Page 61 of Unexpected Love

Leo spins and walks backward, a smirk on his face. “So, yes, he wants Ava to be his girlfriend.”

“All that talk of relationships not being for you, and you’re throwing it all out the window?” Asher tries to hold his laugh in but breaks quickly.

“All right.” I roll my eyes but smile along with them. “I get it. We can move on.”

Leo turns back to face the direction we’re walking with Asher jogging to catch up and walk at his side. I notice Olivia periodically looking at me, but she doesn’t say anything, and I don’t push. Olivia will ask the question when she’s ready.

“What changed your mind?” Olivia asks after a few minutes of walking in silence.

“Changed my mind?”

“About love and relationships.”

“Who said anything about love?” I lift a brow.

“No one, but one would assume you would only enter a relationship if you were open to the idea of love. You wouldn’t waste someone’s time if you didn’t think there was a future with them.”

“You know I’m not in a relationship, right?”

“Yes, but…” She looks ahead of us, where Leo and Asher are goofing around, and gestures to them. “Like they said, you want to be.”

I release a sigh and look up to the sky above us, trying to figure out how to answer my inquisitive sister. Olivia has always been an observer, and her observations always lead to questions. Good questions that always get you to think about something in a new light.

I let my eyes fall to the trail before us. “I wish I had a better answer for you, but I don’t.” I gently grab her wrist, making herstop and look at me. “Ava changed my mind.” I shrug. “I didn’t realize it when I met her, but as I’ve gotten to know her…” I look back up the trail to my brothers, who haven’t noticed we stopped. “I don’t know.” I shrug again and chuckle before looking back at Olivia. “I don’t want to stop learning more about Ava. It’s cliché, but it’s true—I want to know everything I can about her. And it’s that thought that has me open to the idea of more.”

“You really like her.”

It’s not a question, but I smile and shrug anyway. “Yeah, I really like her.”

“Why?”

I laugh and throw my arm over her shoulder, starting our walk again. “Shouldn’t you have grown out of the why phase more than ten years ago?”

“Do we ever grow out of the why phase?” Now it’s Olivia’s turn to shrug. “I think we just stop asking it out loud, afraid of what people will say.”

“You might be onto something there.”

“You’re avoiding the question. Why do you like Ava?”

“She’s not afraid to go after what she wants. She’s sarcastic and easy to talk to. She likes my sense of humor.” I chuckle to myself at that. “She’s not afraid to admit she doesn’t know what her future holds. She’s smart and ambitious. Supportive and hardworking.” I think back to Christmas Day. “She’s brave and sensitive. Loyal and loving.”

A lightness comes over me as I think of all the things I like about Ava Day. She’s all of those things and so much more. I knew I liked her—I realized that before she left for Boston—but something about listing all the amazing qualities of Ava has me realizing how serious my feelings for her have become.

I was planning on pursuing a future with her regardless, but as I tell my sister about Ava, I realize I’ll only stop my pursuit if she tells me this isn’t what she wants.

“I thought you would just tell me she’s hot or something.” Olivia smiles, lightening the mood, likely realizing the serious direction my thoughts have taken.

“Well, she’s definitely that, too.” I offer a smirk.

“Do we get to meet her?” Olivia whispers after a few more minutes of contemplative silence.

I chuckle, pulling her to my side. “Yeah, you’re going to meet her.”

twenty-five

AVA

It’smy third day at the bookstore, and I’m already in love with this job and place. I felt it before I walked in the door the first time and knew it for sure when Abbey and I started talking—this place is made to make you feel at peace as soon as you step inside.

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