Page 66 of Loving A Vampire Is Total Chaos

If this asshole did something to her, I’ll rip him a new one.

“No! He’d never do that.” She snags one of her tissues from between us and wipes her nose. “A job opportunity came up in California. He wants to take it.”

“Are you leaving me?” Now it’s my turn to hold her tighter.

I’m hit with a wave of sadness when I think about not seeing Ava in my day to day. Sure, our personalities couldn’t be more opposite but those made for the best friendships. I considered her a bright spot in my life that kept me afloat. Whenever I needed cheering up Ava was there. Now, I have Zav too, as weird as it is to admit.

“No, I ... I think I’m leavinghim,” Ava sighs, and tears stream down her cheeks once more. “When he first brought it up, I was so excited but the more I think about it the more it doesn't feel right for me and where I want my life to go. I love him, but it just feels like a fork in the road situation. A decision that can change my trajectory.”

I rub her arms up and down and peel her off my chest. Gently arranging her hair so it isn’t a tumbleweed around her face, I hold the sides of her cheeks so we’re looking eye to eye.

“You need to do what’s best for you. Think on it, don’t make any rash decisions, and take a deep breath.” I breathe with her, sucking in a huge breath through my nose and blowing it out. She does the same and I can tell she’s starting to calm down. “Have you talked about your reservations with Spencer?”

Ava fully pulls away from me and holds her arms to her chest. “No. I need to. He can tell something’s up because I’ve been distant. I need to have the conversation, but I’m scared. I don’t want to hold him back when he clearly wants to take the job, but I don’t want to leave Chicago. This is my home.” She rubs her eyes and laughs at the makeup that comes off on her fingers. “It’s hard to envision finding someone else when I’ve been with him for so long, but my gut is telling me California isn’t where I should be. It’s like a magnetic pull keeping me here.” She finally turns to the mirror and jumps back. “Geez Louise I look like a killer clown.”

Both of us laughing, I help her wipe away evidence of her cry session.

“It’s your gut saying you’d be lost without me.” I wink at her, and she smiles. “Come on girly, let’s get back to work and forget about boys for a little while.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Ava halts in her tracks when I try to nudge her out the door. She gives a sly smile. “Speaking of boys. We need to talk about yours.”

“Or we could not?” I reason and once again try to open the door. Ava slams a hand on it next to my head very much reminding me of Zavier cornering me in the elevator.

“Stop right there and put your hands up.” Ava mock points finger guns at me and I hold my hands up for some reason like I’m in trouble. “I told you my news, now you tell me yours. That boy is down so bad, I could see it in his eyes the other night.” Her eyes widen comically when she comes to a realization. “You never told me about your date after everything that went on!”

“Oops.” I guess between the break-in and Zav being around when we were hanging out there wasn’t a chance.

“You only gave me bare bones of what happened, and I need all the deets!” Suddenly full of energy, and color filling her cheeks back up, Ava continues to pepper me with questions. “Please, Celine.” She reaches for my hand. “I need the distraction.” She pouts her bottom lip.

“We might’ve kissed?” I mumble.

“Celine! How can we be best friends and you didn’t tell me you kissed. Did you sleep with him? I would’ve jumped his fine ass so fast, I don’t blame you if you did. You need to get laid. It’s been too long.” She grabs lipstick out of her pocket and applies it in the mirror with quick precision.

“No!” I cry out a tad defensively. “All we did was kiss and just the once. We haven’t done anything since then.”

Ava locks her arm with mine after one last pout in the mirror and we leave the bathroom.

“You’re stronger than me. Spencer and I had sex on the first date.”

I laugh and Ava seems lighter than before.

“Shall we continue this conversation over lunch?” Ava asks as she sits down at her desk outside Captain Barnes’s office.

“It’s a date.” I head back to get some work done before the grill session that I know is coming.

CHAPTER 30

CELINE

Ipick up the laminated menu set down in front of me and scan for my usual favorites. We decided to try out a new local spot that serves burgers, flatbread, wings, and other bar food.

Sometimes a burger with all the fix-ins is in order to pick a girl up and be productive.

“I think I’m going to go for the Caesar salad with salmon,” Ava muses while tapping her chin.

“I should’ve known,” I laugh.

Ava and I are both creatures of habit.

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