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“Never in a million years could I ever think that about you” I could tell my words had disarmed her, and in a flash tears rose in her eyes “What is it?” I asked

“Nothing It’s silly”

“It’s never silly if it’s bringing on such strong e on?”

I reached out for her hand, and she slipped her fingers against my palm

“Your words are really kind,” she said

“Well, that’s not what’s bothering you”

“It’s nothing I swear”

“Ava, talk to me”

“I don’t really want to talk about it It’s just—I look at you and I think about Camilla and a conversation I had with her”

“So you’ve talked to her”

“Yeah”

“How did that go?”

Ava’s face fell, and she hooked her eyes on mine while her tears slowly dried

“That good, huh?” I asked, grinning

“Let’s just say she’s not the person I thought she was—at all”

I furrowed my brow at her statement before she squeezed my hand and pulled away

“What do you mean?” I asked

“She’s just not who I thought she was”

“How so?”

“You kno you paint soht, and then it turns out you painted theht they cast?” she asked

“What did she say to you, Ava?”

“I don’t want to talk about her right now We’re having such a good ti with you It’s in the past There isn’t anything we can do about it, and as time passes, it’ll pass as well,” she said

“I want to be here for you If there’s soh it”

Her eyes welled with tears again, and it broke my heart

“You’re such a good man,” she whispered

“I try to be,” I said But try as I et her to open up to me, she didn’t

“Anyway, sorry U about?” Ava asked She dabbed at her tears with her napkin, and I abandoned the tug-of-war

“Anything and everything,” I said

“Good That’s a good topic I like talking about us, about you,” she said