“Something wrong?” she asked as she came back over to me.
“No. Just that… this was your mother’s favorite car. Picked it out herself.”
Ava said nothing, a big smile on her face. “Then it was meant to be. Let’s go!”
I loaded the bags into the car and we were soon off, the rain still coming down hard as she drove us off the palace grounds and toward Old Town.
“Where to?” she asked.
I couldn’t help but smile at the idea of hitting the open road, no destination, just me and Ava.
“With the rain coming down this hard up in the mountains, we ought to take the night to think about it.”
“Then a hotel?”
“I know the perfect place.”
We drove into Old Town, the cobblestones of the winding streets causing the car to bump slightly. Townspeople were gathered under umbrellas and awnings, sipping coffee and eating their meals while watching the rain fall. Harvest decorations were here and there, and I found myself thinking about how beautiful this part of town would be in a month or so during the Christmas season.
Ten minutes later, we were checking into the Armstrong, a centuries-old inn near the center of Old Town, right across the street from Brannigan Park—the largest park in Lausanne. The rooms were quaint and cozy, with a few modern amenities. Once we were in the room, a fire roaring, we wasted no time drying off and getting into some comfy sleeping clothes from our suitcases.
Even dressed in baggy clothes and with her hair a wet mess, I couldn’t get over how gorgeous Ava was. We sipped tea and watched the fire. In those moments, despite everything that had happened, I was happy.
Ava, however, wore a worried expression on her face.
“You alright over there?” I asked. “Having regrets about what happened?”
She shook her head. “No. What we told my father was the truth. And getting the truth out in the open is never the wrong decision. Right?”
“Right. So, the conversation you had with your father…”
“It was rough. But it needed to be had.”
I nodded. “Same here.”
Her expression became grave once more.
“Speaking of the truth,” I said. “If I were to ask you if there was something else worrying you, would you be honest?”
Her eyes flashed, her forehead crinkling.
“I…”
I set down my mug, reaching over and taking her hand.
“Whatever it is, you can tell me. No matter what.”
My words brought a small smile to her face.
“I was planning on telling you, don’t get me wrong. It’s just that I was waiting for the right time. And… I don’t think that we’re going to get a better one than this.”
“What is it, Ava?”
She closed her eyes and swallowed, then took a deep, long breath, blowing it out slowly.
“I’m pregnant.”
Chapter 45