Hopefully, she moved fast enough that Granny Lou didn’t see her red eyes. She wrapped her arms around her grandmother’s soft middle and squeezed. Taking in the powdery, lavender scent that accompanied her brought a smile to Ava’s face. It was good to be home. Even if, Logan was lost to her.
 

“I missed you, Granny Lou.” A single tear rolled down her cheek.

“Step back and let me take a look at my naval officer.” Granny Lou held her at arm’s length assessing Ava from head to toe. The sparkle in her grandmother’s eyes shone bright with love and pride. More tears spilled down Ava’s face. A sense of loss cinched her chest so tight, she couldn’t share in that pride. All she felt was the sting of failure. Neighbors in nearby yards waved in greeting. Ava smiled and returned the gesture.
 

“Let’s go inside. I want to hear about the antics at the seniors’ center.” The other woman didn’t budge. Hands on her hips now, narrowed eyes trained on Ava.
 

“Your Granny wears glasses, but I’m not blind. Those are not tears of joy streaming down your face.”

“Tears are normal at homecomings.”
Good comeback
. Neither Aron nor her grandmother took the bait.

“Logan called for you.” That had her spine stiffening. Ava plastered a smile in place. Even though, she saw Aron making the cut sign at his throat in her peripheral vision.

“He’s involved with another woman, Granny Lou. Probably, best that I leave him alone and get on with my life.”

“Your momma told me you came home to talk with Logan. Did you tell him that you loved him?”

“No ma’am. Rebecca was at his house when I arrived.” The smiled slipped. A new wave of pain crested and broke over her heart. The tears swelled, her lip quivered, and her body shook with absolute devastation. Empty again.

“We’ve had the fear-love talk already. That woman has nothing to do with you telling Logan how you feel.” Her stomach knotted. Her plan had been to tell Logan. But, seeing Rebecca in Logan’s house shattered her dream of sharing a love with Logan and her confidence all at once.

“Granny Lou?” Those feelings of inadequacy, not being enough, bombarded her system.
 

“Do what you came home to do, Ensign Walters.” With that, Granny Lou, pivoted on her snow cone sneakers, opened the screened door, and walked into the house. With Granny Lou out of hearing range, Aron offered his commentary.
 

“When she put her hands on her hips, I thought she’d drive you back to Logan’s herself.” Ava threw a riotous glare in his direction.

“What? Be thankful you’re in the eye of the storm. Get some rest big sister. Tomorrow is hurricane force winds for you and Logan.” Would she weather the storm or be thrown overboard?