“You’re good for what ails a man,” Hunt said. “No wonder you’re such a good nurse. Your instinct for comfort is on point.”
Ava sighed. There was so much she could say to that remark, but she was afraid it would come across as fishing for compliments, so she settled for the safe response.
“Thank you,” she said. “So what’s on your agenda for tomorrow?”
“Just work at the house. I don’t suppose you’d want to go to Granny’s with me tomorrow,” Hunt said.
Ava rolled her eyes, then was glad he couldn’t see her. “Is that a question or an invitation?”
Hunt sighed. “My bad. Whatever it was, it was half-assed, and I can do better. Ava, I would love to take you out to eat tomorrow if you’re free.”
“That was an invitation, and yes, I’m free then. How about Granny’s around eleven thirty? I’ll meet you there.”
“I’ll be looking forward to it,” Hunt said and realized how much he meant it.
Then Ava’s microwave dinged. “Oops, that’s my signal that my supper is ready,” she said.
“I heard the microwave. What are you having?” Hunt asked.
“Popcorn. I wasn’t hungry earlier, so this is supper and snack. Wish you were here. I’d share.”
“Wish I was, too,” Hunt said. “Sounds like a good time. Maybe another time we’ll do popcorn at your place.”
She laughed. “It’s a date. In the meantime, I’ll see you tomorrow at Granny’s. Take care and sleep tight.”
“You too,” Hunt said. “And thanks for calling.” He was still smiling when he disconnected.
Ava pocketed her phone and then dumped the popcorn in a bowl, grabbed a bottle of pop, and headed for the living room. All of a sudden she was starving and happy and couldn’t wait for tomorrow to come.
* * *
Morning dawned with Ava thinking about seeing Hunt today and knowing it was time to get up and get busy. This was her last day off for a bit, and there were always things waiting to be done.
Hunt was up and making coffee, knowing there was still more caulking to do and walls to scrape to get ready for painting. By the time he had coffee and cereal in his belly, he was back at work and thinking about Ava.
He knew tonight was the family viewing, but his mother would not judge him for staying away from the ritual, any more than she’d judged him for not coming home again.
She not only understood why, she had never blamed him for how he felt. Only once after he left did she ever mention it, saying how hard it was to grasp that the children she’d raised and the man she’d married had turned into people she didn’t know. She told Hunt she still loved them, but except for Birdie, who was her rock, she didn’t much like them anymore, and apologized to him for not being there for him when he needed her most.
So, Hunt didn’t care what they thought because he was honoring his mother in a different way by making good on his promise.
* * *
Emma had an early appointment at the Curl Up and Dye. Tonight was Mama’s viewing, and she wanted to look better than she felt.
Junior woke up, remembered what was happening this evening, and went back to sleep.
Ray took a more practical approach to the day and went outside early to begin cleaning out his car, while Susie left to run errands.
Birdie was getting ready for work with a heavy heart. She didn’t want to see her mother in a casket. But she reminded herself that being an adult meant doing the hard things, too, and this was hard. So far, the hardest thing she’d ever had to do.
* * *
Ava had errands to run, and after picking up some cleaning and a quick stop at the grocery store, she was pushing her shopping cart out to the car when a man in a red Porsche drove right in front of her and then slammed on the brakes.
Ava gasped. He was so close she’d almost hit him with her cart, and now he was blocking her. The fact that she didn’t recognize the car and the windows were tinted sent a dozen scenarios racing through her mind, ranging from an angry patient to human trafficking. Her fingers tightened around the handle on the shopping cart, even as she reminded herself there were dozens of people coming and going and she was fine.
Then the window came down. At first, all she could see was a silhouette, and then she heard a laugh, and the hair crawled on the back of her neck. It couldn’t be! But it was.
When she leaned down, she got a clearer look at his face and shivered. Vince Lewis! Her first thought was where the hell did he come from? And then, why was he here? She hadn’t seen him since nursing school.
“Hey, baby! Long time no see!” he said.
Ava backed up her cart and tried to go in front of him, but he drove forward, blocking her again. She shifted her direction, trying to push the cart behind him, and he backed up, laughing.
“Come on, baby. Get in! Let’s talk.”
She’d had enough. “I’m not your baby and you’re still a jerk, Vince Lewis. Move it now, or I’ll ram this cart right into the side of your fancy little car.”
He frowned. “Damn! You’re still the cold bitch you always were,” he said, and peeled out.
Ava was in shock and trembling by the time she got to her car. She unloaded her groceries and headed home, keeping an eye in the rearview mirror to make sure he wasn’t following her as she went.
Once she got her things inside, she immediately locked the door behind her and then started putting them up, while keeping an eye on the time to go meet Hunt.
But the whole time she was working, she was worrying about Vince’s sudden appearance in Blessings. Why was he here…and why now? He’d only been to Blessings once with her when they were dating, and she was still in nursing school when they broke up. She’d seen him from a distance a couple of times when she was still in Savannah, but the breakup was so volatile and ugly that they’d never spoken again.
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.