Chapter Twenty-Nine

Ava

“You sure you don’t want me to come with you?” Lucas asks for the fifth time since lunch.

“I’m fine. Honest.” I check my purse to make sure I have my phone.

He regards me, his eye a skeptical slit. I don’t know what’s going through his mind, but I’m not leaving him stewing.

“What’s really bothering you?” I ask.

“You spending time alone with your parents.”

I sigh. His doubts and feelings about Darcy and Ray are completely understandable, and normally I wouldn’t object to having him come with me. But this is different. I need a private moment with Darcy and Ray to let them know I’m going to tell Lucas everything. They deserve that much after all they’ve done.

“I told you already,” I say. “I’m not giving you up for anything. Can’t you believe that…especially after last night?”

The skepticism darkens with sexual heat. “Yes, but I still have a bad feeling about it.”

“I know. But it’s going to be okay.” I kiss him on the cheek. “Trust me. Once I explain everything, they’ll love you.”

He sighs. “I wish we had more time. That way we’d already be moved into the new place, and they might like me better.”

I smile warmly, touched by this hint of vulnerability. “They’ll love you because you make me happy, not because you can keep me in a swanky penthouse. Darcy’s a trust fund baby, and believe me, she isn’t impressed by money.”

Blowing a kiss, I step out of the apartment, leaving Lucas behind.

I feel pretty good about the conversation to come. Darcy is totally cool, and Ray will be supportive. After all, hiding it from Lucas now that he’s back in my life would be cruel, and I’m convinced Lucas will be okay with leaving Mia with them. It isn’t like we’ll never see her. We’ll be able to watch her grow up, be in her life. And we can always have another baby. I’m young, and although my first pregnancy was tough, the difficulty came mostly from stress, heartache and me not knowing what the hell I was doing.

LAX is a total mess, people swarming around the arrival area like bees around a hive. I look around and finally spot Ray after about ten minutes. I fight my way through the crowd to reach him.

“Ray!” I hug him tightly, and he hugs me back.

“Ava! You look fantastic!”

“Thank you.”

“L.A. must agree with you.”

“It does. Where’re Darcy and Mia?”

“Mia soiled her diaper just as our bags started to come out on the belt, so Darcy took her to the bathroom.” He sighs. “I’m sure it’s a mess in there too.”

“I imagine. Hope the flight wasn’t too terrible.”

“Nah. Mia’s a champion traveler.”

I laugh. “That’s great.”

He studies my face. “You meet somebody new?”

“Huh?”

“You have that soft look women get when they’re in love.”

My cheeks heat. “Am I that obvious?”

“Yep. So who’s the lucky fella?”

I bite my lower lip. “Lucas.”

Ray comes to a complete standstill and stares at me.

“You know,” I say. “Lucas. We’re back together.”

Ray frowns. “I…see.”

“You don’t approve.”

“Kind of tough when he’s already broken your heart twice.”

“It was all my decision, Ray. He and I did a lot of talking and soul searching.”

“So this time’s going to be more permanent?”

“Yes.”

“Have you told him about Mia?”

“No, not yet—”

“Do you intend to tell him about Mia?” His voice takes the tone of a professor grilling a PhD candidate on her thesis.

“Yes. I totally plan to. There just wasn’t a good chance last ti—”

“Don’t.”

Even in the buzzing of the crowd, Ray’s voice is like a gunshot. “What?”

“Lucas doesn’t need to know.”

“But Ray… Mia is—”

“I know, but we can’t afford to lose her. Darcy…she can’t go through it again.”

I tilt my head. Darcy and Ray tried for adoption…?

“This is going to be so much worse. At least when you miscarry, you never get a chance to hold the baby. Darcy couldn’t love Mia more if she were her very own flesh and blood. You can’t do this to her, Ava. I won’t stand and watch her suffer.”

“I’m sorry, Ray, but I’m not doing anything to her. I just thought Lucas should know. It’d be wrong to be around Lucas and have him play with Mia and so on without letting him know she’s really his.”

