On Dry Land (Swimming Upstream #3) (12 page)

Hesitantly, Tyler gave in. “Fine.”

“Don’t pout. And don’t you dare think about doing anything dumb, either!”

“Anything dumb?”

“Ava.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, oh.”

Chapter 20

Ava

Ava had never been so glad to see the end of the day than she was when she stepped out of the frigid building into the sunshine. The day had been long—long and boring. Most of the day had been spent trying to do manual reconciliations, which took Ava less than an hour to complete, but then she had been forced to wait for the others to catch up, even taking it upon herself to help others try and grasp the concepts just to make her feel more productive. Feeling the warm breeze graze her cheek, Ava joined the flow of foot traffic and headed down the street. It wasn’t until she stuffed her hand in her bag, digging around for the car keys, that she recalled her morning. The breakfast show. Tyler. And the car. That car was going to drive her insane. It was too much. Too much too soon. Even though she knew this without doubt or hesitation, she still hadn’t managed to say the words to him. Ava didn’t know what was stopping her or why she was so scared, but the words remained bottled up inside her.

“Fuck me!” she swore, letting her frustrations get the better of her.

Behind her she heard a snicker and immediately covered her mouth with her hand, wishing the words back in, but once they were out she couldn’t take them back, and that’s what worried her the most. Silence was her blessing and her curse. In an attempt to mask her embarrassment, Ava lengthened her strides and headed for the car park.

Thirty frustration-filled minutes later, Ava stumbled through the door of her hotel room, dumped her purse on the table, and kicked off her shoes. Stepping into the shower, she let the scalding water beat down on her head as she sighed dramatically. She remembered why she’d chosen to take the bus rather than drive. Parking was a nightmare. The five block drive had taken fifteen minutes and then another fifteen was wasted circling the hotel car park to find a space big enough. Her car wasn’t even that big. Squeezing a huge dollop of shampoo in her hand, Ava massaged her scalp, trying to ward off the migraine she could feel building behind her eyes. By the time the water cooled, the idea of going out and finding food seemed like too much effort. Instead, Ava wrapped her hair in a white towel before draping another around her body and grabbed the phone.

“I’d like to place a room service order please,” she requested. “I’d like the bacon cheeseburger with fries and the largest piece of the chocolate mud cake you have.”

“Anything to drink, ma’am?”

“Yes. I’ll take two cans of Coke.”

“Certainly. That’ll be around thirty minutes.”

“Thank you.”

Knowing she had time, Ava slipped on her pyjamas before propping her toes up on the coffee table and applying a coat of hooker red nail polish. For some reason completely beyond her, having shiny toe nails made her feel better. Because no one could ever see them, she could be as wild and creative as she wanted and no one would ever be wiser.

She’d just finished cleaning up when a knock at the door sounded. Stumbling over to open it, she was careful not to knock the still damp polish. When she yanked open the door more forcefully than she’d intended, it almost sent her flying.

“Are you okay?” a deep, seductive baritone asked her as warm fingers wrapped around her wrist, steadying her.

“Ye-yeah. Thanks,” Ava smiled gratefully as she smoothed down her camisole, suddenly feeling very underdressed and very exposed.

“Okay then.” Ava watched as his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down and she couldn’t control the warmth that flooded her. This guy was hot. Way too young for her, but damn if he didn’t look good in that uniform.

Raising her gaze, Ava was stunned when she noticed his ebony eyes staring back at her. Locked in his stare, Ava couldn’t think or function. Noticing his perfect, soft, pink lips, Ava found herself unconsciously licking her own chapped lips.

“Where would you like me? I mean, this?” He tripped over his words and it made Ava’s heart soar. She could hear the blood rushing through her veins and felt it all heading south.

“On the table would be great,” Ava offered, waving him inside.

As he passed by, she couldn’t help but notice the way his pressed black pants pulled across his taut butt. There was no doubt in Ava’s mind, this guy was sex on legs.

“Have a good night, ma’am.”

“Thank you.”

“And if you need anything, anything at all, please don’t hesitate to call.”

“Thanks, Jerome.” Ava smiled, noticing his name tag on the front of his shirt.

“Anything at all. We’re here to make sure you’re fully satisfied at all times.”

Still in her pyjamas, her mouth hanging open, she was barely able to hold back the drool. Shaking the inappropriate thought from her mind, she closed the door behind him, letting go of a profound sigh and slumping against the heavy wooden frame. If Ava’s mind wasn’t already thinking things it had no right to, she would’ve bet everything she had that he’d been flirting with her too. Folding her arms across her chest, Ava remembered she was wearing a thin camisole with no bra and her nipples were not hiding from anyone.

