Ava placed the jug in the fridge, changed from her shorts to a blue summer dress with white roses on the front. She called a cab because she didn’t like driving with her hand. She was taking every single precaution when it came to helping the healing process.
At the door, she gave herself one final look in the mirror. Most of the bruises had faded. The worst ones around her eye still had some slight mottling to them. Her lip had healed up as well. Her hair, she hated it. The hairdresser had done what she could to fix the hacked locks, but she missed her long hair. She’d gone out of her way to grow it.
Just another thing they’d taken away from her.
Squaring her shoulders, she heard the cab’s horn, letting her know it was here. She locked her home and made her way to the cab. Climbing in the back, she told him where she wanted him to go. He took her there without making any conversation.
Being in town, she did notice more people were trying to make nice with her.
The truth was, she wasn’t interested. After what Abriana said about his warning to them, she didn’t care to make friends that way. She’d rather people just want to be friends because they happened to like her.
Once the cab driver arrived, she paid him and gave him a generous tip. She climbed out, and at first, panic seized her as she looked at the large crowd. Not only was this a big event for the town, but several tourists had arrived.
When she purchased the bakery, she’d been told about this time of year. How wise it would be for her to participate. She’d been looking forward to it. Even planning for it when she first opened up.
All that time had been wasted.
Rather than dwell on the dull ache in her hand, and where there were once bruises on her body that seemed to want to come to life, she stepped into the throng of people.
Everything is going to be fine.
She had always hated crowds. Another reason for Derek to dislike her. He loved to go out and party. She loved to stay in.
Watching people was a favorite pastime of hers, though. Ava didn’t immediately get stuck in with enjoyment. She took her time. Observing everyone. The laughter was somewhat infectious.
After what felt like a lifetime, she started to relax.
She had clocked the Hell’s Bastards MC, and Smokey, in particular. She ignored them all.
Stepping toward a game that required her to throw a ball in the net, she took three turns, failing each time, laughing as she didn’t come close to the shot. The high school teen manning the booth convinced her to have another three turns. She failed the first two and as he went to hand her the ball for her third and final turn, muscular, inked arms surrounded her, taking the ball.
“Let me,” Smokey said.
She tensed up. The last thing she wanted to do was cause a scene, and he knew that.
Gritting her teeth, she stayed perfectly still, feeling the heat of him surround her. He took aim and landed the ball directly in the net.
“Pick your prize,” the teen said.
She wasn’t picking anything. Smokey nodded at a monkey teddy. It was cute. Ava refused to take it when the teen tried to hand it to her. Smokey took it and she ducked under his arm and moved on.
Smokey didn’t follow her. He held the teddy in his arms.
She refused to participate in the gun shooting water game. Her hand was still her first priority to fix.
Using one hand, she came to a stop at catching some rubber ducks with little hoops on them. The poll was heavy, but she had a few minutes to be able to grab one.
She failed. Her hand wasn’t her strongest. At the last thirty seconds, Smokey took the pole and grabbed one of the ducks with ease.
He was applauded and handed a teddy. Again, he picked one out.
Smokey turned toward her, and she stepped around him. She refused to play this game with him.
She attempted to play two more games, and she failed both of them. Smokey took over and won. He now carried around four teddies. All of them were so cute. She ignored them and went straight to the crazy house. She paid her money and stepped inside.
Ava couldn’t recall a fair she’d ever been to. She’d tried to get Derek to go, but he hadn’t wanted to. Said fairs were for kids.
She enjoyed them. They were fun.
Rounding a corner, she came to a stop as Smokey was there, minus the teddies.
“Stop following me,” she said.
“I’m only doing it for your own safety.”
“I don’t need you to protect me. You’re the problem, remember?” She held up her hand for him to see and he winced.