Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 26738 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 134(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26738 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 134(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
Sure enough, Larissa and Harlow had joined forces and were making his wishes come true.
Chapter Eight
Ava was used to being happy.
Baking.
Serving customers.
Christmas music.
Festive lights and tinsel.
All of it filled her with joy. Or at least it did before she thought of Smokey having an affair. No matter how hard she tried to come up with many different excuses, nothing worked.
Harlow had called in sick. Ava knew it was a lie. The fake cough and her constantly changing her voice when she forgot that she was sick were all telltale signs.
She had also noticed that some people kept looking at her and whispering behind their hands, which was a little disconcerting.
“Are you okay?”
Ava had been so off in her own little world that she hadn’t even noticed Abriana stepping into her shop. Shaking her head, she forced a smile to her lips, but it was hard. “Abriana, hey.”
“Are you okay?” Abriana asked. “Do you need to go to the emergency room?”
“I’m fine. Trust me.”
“You didn’t even see me come in, or hear me say hi. I was talking to you, Ava.”
“I’m sorry. Is there anything I can get you?”
“You can tell me what is wrong.” Abriana frowned.
“It’s nothing. Trust me. I’m just, this is all nothing.” She wanted to sob, but she held the tears back. Tears didn’t accomplish anything.
Abriana frowned. “Ava, please, don’t lie to me.”
Ava stared at her friend, and she didn’t know what set the waterworks off, but she couldn’t handle it anymore. She had kept the tears in all morning. Customers didn’t want to be served by a sobbing woman. Ava also didn’t want to ruin the reputation she had built up a second time after Smokey had nearly destroyed her. Her bakery had taken a huge hit, and once the Hell’s Bastards MC had made it clear to the town that she wasn’t the enemy, she’d slowly built up her clientele again.
Ava stepped away from the counter as the first wave of tears started to fall.
Umberto had been restless all morning, but he’d finally settled down for a nap, and he was lying in her office, in his car seat.
She rushed to her office, pressing her palm against the far wall, trying to compose herself.
Abriana had followed her. She sensed the other woman in her office.
“I’ve locked the door,” Abriana said.
Ava hadn’t even thought about the freaking door.
“Do you need me to get Smokey?” She was talking softly.
Ava sniffled. “No.”
She reached for some tissues and took several, pressing them to her eyes in an attempt to stop the pain and tears. No matter how often she dabbed at her cheeks, they continued to fall. She hated crying so damn much.
Abriana stepped toward her. Ava closed her eyes hard as she put a hand on her shoulder.
“Ava, I think I should get Smokey. If someone has hurt you, then you need to tell him.”
“Smokey has hurt me,” Ava said.
“What? Smokey? How?”
Ava turned toward her friend. Her world felt like it was breaking.
Abriana had been so lucky. Ugly Beast adored Abriana. Ava had watched the two and saw how close they were. How much they loved one another. Ugly Beast wasn’t afraid to show his woman how he truly felt. They were the dream kind of couple.
“He’s having an affair. Smokey’s cheating on me with … Harlow.”
Abriana’s mouth opened and then closed, and then she completely shocked Ava as she burst out laughing. The other woman slapped a hand over her face, trying to hide the fact that she was laughing, but she was clearly struggling.
“I’m sorry. This is not funny. It is not funny at all.” Ava wiped at her tears.
Abriana stepped out of the office and laughed.
This wasn’t helping Ava.
“Smokey is not having an affair,” Abriana said.
“I saw them together. I saw him hugging Harlow, and then they lied about it.”
Abriana winced and then bit her lip. “Look, I love you, Ava, and I swear, I cannot tell you what is going on, but I promise you, Smokey and Harlow are not, and will not ever be having an affair. I swear it. I don’t even know how to tell you completely, but they are not, nor will they ever be having an affair.”
It didn’t matter. “I’m just being silly. I see that.”
The other woman moaned and rushed toward her, giving Ava no choice but to accept the hug she offered.
“I’m sorry. I’m a horrible, horrible person, but Smokey loves you, Ava. He wants to make everything perfect for you, and there is nothing going on between the two of them. You’re who he loves.”
Ava didn’t want to talk about this with Abriana. “You’re right. I’m just being silly.” She gave her friend a quick hug. “I better get back to the shop.”
Abriana followed her. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.” Ava sighed. “I think it is just the holiday season. I clearly misread something that looked so obvious.”