Chasing Ava: A Bachelor of Shell Cove Novel (The Bachelors of Shell Cove) (14 page)

“Ah … this is my grandmother, Mrs. Louise Stanton. She answers to Granny Lou most days. Deacon Hill has been a friend of Granny Lou’s for over thirty years.”
 

Deacon Hill bristled in his seat at Ava’s explanation of his role at the table.
 

“My older sister, Shaylah is a PhD student at Howard University in Washington, D.C.”
 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you all. Please don’t let me disturb your meal. I can help Ava in the kitchen.”
 

Ava recognized Logan’s ploy to get her alone. He hadn’t fooled her family either by the looks of their faces. Knowing Logan the way she did, he had every intention of giving her mouth what it had been craving all afternoon.
 

“Young man, Ava doesn’t need any help in the kitchen, she’s got experience with pots, pans, and a hot stove. You come sit yourself right next to me. Move down Deacon, we’re about to get this interview started.” Granny Lou clapped her hands in obvious excitement.

“No Granny.” Ava was terrified for Logan. Zari gripped Aron’s shoulder as if warding off a bad dream. Granny Lou made an FBI interrogation resemble Jeopardy. The level of probing Logan was about to undergo at the hands of the Walter’s family matriarch was equivalent to exploratory surgery minus the anesthesia.
 

“Mom,” Ava whined, “help us out please.”
 

“There’s an interview process?” Logan laughed, but this was no laughing matter. He was about to be cracked open, the peanut under the boot heel. Logan was the unsuspecting peanut.
 

“Mom, do something.” Ava pleaded for a lifeline.
 

“Granny Lou, let Logan sit down and enjoy dessert with us, before you bring out the electroshock therapy.” Logan’s deep laughter echoed in the room.

“For Ava, I can handle anything you throw my way.” She was beginning to believe he would.
 

Logan pulled out the vacant seat next to where she sat. Ava promptly cut a slice of cake, placing
 

it in front of him. If she kept his mouth full he couldn’t answer any questions.
 

Her father peered across the table at Logan. “You ever been married?”
Oh my Todd
. Her
 

father asked that question.
 

“Drew, that’s a terrible question to ask.” Her mom looked mortified.
“No, I’ve never been married.” There was a strain to Logan’s voice.

“Ava is a grown woman. She doesn’t need her parents to ask those types of questions.” Thank
 

you, mom.
 

 
“But since we’re getting acquainted with one another. How old are you, Logan?” Oh no.

“I’m discovering age is important to all of the Walter’s family. I’m thirty four.”
 

Some unspoken communication passed between her parents, but she recognized the message.
What happened to her in college would always haunt them
. That’s what they saw when they looked at her.
 

“Whoa, Ava,” Aron said, “you picking up guys that need to buy long-term care insurance?” Ava shot him an icy glare.
 

“Aron Walters you are sleeping on the couch if you crack one more joke at Ava’s expense. I think it’s fine if she wants to date an older man.” Thank you favorite sister-in law.
 

“Well, I’m older than this interloper. And I’ve known Ava girl longer.” Oh my Todd, she had forgotten that the Deacon Hill was ready to duel on the front lawn.

“Ava’s only twenty six. That’s a pretty big age gap.” She could hear the worry in her mother’s voice.

“I care about Ava and we are already together. The age difference is not a factor in our relationship.” Logan reached for her hand, and squeezed. There was no mistaking the stress on each syllable. He sought her out for reassurance. This was a first. Holding his hand tighter, she smiled up at him. It was nice to have someone depend on her. He deemed her worthy. Not a broken woman in need of a champion, shielded from life.
 

Two hours later Ava’s family was at the front door headed for their respective cars. Granny Lou rested a weathered, fleshy palm on Ava’s cheek, “Try grandbaby.”
 

There was a sadness underlying her smile.
 

“What do you want me to try Granny Lou?”
 

“Being who you are.”
 

Ava didn’t know what to say.
 

“I love you Ava and remember what I said.” Granny Lou placed a kiss on her cheek. Then her gold sequined sneakers were carrying her down the few stairs across the walkway.

Being herself and speaking her mind hadn’t worked in her favor. Would this time be different?

The measure of control she used to close the door spoke volumes to the trouble cresting on the tide. Ava closed the front door softly. Her attention on the man left in the room.

Propping a hip on the arm of the oversized couch, he watched Ava through the living room window. It was obvious she loved her family and they were concerned about her. Especially now that he had entered the picture. Interesting.

“Logan.” He couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face at having her to himself. She wasn’t screaming his name. He would take that as a point in his favor. “You knew my family was still here. You should’ve left when you saw the cars in the driveway. How could you do that to me? I wasn’t ready to tell them about us.” He hadn’t done anything wrong in his opinion, but years of bedside training webinars kicked in at her unnatural calm tone.
Tread carefully
.
 

