Ava knows who Jimmy O'Brien is - her first love and soulmate. Forced to spend time apart, Ava and Jim deal with their trust issues and insecurities.
When the lovers finally reunite and resolve to fight for each other, their fragile happiness is put...
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February
Familiar lips pressed a kiss to my forehead. I blinked the remnants of sleep away and smiled at Jim. "Leaving already?"
"Yeah, and hating that I need to. I left you some coffee on the counter, okay? And there's yogurt in the fridge." He ran his fingers through my hair and pecked the top of my head. "Okay. Gotta run. Have a great day, baby."
"Have a great show."
"Thanks." Jim winked, showing his arms in the sleeves of a leather jacket. "See you tonight."
As soon as the front door clicked shut, I threw the covers aside and padded to the bathroom to get ready, and thirty minutes later, I was opening the door of Declan's Toyota.
"Good morning." He grinned as I fumbled with the seat belt in the backseat. "Office?"
"Hi, Dec. Harris Memorial," I said. "I'm meeting my friend for breakfast."
He turned the key in the ignition, humming the tune of a rock song that broke the quiet in the car.
We didn't talk much on the drive to the hospital. Somehow, Dec turned into my chauffeur, and although I didn't think it was necessary, I chose not to argue with Jim. He had too many things on his plate, and the truth was, so did I. Especially now.
The car slowed, entering the parking lot. Dec left it in a vacant spot and swiveled his head, resting his gaze on my face. "Don't rush, okay? Take your time. I'll wait."
"I can text you when I'm done, and you can pick me up," I said, hoping he'd take me up on the offer. Partly because I didn't know how long the whole thing would take but also because I felt weird knowing someone was waiting for me when I used to be independent not so long ago.
Declan shook his head. "I'll wait, but forget I'm here. I have a book to read and coffee to drink."
I grabbed my purse, and Dec got out of the vehicle. He opened the door for me, and as I made a few steps forward, I realized he was behind me.
"The entrance is right here," I said, halting.
He pulled his baseball cap lower. "I know. This is my morning workout."
Dozens of thoughts spun in circles in my brain as I said goodbye to Dec and headed into the hospital. Some revolved around Jim's obsession with the random black car and my safety, but some had a lot to do with my visit to Harper.
When I exited the elevator on her floor, my hands shook, and I felt cold despite my oversized sweater.
As if sensing I was near, she swung the door of her office open and ushered me inside. "Come in."
"Hi." I kissed her cheek and stepped over the threshold. "How's it going?"
Harper grinned. "So far, so good, but it's only nine a.m. Let's sit."
