“You got an appointment with Luke?” Shirleen asked, looking through the total mess on her desk as if she actual y kept appointments for Luke. Luke didn’t even take appointments. Luke was wherever Luke was and if you caught him you could count yourself lucky.
“No, I’m an…” the woman hesitated, licked her lips and said, “old friend.”
“Holy fuck,” Monty muttered under his breath, staring at the monitors with a pained expression and shaking his head, “here we go again.”
May and I looked at each other and grinned.
“He ain’t here, girl, you want, I can cal him,” Shirleen told her.
“No,” the woman said quickly and she sounded downright relieved. “I’l just…” she hesitated again and looked around. She stil looked tense and I was pretty certain she was about to bolt. “Forget it. Could you please just tel him Ava Barlow was here? I’l try to catch him later.” Yep, I was right, she was about to bolt. Vance picked up the phone and hit a button.
Shirleen was smiling huge. “No problem to give him a bel . I got his number on speed dial.”
“No!” Ava cried suddenly them continued. “Real y, thanks, but I’l just go, I’ve got to be somewhere anyway.” She was edging away, definitely losing it now. She was beginning to look jittery.
I heard Mace laughing softly behind me.
Vance spoke into the phone. “Luke,” pause, “you got a visitor.” I could hear the smile in Vance’s voice even though his face was turned away. “Says her name’s Ava Barlow.”
“Just hang on one tick,” Shirleen said, getting up, waving her hands to dry her nails, “I’l just talk to the boys in the back. Maybe they know where he is.”
In the surveil ance room, Vance said into the phone.
“Looks scared as a fuckin’ jackrabbit. She’s about to take off.” Immediately, his eyes sliced to Mace and he did a flick of his hand, index finger pointed to the door saying, “Luke’l be here in five.”
Mace disappeared and seconds later we saw him hit the reception area and move to block the exit.
“Luke just cal ed in,” Mace lied to the staring Ava (it was hard not to stare at Mace, especial y upon first sight of him).
“He’l be here in five.”
I could swear I saw Ava’s face grow pale.
“I’m thinkin’ Ava Barlow don’t have a prayer,” May whispered to me but she was looking at the monitor and her whole body was shaking with laughter.
I found myself hoping Ava Barlow was good enough for Luke Stark and thinking that was a tal order.
She liked Green Day though so I figured that was a start.
Vance put down the phone and sat back, picking up his calzone. His gaze moved to me and mine moved to him.
His eyes were amused but soft and sweet and he had that “mine” look on his face. These days it was less intense, less raw, more settled, more content and I liked that.
I liked it a lot.
Home, I heard Auntie Reba say in my head.
I know, I said back.
My pug puppy curled up in my mental lap and sighed a happy puppy sigh.
My eyes stil on Vance, I smiled.
####
About the Author
Kristen Ashley lives in the beautiful West Country of England with her husband and her cat. She came to England by way of Denver, where she lived for twelve years, but she grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana. Her family and friends are loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.
Kristen’s Mom moved her and her brother and sister in with their grandparents when she was six. Her grandparents had a daughter much younger than her Mom so they al lived together on a very smal farm in a smal farm town in the heartland. She grew up with Glenn Mil er, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched). Needless to say, growing up in a house ful of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.
And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.