Somebody to Love, page 7
Showing up at his apartment early for their date had been the downfall. Finding him in bed with another woman had been shattering, but having him laugh in her face and invite her for a threesome had ended her feelings for him in a rush of disgust.
She’d thrown the key to his apartment into the bed where they were sprawled and walked out. The weird part was that she was so shocked by who he’d revealed himself to be that she wasn’t even hurt by the betrayal. She just considered herself fortunate to have found out the truth about him early in their relationship.
But his behavior today bothered her. She knew Vince well enough to know he hadn’t come to Blessings on an impulse. She’d find out soon enough what he was up to.
* * *
It was eleven fifteen when Ava left the house to meet Hunt, and again she kept a look out for the red sports car as she drove through Blessings, although it was nowhere in sight.
She saw Hunt’s black pickup the moment she pulled into the parking lot and tried not to make a big deal out of this. But to her, it was a big deal. She assumed Hunt was buying her lunch in return for the pie and the chili dogs she’d brought him, but she was secretly calling it a date. She’d always wanted to be Hunt Knox’s girl, and for a little while today, she could pretend it was true.
She parked and then hurried into Granny’s. Hunt was waiting, and stood up when she entered.
“Hi, Ava. That color of yellow is sure pretty on you,” Hunt said as he gave her a quick hug.
“Thanks,” she said. “Come say more nice things to me while we eat.”
Hunt laughed. He hadn’t felt this lighthearted since he was a kid. Ava Ridley all grown up was good for his bitter self.
“Where’s Lovey?” Ava asked, as Sully grabbed a couple of menus and seated them in a booth.
“Oh, Mom had a flat on the way to work. She’ll be here shortly,” he said, and then ran back to the register and the people waiting to pay.
Ava glanced around the dining area and then breathed a little easier knowing Vince wasn’t here. Hopefully, he’d already left Blessings.
But Hunt caught the look on her face and noticed she had just scanned the entire dining room.
“Is everything okay?” he asked.
Ava jumped and then shifted focus back to Hunt. “Yes! Why?”
“You seemed to be looking for someone.”
Ava sighed. “I guess I was, but not like you think. I was confronted in the parking lot at the Crown this morning. Scared the heck out of me, and then it made me mad. I guess I was just making sure the creep wasn’t here.”
Hunt frowned. He didn’t like thinking someone had scared her.
“What happened, and what creep? Do I know him?”
“No, you don’t know him. Remember you asking me if I’d ever been married or engaged, and I told you I’d only had the one serious relationship when I was in nursing school and none since because it was a less-than-positive experience?”
Hunt nodded.
“So, that same person nearly ran me over in the Crown parking lot this morning, and then kept blocking me from going around his car, going forward or backward, and laughing. He kept calling me ‘baby’ and wanted me to get in his car. I told him I wasn’t his baby, and if he didn’t get out of my way, I was ramming my shopping cart into the side of his fancy red car. He called me a bitch and sped off.”
The hair was standing up on the back of Hunt’s neck. He knew men like that. Bullies who got a kick out of intimidating other people.
“What’s his name?” Hunt asked.
“Vince Lewis.”
“What’s he driving?”
“A red Porsche.”
Hunt’s face was suddenly expressionless. “Does he live in Blessings?”
“No. That’s the weird part. And he only came here with me once for Sunday dinner with my folks when we were dating.”
Before Hunt could ask more, their waitress appeared with a basket of Mercy’s famous biscuits.
“Sorry about the wait. We’re slammed today. Do y’all know what you want to drink?”
They ordered drinks and their food at the same time, and as soon as she was gone, Ava reached for a biscuit.
“Want one?” she asked, and scooted the basket toward Hunt.
“I want to know if you’re afraid of this man,” Hunt said.
Ava sighed. “I honestly don’t know how I felt. But unsettled, for sure.”
“Did he ever hurt you before? Or threaten to?”
Ava rolled her eyes. “No, just cheated on me, and when I walked in and caught him in bed with another woman, he laughed and tried to get me to join them. I walked out and never looked back.”
Hunt took a deep breath. “You’re serious?”
“Unfortunately, yes,” she said, and then leaned across the table and smiled. “But that’s enough about the jerk. When I was a kid, I used to dream about you asking me out on a date, so right now I’m living out that fantasy and I’m not letting anything spoil that dream.”
Hunt was falling deeper under Ava’s spell, and she wasn’t even trying. She was genuine in every way, and so matter-of-fact about her childhood crush that it was actually charming.
He wanted to pursue this, but at the same time, she was entrenched in Blessings, and he wouldn’t live here again if it were the last place on earth. So he sat listening to her chatter and laughing in all the right places.
A short while later, their food came, and as they were beginning to eat, Lovey finally showed up and began going through the dining room greeting her customers.
When she got to their booth, she saw Hunt and smiled.
“Hunt Knox! It’s good to see you again. I heard you’d come back for your mama. Bless your heart. I am so sorry for your loss. Marjorie was dearly loved here in Blessings.”
“Thank you, Lovey. It’s good to see you.”
