9. TATE

9

TATE

"I'll check my email, review the final proposal, and let you know if any changes need to be made."

"Sounds good. Thanks, Tate."

I set the phone down back into its cradle on my desk and shifted my attention to my computer, so I could pull up my email. Apart from the time I'd taken off the day before Wyatt's wedding, it was safe to say I hadn't slowed my pace at work. But now, my reasons for working the extra hours were different.

My motivation wasn't about needing to distract myself from the thoughts of how bad the situation was with Ava, like it had been for sixteen months.

Now, I was working so hard, because I wanted to get ahead.

I wanted to be able to take a few days off next week in order to spend some time with Ava. We had a lot to discuss, and I didn't want to rush things with her. So, I had been pouring myself into work this week.

Though, if I was being entirely honest with myself, my need to work wasn't just about my desire to have some time off next week. I guess there was a small part of me that needed to find a way to keep my mind distracted.

Because whenever I wasn't caught up in a project at work, my mind wandered to Ava, our night together, and the plans I had for us when she returned.

If nothing else, at least my need for a distraction was a good one now.

I'd just barely gotten the email I needed to review pulled up on my screen when the door to my office swung open. Ivy stepped inside and slammed the door shut behind her. Jumping in my seat at the sound, I took her in. She was red in the face, and her chest was heaving.

My muscles tightened, worry consuming me. "Are you okay?"

My sister took two more deep breaths. "No, I'm absolutely not okay."

As quickly as I could, I tried to run through everything I'd approved lately. Had I done something that would have impacted her in her position at the hotel? Ivy and I worked in two separate places on the Westwood's campus. While she was responsible for everything related to The Westwood Hotel, I was busy in the office dealing with anything and everything pertaining to marketing and product development. Despite the differences in our day-to-day job duties, it was still possible our paths would cross through work-related events.

When I couldn't come up with anything that might explain why Ivy seemed so distressed, I braced myself for what she was going to say. "Tell me what's going on."

"You. I'm so mad at you; I don't know what to do with myself."

Her hands were balled into fists, her anger evident, but there was a touch of sadness in her voice. "Well, I'd like to apologize for whatever it is. Would you care to fill me in?"

Ivy stepped forward, moving toward my desk. She kept her eyes pinned on my face, and when she came to a stop right in front of my desk, pressing the tip of one finger onto the hard surface, she asked, "How long have you known that Ava was into you?"

With that single question, it was all coming together for me. I had a feeling I knew why my sister was so upset. But I figured it was best to just answer her questions before I eased her fears. "Since you were both fifteen."

"You've known all these years, and you've never done a thing about it until now?" she questioned me.

I couldn't get a read on Ivy. Was she upset it'd taken me so long, or was she mad I did anything at all?

I could only assume Ava had shared the news of what happened between us with Ivy. I expected nothing less would have eventually happened, because they were so close, they were like sisters. But I had to admit it surprised me she would have done that before she and I really had the time to talk about everything. Either way, I didn't mind and gave Ivy a simple but honest response. "Yes."

"I can't believe you," she rasped.

Ivy was on the verge of tears, and I hated seeing her so upset. But it baffled me why this would affect her so negatively. Wanting to quell her fears, I insisted, "Ivy, I don't want you to think I'm going to steal her away from you. I know how important your friendship is to her. I know yours means just as much to her, too. So, I'd never seek to take that away from either one of you. No matter how my relationship with her progresses, I don't want you to think I'd ever stand in the way of you and her having the same friendship you've always had."

Her brows drew together, confusion washing over her expression. "Your relationship? What relationship?"

Nodding, I replied, "Well, exactly. I think this visit is a little premature, considering the relationship hasn't technically been established. But I get that Ava probably shared things with you, and it's only natural you're assuming we're practically engaged to be married."

"Yeah, um, if only that was the problem," she spat.

Ivy was a strong-willed woman. She never let anyone walk all over her, and she always stood up for herself. She also occasionally had a flair for dramatics in certain situations. But there was something about the way she was acting now that went beyond her usual brand of fierceness. "Do you want to have a seat, calm down, and tell me what exactly you're so upset about?"

She shook her head. "No, Tate, I don't want to sit down. I'm entirely too upset to sit down."

"Why? This is a bit extreme, don't you think?"

Her lip curled with disgust. "You would think that, wouldn't you? I don't think my reaction is extreme at all. Because now, all thanks to you and your selfishness, I have no best friend."

I wanted to laugh, because she was taking this far too seriously, but I fought against that urge. If she was in a mood like this, I'd only incense her further by acting like it was a joke. "I already told you I wasn't going to come between your friendship. You and Ava will still be able to spend plenty of time together."

Ivy cocked a brow. "Oh, yeah? And tell me, Tate, how you expect that's going to happen when she's not coming home!"

I jerked back in my seat, a reaction to both her raised voice and the news. "What?"

