Family Bonds- Ava and Seth (Amore Island Book 5), Natalie Ann [world of reading TXT] 📗

“This will help,” Griffin said. “With your permission, can I contact Seth and Hailey?”

“Of course.”

“I’ll need your social security number, date of birth, and any passwords you might normally use for things.” She hesitated and he laughed. “I won’t open any cards in your name, I promise. If I need them bad enough, I’ve got all of Eli’s information.”

Eli laughed. “I’d trust him with my life. I obviously trust him with my identity. Of course he couldn’t pass for me. He’s not as handsome.”

She wasn’t so sure of that. Eli had a polished look to him that had no problem attracting the ladies that she’d heard of. Griffin was more of a bad boy and she suspected he could get his fair share.

That wasn’t her concern either way though. “Do you have something for me to write it all down on?”

Griffin opened a drawer as if this were his own kitchen and grabbed a pen and pad to push toward her. She put the information down without her name and pushed it back.

“I’ll get to work on this and we’ll be in touch,” Griffin said. His bagel had popped up and he put peanut butter on it and then left, leaving Eli’s there for him to do himself.

“I have to ask,” she said. “What is the deal with you two?”

“Meaning what?” Eli asked. “You don’t think there is anything romantic between us, do you?”

The shocked look on Eli’s face made her howl with laughter. “Of course not. It’s just you seem almost as comfortable with him as you do your brothers.”

“I am. Maybe more so. As I said, I trust him with my life. He feels the same about me. You’re in good hands and we are all here to help you with this. And if you can’t find a place to stay until this is straightened out, I’ll find you a room here. I’ve got spots and am always bumping people up.”

“That’s nice, Eli. I appreciate it. I’ll figure it out. I can stay with my parents as long as I need to and Drew has his eyes open for any rentals the company might have. Then I won’t have to worry about a background and credit check.”

“He’ll find you something, but the offer stands.”

“Thanks,” she said. “And I’ll get out of your way, as I’m sure you’ve got a lot of schmoozing to do with guests.”

“That’s the fun of it all,” Eli said, laughing.

When she was driving back to her parents for the day she wondered when she’d get to have some fun herself.

It’d been a week since she’d talked to Seth and she was kind of bummed over that. Guess he wasn’t ready like she predicted and she’d just have to move on with trying to get control of her own life.

Only later that night, her phone rang when she was watching TV with her parents. Talk about an exciting life in your thirties.

“Hello,” she said, seeing it was Seth and walking out of the room to take the call. She knew her smile filled her face and her parents would be questioning her when she returned.

“Ava. I hope it’s not too late.”

“It’s just after eight. If that was too late that would mean I’m a pretty boring person. I never thought I was, but all things considered in my life right now, maybe I need that.”

He laughed on the other end. “We could all use some quiet time. Myself included. I just got Adele in bed and it’s the first free moment I’ve had. My mother who watches her for me went on a cruise and won’t be back until Tuesday so I’ve been on vacation and entertaining Adele.”

Which meant he probably didn’t sit down much. “That sounds like fun.”

“It can be, but it’s exhausting too.”

“I hope that you’re calling at eight on a Saturday for personal reasons and not professional ones.”

“You did say to call when I was ready. I am. I think I have been. Sorry, I’m rambling. I don’t want you to think I haven’t dated because I have, but it’s hard.”

“I get it,” she said. “And I did wonder if Adele put you on the spot and maybe I shouldn’t have jumped on it. I guess I took advantage of it and it could have backfired on me.”

“Or pushed me,” he said. “Would you like to get dinner sometime? My mother will be back in town this week, as I said. So I couldn’t do anything until next weekend. If you are on the island.”

“I’m on call next weekend, so that wouldn’t work,” she said. Figures it would fall that way.

“How about the following weekend or should we wait until you are here permanently? It’s just about a month.”

She didn’t want to wait that long. Of course if she went on a date with him in two weeks she’d have to stay on the island and then her parents would know. Did it really matter at this point?

“I can do the following weekend. Why don’t you get back to me on a time and place and I’ll make it work.”

“I can do that,” he said. “Have a great night.”

Guess they weren’t going to sit there and chat and it was probably for the best. “You too.”

She walked back into the living room and her mother looked ready to pounce like a tiger going in for the meal. “Was that Seth?”

“You know it was,” she said. “And yes, he asked me on a date which will be in two weeks since I’m on call next week. As long as you don’t mind me staying the night here again because I’m sure it might be too late to catch the ferry back.”

“Of course we don’t mind,” her father said. Then he looked at her mother. “And we won’t watch the clock waiting for you to come home and won’t drill you either.”

She grinned at her mother’s fallen face. “Fine,” her mother said.

“Deal,” she said and got comfortable to finish watching