Page 49 of Kneel with the King
She laughs, and it’s a deeper, more throaty sound than I expected. “I mean, I thought you two had just started dating. You’re a bit awkward together. Physically, I mean. I can sense when a couple has been together for a long time. They touch each other differently, anticipate each other’s movement in a way that only comes with time. The two of you didn’t have that. Sorry, I’m rambling now,” she admits, cheeks turning red.
I chuckle. “No offense taken. Itisfake, after all.”
The server brings our coffees. An oat milk chai for her, and an espresso for me.
Ava chews on her lower lip as she studies me, holding her mug between both hands. “So, you’re not really dating a man?”
I shake my head and sip my espresso. “Nope.”
“Hmm.”
“Hmmwhat?” I ask, smiling easy in her presence. She’s fun to talk to, and it makes me miss all of the crazy antics that Ari used to get up to.
“It’s just… I always kind of wondered. About you, I mean. The things Ari told me about your relationship… and then I saw you with Ambrose, and it was like a light bulb went off, you know?”
I scowl at her. “You think I’m attracted to men, for real?”
She shrugs and sips her chai. “I don’t know. You and Ari dated for so long, and yet things never got serious. I guess I always wondered why.”
Instead of firing back something defensive, which is something I would’ve done with Ari, I process Ava’s words.
“And then I saw you with Ambrose, and it was like a light bulb went off, you know?”
“Well, as far as I know, I’m straight.”
She nods. “Okay.”
“How long have you worked at Altura?” I ask, changing the subject before finishing my espresso.
“Only a couple of months. After everything… happened… I needed to get away from the city for a while.”
“You were in Boston before this, right?”
She nods. “Yep. Got my kinesiology degree from BU a couple of years ago, followed shortly by my yoga certification.”
I nod along. “I remember Ari mentioning you did marathons, right?”
Her face brightens, and her hazel eyes light up. “That’s right. Nice of you to remember.” I smile, and she continues. “I love running. Moving my body. It helps keep my mind settled, you know?”
“I do know.”
“Otherwise it can be… not good.”
I cock my head and watch her as she takes another sip of her chai. “Meaning?”
Chewing on her lower lip, she looks down at the table. “I struggle. Mentally, I mean.”
I don’t say anything. It feels rude to ask. Just as I’m about to change the subject to our nephew, Spencer walks up to our table and clears his throat.
“Ava. It’s almost time for your next class.”
His voice is deeper than I expected, with a lilt of what I think is an Irish accent. It has a roughness that only comes from not talking a lot.
She nods and smiles at me, placing a hand on top of mine. “It was really nice catching up, Asher. Hopefully we can do this again before you leave.”
We both stand up. I open my mouth to reply, but she’s already giving me a firm hug as if we’re good friends.
I close my eyes and hug her back, grateful that she doesn’t hate my guts as much as her and Ari’s father does.
