Page 84 of Shuttered Hearts

“What are you doing here? I thought you were coming home on Friday. How did you get here?” Declan stands, moving to help Ava bring her stuff inside.

“I drove. I figured since I would be staying in town for the foreseeable future, it made sense for my car to be with me. I also brought all my stuff. Well, except for furniture. I figured I won’t need it while I’m staying here with you.” She turns to grab another bag still on the porch.

“What happened to staying in Boston through Christmas?” Declan tries asking again.

“Dec,” I say, coming up to his side, placing a hand on his back, and shaking my head at him. Trying to silently tell him now isn’t the time to push. I can hear it in Ava’s voice and see it in her face. She’s close to breaking. “Do you need help bringing anything else in?” I ask Ava.

“No, this is all of it, but could you help me take it upstairs to my room?” she asks, avoiding looking at either of us.

“Of course,” both Declan and I agree.

“I know you both want to know what’s going on,” Ava says after we get everything up to her room, falling to the foot of the bed, her feet on the ground, and her eyes on her feet.

“Only what you want to share,” I say before Declan can say anything.

“I’m still not ready to talk about all of it,” she says, looking at Declan, tears forming in her eyes. “But Mom and Dad … well, you know how they are.” She looks back down, avoiding eye contact. “I couldn’t stay there any longer. I needed to get away from them and their pressure. So I packed up my stuff and started driving. I’m sorry if I interrupted something. I can stay at the inn until I find a more permanent solution.”

“Ava,” Declan says, walking over to sit next to her on the foot of the bed. “You’re welcome here as long as you need. You’re not going to stay at the inn.” He places his hand on the fidgeting ones in her lap. “You don’t have to tell me anything else, but I’m here whenever you need me.”

“Thanks.” She lays her head on his shoulder but looks at me, still standing by the door. “When do you head over to your family’s for Christmas?” she asks.

“We’re supposed to be there at ten, so pretty soon. You going to come with us since you’re here?” I ask.

“If you think it’ll be okay? I don’t want to be alone.” She lifts her head from Declan’s shoulder.

“Of course, it’s more than okay. Dad would be pissed if you didn’t come and he knew you were here.”

“Okay, thanks. Let me take a quick shower and change. I’ve been in the car for, like, ten hours.” She stands from the bed and rummages through one of her bags. “I’ll be quick. Promise,” she says as she passes me out the door and into the bathroom in the hall.

“Take your time,” I yell after her, but keep my eyes on Declan. I can see the worry in his eyes. “She’s going to be fine. She’s here now. When she’s ready, she’ll tell you all about it,” I tell Declan as he stands from the bed.

“I know you’re right, but I can’t stop worrying about her,” he says, taking my hand and walking us to his room so we can get ready ourselves.

“And that is one of the many reasons you are a good brother.” I press a kiss to his cheek, going over to my bag on the floor by his dresser to get my outfit for the day.

I look over at Declan when I stand and see his eyebrows pinched in. He’s thinking about something but must decide it’s not worth discussing right now because he shakes his head and goes into the bathroom, where I hear the shower turn on.

“You joining me in here?” Declan asks from the bathroom doorway, a smirk on his lips.

“We don’t have time.” I laugh.

“We always have time,” Declan says, his voice husky as he lowers his gray sweatpants, leaving him naked in front of me. And at the sight of his hardening dick, I know we’ll make time.

thirty-nine

QUINN

At Christmas dinner,Emily and I decide we all need a night out—to have a little fun and decompress from everything we’ve been dealing with over the last few months. While Dad decides to stay home with Max, we do convince Caleb, Declan, and Ava to join us for drinks at Murphy’s Friday night.

Honestly, I devised this plan after watching Ava interact with everyone on Christmas day. She hadn’t been as bubbly and bright as I’m used to seeing her. Even when talking about the case with Mom, I’m used to Ava finding a way to brighten the mood. If not during the conversation, then immediately after. But nothing seemed to make her smile or laugh on Christmas, not even when Emily and Caleb announced they are having a baby girl had her smile been genuine. I grew increasingly concerned as the day progressed, and I know Declan had as well.

She’s moving to Ashford Falls, at least for a little while. She should have friends and build a life here, outside of just Declan and my family. Though, we’ll always support her the best we can.

I know part of her uneasiness has to do with whatever happened with her job back in Boston and the way her parents reacted when she went home for Christmas. She had to be feeling uncertain about so much. I want to make sure being here isn’t one of those things. I want her to feel welcome, as if this town is home.

I know she was in town for about a month before going back to Boston, but based on what I heard from Declan, she hasn’t spent too much time in town, besides the bookstore. It’ll be good for her to see what a Friday night at Murphy’s is like.

“How have I not been in here once since I got back to town?” I ask no one in particular as Declan, Ava, and I walk into Murphy’s.

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