11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Sam

The scent of fresh coffee mingled with the warm, buttery aroma of pancakes as the morning sun spilled through Ava's kitchen window, casting a soft glow on her brown hair. She hummed a tune I didn't recognize but felt oddly comforting as she flipped a pancake with practiced ease. I leaned against the counter, watching her petite frame move gracefully around the small space.

"Guess who's becoming a pancake connoisseur?" Ava teased, glancing over her shoulder with a playful smile that reached her eyes.

"Is that so? Well, I must admit, these are heavenly," I said, stealing a bite from the stack of golden-brown pancakes on the plate beside me. "What's your secret?"

"Love, obviously," she winked, serving another perfectly round pancake onto the growing pile.

I chuckled, feeling the contentment of the moment wrapped around me like a warm blanket. Sure, we'd had our rough patches, but mornings like this made all the difference—reminding us of the simplicity and joy we found in each other's company.

"Speaking of love," Ava began, sliding the last pancake onto the plate before facing me, "what do you think about taking a walk by the waterfront later? Just you, me, and the seagulls?"

"Sounds perfect," I replied. "We could grab some lunch and watch the boats." I reached out, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Just a simple day together."

Her answering grin was infectious, and for an instant, it felt like we were the only two people in the universe—our past struggles a distant memory. Then, the shrill ring of the phone sliced through the serenity, and Ava's expression flickered with surprise. She wiped her hands on a dish towel before picking up the receiver.

"Hello?" Her voice was light, but it held an undercurrent of curiosity. I watched as her brow furrowed slightly, the muscles in her jaw tensing. There was a shift in the air—the light-heartedness draining away as if sucked out by the unexpected intrusion.

"Lydia?" Ava's tone took on an edge of disbelief. I straightened, my senses sharpening. Lydia rarely called this early unless it was important.

"Ben is... what?" The color drained from Ava's face, her knuckles whitening around the phone. My heart rate quickened, a silent alarm ringing in my head. Ben—her ex, the very embodiment of why we treasured the trust between us—was a name we hoped to leave buried in the past.

Ava caught my eye, her own widening with an emotion I couldn't quite place: fear, confusion, or maybe a trace of an old wound reopening. Whatever it was, it sent a clear signal. Trouble had come knocking on our quiet morning, uninvited and unwelcome.

The silence lingered, thick and heavy, as Ava set the phone back in its cradle. She turned to me slowly, and her petite frame seemed to shrink with the weight of whatever Lydia had just dropped on her. The playful spark that had danced in her eyes moments ago was extinguished, replaced by a storm of emotions I couldn't decipher.

"Sam," Ava started, her voice a mere whisper, "Ben went to Lydia's apartment. He was asking about me and said he wanted to come to Miami." Her words hung between us, an invisible barrier that neither of us knew how to navigate. "Lydia said he asked about me, and somehow, Tyler let it slip that I came here with you."

"Ben?" I repeated, even though I knew exactly who he was—the man who had promised her the stars only to leave her lost in the night sky. I reached across the table, my fingers brushing against hers, offering silent assurance.

"Yes," she said, tears pooling in her eyes. "I don't understand why he can't just leave me alone. He got what he wanted. He cheated on me. I left and started a new life. Why is he trying to ruin my happiness?"

Rushing to her side, I couldn't stand to see her cry or be upset. "Hey," I tilt her chin so our eyes meet, my gaze steady and sure, "No matter what happens, I'm here. Whatever decision you make, I trust you."

A small nod was her reply, accompanied by a faint smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. I knew there was a strength in her a resilience that had carried her through storms before. But the shadows of the past have a way of stretching further than we anticipate, and sometimes, even the bravest hearts need a reminder that they're not facing them alone.

"I'm so lucky to have you. I'm sorry you have to be involved in this mess," she cried in my arms.

"Hey, we are together. If it affects you, then it affects me."

The sizzle of bacon had long since faded, and the morning sun spilled through the blinds, casting stripes of light that accented the concern etched on Ava's face. She paced the length of her small kitchen, phone clutched in one hand as if it were a lifeline—or a detonator.

"Sam, this could mess everything up," she said, her voice taut with urgency. "I've built something here...with you. I can't have Ben trying to destroy my life again."

I wouldn't allow Ben or anyone else to come between us. We were happy, and nothing would change that.

I leaned against the counter, watching her. The way her brow furrowed brought back flashes of Seattle—the heated words, the raw emotions. But we'd navigated those turbulent waters and found our way back to each other, stronger for it.

"Talk to me, Ava. What are you afraid will happen if you see him?" I kept my voice calm, wanting to ground her swirling thoughts.

"I'm afraid he will say something hurtful or take me back to that awful place I was in. I thought I was happy, but I was never truly happy. I couldn't be myself like I am when I'm with you." Her words were like a melody.

"Hey," I whispered, pulling her into a hug. "You've been through storms before, and every single time, you've sailed through to clearer skies. This is no different. You're not who you were back then; you're so much more. He doesn't get to steal your peace."

"Promise me something?" She looked up at me through lashes wet with unshed tears.

"Anything."

"Stay close? No matter how this pans out. Just promise me that no matter what, you won't hurt me. I took a huge leap coming here to Miami. I left everything behind for love."

"Do you regret your decision?" I asked. I felt like someone stabbed me in the heart. What if she was having second thoughts?

"Of course not. I don't ever want to go back to the person I was. I just don't want you to think you made a mistake," she sobbed.

"You are the best thing that ever happened to me, Ava. Nothing will change how I feel about you." I still didn't understand how Ava didn't realize how deep my love for her ran. She was my entire fucking world.

"You promise?" she asked.

"Always." My answer was immediate, resolute.

"Okay," Ava exhaled, her decision settling over her like armor. "Okay, I'll meet him. It's time to close that chapter for good."

"Then that's what you'll do." I squeezed her hand, intertwining our fingers. "And after, we'll write the next chapter. Together. I'm going to have my private investigator find him. If he attempts to find you, I will make sure he can't contact you."

"You can do that?" Ava asked.

Laughing, I hugged her. "I can do anything. Money talks, and I have a lot of it."

"Lydia said he just wants to talk again. Maybe get closure once and for all?"

"It's up to you, but I'm here regardless."

Ava hugged me tighter, and I felt her exhale a shaky breath against my neck. In that moment, I knew no matter what uncertainties lay ahead, our bond would endure. We were more than the sum of our fears; we were a testament to overcoming them.

"Fresh start, new memories," I murmured, bending down to press a kiss to her forehead. The scent of her shampoo, sweet and floral, filled my senses, grounding me. We were doing this. Together.