Ava sighed. He’d just told her she was beautiful and that her backside was cute. And they were going to break the news to her parents tonight that he loved her and wanted to marry her. This was a grand way to end a day.
* * *
Larry had the barbecue fired up on the back patio and steaks on the grill. Karen had baked potatoes in the warming oven and a big tossed salad in the fridge, waiting for dressing.
Karen had made her famous ginger carrots for a side, and Larry had picked up a chocolate cream pie from Granny’s for dessert.
She was curious to see Hunt again. Even though she remembered Marjorie and Parnell losing their first child at an early age, Hunt had, by order of birth, become the oldest child, the responsible child, the one Marjorie always depended on. And their daughter had always been enamored of the babysitter’s oldest son. But now Ava was all grown up and bringing him to dinner. Karen had suspicions, but she wasn’t going to get her hopes up until she saw them together. She’d know then if they were serious.
It was straight up six o’clock when their doorbell rang. Larry was still outside at the grill, so it was Karen who went to the door. There was a smile on her face as she opened it, and then her breath caught in the back of her throat.
Hunt Knox had turned into one very good-looking man. Even the too-long hair brushing the collar of his jacket fit his persona. He was a good four inches taller than he’d been at eighteen, and his blue eyes were hard and piercing now, until he looked at Ava. That was when she saw them melt, and she knew.
Thank you, Lord.
“Come in, the both of you!” Karen hugged her daughter, then gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “We missed you so much when we were in Vegas,” she said.
Ava laughed. “Oh, Mom, you are so full of it. You and Dad didn’t miss me for one second.”
Karen giggled and gave Hunt a quick hug. “It’s wonderful to see you again. You grew up into a handsome young man. We’re so sorry about Marjorie. You know how much we thought of her.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Hunt said. “Thank you.”
“Where’s Dad?” Ava asked as they took off their coats and hung them in the hall closet.
“Out back grilling steaks. Follow me,” Karen said.
Ava reached for Hunt’s hand and held it all the way through the house and then out onto the patio.
“Larry, they’re here!” Karen said.
Larry Ridley was smiling as he turned around, and then he saw Hunt and blinked.
“Uh…”
Ava laughed. “Dad! If the mere sight of Hunt leaves you speechless, that means Mom’s gonna have the floor all night.”
Larry put down his tongs and shook Hunt’s hand.
“Well, we can’t have that,” he said. “Forgive me, Hunt, but you changed so much from the kid I remember that it took me aback. It’s good to see you again. I can’t wait to hear what you’ve been doing, but right now I need to know one thing from you.”
“Yes sir, and what would that be?” Hunt asked.
Larry grinned. “How do you like your steak?”
Hunt relaxed. “Anywhere between medium and medium rare.”
“A man after my own heart!” Larry said, and then winked at Karen. “Sugar, why don’t you and Ava bring us something cold to drink while I finish up these steaks.”
Ava gave Hunt a questioning look.
“You know what I like. I’ll take anything you bring me,” he said.
She smiled and followed her mother into the house.
Karen opened the refrigerator. “I’m taking your daddy a beer because you know he thinks he has to have beer when he grills. What do you think Hunt wants?”
Ava didn’t even hesitate. “He wants me, Mama. And I want him. When he leaves Blessings, I’m going with him. Be happy for us, because I have never been so happy in my life.”
Karen squealed, then hugged Ava over and over, laughing and crying.
Unaware of the revelation, Larry was moving steaks around to make sure they didn’t overcook, when Hunt walked up beside him.
“Sir…I’m gonna marry your daughter.”
Larry blinked again, and then grinned. “Okay, then you need to drop the ‘sir’ and call me Larry. I have to say, that’s an interesting conversation opening, but I was beginning to think I’d never hear those words come out of any man’s mouth. Welcome to the family, Hunt! Proud to have you!”
Hunt exhaled softly. He’d done the hard part. Loving Ava for the rest of his life was going to be easy.
Karen came bouncing out of the house carrying a longneck bottle of beer, and Ava had one for Hunt.
The smiles on their faces said it all.
Larry elbowed Hunt. “It appears that Ava might have just told her mama what you told me. As you can tell, we’re very happy for the both of you,” Larry said. “Now, out of curiosity, where the hell have you been all these years, and what do you do for a living?”
It wasn’t something Hunt wanted to repeat, but they deserved to know why he’d disappeared from Blessings.
“I flew choppers for the army for seven years. Now I fly choppers for an oil company out of Houston, mostly ferrying roughnecks back and forth to offshore drilling rigs up and down the Texas and Louisiana coast.”
Karen gasped, and the smile slid from Larry’s face. “Holy shit, son. You went to war, didn’t you?”
Hunt nodded.
Larry swallowed past a sudden lump in his throat.
“Then, thank you for your service.”
Hunt pointed at the steaks. “Looks like your steaks are about done.”
And just like that, Larry knew talking about that was off-limits.
“Whoops, you’re right! If you’ll grab that platter, I’ll get them off the grill.”
A couple of minutes later, they all went inside with the steaks. Ava and Karen already had everything else on the table, and when the men came in, Karen turned around and gave Hunt a big hug.
“Welcome to the family, sugar!”
Hunt smiled. “Thank you, ma’am.”
Karen frowned and poked him in the chest.
“You can’t start calling me ‘ma’am.’ You’re gonna make me feel old now. Call me Karen, or whatever feels right to you, but save the ‘ma’am’ for strangers.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Hunt said.
They laughed, and Ava sighed. This was the best.