Perfect

Chapter Thirty Six

-AVA-

  After dropping off Emma at school I went over to Perfect Desserts for my usual shift. My Mother had clearly read the headlines this morning as well, as she didn't say anything to me for the first 20 minutes, and then just walked on over to where I stood at the counter, sorting out the change for the customer I had just served. As soon as the customer exited the shop, she placed a hand on my shoulder, causing me to turn and look at her.

  "Are you okay?"

  "People need to stop asking me that question." I first snapped, and then felt bad. "Why wouldn't I be?" I force a smile.

  I had been mentally beating myself up about this since I first read it this morning. In my head, I knew that whatever Alex and I had had to be short-term. We were way too different for us to actually last.

  But only yesterday I had been calling him my boyfriend, and found myself falling hard. I have annoyed myself because even though I had told myself repeatedly not to fall for him, and to just have fun, that's exactly what I did. I fell for him. And in such a short time space. "We literally only dated a week, if you can even call it dating."

  "Even so," She shrugs her shoulders. "He was the first guy you've dated since Tyler."

  "Please, don't remind me of either of them," I said. "I'm my own independent woman who is working her shift at her parents' cake shop. I'm completely fine."

  "Oh, my strong Ava," She places her hands on my cheeks, pushing away the strands of my hair that fell to frame my face. "I've always admired you and your strength my darling."

  "You're acting like it's Tyler all over again." I said. "It's not. We dated a week, and we don't have a kid. I'm fine."

  "Still, he was the first man you've dated in a long time," She repeats herself. "You expect way too much of yourself." Is all she finishes off with before kissing my forehead, and then walking out to the back to go bake.

  I forced an exhale, looking around the empty shop and then dug my hand into the pocket of my apron, bringing it out to see 16 texts, 4 voice mails and 8 miss calls.

  And they were all from Alex.

-ALEX-

  "Urgh!" I sat myself down onto my bed again after disconnecting another missed call to Ava.

  "You look like you're in deep trouble then?" Grayson asks, lying on my bed whilst sipping a can of cola. After I furiously and wrongly kicked him out of my room, he knew it would only take me 10 minutes until I called him back to beg him for both his forgiveness and his advice on the entire situation, so all he did was buy a cola can and not take my words to heart.

  I have never been more grateful for him.

  "She's not picking up." I tell him, frustrated. "And here's me thinking Katherine was the one who was going to ruin the night."

  "No, you ended up doing that yourself," He replies. "And in the worst way possible."

  "Why do I mess shit up all the time?" I look back at him over my shoulder. "Seriously? Why?"

  "Because you're you?" He sat up. "Just give her some time, she'll pick up. She's probably working."

  "Yeah." I try my hardest to concentrate on that thought, trying to make myself believe it. "Yeah, she's probably working, and she hasn't got her phone on her. That's it."

  "Wow, you are desperate," Grayson shakes his head. "Believe what you wanna."

  "Dude you're supposed to be helping me here!" I exclaim, throwing a pillow at him. "Ava already finds this whole fame thing weird, what if she doesn't want to go out with me again because of all of this?"

  "Then you're gonna have to persuade her why you're worth it."

  "And how do I do that?"

  "By showing her that Luisa is no one to you." He replies. "Which should be easy because you literally met her last night, and you went to bed at 10pm because you're a Granddad."

  "I'm not a Granddad." I frowned at his words.

  "You said you wanted to get up early to call Ava before she goes on the school run." He blankly reminds me. "You missed out on the full after-party for the movie that might bring in more success in my career to call your Mrs back at home before she took her kid to school."

  "That doesn't make me a Granddad." I frown again, folding my arms. "Why isn't she picking up?!"

  "You're gonna have to give her a bit." He throws the pillow back at me again. "I mean, you're here for 5 whole days so that's a long time to allow her to cool off is she is pissed about this."

  "Oh no." I groan, leaning my head back. "Five whole days with Ava pissed at me, I don't know what I'm gonna do."

  "You could fly back early," I look back at him. "I mean I'm leaving tomorrow, say you're gonna join me for the London Premiere."

  "Mum will literally kill me." I weigh the pros and cons. "But I guess... If she thinks I'm going back because I'm working..."

  "I'll get my Mum to soften the blow as well, Aunty Janette is bound to listen to her twin sister," He stands up from the bed again. "And don't worry; you can come with us on our private jet back to London."

  "Great, thanks mate."

  "Right, I'll go down and talk to Mum then." He walks over to the door of my hotel room.

  "And I'll stay here and see if Ava picks up or not."

  Boy, I really am wishing hard that she will. 

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Much love!