Page 60 of Too Little Too Soon
“Anybody would be stressed if some chick they’d never done more than shake hands with accused them of being her baby daddy. Oh, and she was only seventeen at the time.” Christ, what a nightmare it had been. He was so fucking glad the whole thing appeared to be in the rear window.
“I wonder why she backed off?” Maria mused while looking at her phone, idly swiping her screen. “Last time, the record label had to file a restraining order and get her parents involved. This time they didn’t do anything, and yet she’s obviously decided to leave you alone.”
Travis wouldn’t say they didn’t do anything…not that he was about to put voice to that thought.
Sam pointed at Travis with his lowball glass. “It’s because of Ava. The stalker realized you’re taken. Good timing with the two of you starting to date.” He smirked.
Suddenly, Travis could feel sweat beading along his hairline. He glanced at Ava.
She stared back, her hand retreating from his neck.
“That was really good timing,” she said slowly, sounding like she wanted him to laugh and tell her it was totally a coincidence.
And he really, really wanted to, except he was so damn sick of lying to her.
Oz chuckled. “Mitch actually said as much to me when we were in Pittsburgh. He pointed out that she hadn’t stalked him when Travis was in Dog Daze, and he thought it was because he was married. He figured if Travis had a girlfriend, the stalker might back off.”
Travis swiped his hand over his face. Fuck. He hadn’t realized Mitch had vocalized the plan to anyone else. If Travis had known, he would have let Ava in on the strategy from the get-go. To be safe. And hoped like hell she would have said yes.
“Pittsburgh,” Ava said, and damn, he could feel her gaze boring into him.
He tipped up his glass, draining the drink.
“Are you okay?” Maria asked. She was canting her head, watching her sister.
“I’m not sure,” Ava said in that same slow tone. Foreboding.
Danger, Travis Clutcher, danger!
He could get up and walk out the door. Would Ava follow? Because he already knew what was coming, and he really, really wished they could have this conversation without witnesses.
“When did Mitch mention that to you, Oz?” Ava asked, her gaze still locked on Travis.
“At the press conference, before the show,” Oz supplied obliviously.
Shit, shit, shit.
“You know what’s interesting?” Ava asked, sounding deceptively calm.
Nobody said anything for long moments. Probably because she was still looking at him, implying he should respond.
Finally, Oz said, “What?”
“Right after that concert in Pittsburgh,” Ava stood and paced over to the window. Maybe she couldn’t stand sitting next to him for a second longer. “Right after that concert. That’s when Travis decided he was ready to date. We hadn’t had a conversation about it. There wasn’t any secret relationship. We’d had sex twice. Well, on two different occasions.”
Her cheeks went rosy, but her gaze was unwavering.
“That’s it. Both times, I thought it was a one-time thing. We were supposed to be ‘just friends.’ And then suddenly he wants to date. Right after the show in Pittsburgh.” She enunciated each word, saying them slowly, deliberately.
Travis was confident that not a damn person in that room was confused by her meaning.
“Are you serious, Travis?” That was from Maria, already jumping to her sister’s defense.
“Holy shit.” Holly glared daggers at him.
He’d expect no less from Ava’s siblings.
“Seriously, dude?” Oz said, glaring at him. “That’s fucking low. We all thought—I’m sure Ava thought—”
