Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20

AVA

The team members' wives are eyeing me as I walk across the grass with Gabriella, and I try not to let it get to me. When Gabriella first started dating Colby, she told me how hard it was to be friends with them. They're an exclusive group, and they're wary of letting anyone in until it's a sure thing. Girlfriends don't make the cut, but once Gabriella and Colby were engaged, they welcomed her with open arms.

I'm just an intruder.

Which is why I don't know why Gabriella insisted I come with her to the team family picnic. She lured me in saying they needed some volunteers to help since the picnic includes a silent auction that the team does to benefit cancer research. A few million dollars will probably be dropped today amid burgers, cookies, and the shouts of children playing on a playground nearby. Gabriella hasn't explained what type of volunteering she brought me along to do.

"There's Colby," she says, altering our direction to head his way. "With Jett, of course." She grimaces at me. "Let's go make nice. See if he's still mad at us." She waves at Colby, whose face lights up when he sees her. But he blinks when he sees me with her, his expression tightening for a moment before his smile returns. What's that about?

"‘Us'?" I raise an eyebrow at her. "It was always just at me."

She puts her arm through mine. "Come show him it wasn't about jealousy." She smirks.

"It wasn't about jealousy," I insist. I mean, I am jealous, but that's definitely not why I don't trust Hayden. "Besides, I thought I was here to volunteer. Not mingle." I would not have agreed to come and mingle. Once upon a time, I thought stuff like this was my future with Jett. But I don't belong here.

"We're going to help serve ice cream to the kids, but that's not until later."

"You have to be kidding me." Why did I let her drive me here from her apartment too? I should have foreseen getting stuck here and brought my own car. That way I could escape.

Gabriella laughs. "The food is always amazing, Ava, and you need to get out and do social things that don't involve something you planned for me."

"I do get out and do social things. I went over to the boardwalk yesterday and wandered around. It was delightful." The Kemah Boardwalk is touristy but cute and picturesque. I'd waited until the evening since it's too warm during the day, and it had been soothing to watch boats glide lazily past in the bay and to hear the laughter from the amusement park rides.

Gabriella pats my arm. "Good for you."

My phone dings with a text, and I pull it out to see it's from Kristen. We haven't spoken since I told her about the viral photo, so I assumed things were good with Rutledge. My heart rate spikes in worry over what this could be about. "It's Kristen," I say to Gabriella. "I'm going to answer her really quick."

Gabriella nods and continues walking toward Colby and Jett. That was a pretty effective way of getting rid of Gabriella. If only there were someone else here I could escape to talk to so I didn't have to face Jett. Since there's not, it makes my getaway useless .

Kristen: Any updates on the wedding I need to know about?

Kristen has never babysat me while I planned an event before, so I try to sweep away any annoyance about her checking in. Still, does she want daily updates telling her that everything is fine? Does she need to know about Hayden and my concerns?

I decide to err on the side of caution in this case. If I do need to intervene because of something Hayden does, I want Kristen (and Rutledge) to know I was on top of it from the beginning.

Ava: There's a guest I have some concerns about, but nothing serious. I'm probably overreacting because of the past, but I'm playing it safe anyway and keeping a close eye on things.

Kristen: That's why you're the best. I know the firm is in safe hands with you.

She sends a thumbs-up, and even though I know she meant it to encourage me and reassure me of her trust, it feels like it does the opposite. The pressure to make sure nothing goes wrong, especially on the Hayden front, feels heavier than ever.

When I look up to find Gabriella again, I see Jett with a toddler in his arms, and I think my heart stops. This is the us that I sacrificed for him. I want it back so badly emotion crawls up my throat. "Babe, stay with me." The gentle, worried way he said that, the night of my allergic reaction, settles in my brain.

He looks up and meets my gaze, holding it.

Then he looks away and the spell is broken. Well, attraction to him is still pouring through me. I can't help that. He's a big, broad-shouldered man cuddling an adorable, cherubic-cheeked little girl. I dare anyone not to be attracted to that. It's cliché romance for a reason.

"What did Kristen want?" Gabriella asks when I approach.

"Just checking in. Making sure I'm not screwing anything up." I meant it as a joke, but Kristen's out-of-the-blue check-in has me too nervous to land it as one. Then there's the fact that the little girl is pressing her hands on either side of Jett's cheeks and it's making the attraction that won't leave me alone that much more potent.

Gabriella tilts her head at me, smiling but her brows furrowing at how off my tone is. I give my head a tiny shake, turning to Jett. I'm determined to not only be normal despite the raging hormones like I'm a giddy high school freshman again but also to show him I can be cool about him and Hayden. I think I should ask about her, but I don't want to pretend things are fine if I have to lay down the law if she and Gabriella aren't able to put things behind them at the dinner tomorrow night.

So I ask about the little girl instead. "Is she Jenna's?"

"Yeah." Jett smiles at her before turning back to me. "Ruby, the youngest."

At her name, Ruby claps and gives me an ear-splitting grin. "Oh my gosh, I'm in love," I murmur. Instinctively, I reach toward her to take the hand she's holding out to me. She lunges my direction, holding out both arms now, and Jett has to grab her with his other hand to keep her from tumbling out of his arms.

"I guess she wants you." He chuckles, the same awkwardness to it as in my attempt at a joke a minute before. And then he hands her over.

"Hello, there," I say, glancing between her and Jett.

He puts his hands in his pockets, and his gaze darts between my face and away, like looking at me is too much for him. I turn my focus to Ruby. She stares at me with fascination, tilting her head back and forth.

"She looks so much like Devin," I say to Jett. Enough that she could be Jett's daughter since the brothers look so similar. And maybe that's what's getting under my skin so much. How easily I can still see us . I should not have come today, and Gabriella's going to hear about this. I'm losing my heart again to Jett, little by little, and it's such a fruitless thing that being pushed together with him has to stop. I don't know if us being friends is a thing that can really happen, given how much baggage there is between us.

Given how much I suspect I never stopped loving him.

"I see Ruby found a new friend." Jenna's voice pushes through my complicated thoughts. "Although, I'm shocked she gave up Jett for anyone."

"Oh?" I turn to Jenna, surprised. It's not like I tried to steal her from him, though I guess holding my hand out to her was something of an invitation. And she's perfectly fine with me, no signs of distress, unlike her uncle. She's playing with my hair, putting her fingers through it as though she's never seen the mix of light red and blond.

Ruby turns to her mom and raises her hands in an excited baby greeting, then reaches for Jenna. I give her up reluctantly. "I may beat Jett, but I don't beat Mom. Bummer," I tease.

"Ruby loves everyone, don't you, sweetheart?" Jenna says, kissing the soft curls on the top of Ruby's head. "Jett, do you mind helping me get food for the boys and G? Devin's not here yet." Her gaze darts away from Jett when she says the last, and I catch him scrutinizing her.

"Of course," he says, following her away. The minute he's within reach of Ruby again, she reaches for him, and he scoops her into his arms smoothly. "Working late again?" I hear him ask.

"Don't start with me…" I don't hear the rest of Jenna's response before they're out of earshot.

I turn to Colby and Gabriella. "Well, that's the most adorable baby on the face of the planet."

"Yeah," Colby says, his smile still tight. I need to ask Gabriella what's going on with him today. Maybe Jett's turned him to his side of things with Hayden—but I can't picture Colby dismissing Gabriella's concerns about Hayden because his buddy thinks I'm jealous of her .

"It was written all over your face," Gabriella adds.

I swallow, more than a little concerned about what else was written all over my face.