“Check your phone.” He pointed to the two-toned wood console against the living area wall. “I called and texted you before I left home. The wait till cover of night and I’ll sneak you in the house scenario will never happen.” She briefly glanced away from him in the direction of exhibit A. He could see her cellphone screen was illuminated denoting she had a message. “You wouldn’t deem my presence an intrusion if you had extended an invitation.”

“You presumptuous man.” Her voice was taut with unnecessary restraint and she was biting her lip again. He took her hands and gently pulled, closing the distance between them.
 

“I am when it pertains to you,” he said, in a low voice. “I apologize for telling your family about us before you had the opportunity.” Suspicion peppered his thoughts. Why didn’t she want them to know about him? Ava wasn’t Brooke. A cheating fiancée and lying friends were his past. With Ava he could have a semblance of happiness. She wouldn’t purposely deceive him.

“I haven’t told anyone about
us
,” she motioned with air quotes, “Us didn’t exist until twenty-four hours ago.”

“A lot can happen in a day.” He couldn’t keep his hands off her. He wanted her closer. Settling her between his spread legs, he placed his hands on her shoulders, delivering long, smooth strokes to her arms. “Not to upset you, but I am not sorry that they know about us. I will not be a secret, Ava.”
Never again
.

She sighed, “That’s not what I’m asking. Not really. It’s just they might get the impression you’ll be around for a while.”
 

Where was she going with this? He’d told her and her family he wasn’t going anywhere.

“I will be. Get used to it,” he said, in a slow matter of fact tone. “You can meet my family when you are ready. I was ready.”
 

“I don’t know Logan. We are just getting to know each other.” Last night she knew she wanted him.
 

“What is it you don’t know?” This was not what he had planned to talk about during their time together. When he’d arrived he was confident about them, but the encroaching uncertainty had him tense. He needed to know she was with him, that she wanted him to be a part of her life. No doubts, no boundaries. Being with Ava threatened to plunge his controlled, well-orchestrated life into chaos.

The words escaped her, how to explain the trepidation she felt about them being together. The demons she struggled against were complex, but her words were simple. “I don’t think I’m ready for you.” She saw the green of his eyes expand, enough depth in them to carry her deep into an abyss.
 

“You lied to me? What’s happened since last night? Or can’t I trust you to tell me the truth.”

“Logan.” She kept her voice subdued. “Stop now before we both say something we’ll regret later.” The sudden rise in tension had the scar on her lip burning. “Please, let’s sit down and talk.” He didn’t budge. Looking at his face she saw frustration, but there was something else there. Not sure what she was seeing, she reached for his face. He stilled her hands in midair.
 

“You said you would try. That you would give our relationship a chance.”
 

“I know what I said. It wasn’t a lie. This isn’t how I envisioned my family finding out about us.” Disillusioned. She pulled her hands free of his. She didn’t know how to do this. What did she know about a normal relationship?
 

“It’s done now. There’s nothing to stress over at this point. Besides, I think they like me.”

“Are you kidding me? News flash, watch your tone with a black woman’s family. My daddy was about to rip you a new one.”

“I know, but he didn’t. They like me. What’s the story with ‘A’ names in your family?”
 

“My oldest sister Shaylah is the adventurous one in the bunch. I think my parents were too tired to be creative by the time Aron and I were born. You ask a lot of questions. I just realized it applies to more than when we are at work.”
 

“Caught unaware is more damaging than you can ever image.”
 

“Why is that?” A dark shadow crossed his face and she thought he wouldn’t respond.
 

 
“Asking questions is the quickest way to gather information. In the know is my chosen state of being. For example, Aron’s your younger brother.” She nodded her head in agreement. “How much younger?”

“Eighteen months. Although with his comedy routine you would think he was fifteen. He and Zari laugh about everything since they got married last June.”
 

“See how that worked. When you ask questions you get answers. I am a researcher at heart. Information addiction is a signature trait and I don’t do well with secrets. Forewarned is forearmed.”

“Thanks for the heads up.” Ava would be sure to monitor her comments. No way, did she want anyone researching her past. She didn’t want anyone to know what happened six years ago.

“Do you think I’m too old for you?” He was too persistent, too irresistible, too sexy, but not too old. Marcus had been a junior at Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University when she met him freshman year. Only three years older than her eighteen years, but decades apart in life experience.
 

“Your seemingly bizarre question about my age kept me puzzled until today. Your mother seemed concerned because of our age difference.” Her mother was thinking about how easily Marcus had led her astray.
 

“Age is not a factor for me.” Her family acted as a private security force, keeping her from stumbling into the land mines of life. After Marcus, she had needed their protection to function, but somehow it had continued. Now she felt more of a hostage and she didn’t need to be rescued. They saw her as a victim, needing a family of advocates.