Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 63854 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63854 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
“Yeah.”
“Okay. Sounds serious.” Ava frowns as she tilts her head in the most adorable way.
“Well . . . it depends. I don’t think so, but other people may not agree.” I chuckle. “I think I’m just making it more complicated than it has to be, so I’m just going to say it. Here it is: Sally’s not into guys. She likes girls instead.”
“She’s a lesbian?” Ava’s doe eyes widen.
“Yeah.”
“Wow. I never would’ve guessed,” Ava says. “I remember she had a crush on Daniel Hewitt in high school.”
“I have no idea about that. All I know is when she works late, sometimes her girlfriend picks her up, and they seem like a happy couple,” I say.
“Thank you for telling me that,” Ava says, full of appreciation. “I should thank Sally too for letting you tell me. Oh god, Sally was probably just pretending to like some guy back then, huh? Ashbourne’s not the most progressive town in the country.”
“It’s not. That’s why, as far as I know, she’s not completely ‘out’ yet, although her friends in the city seem to know.”
“Thanks, Mason,” Ava says, relief filling her eyes as she visibly relaxes. “I really appreciate you caring enough to tell me.”
“Anything for you, beautiful.” I watch as her hand lands on the contract, poised to sign. “You realize signing this contract means you’re going to move away from Ashbourne, right?”
“There’s nothing I want more.” Ava signs the contract and gives me a sweet smile.
Later tonight, we’ll celebrate with a dinner somewhere nice and probably end the night lying in a dirty, sweaty heap at home.
Life is sweet, and not just because I’m running a successful business with my brothers . . . but also because I share my life with the most perfect woman I’ve ever met.
Liam
Thanksgiving Dinner
“I’m glad you like it, Ava,” my mom says, beaming with pleasure after hearing Ava’s comments about how juicy and tender the turkey is. “Well, let me clean up, and we’ll get back to our conversation after that.”
“Oh, let me help you with that.” Ava starts to get up from her chair, but Mom puts her hands on Ava’s shoulders and stops her.
“No, I won’t allow that. You’re a guest, so you should just sit back and enjoy yourself.” Mom stacks up some plates, filling the dining room with loud clanging before she disappears into the kitchen.
My brothers and I would help, but we know she doesn’t need it. Even when we were all still living under one roof, my parents always did their food prep and clean-up together.
Predictably, my dad gets up from his chair. “I’ll just, uh, help my ex-wife with the dishes in the kitchen,” he says, winking.
We’ve always suspected that my parents are up to dirty, dirty things when they linger in the kitchen for too long, but none of us wants to be the one to confirm that.
Ava giggles, probably more out of politeness than anything else.
Introducing each other as an ex is a thing my parents do when they meet new people. Admittedly, it’s a great schtick and always gets a laugh or two, but they always overuse it—like, probably twenty times over the course of this Thanksgiving dinner.
“I think they like you,” Ollie says to Ava, taking her hand.
“You think so?” Ava asks nervously. She’s still giving her family the cold shoulder because they’ve repeatedly refused to show her the respect she needs, so we’re the only family she has now.
“I know so. Dad was trying too hard to be funny for him not to like you,” Nathan says.
Ava smiles. Poor thing, she’s been nervous all week, picking which dress to wear and what kind of wine to bring to this Thanksgiving dinner.
It’s the usual private, quiet affair—or as quiet as it can be with six grown men fighting over the food—but it’s more special this year because Ava’s here.
And I want every year from now on to be just as special.
Ava signing the employment contract gives me some peace of mind because it lets me know she intends to stay. Someone more cynical than me may suspect her of just wanting job security, but I don’t think Ava’s capable of that kind of deception.
If this were a normal relationship, I’d be shopping for a ring already.
But who’s going to officiate a wedding between five men—who are also brothers, by the way—and one woman? Last time I checked, poly marriages were still illegal.
Which is why what we’re proposing now is probably our best option.
I look around the table at my brothers. Their eyes tell me they’re ready for this talk.
“Ava, I know we’ve talked about what to do once you get to the city, and I think it’s time to discuss something a little more long-term,” I say.
“Yeah,” Nathan says. “You can’t just keep staying with Mason, just because he’s the most wasteful idiot here and he’s got a loft that’s too big for himself.”