“I see you and Ava are catching up,” Lovey said. “Enjoy your food…and it looks like you two need some more biscuits.”
“Hunt’s really enjoying them,” Ava said.
Lovey beamed. “They’re good, aren’t they?”
“Yes, ma’am. Best I’ve ever had,” Hunt said.
“We have acquired a new baker since you were here. Her name is Mercy Pittman. She’s married to Lon Pittman, the police chief,” Lovey said.
“Lucky man to have such a wonderful cook,” he said.
“She’s an amazing lady in more ways than one. Are you staying in Blessings long?” Lovey asked.
“Just long enough to get the old house fixed up to sell. Then I’ll be going back to Houston,” Hunt said.
“Then I’m guessing we’ll be seeing you again before you leave,” she said.
“Since I’m tearing up the house some, there’s not much cooking going on. I’d say that would be highly likely,” Hunt said.
Lovey moved on, and the waitress came by later with more biscuits. The food was as good as Hunt remembered, and Ava was way more interesting and prettier than he would have ever imagined. As time went on, he began to relax. Good food in an empty belly was never a bad thing.
After their meal, Hunt walked Ava out to her car.
“Thanks for taking time out of your day to eat with me,” he said.
Ava shook her head. “This was my dream date, remember? I didn’t ‘take’ time to do anything. I would have fought a bear before missing this.”
Hunt grinned. “Fought a bear, huh?” Then he leaned over and kissed the side of her cheek. “If it’s okay with you, I’d like to call you later.”
Ava resisted the urge to touch the place where he’d kissed her.
“Of course it’s okay. Tonight is the family viewing, so—”
“I’m not going,” Hunt said. “If I show up, then it will be all about me and where did I go? Where have I been? Why didn’t I come back. Tonight is for Mom. And my brothers and sisters will be much happier without me, too, so there’s that.”
Ava frowned. “I’m so sorry. Whatever happened, it’s not fair to you, and that’s all I’m going to say, other than feel free to call me anytime. Thank you again for dinner.”
“You’re welcome,” Hunt said. “Maybe we can do it again sometime…like in the evening, after you get off work?”
Ava beamed. “I’d love that. Take care.”
Then she jumped in her car and drove away.
Hunt was getting in the truck and missed seeing the red Porsche that pulled out of a side street and followed Ava home, but once he left the parking lot, he decided to drive by Ava’s house on the way home, just to make sure the old boyfriend wasn’t in the area.
Chapter 6
Ava was still daydreaming about her lunch with Hunt and didn’t think to check the rearview mirror before heading home. It wasn’t until she was pulling up into her drive that she caught a glimpse of red and then a car pulling in behind her. When she realized it was Vince, her heart stopped.
She had a moment of sheer panic, and then anger washed through her. The fact that he was an utter jerk was no longer in question. He was stalking her and it made her mad. She reached beneath the seat, grabbed the old baton her dad had given her years ago when she began working nights at the hospital in Savannah, and got out with it in her hand.
Vince got out, holding up his hands in a joking I-give-up gesture when he saw what she was holding.
“There are laws against stalking,” Ava said.
Vince took a step toward her, grinning. “Aw, come on, Ava. I’m not stalking you. I just wanted to clear the air. I didn’t mean anything back at the grocery store. I was just surprised to see you and—”
“You weren’t surprised. You were looking for me or you wouldn’t be here. Why are you in Blessings?” she asked.
He didn’t care that she’d caught him out, and just shrugged.
“We were in Tallahassee for the holidays. I had to leave to get back to Atlanta and—”
“Who’s we?” Ava said.
“Uh…my wife and I, and—”
“Oh, for the love of God! You’re married, and you went out of your way to look up an old girlfriend?” Ava yelled, and then whacked the hood of his car with the baton.
The dent she put in it was immediate, and Vince reacted first in shock and then in anger. He doubled up his fists and started toward her.
“Dammit, Ava, I’ll make—”
They both heard tires screeching and turned to look just in time to see a black truck sliding to a stop in front of her house.
Ava sighed. It was Hunt. She’d never been so glad to see anyone in her life.
Hunt started toward Vince Lewis like a wolf stalking prey—his gaze fixed and unwavering, without saying a word.
“Who the hell is that?” Vince asked.
“Ava, is this him?” Hunt asked.
“Yes.”
“Is he still bothering you?” Hunt asked.
“Yes.”
“Whoever the hell you are, you need to mind your own business,” Vince said, but he was backing toward his car.
“Ava is my business,” Hunt said softly. “You need to apologize for scaring her, apologize for showing your sorry-ass face back in this town again, and apologize for being on her property. Then you need to get the hell out of Blessings and don’t come back.”
Vince shuddered. “Look, I didn’t mean anything. She’s an old friend and—”
“I know who you are. I know what you did. I am not impressed,” Hunt said. “Get the hell out of Blessings, and I won’t repeat myself again.”
Vince glanced at Ava, and then shrugged. “Sorry. Sorry. Sorry.”
Ava whacked the hood of his car again.
Vince shrieked. “What the hell? I apologized!”
“You did not sound sincere,” Ava said, and raised the baton again.
