Page 70 of Shadow of Hope
Belinda joined them, balancing on her forearm plates of pie piled high with meringue. She set them on the table. “You want those meatloaf meals to go now?”
Ava nodded. “And pie for them, too.”
“You got it. You can pick it up at the register on the way out.” She scribbled on her pad and hurried away.
Ava took a bite of her pie. “Oh, my. She was right. This is delicious.”
Dev shoveled a forkful into his mouth. “Oh, man, yeah. This meal was worth braving that motel room for.”
“Then Colin and I are making out great.” Micha pushed his dinner plate away and grabbed his pie. “We didn’t have to spend any time there and got a great meal.”
“No worries.” Ava held her fork filled with creamy pie above her plate, an impish grin forming on her face. “I’ll let you go in to get my suitcase.”
He laughed, and the tight knot in his gut loosened. He had to work harder, faster, to figure this out so he could see if this thing between them could go anywhere, what with his sister and all. He didn’t remember wanting anything this badly for a long time. Scary but also exciting.
They finished their pie, polished off the coffee, and headed to the cash register, where Micha paid Belinda in cash, giving her a very generous tip.
“I should at least pay for the extra meals,” Ava protested.
“No worries. I’m glad to help.”
“I double-bagged the order to keep the food dry.” Belinda passed the bag across the counter. “God bless you all for taking care of people down on their luck.”
Ava blushed and reached for the bag, but Micha rested his hand on hers before she could. The touch brought a shockingly intense awareness of her, and he had to fight his reaction, sucking in a breath. “You can get into the vehicle faster and not get as wet if I carry it.”
“I won’t melt, but thank you.” She flipped up her hood and zipped the jacket.
Micha took the time to unroll his hood from his collar this time. He grabbed the food, and they bolted through the rain that he swore was coming down sideways in the gusting wind. He opened the back door for Ava, then piled in beside her. Dev got behind the wheel, Colin took shotgun. Dev knew the motel location and could take them straight to it. He soon had them easing onto water-laden streets and pulling up near the bridge.
“I’ll be back in a flash,” Ava said.
Micha held up his hand. “I’ll do it.”
She shook her head. “It’s something I need to do to help me remember how blessed I am and not focus as much on my problems.”
“Then I’ll come with you.” He could argue with her about getting out of the vehicle, but he wouldn’t deprive her of something so important to her. He took the bag and slid out before she tried to stop him.
She exited the other side, and he took her arm to draw her closer and make her a smaller target. Surprisingly, she didn’t balk, and they sloshed through standing water to the bridge.
Under the bridge, she swatted at a cobweb.
“You don’t have to move webs out of my way,” he said, trying not to let his embarrassment get to him and bite her head off. “I can handle it.”
She looked up at him, compassion in her gaze. “But why, when I’m here to help?”
“Because even if you do it out of kindness like I know you’re doing, it’s embarrassing when a woman has to move a stupid cobweb for me. Makes me feel like less of a man.”
“I’ll stop then, but you’re not less of a man.” She glanced up at him. “You’re simply a person who’s had a traumatic experience, and it’s part of your life now.”
“Yeah, I get that up here.” He tapped his head. “But not in my heart.”
They approached the group and he changed his focus from feeling like a loser to protecting her. Three men and a woman huddled near a roaring fire. Ava marched right up to them, a smile on her face. They cast wary glances her way.
“Sorry to disturb,” she said, “but I saw you when we walked by a little while ago and wondered if you might like a meal from Fat Eddie’s. I got meatloaf and coconut cream pie.”
A man with a scraggly gray beard eyed her, his narrowed gaze telling of a life lived in suspicion of other people. “Why you doing this?”
“I wanted to help. No strings.” She took the bag from Micha and set it down between them, then backed away. “I hope it brings you some comfort tonight.”
