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

want to explain myself and make sure you understand. My only explanation is that when the cork was popped my brain cells spilled out.”

He forced a smile. “No need. I get it.”

“No, I don’t think you do,” she said, pushing the covers back and silently telling him to come in next to her.

He grabbed his underwear and slipped them on, then moved next to her in bed. He put his arm around her shoulders and she snuggled in. “What is it you feel the need to explain?”

“First off, I said that because I was trying to find a way to address if you were feeling okay since you had a greater loss than me. Before you met me. I know you said you’ve dated since Ellen passed. I’m assuming you’ve had sex.”

He snorted. “Not much, but yes. I’d gone on a few dates with different women in the past few years. I slept with two of them that I had a short relationship with. For a number of reasons they didn’t work out.”

“I’m not stupid enough to think I am the only woman you’ve been with in this house.”

“Actually,” he said, “you are.”

“What?” she asked, sitting up and looking at him.

“Both women weren’t here. One was a lawyer in Boston. I went there on the ferry and stayed at her house a few times. It wasn’t working out for either of us and was kind of a setup from a coworker. I’m not sure why I agreed to it. She was only interested in going out and having fun and, well, I’ve got other priorities.”

Abby knew he had a child. She knew he was a widow. But she was a lawyer that did some work with the bank and many thought they’d hit it off. She was only a few years younger than him, but made it clear her job was serious, her personal life wasn’t. She needed to drink and unwind and he wasn’t looking for that. They ended things amicably after about six weeks and that was the end of the story.

But not with Michaela. They’d dated a few months. He wasn’t ready to let Adele know and Michaela didn’t really want to meet Adele either. Not in the beginning. Sure, his daughter’s name came up and Michaela never said anything negative, but she wasn’t as open or friendly to even discuss Adele in conversations.

Whenever he’d talk about Adele, Michaela would change the subject. He finally started to realize that though she knew he was a single father and his daughter wasn’t going anywhere, Michaela wanted to focus on the two of them and their future.

It was a wakeup call for him to find out from a mutual friend that Michaela was making plans for vacations for the two of them and wondering how she could spend more time with Seth. Even complaining that Seth should leave his daughter with his mother more so they could do things.

“This was a few years ago?” Ava asked. “For the lawyer having fun?”

“Two years ago,” he said.

“So you were thirty-four?”

“Yes,” he said.

“Which is still young to many women,” she said. “Thirty-six is young to me but then again, I’m thirty-three and still single and well, I like fun but I’m not sure how much I’m looking for. But if I say I’m looking for a commitment that scares people off too. So I’m not looking for anything other than just allowing what is going to happen to happen.”

Which was probably why he felt the connection he did with Ava and no one else since Ellen. And he didn’t want to compare Ava to his late wife either because they weren’t that much alike in looks or personality. At the core they were good people he liked being around and that was all that mattered to him.

“Last year I was dating someone else. She lives here on the island. I doubt you know her.”

“Probably not,” she said, grinning. “I think more people know our family than we know them, but I’ve only been a visitor here most of my life.”

“I figured. Michaela and I met because it was someone my mother knew. Not closely, but a friend of a friend’s daughter. She knew all about my situation so I felt I didn’t need to explain much.”

“And it took the pressure off there too, didn’t it?”

“It did,” he said. “But I still talked about it. She didn’t want to.”

“So this woman didn’t like that you had a child?” she asked.

“She never came out and said it, but I believed that. She wanted me to leave Adele at my mother’s more. She didn’t talk about her much but then at times wanted to meet her, well, toward the end. I just wasn’t ready.”

“You weren’t ready because in your gut you knew it wasn’t right,” she said.

“I know that looking back now. Michaela didn’t like the limited amount of time we spent together and she knew I wouldn’t leave Adele with my mother more than twice a month, so if Adele knew about her, she could come here. That was her thought process I learned later on.”

“So twice a month is a hard rule?” she asked. “And before you get nervous, I’m only asking because I’m good with anything, but I don’t have expectations either. Adele does know about me and I’m thrilled to spend time with her and you together. And we know I’ve got a demanding job on top of it. This is just conversation.”

“It’s not a hard and fast rule, but Adele didn’t know I was dating anyone and I didn’t want her to think I was putting someone else before her. Michaela and I were only together a few months and when Adele stayed there, it was normally because my mother asked Adele to stay, not the other way around. So it’s not like Adele knew I wasn’t home. We always went back to Michaela’s place.”

“And tonight?” she asked. “Whose idea was it for Adele to stay there tonight?”

He felt his