Vince held up his hands again, and this time the attitude was gone.
“Don’t! I’m sorry, Ava. I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m sorry I bothered you here in Blessings. I’m sorry I intruded onto your property. As soon as I check out of the B and B, I’m leaving town.”
“Then get,” Hunt said.
Vince jumped into his car, backed out of her drive, then left rubber on the street as he sped away.
Hunt stood in the street until the man was out of sight. When he turned around, Ava was walking into her house. He followed her inside, and the sight of tears on her face hurt his heart.
“Dammit, honey, I’m sorry,” he said and opened his arms.
She walked into them, hiding her face against his chest as he pulled her close.
“I have to say, you’re hell on wheels with that baton. I was debating with myself whether I should let you whack him with it, too, and was relieved when you put another dent in his car instead.”
Ava snorted softly, then pulled away from him, wiping her face with her hands.
“Thank you for following me home. I put the first dent in the hood when he admitted he was married and still had the gall to look up an old girlfriend for the hell of it. I thought he was going to hit me when I did it, but then you arrived, so I didn’t have to test the theory.”
Hunt cupped her face, then swiped at the tears on her cheeks.
“You are something of a warrior, aren’t you? You stood up to a bully, not knowing what he would do, and you didn’t let him back you down. I think I am in serious awe of you right now. Are you going to be okay?”
Ava nodded. “Sure. I’ve been challenged by worse in the ER and came out bleeding from it. Vince Lewis is just a jerk.”
Hunt frowned. “You got hurt in the ER?”
She shrugged. “Big-city ERs can be a little rougher than our little hospital here in Blessings. I’ve had a few stitches. It’s part of why I came home to work. Thank you again for coming to my rescue. Now you have fulfilled two of my childhood fantasies.”
Hunt grinned. “What are you talking about?”
“Remember I said I was pretending that eating with you at Granny’s was our first date? Well, I’ve always considered you my knight in shining armor, too. All of the bloody knees you helped patch up, and making Ray and Junior stop pulling my hair, and teaching me how to do long division, and giving me the last cookie for getting it right?”
He shook his head. “You remember all that?”
Ava swallowed past the lump in her throat. “I remember everything about you. And like the knight you always were in my heart…you came to my rescue today. Thank you.”
Hunt sighed. “Honey…you’re welcome, but I think I’m the one who’s hit the jackpot here. I haven’t felt worthy of much of anything for a long, long time. You just put a light back in my heart, and for that, I thank you.”
He wanted to kiss her. But she’d already endured crap she hadn’t asked for, and he wasn’t going to add insult to injury. Being old friends didn’t give him leeway for anything more.
“I really enjoyed our date today. I’d love to do it again sometime. Maybe an evening after you get off work…and if you’re not too tired.”
“I’d love that,” she said, and then stood in the doorway and watched him drive away.
Later that evening, Ava got dressed and drove to the funeral home for Marjorie’s viewing, but she was thinking of Hunt at home alone and feeling bad for the rift between him and his siblings.
* * *
Marjorie’s children were at the funeral home, dressed in their best, presenting a united front to the people who were coming to pay their last respects.
They mingled about the visitation room, thanking people for coming and listening to them relating their best memories of Marjorie.
Many times they were hearing the stories about their mama for the first time. Some had to do with how Marjorie had helped them, or how they always looked forward to the solos she sang in the church choir. What they had taken for granted, others saw as the loving, generous-hearted woman she was.
So far, none of the people had mentioned Hunt, likely because they were still unaware he’d come back, which was a relief to Emma, Junior, and Ray. They didn’t want to talk about him at all, or try to make excuses for why he wasn’t there with them tonight.
Birdie didn’t have much to say to her siblings and gave all of her attention to the visitors. She was still in shock at what she’d learned and confused about why her mother had never told her. Since she’d found about the theft, she had been thinking long and hard about what she remembered going on inside the house immediately after Hunt was gone.
She remembered Emma going to Florida for the summer to work at Disney World, and being so jealous that she couldn’t go, too. And when summer was over, Emma came back all tan and smiling, with a Cinderella T-shirt for Birdie and Pluto and Goofy T-shirts for Junior and Ray.
That fall, when it was time to go back to school, Junior dropped out, and nothing Marjorie could say would change his mind. And Birdie remembered her mama and daddy fighting almost every night after they went to bed. She had never connected the dots of Hunt’s absence with it being the trigger of all that upheaval, but she did now.
Birdie looked across the viewing room at Emma. She was a nice-looking woman who took pride in her appearance, and her husband, Gordon Lee, was a good man. Birdie liked him. Sometimes she thought Emma was mean to him, but it was none of her business.
She saw Ava come in, and then a half-dozen people followed her inside, and Birdie lost sight of her in the crowd as she began looking for Junior until she saw him. He looked decent for the first time in ages, but he wasn’t going anywhere in life because he had no aspirations for anything better than getting by.
Ray was off in a corner talking to a couple of his pool buddies. His girlfriend, Susie, was at his elbow. Birdie liked her, too, but wondered what she saw in Ray. None of her siblings had pride in themselves. And now she knew why.
