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

face flush. “My mother asked Adele to stay so that we could have the night to ourselves. And if my mother hadn’t, I would have said something. The only reason Adele doesn’t know you are here now is because I don’t think she would have gone if she knew I was with you.”

“Why is that?” she asked.

He could see the uncertainty in her eyes and he didn’t want that. “Because she wants to be with you as much as she is glad I’ve got you too.”

Ava nodded her head. “And this is why people talk things out. We both are treading carefully here and that is true with any new relationship. I know that Adele has to come first in your life. You’ve never needed to tell me that. If you were the type of father that didn’t put her first, then I might not be as attracted to you as I am.”

“So it wasn’t just my body?” he asked, running his hands through her hair.

“That might have been the case if I saw this body first. But instead I got to know you. And hey, you know the mess I’m dealing with and you still want to be with me.”

“That has nothing to do with you as a person and you know it.”

“I would think not, but if people knew at your job about us and my situation, would that be an issue for you? Don’t you have to keep a clean credit score or something?”

“I don’t care if anyone knows about us. Since we’ve been out in public a few times I’m assuming you don’t either.”

“I don’t care,” she said. “I just didn’t want it reflecting on you in any negative light.”

“No one knows what you are going through at the bank. Your accounts are on hold by your choice. That is all they see. People do that for a number of reasons. You’re a Bond and a doctor on this island. It’s not like you are a criminal or down on your luck.”

“Very true. I guess it’s not the end of the world if people know now other than it’s an embarrassment to me. Maybe it’d be a lesson for others.”

“No one is going to hear from my lips what is going on. If you choose to tell people, that is your choice. But someone’s credit is their own personal business and it should stay that way. No one is coming after you for collections at this point and they shouldn’t empty your accounts, but the fear that whoever has your identity might is the bigger issue. Moving your money elsewhere won’t stop that if they find out what bank your money is in next having all that information about you.”

“I know. And I appreciate everything you’ve done. Even protecting me.”

“That is my job. I’d do that for anyone.” He leaned down and gave her a kiss on the forehead. “Are we good now? I didn’t blow it by overreacting to what you said?”

“No,” she said. “I worried I did by saying it. I said I wasn’t stupid enough to think you hadn’t been with anyone else since your wife passed, but I’m also not naive enough to not realize you loved her and always will. I want you to know that I’d never try to measure up or replace her in either your eyes or Adele’s. I’m my own person and always will be and I’m secure enough in my life to not be jealous of something or someone I can’t compete against.”

Again, not something another woman he’d dated would have ever said even if it crossed their minds. “There isn’t anything to compete or compare. I’m not comparing, if you need to know. Or even want to know.”

“Thank you for that. As hard as it is in your shoes, the woman’s shoes aren’t easy either.”

He never thought of it that way before. It’s not like he talked about Ellen with anyone he dated after she passed. It never occurred to him to do it more than to explain the situation. But maybe that was part of the problem before. That they were worried they’d never measure up?

“I suppose not,” he said.

Before either of them could say another word, Ava’s cell phone went off. She was getting out of bed and looking around his room, but he knew the phone wasn’t there. It was too faint, but the house was quiet enough for them to hear it.

“My purse is downstairs,” she said, running out of the room. He heard her feet on the stairs and then heard her say, “Hello. Yes, patch her through.” There was some silence, then, “How high is your fever?”

She was coming back up the stairs as she talked. Her voice was louder and he heard her feet on the steps. She came back over and sat on the bed for a minute, nodding her head like she was talking to whoever was on the phone.

He got up and went to grab a pair of shorts and slipped them on while she was talking to her patient. Asking questions and giving out advice. When he looked at the clock he noticed it was barely eight and he should call Adele to say goodnight to her. He said he would before she went to bed.

“Sorry about that,” Ava said when she hung the phone up.

“Not a problem. Do you need to go in?”

“No. Just a patient that sounds like she might have the flu or a summer cold. There aren’t any contractions or anything, but she’s a first-time mother and wasn’t sure what she could or couldn’t take.”

“Guess the timing of that call was good,” he said. “Or not thirty minutes ago.”

“The on call service will take a message and call me if I don’t answer. I can’t always answer when they call. I don’t wear it glued to me and have had calls when I’m in the shower and so on. But if I can get it, I do rather than worrying