“If that’s the problem, we just won’t spend much time together.” Ray runs his fingers through his gray hair. “You and Lucas are young, Ava. You can have more babies. We can’t. It’ll devastate us, and I don’t know what it’ll do to Darcy. She lost five babies, and our last adoption came to nothing because the mother changed her mind at the last minute. Does she have to lose the sixth, too?”

I gasp. I knew she’d miscarried, but five babies? Poor Darcy. No wonder she was so eager when I offered to let her adopt Mia.

Ray’s argument that Lucas and I can have another child is the same one I made to myself. But it would be wrong to withhold the information from Lucas. He is the father.

“You put down ‘father unknown’ on Mia’s birth certificate,” Ray continues. “If you say Lucas is the father now and you knew all along, he might say that his parental rights were never properly terminated and try to take Mia away from us. As long as there’s even a tiny chance of losing our daughter, you can’t.” Ray grabs my hand, his grip desperate. “Please.”

I’m torn, but his fear is so genuine I can’t do anything but nod. “I understand, Ray.”

“So you won’t tell him?”

As I study his tight expression, I can’t help but recall Bennie’s prediction that if Lucas and I got back together, it would have a profound effect on my foster parents and Mia. He was right about everything.

I shake my head. “Not…for now,” I say. “I hope you make an effort to get to know him. Then you’ll realize he won’t tear you and Mia apart. All he wants is to love me and make me happy, Ray. He knows hurting you will hurt me.”

“I’m glad you have that conviction, but I don’t. At least not yet. I just want to protect my family, Ava.”

“I know.” I squeeze his hand. “I’m not upset with you or anything.”

He nods. “Okay.”

“There you are!” Darcy’s bright voice makes me jerk like a dog guilty of gulping down a steak that was laid out on a counter.

Making sure to paste on a big smile, I turn around and hug her. “So good to see you, Darcy!”

She hugs me back. “Ava! You look wonderful.”

“Thanks,” I say. “I’m thrilled you’re here.” I squat down and kiss Mia on the soft cheek. “Welcome to L.A., little one.”

She smiles sweetly.

“She was a champ on the flight,” Darcy says, beaming. “Such a perfect child.”

My chest tightens with love. “That’s wonderful. Let’s get going. I’m sure you’re exhausted…and I have a lot to tell you.”

* * *

Lucas

I pace back and forth in Ava’s tiny apartment, waiting for her to return with her foster parents. Despite her reassurances, I’m anything but sanguine. I need time to cement the bond between us—time without interference from friends and family who disapprove of me. I appreciate that they’re genuinely worried about her. But it will be impossible for her to trust me if the people she loves keep sowing doubts—about me, about us.

Normally, I wouldn’t care what anyone outside the relationship thought. But these people are important to Ava, so I want them to at least find me acceptable.

Finally, the door opens, and Ava enters with Darcy and Ray and little Mia. I hurry over to help with the luggage.

“Hello, Lucas,” Darcy says with a small smile.

Relieved, I smile back. Behind her, Ray is looking rather reserved. The man doesn’t totally trust me. Smart. Much as I hate to admit it, if the situation were reversed, I wouldn’t trust me either.

“Sorry I couldn’t meet you at the airport. I had some business.”

“It must’ve been very important, the day before Thanksgiving and all.” Although Ray’s expression is neutral, his tone is definitely cool.

“It was. The other party happens to be overseas, so unfortunately they don’t have much respect for American holidays.”

“So, this is my place,” Ava interjects brightly. “It’s small, but I think you’ll be comfortable enough. I’ll use the sofa bed, and you guys can take the one in the bedroom along with Mia.” She clasps her hands. “Do you want to do anything tonight? My schedule’s wide open…”

Darcy shrugs. “We’re pretty flexible.”

“Yeah, because we couldn’t get the reservation we wanted,” Ray grouses.

I arch an eyebrow. “Reservation?”

“A restaurant called Éternité. Supposed to be an amazing experience. We heard so much about it we wanted to go while we were out here, but they said they’re booked full until next year!” Darcy shakes her head. “Can you believe it?”