With the scent of deep fried, fattening food filling the room, Ava’s stomach rolled over and growled aggressively. “Time to eat,” Ava said, resigned, as she flopped onto the couch and removed the stainless cover before stuffing a handful of fries in her mouth.

By the time Ava had cleared her plate, she was completely stuffed. After letting out an embarrassing belch that she was thankful no one else heard, she laid down on the lounge and flicked on the television. When her own face filled the screen, she quickly changed the channel. There was nothing more terrifying than seeing your own reflection staring back at you unexpectedly. Settling on a bad 80’s movie, Ava settled herself in for the night.

When Ava woke hours later with a crick in her neck, a bad infomercial selling the ugliest fake diamond necklaces she’d ever seen illuminated the screen. Grabbing her phone from the table, Ava was surprised to see it was a little after three and she only had one unread message from Amanda. No word from Tyler. Feeling slightly uneasy, Ava used the bathroom before stumbling her way into the big, empty bed and promptly falling asleep.

The next couple of days crawled by at a snail’s pace. The boring, monotonous task of creating manual transactions on pieces of paper taught her nothing. Despite being a complete waste of time, Ava was glad to be returning home with the much needed qualification her boss required.

Climbing behind the wheel of the Jeep, Ava dodged her way out of the traffic and headed for home. She hadn’t even bothered to cancel her return bus ticket. Two hours later Ava pulled into the service station and refilled the tank, grabbing herself a coffee and a glazed donut. Needing a break, Ava leant on the hood of the car and shot off a text to Amanda.

Ava: On my way home.

Amanda: Sweet.

Amanda: How’s the car?

Ava: OMG! So comfortable but way too easy to speed.

Amanda: Never thought I’d see the day responsible Ava turned into a speed demon. :)

Ava: Tyler’s fault.

Amanda: Speaking of…heard from him yet?

Amanda’s last message caused Ava’s heart to plummet. She hadn’t heard a peep from him since he’d left her in the car park with a set of keys to a brand new car. Ava had tried to call him a bunch of times but each time her call went straight to voice mail. As much as she’d tried to convince herself there was nothing to worry about, the longer it went between conversations the more time Ava had to twist herself into a nervous wreck.

Ava: No.

It physically hurt her to confirm it. But she couldn’t lie. Not to Amanda. And not to herself.

Amanda: Don’t stress. It’ll be ok. He’s probably just caught up with Jonathan.

Ava: I guess you could be right.

Amanda: I am.

Ava: Suppose.

Dropping her phone back in her bag, Ava tossed it on the backseat, not wanting to talk to anyone anymore. She didn’t’ need yet another reminder that Tyler seemed to have dropped off the face of the earth. Right now that’s all Amanda was offering. Reassurances and reminders. Instead she climbed back in the car and put her foot down. She was ready to be home. A long, hot bubble bath, a glass of wine, and a good book were calling her name.

All her well made plans went out the window the moment she pulled into her driveway and spotted Tyler’s car idling at the curb. Wishing she looked better, more put together, less like a creased, smudged feral, Ava attempted to pull her hair back in a ponytail and tugged her bags from the backseat.

“Hi.” He smiled but it wasn’t a real Tyler Andrews smile. It was missing the mischief, the sparkle, the happiness Ava was used to seeing there. The realness that made Ava’s heart soar.

“Hey,” she responded weakly. Nerves had taken over. Noticing the crowd gathering across the street and the few drawn curtains with faces pressed against the dirty glass panels, Ava couldn’t stand there a moment longer. “Did you want to come up?”

Ava watched as Tyler dug his hands in his pockets as deep as he could get them. “Sure. Sounds good.”

“Come on then,” Ava invited, her voice trembling.

When she struggled to lift her bag up the steps, wordlessly Tyler took it from her with barely a shrug. Reaching the door, Ava’s fingers shook as she tried to force the key in the lock. Something was definitely off. And not just something, everything. Nothing felt right. Comfortable. Natural. Instead there was a palpable tension between them threatening to knock Ava on her arse.

Finally Ava was able to unlock the door before falling through and dumping her handbag on the kitchen counter. “Would you like a drink?” she offered, opening the fridge.

The truth was, Ava wasn’t thirsty but she couldn’t bear to look at Tyler one more moment and see that look of complete disappointment and failure etched on his face. The thought she might be the cause of it was giving her conniptions.

“I’m fine, thanks,” Tyler replied politely, setting her bag down behind the sofa before taking a seat.

“Oh, okay then.”

“Ava, come sit down, please. There’s something we need to talk about.”