"I just got off the phone with her, excited she was at the end of the tour and doing the last show tomorrow," my sister began. "And when I asked her what time her flight comes in, because I wanted to pick her up from the airport, she told me she didn't have a return flight booked because she's not coming back to Landing."

Something twisted painfully in my gut. "What do you mean? Is she taking a few extra days there?"

"Nope. She's just not coming back."

The pain in my gut shifted north to my lungs. "Why?"

Evidently, my sister wasn't concerned about how I'd react to the news, because she never prepared me for what she said next, which absolutely gutted me. "Because apparently, something happened between the two of you, something that Ava, and I quote, needs time to heal from . Time to move on."

The ache in my lungs became a painful burn. It was becoming harder and harder to breathe. This didn't make any sense at all. Why would Ava need time to heal from what we had between us? Why would she want to move on? I thought everything had been perfect. It was easily the best night of my life.

"That makes no sense. When she left, we were on good terms. Great terms. She never gave me any indication she wasn't going to return."

"Okay. But let me ask you this. Did she give you any indication she was? Did she tell you she couldn't wait to get back? Did she tell you how she was going to count down the days until she returned?"

I was trying my hardest to take in full breaths and failing miserably. This was too much.

I thought back on the morning after the wedding, the morning she left. Ava had kissed me. Several times. She was tearful, but I assumed it was because she had to leave. I thought she was upset about us finally getting together and her needing to leave so soon afterward. Was that simply wishful thinking? Ignorance? What had I missed?

"I don't… I don't know." I was so upset, so frustrated, I couldn't think straight. I couldn't see straight. "Are you sure you didn't misunderstand her?"

There was a hint of pleading in my tone. I was desperate.

But the more I considered how things had gone down since Ava left, the more I already knew what Ivy had told me was the truth.

Ever since she left, Ava had been distant. I had been the one to reach out to her later the evening she'd flown out, even though I'd asked her to let me know when she landed. She'd responded to confirm she had arrived safely, but my calls over the next two days went unanswered. I had assumed it was a matter of timing, especially once I sent off a text and she told me the final few shows were monopolizing most of her time.

Had that been the truth? I didn't doubt it was chaotic for her, but was it so bad she couldn't have reached out at all?

I already knew the answer to that question, too.

Evidently, it was all a lie. Because she'd successfully found the time to have this conversation with my sister today.

"I didn't misunderstand her. She's not coming back, and I know exactly why."

While this news didn't make me feel much better, at least I could get answers and fix this mess. "What is her reasoning?"

"You don't want a relationship with her, and she's not prepared to be around you when that's not an option."

"That's not true."

Some of the tension eased out of Ivy's frame, curiosity washed over her, and she lowered herself into the chair on the opposite side of my desk. "I'm not talking about a friendship or a relationship like you've had with her for years. I'm referring to a romantic relationship between the two of you."

"So am I." I couldn't believe I was having this conversation with my little sister.

Shooting me a look of disbelief, Ivy said, "Well, I don't think you made it clear to her, because she believes what you had together was just a single night. That you took what she offered because she was never going to ask or offer it again."

It was like I'd been stabbed through the heart. "Does she think I would have taken advantage of her like that?"

"Did you tell her you had reasons for not wanting to date her?"

"Yes. And I wanted to talk to her about those reasons, but she indicated she wasn't interested in talking. I intended to explain it all to her when she got back. I just didn't want to risk turning her down again and losing her."

Ivy audibly sighed. "Ava knows the kind of guy you are, Tate. She knows that once you've made up your mind about something, there's little chance of getting you to deviate from that. So, she pushed for something she wanted with the man she loves and settled for a single night with you. In her mind, it was better than nothing at all."

God, what had I done to her?

And how could she have been even remotely attracted to me—let alone in love with me—if she thought I was the kind of guy who could do something like this?

I needed to set things right.

Shaking my head, feeling such disappointment, I said, "I can't believe this."

"She didn't want me to say anything to you. She didn't want this to come between us. But I'm telling you right now, you need to fix this. You need to get her back here. I'll never forgive you for hurting her like this if you don't."

That made two of us. "You don't have to worry about that, because I won't forgive myself if she never comes back."

My chest felt like it had caved in, and I still couldn't catch a full breath.

She left.

She left and never planned to tell me the truth.

Had keeping my distance from her all those years and finally giving in to what I felt for her led to this?

Would I ever be able to fix it?

Understanding, and perhaps a bit of sympathy, washed over my sister's expression. Then she stood and walked to the door. Stopping there, she looked back and said, "I don't know what reasons you could possibly have for not wanting something special with Ava. She's extraordinary, Tate. So, whatever it is that's kept you from pursuing her all these years, I genuinely hope you can get over it. This family won't be the same without her in it. But more than that, I worry about what her life will be like without our family."

My throat had clogged with emotions, so all I could do was offer a nod of agreement and acknowledgement in return.

And once Ivy stepped out of my office and closed the door behind her, I picked up my cell phone to call Ava.

She never answered.

She never returned my call.

And she didn't show up on a plane two days later, either.