Chapter 14

Fourteen

AVA

I'm on a dinner date with Maria tonight. I needed a break, my mind having been thrown into overdrive since going on my makeshift date with Maverick. Turns out, I had fun just like he said I would. We talked, laughed, and ran. It was probably the best non-date I've had since I was a teenager. Despite being an athlete, Zach hated to run and refused to ever go with me. I didn't care that he didn't want to run, I just wanted us to do something together. So if it wasn't running, I'd hoped he'd find something else we could do together. But he never did, and it made me realize he just didn't care about putting in the extra effort.

"Did you get notes back on the last few dates?" She eyes me over her water glass, and I know she knows Maverick and I went out.

I blow out a breath. "Just ask what you want to ask."

"Are you going to give him a chance now?" she says quickly, like she was saving those words all day .

"I did give him a chance. We went on a running date the other day."

"And?"

"And it wasn't bad. I didn't hate it," I admit quietly.

She leans forward, palms flat on the table with an excited look. "Tell me everything!"

I laugh at her. "There's nothing to tell. We ran, we talked, we ran home."

"And then you thought about him while using your toy at night, right?"

"Maria!"

"There's no harm in it! He's a gorgeous guy, Ava." When I roll my eyes, she asks, "Ava, why do you hate this guy so much? "

"I don't hate him. I don't hate anybody," I reply.

"Need I remind you again, that he's been on your mind since you went to Magnolia Point a few months back?"

"You can keep saying it, but it doesn't make it true."

"It is true, and I'm hoping it finally starts to sink in. I think Maverick is just as infatuated with love as you are. No wonder he was drawn to you at that event."

I play with my silverware, letting out a sigh before my eyes focus on the group at the bar. "Oh my god, don't turn around. I think that's Maverick at the bar."

Of course Maria flips her chair around, making a big show of spotting him at the bar. I lean across the table, pulling her arm, trying to get her to turn back around.

"What are you doing? I told you not to look!"

"Of course I'm going to look if you tell me not to. Why is he here? Trying to work with what he learned in class?" She snickers and it just makes me angry. But my heart is racing at the fact that he's here in town right now and I'm left wondering why.

"I don't mean here at the bar, I mean in Charming! It's thirty minutes from Magnolia Point. Why is he over here? "

Maria raises an eyebrow and says "I'll give you one guess. Girl, I told you I don't think he hates you like you think he does."

I sit and watch Maverick move around to the end of the bar, and I take in his profile. A strong jaw and that slightly crooked nose make him ruggedly handsome. He's got a beer in hand and he's talking to a couple of women at the bar, and there's another man there as well. I see him smile, and he engages a bit, but he's watching the football game more so than the girls. Maria is scooting her chair around next to me so she can watch him too.

"What are you doing? Move back to your side of the table; we look so obvious."

She sits back, crossing arms. "It's not fair that you get to see him."

"You've seen him since the start of this crazy idea."

"Is that jealousy I hear?"

"No it's not."

It totally is.

"Yes, it is. I see it on your face, Ava. You want to like this guy, but for some reason you told yourself you can't." Her voice is in my ear. "Look at him, Ava. He's tall, he's built, but he's not overly big. He's a hard worker, you can see that just by his form. His hair is thick, and I bet it's soft. He's got shoulders you could hang onto and strong hips to wrap your legs around."

Slamming my hand on the table, I yell at her. "Stop it!" Our glasses clang and my loud voice turns a few heads, including Maverick's. And then our eyes connect, causing him to break into a grin. He says something to the people he is with, placing his beer on the bar.

"Now look at what you did!" I whisper yell at Maria.

Maverick struts his way to us, turning heads as he goes, and I take in his outfit. Gone are the work boots and dirty jeans, and he's back in casual pants with white sneakers. The sporty look fits him well.

"Well hello, ladies, fancy seeing you here."

I scoff, crossing my arms. "We live here, why are you here?"

He turns to the table behind us, charming them quickly and stealing their empty chair, sliding it next to me and sitting down. He leans his elbows on the table and the cologne he is wearing drifts over me, making my emotions weak. I try to remain casual, but the more my body reacts to him, the angrier I get at him.

"I was here a few weeks ago on a job with Jay and Wes. I liked what I saw in this town, so I had to come back."

I roll my eyes, keeping my hands crossed. I know he's referencing when he saw me out jogging that day.

"It's nice to see you, Maverick. How is your night going? Are you putting forth the effort like Ava has taught you?"

He leans back in his chair, widening his legs and brushing his thigh against mine. Instantly my hands grip my arms a little tighter.

"Funny you should say that. I did put in extra effort tonight. I made sure to go home after work and take a hot shower. Took care of myself," the innuendo is not lost on me, "so that I would be relaxed and ready to mingle. I bought drinks, and I pulled out chairs."

He turns slightly toward me and takes my hand, pulling my arms from my body and laying them on the table next to him, covering my hand with his before moving his arm back next to mine. "Slight touches and eye contact, I'm still working on."

I hear Maria giggle next to me, and I narrow my eyes at her.

"How was your date the other day, Maverick?" Maria asks.

"Maria!" I hiss at her. I see Maverick smile at me and lean back in his chair, placing his arm across the back of mine. "We had a great time, didn't we, Ava?" He brushes his hand across my shoulder and under my hair before squeezing the nape of my neck.

"Yup." I grab for my water glass to cool my body down. Why do I feel like these two are setting me up right now ?

"Your cousin is quite the runner. And she used her class techniques quite well. I was impressed."

"Glad I could impress you," I drawl.

"Oh, princess, every day you do something new that impresses me."

Maria is watching us with eyes bouncing like she's at a tennis match.

"I think your friends are looking for you, Maverick. You don't want to leave your date wondering why you're sitting at a table with two other women." I say snarkily.

"Oh, they're not my dates."

My eyes flicker between Maria and the bar.

"Don't you want to know who they are?" he asks me.

"It doesn't matter, Maverick."

"Oh but it does, princess. They know who you are." He leans in, kissing me quickly on the temple while rising to his full height. "And they know I'm hot for the teacher," he knocks twice on the table. "Enjoy your night."

We both watch him walk away. "Ooooh, girl!" She's fanning herself with her napkin. "Don't tell me that man isn't all. Fucking. Man." She claps her hands, accentuating those last three words.

"He's a tease, and he's trying to throw the techniques I teach back on me."

"What in the world? Ava, were you sitting at the same table as me? Hand brushes, eye contact, come on!"

Just then a waiter comes over, dropping off our appetizers along with two glasses of white wine.

"Oh we didn't order those."

"They were sent from the gentleman at the bar." We both look over and see Maverick watching with a grin. He raises his glass to us. "He said to say ‘Go Warriors'."

Maria takes her glass and clinks it with mine. "Congratulations, Ava. I think you've found yourself a book boyfriend."