Page 115 of Not Another Love Song

“No.” Ava shushed him. “No. For that I am truly sorry.”

Gwen listened to the silence and decided that it was time she stop pretending to do her makeup. She swiped some Hazel Renee lipstick on and stepped out of the bathroom.

Ava wiped her eyes and offered Gwen a plate with a cinnamon roll on it.

“If you don’t have anything planned for dinner,” Ava began, “I have a reservation you both could join.”

Gwen bit her lip. “I don’t really feel like dealing with Nathan right now…”

“He’s actually…” Ava hesitated, and Alex’s mug froze on its way to his lips. “He’s been on the phone all morning.” She picked at her cinnamon roll. “Speaking to the Berlin Philharmonic. They made him an offer a few weeks ago, and now he’s thinking about it. Between that and the stunt with Lorenz, I told him he was disinvited.”

Gwen felt a sinking in her stomach. If the Pops lost Xander Thorne, Gwen Jackson, and Nathan Andrews, what would they have left?

Ava took her hand quickly. “Don’t worry about the Pops, Gwen. You don’t need to carry their burden on your shoulders. Neither of us do. The board will figure something out. That’s why there is a board. I’m very proud of you. You made the right decision last night.” She turned her eyes on her son and said quietly, “You both did.”

Alex was silent, but Gwen could sense no tension in his body language. Ava cleared her throat.

“And, Gwen, I’m sorry for how far I let Nathan go. I never should have let him push to keep using your relationship for ticket sales. He…” She glanced at her son. “He has a bad habit of taking too much from sensitive situations and vulnerable people. And I had no idea about him calling Lorenz.”

Alex uncrossed his arms, and Gwen rubbed a hand between his shoulders.

Turning back to Gwen, Ava said, “So. Dinner at five?”

Gwen had a sudden idea. “Well, Alex and I already have plans for dinner, but would you like to join us?”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

When Mabel opened the door and saw two Fitzgeralds with Gwen, she sighed heavily.

“What’s this then?”

“It’s Christmas!” Gwen said brightly. “The more the merrier!”

Mabel stood blocking the doorway, frowning at Gwen. “I only have food for three. You, me, and Lenny upstairs.”

“We brought cookies and cinnamon rolls, and we stopped at the store for a rotisserie chicken and premade yams.”

Alex lifted the tray weakly, as if to prove the point.

Mabel let them in, and Gwen noticed that she barely glanced in Ava’s direction, her jaw tight.

Gwen said hi to Lenny, a half-deaf ninety-four-year-old who was sitting on the couch, snacking on mixed nuts, and introduced him to Alex and Ava.

“Ava Fitzgerald,” Lenny said with a watery smile. “It’s been decades, hasn’t it?”

“Leonard,” Ava said fondly, sitting on the couch and taking his hand. “How’s your brother?”

“Still kicking!” Lenny said with a chuckle.

Gwen had never heard him mention a brother in all the Christmases and Thanksgivings she’d been at. She turned to Mabel to see if she had any reaction, but Mabel was ignoring the entire conversation.

Gwen offered to open the bottle of wine and hovered close enough to whisper to Mabel, “I know you’re not happy with this…”

Mabel shrugged. “When am I ever happy?” Her eyes flicked to Alex, who was looking at all of the instruments hung on Mabel’s walls. “What happened to his Bono tour?”

“He left. He’s given it up.”

“We’ll see,” Mabel said softly.

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