Chapter 21

Tyler

From the moment he’d stepped foot out of the doctor’s office the words had been racing through his head like a freight train. Trying to find the right way to say it. The right way to explain. The right way to make it okay. And not just for himself. Truthfully, he was the last person he was thinking about. Right now, his primary objective and only concern was to avoid hurting Ava. But Tyler wasn’t a fool. He knew no matter what he said or did next was going to hurt her, and hurt like hell, but that didn’t mean it could be avoided.

Tyler wrung his hands in his lap as he watched Ava nervously shuffle towards the sofa. He could see Ava was freaking out and he was itching to reassure her but he knew there was nothing he could say that would make this better. Make this easier.

“Ava,” he began, turning towards her. “Firstly, let me just say that I’ve had the best time getting to know you. You’re a wonderful, talented, and extremely beautiful woman. I need you to believe that. I know you don’t, but you should.”

“Tyler…whatever it is that you are trying to say, can you please…please just spit it out. You’re making me nervous.”

Gulping down the dread that was filling him, Tyler squared his shoulders and stiffened his spine. “Ava, I need to go away for a while.” The words almost choked him as they tumbled out of his mouth.

“Where? Why? How long?” Ava asked meekly.

“I’m booked on a flight first thing tomorrow morning. I’m not sure when I’ll be back. It could be a while.”

When Ava’s face dropped, Tyler’s heart sunk with it. As much as she was trying to hide it and remain calm, Tyler could read the devastation in her eyes. Her once beautiful, sparkling eyes were brimming with tears and she was biting down so hard on her bottom lip that Tyler was worried she’d pierce the skin. He had to get out of there and quick. He couldn’t stomach seeing her in that much pain…not when he knew he had caused it.

“Oh,” Ava bumbled as she scooted away from him as far as the sofa would allow.

“Ava…”

“Don’t! Please, Tyler. Just don’t.”

She might have wanted to appear tough and unshakable but as she swiped away at the errant tears, Tyler knew he’d broken her.

Staggering to his feet, Tyler started towards the door before turning back towards Ava, who was still cowering on the couch, a cushion in her lap. She was squeezing the stuffing out of it. He could feel his own tears threatening to overcome him and Tyler knew it was time to go.

“I’m sorry, Ava. So sorry,” he apologised as he pulled open the door. As he went to step through the opening and back into the hallway he would have sworn he heard Ava whisper, “Me too.”

He barely made it to the car before he fell apart. The tears came unashamedly in a heavy stream over his cheeks before landing on his shirt, leaving it sticky. But he had no place to complain. He had no right to ask for pity. He was the one who’d done this. He’d broken Ava. His beautiful Ava. And not just Ava. He mightn’t have been ready to promise forever, but she hadn’t deserved this. Speeding through the streets, Tyler got back to his empty apartment as quick as he could and he started stuffing clothes into his rucksack. He couldn’t stay there a minute longer than he had to. Ava was everywhere. Tyler felt the walls closing in on him as he struggled to breathe.

A matter of minutes later he was back in his car, rushing towards the hotel at the airport. The thought of spending another night alone in his bed with the pillow smelling like Ava’s apple scented shampoo was too much for him. He couldn’t bear it. He’d rather check into a sleazy motel and sleep in the unfamiliar, uncomfortable bed.

Not nearly enough hours later, Tyler crammed his long limbs into the too small economy class seat and settled in for the long flight. No matter how many times he wished he’d fired Jonathan, when the shit hit the fan and Tyler really needed his help, Jonathan never failed. Right now, thanks to Jonathan, Tyler was fleeing the country, leaving his problems behind. His problems and Ava. It was a complete chicken shit move and Tyler was well aware of that, but as he tightened the buckle across his waist he knew he couldn’t change his mind. Not now. It might hurt like hell but it was better to hurt her now rather than let her get invested then pull the rug out from under her later.

“Sir, we’re about to take off. Can you please put your seat in the upright position?” a tiny pixie of a hostess asked him in a high pitched voice that reminded Tyler of fingernails being dragged across a chalk board.

“I’m fine,” Tyler replied gruffly, dragging his hand across his stubble covered chin and pulling his battered baseball cap even lower. The last thing he needed was for someone to recognise him or decide it sounds like a good idea to make conversation.

As the pixie shuffled off to undoubtedly chastise another passenger, Tyler righted his seat and shut his eyes. He might have been stuck in cattle class, but at least Jonathan had been generous enough to buy two seats so he didn’t have to endure the incessant chatter of an overzealous seat mate. Slipping his earbuds in, Tyler turned up the music and shut out the world.