Page 18 of Unexpected Love

“What kind of question is that?”

“I’m going to prove a point—just answer.” I sit up straight, getting serious. “Do you have clients you represent?”

She rolls her eyes but answers. “Yes, I have clients I represent.”

“How many?”

“I don’t know. It’s a fair amount. More than most at the practice, at least for family law.”

“Do you win?”

“Gage—”

“No, come on, do you win?” I stop her from avoiding the question.

She looks at me as if I might back down from my question. But if one thing is true, the longer you stay quiet, the more likely you are to get an answer.

“Fine. Yes, I win,” she says, a little exasperated.

“More often than not?”

Her eyes narrow. “Yes, more often than not.”

“Then I think it’s safe to say you kept the job because you’re good at it.” She opens her mouth to say something, but I keep going before she can. “Look, let’s be real: more often than not, it’s aboutwhoyou know that gets you in the door. But it’swhatyou know that keeps you there. Your parents' connection might have gotten you the job, but I bet you worked your butt off the second you got there, and that’s what made them keep you.”

Her eyes bounce between mine for a minute before she looks down at the bar, a light blush creeping onto her cheeks. “Thank you,” she murmurs.

I wait for her to lift her eyes back to mine before answering. “Anytime.”

We get caught in another trance, just staring at each other. Something I’m sure we would have continued doing, yet again, if it weren’t for Walt coming up behind the bar and my dad coming up from behind us.

“Sorry about the wait. There was a food emergency or something back in the kitchen.” Walt laughs as he sets Ava’s burger down in front of her.

“No worries, Walt. Thank you,” Ava addresses Walt, turning back in her seat to face the bar straight on, her body going taut yet again.

“I know I took longer than I said, but I just couldn’t leave until I’d finished organizing the tack room,” my dad says as he takes the seat on my other side.

“Forget it. I know exactly who you are, Dad.” I offer him a smile so he knows I’m only giving him a hard time as I turn in my seat.

I don’t want to stop talking to Ava, and, if I’m being honest with myself, I want more than just this conversation. But whatever is going on with her is weighing heavily on her shoulders, and I won’t be the reason she has more hurdles to jump. So, for tonight, I’ll be a sounding board—a guy at the bar who’s just there to talk.

“Well, it doesn’t seem like it was a hardship for you to wait for me. Who’s your friend?” Dad’s voice is light, and there’s a smile on his face, but when he sees the look in my eye, his head tilts, giving me a questioning look.

I shake my head minutely, trying to tell him not to keep going, but when he opens his mouth I jump in before he can say anything else. “This is Ava Day, Declan’s younger sister. She’s in town to help Scott with Nicole.” Turning to Ava, I see her eyeshave gone a little round as she takes a deep gulp from her beer. “Ava, this is my dad, Nick Flynn.”

Dad leans around me, finally getting a look at Ava, and I see the minute he figures out what I was trying to tell him silently. She’s not in a place to be making jokes about anything more than a simple conversation happening between us. Dad knows I’m not a person for serious relationships, and he knows Murphy’s is a place I like to frequent to meet the rare tourist in town. And while I normally might enjoy Dad’s witty banter in those situations, I know he can sense this isn’t one of them.

He straightens in his seat—glancing at me so quickly I would have missed it if I hadn’t been studying him—before offering his hand to Ava.

“Nice to meet you, Ava. It’s awfully kind of you to come out here to help Scott.”

Ava doesn’t hesitate to place her hand in his, straightening in her seat, a mask of professionalism falling across her face. “It’s my job, and that man deserves a break.” She smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “Plus, he practically adopted my brother, so how can I say no?”

My dad laughs at the joke but glances at me out of the corner of his eye. He’s always been good at reading people as well, always picking up on the smallest tells, and I have no doubt he can see the mask she’s wearing. That tension in her shoulders, the shadow in her eyes.

“I know you just got your burger, but join us for dinner. My son and I could use some of your spirit to liven up the evening.” He stands from his seat, getting ready to find a booth for us.

“Oh no, I don’t want to intrude on your dinner.”

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