Chapter Nine
Sean pulled up and parked in front of the library.
“Sit tight.” He walked around to help her down from the truck. When she was out, he placed his hand on the small of her back and walked with her to the library front doors.
He gritted his teeth against the urge to speak his mind with the other woman who worked in the library. She was just about ready to go in when they pulled up, and the look on her face was pure disgust.
He’d never met a more judgmental person in his life, and he knew without being told Phyllis made Ava’s life much harder than it had to be.
He wondered if it was something he should bring up at the next town meeting but decided to ask Ava before he took that step. She might decide the woman’s help was worth the hassle.
She opened the door and let Phyllis walk in before she turned to Sean.
“Thank you for everything,” she said shyly.
He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “You’re very welcome.” He tipped his head to the interior of the building. “Are you okay with her?”
She drew in a deep breath then nodded. “She’s not a pleasant person, but she works hard. I figure the place is big enough for the both of us.”
“If she starts becoming more of a pain in the ass than she’s worth, tell me. I’ll go to the city council and get her fired and find someone else to help you.”
“No need to do that. But thank you.” Ava looked inside to see the older woman at the desk. “I actually feel sorry for her.”
“Of course, you do.” He cupped her chin and smiled gently. “You’re the sweetest person I’ve ever met.”
She pulled back and cleared her throat. “Well, I better get to work.”
He nodded. “Oh, wait,” he said and pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. “Here are the numbers to get in touch with me.”
Ava reached for it. She bit her lip and shyly kept her gaze down.
“Hey, don’t go getting all bent out of shape, baby. It’s just in case you need me.” He waited for a moment. “Or you’re needing some lovin’.”
Ava sputtered. “Go. You have a business to take care of.”
He turned serious. “You top that and anything else in my life,” he murmured gruffly.
She stood speechless for a brief moment. “You can’t say things like that.”
“I just did, and I meant every word of it.” He grinned, bent, and placed a soft kiss on her lips before she could say anything.
She sputtered again.
He chuckled. “You have a nice day, sweetheart.”
****
“You, too,” she said as he walked off. She watched him drive off before she placed her fingertips on her lips, where they still tingled from his quick kiss. Alan had never made her tingle. But then she knew she hadn’t been with him so much because she was attracted to him as he was there for her when her mother died, and she had felt so lost he had crept into her life and taken over before she realized what had happened.
It was when the overwhelming cloud of grief from losing her mother had lifted that she had realized what was happening in her life.
When she started to fight for control was when the pain of Alan’s insults and the damage to her body started. That had lasted for months until she gained her freedom with help from a doctor and nurse.
Because of her past, her present and future were things she hadn’t felt strong enough to build her life up again. She was taking small steps, but it was slow going. First, she’d moved to a new state, then got a good job she enjoyed and found a home she loved that she felt mostly secure in.
The thought of a relationship had never entered her mind until Sean came along. It surprised her how safe he made her feel and how much he was on her mind. What shocked her more than anything was the fact she could see herself in a relationship with him. Now she had to gain the strength to take that massive step.
Ava walked into her office and put away her purse, then checked the voicemail for any messages. Besides a few hang-ups, there was nothing.
Hopefully, she thought, today would take her mind off of everything for a while. She was looking forward to seeing Nia and a few other friends who came in for a book club meeting she’d started. She’d made some good friends in this city, and the longer she stayed, the more fortunate she felt.
She could definitely see herself living there for the rest of her life.