Exhausted&Lost

Chapter Twenty Two

Dave's foot bounced against the barstool he was perched on like he was pounding out a beat on a kick drum. Ava ran a hand over his back to smooth out his shirt and a shiver ran up his spine.

"You want a beer or a glass of wine baby?" She asked, her voice soft against the mull of noise coming from the restaurant behind them.

He mulled it over for a moment and decided that he would need the one with the higher percentage of alcohol that would flood his bloodstream quicker.

"Wine for me, please. Red," he said while reaching out and squeezing her hand, reassuring her that while he was a little nervous and a lot uncomfortable, he was okay and she didn't need to worry.

She nodded and leaned over the bar a little to signal the bartender.

They had arrived early, then Jordyn had sent him a text to say that she was running a little late. He had tried to rush outside for a cigarette but Ava dragged him over towards the bar so they "could at least enjoy some of their upcoming afternoon together" before the awkwardness ensued.

He looked up when Ava spun around with a bottle of Merlot and 2 glasses in her hand and a wide grin spread across his face. He knew, with her here, no matter how weird tonight got... she could make it all okay.

She looked killer, her soft curls perfectly placed around her face. A simple but elegant black dress hugged her curves and pinched in at her waist, so it danced hypnotically around her thighs when she moved, and every time he looked at the heels she had on, the urge to rip everything but those off of her nearly lifted him off his seat.

She noticed him staring and nervously tucked a curl behind her ear.

"You okay?" She asked.

"Just checking you out," he smirked and reached out to pull her close.

He felt her shiver in his arms a little when his lips brushed her ear, and he heard the breath catch in her throat when he whispered, "I can't wait to fuck you in those heels later."

He stiffened when a voice called over the music, shocking them out of their little embrace, and he dropped his hands from her waist as though she had burnt him.

"David, Ava, how are you?" Jordyn's voice was unmistakable to Ava now after it struck the fear of God into her in the studio, and she spun around to greet her.

Jordyn was smiling a warm and genuine smile, and Ava instantly felt a little more at ease around her. She didn't seem like the scary, bitter ex that Ava feared she could be.

"Todd is just parking the car, come on, let's sit down," Jordyn said, leading the way to a table that was tucked away in the corner of the restaurant that Dave and Ava had entered through the back.

"Ava, it's so nice to properly meet you," Jordyn said when they had all settled in their seats, "I wanted us all to meet and get all of the awkwardness out of the way so that the girls wouldn't have to deal with any of this discomfort in the future."

Ava nodded, the reason for the lunch now making sense.

"It's so lovely to meet you too, thank you for having us," she smiled, holding Dave's hand under the table so tightly she was afraid she might crush his bones, but his face didn't show any sign of discomfort.

Ava sipped at her wine while Dave and Jordyn made small talk about the girls, and she jumped when Dave's hand suddenly and roughly clamped around hers. She heard, rather than saw, as he choked a little on his wine and she reached out to pat him on the back when her eyes followed his to the source of his sudden change in demeanor.