be good.” Her dad reached across and patted her hand.
And her mom had tears in her eyes.
Nick Yancy, gone. Suddenly, that Ava had embarrassed herself with Darius Bravo didn’t matter in the least. A good man was lost. Life could be so cruel.
But then her mom said, “I saw that nice Ray Tucker at Safeway. He asked how you were doing.” Ray was a CPA now. Ava had gone out with him twice years ago, when they were both at Mountain High Junior College, before she married Craig. “I told him you were going great guns with the real estate, and he said to be sure to say hi to you.”
Ava knew where this was headed and didn’t like it in the least. She replied flatly, “If you see him again, tell him I said hi back.”
“He’s divorced now, you know. And I personally think he’s still carrying a torch for you.”
Ava leveled her sternest look on her mom. “Please don’t.”
“You should be dating. After what happened to poor Nick, it just brings it all home.”
“Mom, I know Nick Yancy was a great guy, and it’s awful that we’ve lost him so suddenly and so young. But it’s just wrong for you to use his dying as an excuse for your matchmaking.”
“I am not matchmaking.”
“Oh, yes you are.”
“I only meant that you never know what can happen, and you need to squeeze every drop of love and happiness from life while you can. Craig was a wonderful man, but it’s been six years and you’re still young, with so much to give. There’s no reason you can’t find a good man who—”
“Mom, can we just not go there tonight? Please.”
Her mother sighed and shared another meaningful glance with Ava’s dad. “I think you’re cheating yourself,” Kate said quietly at last.
“I’m very happy, Mom. I promise you. I have a brilliant, beautiful daughter, good friends and a loving family. I’m blessed with a fine house to live in. My business is booming. I don’t need a man to make my life complete.” As she spoke, she had a sudden, vivid image of Darius in his paper crown and pop beads. She felt her cheeks flame bright pink. Dear Lord, she would have to see him on Thursday at Clara’s house. How awkward was that going to be?
Better not to even think about it.
Her mother asked anxiously, “Honey, are you okay? You look a little feverish.”
“I’m perfect,” Ava said firmly, and she reminded herself yet again that what she’d said to Darius didn’t matter in the least. “Now, let me clear off. I’ll get the coffee going and dish up the apple pie à la mode.”
Her parents stayed until after Sylvie was in bed. As they went out the door, Ava pulled her mom back for a moment and pressed a check for six hundred dollars into her hand.
“Oh, honey. You don’t have to do that,” her mother protested softly.
“But I want to. Gas for the trip. And I know you’re going to send flowers for Nick Yancy from the family. This should help with that, too.” She’d been giving them money since she got her first babysitting job. At least now she could afford it. Back then, it had been tough to part with each and every one of those hard-earned dollars.
“You’re the best daughter I ever had,” said Kate, same as she always did when Ava helped her out a little.
And as always, Ava replied, “I’m your only daughter, so I’d better be the best.”
Kate grabbed her close for a hug. “Thanks, baby.”
“You’re welcome. Love you, Mom...”
* * *
Thanksgiving with the Bravos. It should have been great.
Ava had been looking forward to all the warmth and good times of a big family get-together—but minus her bossy brothers and her mother’s relentless attempts to get her to start dating again. However, no matter how often Ava lectured herself about keeping things in perspective, her own cringe-worthy behavior at the Blueberry troop clubhouse Monday afternoon had turned her anticipation to dread.
Through Tuesday and Wednesday and the first half of the big day itself, she kept up the internal pep talks. She told herself it was nothing. People said ridiculous things to each other all the time. She needed to get over it and move on.
And anyway, there would be a crowd at Clara’s. It should be easy to steer clear of Darius. Given time, they would both forget her over-the-top comeback to his silly, meaningless flirting.
She and Sylvie arrived at Clara and Dalton Ames’s house right on time at two.
Clara swung the door open, and the wonderful, savory smells of garlic, sage and roast turkey drifted out. She ushered Ava and Sylvie in and then enfolded each of them in a welcoming hug. “So good to see you.”
“You, too,” said Ava, admiring the garland of autumn leaves twined on the stair rail and the miniature pumpkins and gourds piled in a decorative bowl on the entry table. “Everything looks so festive, and dinner smells amazing.”
Judging by the laughter and chatter coming from the great room down the hall, the beautiful old Victorian was already packed with Bravos. Franklin Bravo, the family patriarch, had fathered nine children—four by his first wife, Sondra. And five more by his then-mistress and eventually his second wife, Willow. Of those nine Bravo siblings and half siblings, four were married now and three of those had children. All of them were expected for dinner today, so avoiding Darius should be no problem.
“Toss your coats on the bed in there,” Clara said, indicating the master bedroom off the front hall.
“Thanks.” Ava shrugged out of her coat.
She was just about to help Sylvie with the tie on her favorite red wool hat when her daughter cried, “Darius! We’re here!” and took off down the hall toward the tall, impossibly handsome man at the other end.
He wore a cream-colored sweater and black jeans, and even from the opposite end of the hallway, his eyes seemed bluer than usual. Damn him. Why did he have to be so good-looking? For a moment, she stared at him and he gazed back at her, and it was awful and wonderful, strange and exciting.
Sylvie skidded to a stop in front of him and wriggled in place, suddenly shy. “Hi.”
“Happy Thanksgiving, Sylvie. Love your hat.”
“It’s red.” She pointed at the cluster of knit daisies over her left ear. “With flowers.”
“And very pretty.”
“Mommy ties it double for me so it won’t come undone.”
“Ah.” Darius shot Ava a glance full of humor—and something else that made her knees go weak.
“Would you please help me untie it?” Sylvie stretched her neck and pointed at the double-knotted bow.
“Let’s see here...” He dropped to a crouch
