This is everything I’ve worked my ass off for, and now that it’s officially here, now that I’ve actually achieved what, at times, felt like the impossible, the realization of leaving New York—leaving my friends, leaving Ava—for good makes me feel like I’m losing my family for a second time. I guess I never realized how much I latched on to them in the absence of my parents.
“Have you heard anything from NASA yet?” he asks, and like a coward, I shake my head.
But instead of perpetuating the lie, I switch the topic of conversation. “I’m taking a leave halfway through December. You’re going to be flying with Barry through the holidays.”
“What?” he nearly shouts. “What do you mean, I’m going to be flying with fucking Barry?”
If it isn’t obvious already, Trevor isn’t Barry’s number one fan.
“I mean exactly what I said. I’m going on a trip. Leave the 21st and won’t be back until after New Year’s Eve.”
Everything is true about the coming back part. Though, after the 21st, I won’t be flying with Trev ever again. When Ava and I get back from Vermont, I’ll have to pack up my apartment and head to Houston.
I’m going to tell him the full truth soon, but I have to deliver this news to Ava first.
And yet, even though you’ve been with her nearly every day since you found out, you still haven’t told her…
He narrows his eyes. “Where are you going?”
“On a trip,” I answer, purposely teasing him with the details.
“Yeah, I got that,” he retorts. “But where is said trip?”
“On the East Coast.”
“We are on the East Coast, you fuck.”
I just grin. “I know. Talk about convenient, right?”
“Luke!” Ava’s voice fills my ears, and I turn on my barstool to find her standing at the bar with Desi and Claire, gesturing toward me. “Do you guys need a refill?”
I look back at the table and take a quick inventory of our drinks and turn back toward Ava. “Two more Guinness and another shot for Trev!”
She gives me a thumbs-up and turns back around to face the bartender.
But my eyes take it upon themselves to take in the view—her view.
My eyes follow the length of her legs, moving up the candy-cane-striped socks that stop just below her knees, to the luscious view of trim legs that are revealed until they meet a little green velvet skirt that feels as if it just barely covers her ass when she’s leaning over the bar like that. And long blond hair falls down her back and over the tight white shirt and overalls that complete the holiday look.
Goddamn, Ava the Elf is quite the vision.
Truthfully, it should be illegal for her to make something as innocent as a fucking elf look that sexy.
I don’t know how long I sit there, staring—at your best friend’s perfect ass—but it takes the sounds of someone calling my name to pull me out of my trance.
“Luke? Bro, what’s with you?” I hear Trev say. His voice changes slightly. “He’s not normally like this, I swear.”
I look up to find a woman standing over us, and apparently, she’s been trying to get my attention.
“Sorry,” I apologize. “Hi.”
“Luke, this is Gina,” Trev introduces. “She was just telling me how she hasn’t been able to get anyone to join her for a dance.”
I nod.
“How about you join me?” Gina says, fluttering her eyelashes and moving her body a little too close to mine. “What do you say?”
“While I appreciate your offer, Gina, I’m sorry, but I can’t,” I say, trying to let her down gently.
But she turns brazen, placing her hand on my bicep. “Oh, c’mon, Luke. I promise, me and you will have a really good time tonight.”
Translation: I want to fuck you.
And then she turns even more brazen by placing her breasts all up in my space.
Personally, I’m not a fan. If anything, it just makes me feel uncomfortable. For a brief moment, my eyes dart to where Ava still stands at the bar, trying to order our drinks.
“I’m sorry, but I have a girlfriend,” I say, still trying to ease us out of this conversation.
“You what?” Trev nearly shouts.
She looks deliberately around the table, between Trevor and me. “And where is this girlfriend of yours?” she asks, her voice teasing and flirtatious at the same time.
“That’s a good fucking question,” Trev comments.
But I don’t need to think twice about my answer.
I stand up from my barstool and quickly grab an unsuspecting Ava around the