Ray’s annoyance is palpable. Oddly, it makes him appear more human. “I knew it was popular, but a year’s wait to get in…”

Darcy pats his hand. “We can go next time. You know we’ll be back to visit again.”

“Have you ever been there?” Ava asks me.

“No.” The place is owned by one of my half-siblings’ cousins on the Pryce side of the family. And for that reason, I didn’t rush to the grand opening or bother to dine there. I absolutely loathe running into Geraldine Pryce—Blake, Ryder and Elizabeth’s mother. She’s an exceptionally difficult person to like to begin with, plus she hates my guts because she despises my mother. Never mind that I’m not too crazy about my mother myself.

At the same time, booked full or not, I’m pretty certain I can wrangle a reservation. Elizabeth is very close to her Pryce cousins, and she can probably get a table. And it will be a small way to endear myself to Ava’s family.

“But let me make a few calls and see if I can arrange for something interesting to do,” I say.

I go out to the tiny balcony and close the door behind me. I don’t want to get anybody’s hopes up in case I can’t deliver. I call Elizabeth. She picks up fast, as though she’s been waiting.

“If you’re calling me to tell me you’ve finally reconciled with the love of your life, don’t. I already heard. Congratulations,” she says happily.

“Of course you heard.” My lips twitch. “Everybody talks to you.”

“Well. People like me. What can I say?”

“Perhaps you can help me then, using your super likability.”

“What is it?” I can almost hear her lean closer to the phone. “I can’t remember the last time you asked anyone for a favor.”

“This is actually for Ava’s parents. They really want to dine at Éternité tonight, and didn’t think to make reservations a year in advance. I know it’s owned by your cousin Mark… You think you can get us a table?”

“Sure. He always keeps an empty table for family. How many people?”

“Four adults and one small child. A toddler, really. Is that gonna be a problem?”

“Don’t think so,” she says. “Assuming the child is well behaved.”

“I think she is,” I say slowly. She seems happy and well behaved enough.

“Hmm.” Elizabeth muses for a moment. “Maybe you should get a nanny for the evening. Vanessa knows a few good ones. I’ll text you the info.”

“Thanks. I owe you one.”

“No, you don’t. I’m just happy to see you happy. You deserve this.”

“Even if I don’t plan to marry Ava until after…you know…the deadline?”

“Lucas, I support whatever decision you want to make. That’s what Grandpa would’ve liked.”

“Thanks.” I force the word through a tight ball lodged in my chest. Suddenly, I feel like an idiot for having avoided my siblings after the accident. It’s obvious they love and care for me deeply. I should never have assumed otherwise.

A few minutes pass before I get a text from Elizabeth.

Done. Reservation’s at seven. Hope you like it there. The food is amazing. André is a true artiste. As for nannies: here’s the info. Vanessa says they’re all excellent and thoroughly vetted. Knowing how she and Justin are, I’m a hundred percent certain they’re all saints.

Thank you, I text back.

Elizabeth sends me a bunch of hearts. I grin and go back inside.

“So, what are we doing?” Ava looks at me.

“Going to Éternité, for one.”

Darcy and Ray gape at me. “How did you manage that?” he asks.

“Eh, I know someone who knows someone…”

Ava tilts her head, studying my face. “Let me guess. Ryder or Elizabeth?”

“Elizabeth. She’s tight with her cousin Mark…who owns the restaurant. So she hooked us up.”

Ava claps her hands. “That’s wonderful! Thank you.”

“I told her we have Mia, so she also sent a list of nannies. That should allow us to have a relaxing dinner,” I say.

Ray begins, “That’s un—”

“That sounds wonderful!” Darcy interrupts. “We haven’t had an adult dinner in a long time.”

Ray almost looks pained, which is surprising. You’d think he’d like an opportunity to dine in a fine restaurant without a baby in the way. On the other hand, maybe he’s anxious about leaving Mia behind. “The nannies are very well qualified. Mia will be fine,” I say.

He gives me an oddly tight smile. It’s almost like he thinks I’d harm Mia or something.

“Of course,” Ray says finally. “Thank you.”