doesn’t make a move, someone else will scoop you up.”
I picked up a decorative pillow and smacked her with it. “He might’ve made a move if you hadn’t decided to intrude on our conversation.”
She tapped her temple. “I planted a seed, and that’s much more important. Now, he knows you’re interested, and I made it clear to him that you’re a good catch and your worm won’t be in the water for long before you snag a big, sexy fish.”
“Pfft. You made it clear to him that you’re a pain in the butt.”
Studying me, London took a bite of the banana and swallowed. “He couldn’t find anyone better than you, Ava. I’m trying to do the guy a favor.”
I softened at her compliment. “Well, thank you, I think. But you should have faith in me that I can get a guy without any help from you.”
“So you are interested,” she accused, her brilliant blue eyes watching me intently.
I sucked in a breath and shot her a huge grin. “He’s so sweet. You should’ ve seen him on our way to dinner, offering me his elbow like the perfect gentleman. I think I could seriously fall in love with him.”
“ Just make sure he’s worthy,” my sister warned. “I don’t want to see you get hurt again.”
“I’m a tough girl, London.”
“You’re a tough girl with a fragile heart,” she amended.
I sat on the couch beside her. “You can’t take a shot at love without taking some risks. Now that I know what it feels like to have my heart shattered, maybe when I find someone who can put it back together again, I’ll love him that much more.”
“ Maybe,” she agreed, “but before you sign on Ridge’s dotted line, make sure you read all the fine print.”
I laughed at her analogy. “If only guys came with a disclaimer.”
She grunted. “There’s not enough paper in Creekview to print out a man’s disclaimers. But,” she breathed out and clicked her tongue, “Kelsey and Brandy seem to think that Ridge has the qualities of respectable boyfriend material. According to them, he’ll just need a gentle nudge…or maybe a really strong shove.”
“ Stop conniving,” I warned as I flipped on the television.
“We’re not conniving.”
“Seriously, London. Stop. Y’all have introduced us, albeit in a not so honest fashion. Now leave well enough alone. Either we’ll hit it off or we won’t. What are you doing here, anyway?”
“Mom and Dad wanted me to pick up the carpet cleaner if you’re finished with it.”
I raised my eyebrows at her. “And that couldn’t wait until the next time I came over?”
“Okay. So maybe I was just wondering what was going on.”
I frowned at her.
“Well, Kelsey said it’s hard to get any information out of Ridge.”
“Stop conniving,” I repeated my words from a moment ago.
“Geez, can’t a girl come and see her sister without a reason.”
“I’m going to show him some houses tomorrow,” I said, knowing that was the kind of information she wanted. A tiny thrill shimmied through my body at the thought of seeing him again.
“Yes! I knew it!”
“It’s business. Not a date. ” I ran my hands through my hair.
London jumped up from the couch and kissed me on the cheek. “It’s good to see you perked up for a change, Ava. I’ve got to go, though. The girls are waiting. Promise me you’ll call me tomorrow and tell me how it went.”
“London, did you hear what I said? It’s just business.”
“Promise me.”
“All right,” I caved. “I’ll call you tomorrow night.”
And with that, London waved and rushed out of my apartment, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
I got ready for bed. It wasn’t overly late, but since I planned on getting up early in the morning to go running before work, I lay down in bed.
As I waited for sleep to claim me, I conjured an image of Ridge in my brain in his crisp suit and styled hair, and I compared it to images of him at the lake. I thought of the kindness he had shown me, like helping me into the
I picked up a decorative pillow and smacked her with it. “He might’ve made a move if you hadn’t decided to intrude on our conversation.”
She tapped her temple. “I planted a seed, and that’s much more important. Now, he knows you’re interested, and I made it clear to him that you’re a good catch and your worm won’t be in the water for long before you snag a big, sexy fish.”
“Pfft. You made it clear to him that you’re a pain in the butt.”
Studying me, London took a bite of the banana and swallowed. “He couldn’t find anyone better than you, Ava. I’m trying to do the guy a favor.”
I softened at her compliment. “Well, thank you, I think. But you should have faith in me that I can get a guy without any help from you.”
“So you are interested,” she accused, her brilliant blue eyes watching me intently.
I sucked in a breath and shot her a huge grin. “He’s so sweet. You should’ ve seen him on our way to dinner, offering me his elbow like the perfect gentleman. I think I could seriously fall in love with him.”
“ Just make sure he’s worthy,” my sister warned. “I don’t want to see you get hurt again.”
“I’m a tough girl, London.”
“You’re a tough girl with a fragile heart,” she amended.
I sat on the couch beside her. “You can’t take a shot at love without taking some risks. Now that I know what it feels like to have my heart shattered, maybe when I find someone who can put it back together again, I’ll love him that much more.”
“ Maybe,” she agreed, “but before you sign on Ridge’s dotted line, make sure you read all the fine print.”
I laughed at her analogy. “If only guys came with a disclaimer.”
She grunted. “There’s not enough paper in Creekview to print out a man’s disclaimers. But,” she breathed out and clicked her tongue, “Kelsey and Brandy seem to think that Ridge has the qualities of respectable boyfriend material. According to them, he’ll just need a gentle nudge…or maybe a really strong shove.”
“ Stop conniving,” I warned as I flipped on the television.
“We’re not conniving.”
“Seriously, London. Stop. Y’all have introduced us, albeit in a not so honest fashion. Now leave well enough alone. Either we’ll hit it off or we won’t. What are you doing here, anyway?”
“Mom and Dad wanted me to pick up the carpet cleaner if you’re finished with it.”
I raised my eyebrows at her. “And that couldn’t wait until the next time I came over?”
“Okay. So maybe I was just wondering what was going on.”
I frowned at her.
“Well, Kelsey said it’s hard to get any information out of Ridge.”
“Stop conniving,” I repeated my words from a moment ago.
“Geez, can’t a girl come and see her sister without a reason.”
“I’m going to show him some houses tomorrow,” I said, knowing that was the kind of information she wanted. A tiny thrill shimmied through my body at the thought of seeing him again.
“Yes! I knew it!”
“It’s business. Not a date. ” I ran my hands through my hair.
London jumped up from the couch and kissed me on the cheek. “It’s good to see you perked up for a change, Ava. I’ve got to go, though. The girls are waiting. Promise me you’ll call me tomorrow and tell me how it went.”
“London, did you hear what I said? It’s just business.”
“Promise me.”
“All right,” I caved. “I’ll call you tomorrow night.”
And with that, London waved and rushed out of my apartment, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
I got ready for bed. It wasn’t overly late, but since I planned on getting up early in the morning to go running before work, I lay down in bed.
As I waited for sleep to claim me, I conjured an image of Ridge in my brain in his crisp suit and styled hair, and I compared it to images of him at the lake. I thought of the kindness he had shown me, like helping me into the
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