One Tiny Lie – Jennifer Youngblood Page 0,50

not be an engagement. Then, Mom and Dad will know something is up.”

Ava scrunched her nose. “True,” she conceded. She looked thoughtful. “I still think you should wait until afterwards. If everything blows up with Hudson, you’ll have to come clean to everyone, but on the chance it doesn’t, you should do it after the party.”

“Okay, fine. I’ll wait.” Luna didn’t really care when the conversation took place, so long as everything got resolved.

“Cash and I will talk to Ramsey.” Ava tipped her head as she pursed her lips. “Tell me everything you know about Spencer Wellington. His description … anything that could help Ramsey locate him faster. Did he say why he’s in Sonoma?”

“No. I assume it’s for work, but I don’t know.” She frowned. “Spencer has been keeping close tabs on your career … thinking it was me.”

Ava’s expression tightened. “More reason to nip this in the bud.”

“What do I do for now?”

“The same thing you’ve been doing.” Ava smiled brightly. “Just keep being me.”

Luna chuckled dryly. “Easier said than done.”

“You seem to be doing it much better than I ever did,” Ava said seriously.

Luna appreciated the compliment. “Who would have guessed that I’m better at being you than me?” she said humorlessly.

“You could take the next few days to get even closer to Hudson,” Ava suggested with a playful grin. “Make him fall so madly in love with you that he won’t care what your name is.”

Luna rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at her lips. “You know what. That’s one task I don’t mind tackling.”

They were about to end the chat when Ava grew serious. “One more thing.”

“Yeah?”

Ava gave Luna a penetrating look. “I don’t want to hear anymore crap about you not being worthy of happiness. You are the kindest, best person I know. You deserve all the happiness this world has to offer. But you have to rise up and fight for it.” She squared her jaw. “Do you hear me? You don’t let anything or anyone come between you and Hudson.”

“If only I had an ounce of your strength.”

An astute smile tipped Ava’s lips. “Oh, you do. It’s in there. You just need the right catalyst to bring it out.”

“You mean the perfect storm?” Luna grunted sarcastically.

Ava shrugged. “If that’s what it takes, then so be it.”

13

Hudson finished the last of the letter as he sat back in his chair. A grin stole over his lips. Ava would be so surprised. He’d been writing letters to her for years. He’d never actually planned to give them to Ava because he feared that she would think they were ridiculous. They were more of a cathartic process for him to work through his feelings. Now that he realized Ava loved literature and poetry as much as he did, it changed things.

Things were so great with Ava that Hudson almost had to pinch himself to make sure this wasn’t all a dream. In the past, Ava had accused him of being in love with the idea of her rather than the actual person. Hudson had always scoffed at that, mostly because he knew it was Ava’s way of keeping him in the friend zone. Now, however, he realized that there was merit to what Ava had said. Their relationship was different now, so meaningful. Hudson liked how Ava kept insisting that he get to know the person she was now rather than who she’d been before. He loved that they were creating new memories.

He was glad Ava was feeling better. Yesterday, they’d spent the evening together and she seemed perfectly fine. Saturday night at the harvest party, when Hudson opened the bathroom door and saw the distraught expression on Ava’s face, it had frozen his heart. For one fleeting instant, he feared that she might have changed her mind about marrying him. He was relieved that she was just under the weather. She’d run into his arms and buried her head in his chest. As he wrapped his arms around her, Hudson caught a glimpse of their future. How they would weather life’s storms side by side, as a united couple. Ava had found a renewed sense of purpose with the vineyard and their way of life.

He picked up his phone to call Ava, mainly just so that he could hear her voice. Ava would probably tease him mercilessly if she realized how truly smitten with her he actually was. He paused when he heard the knock. His personal assistant stuck her head in the