Everything That Glitters Ain't Gold, Danielle Martin [best books to read all time .TXT] 📗

arms around her shoulders, being careful not to trample her because she had the baby in her arms.

Jade chuckled. “Thanks girl. I have never been so happy... So in love…” They both pulled apart and smiled at each other. Ava couldn’t help but stare at how beautiful she was. It was crazy how much things had changed. They had both grown into two different women.

“I didn’t see Desean out there…” Jade looked over her shoulder checking to see if she saw him in the crowd.

Ava laughed and waved her hand. “Yeah, he told me to tell you congrats and that he’s sorry he couldn’t make it.  He had some things to do at the church.”

Jade acceptingly nodded her head while rocking the baby. “It’s okay. How has he been anyways?”

Ava smiled. She happily provided her with an update. “He’s been great actually. We still keep in touch.  He’s the Deacon at the church now and he’s engaged to the reverends daughter, Cecilia. She’s a good woman.”

Jade smirked. Visibly, she was impressed. She nodded her head. “That’s great. I’m glad to hear he has turned his life around.”

Ava smiled. She was happy too. Everything was turning out just the way she had hoped. Her life had changed for the better. Her past didn’t break her. It only prepared her for the future. Defined her for the present. And now, she was at her best. Better than she had ever been.

“Hello, Ava…”

Suddenly, her movements suspended after hearing her name being called over her shoulder. Her smile quickly faded. The sound drowned out from out of her ears and her gut wrenched. Jade glanced over Ava’s shoulder first then rolled her eyes at the person. “Do you want me to have him escorted out of here, Hazel???”

Within a matter of seconds, she was quivering in horror. Ava was too stunned to move, paralyzed by her own fear to turn around. The day was going so well. She should have known it would only be a matter of time… At a leisurely pace, she turned to face the voice slowly.

“Bl---Blakeee---“she stammered his name, staring at him as if she were staring at Casper the ghost. She hadn’t spoken of that name in almost 2 years, completely banning the word from her vocabulary all together.  

“Ava, I’m so glad to see you…” he smiled at her while approaching. Blake stood before her handsomely dressed in an all-black tux and matching black shoes. His low-cut had been neatly trimmed for the occasion. He hadn’t changed a bit. He was still dangerously attractive just the way she remembered. Blake looked her up and down, examining her long gold shimmery gown that she had purchased specifically for the wedding. “You look stunning.” He complimented her. “I was hoping I would be able to speak with you for a moment… alone…”

Ava was still puzzled by his unexpected appearance. She couldn’t speak. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t do anything.

“Ava, please…” he begged her with his eyes after she didn’t respond. “Just 5 minutes of your time is all I ask… I really need you to hear me out…” He seemed desperate as he pleaded. Jade stood next to her staring crazily wandering why she hadn’t said anything yet. She was speechless. She stared at Blake, reminding herself exactly why she avoided him for 2 years. She avoided his areas. Avoided the bars. She avoided the places she knew he hung out. And now, he stood in front of her looking so handsome in his tuxedo. She wanted to rip him apart. But then again, she wanted to run away as far as she could.

“No!” Ava clamped her eyes shut and stepped back after her own thoughts began attacking her. She abruptly turned on her heel and quickly began hurrying towards the door. “I don’t want to talk to you! I don’t want anything else to do you with” she shouted over her shoulder while running down the aisle. Seeing his face was too hard. She didn’t want to be reminded of the past.

 “Ava, wait!” he called out to her. She didn’t wait. Instead, she began dashing down the aisle skipping for the door. Ava had no plans on reminiscing. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever. Her mistakes were nothing but a lesson learned and that was the exact way she wanted to leave them.

“Excuse meeeeee…” Ava called out to the crowd of people blocking the door. Sensing she was in a hurry, the small group shot her a crazy look as they stepped to the side. “Appreciate it.” She thanked them for moving out of the way promptly and swung open the door heading outside. Ava wasted no time dashing out the door and making her way outside, feeling as if she were escaping a prison cell. She gasped for air after running out of breath, hiked up her dress than began skipping across the parking lot towards her parked car. Ava did not intend on leaving the wedding so soon. She planned to stick around for the photos and later follow the wedding party to the reception for the after party. Just seeing Blake’s face changed everything.  

“Ava! Please don’t run away!” His sudden voice was closer behind her than she hoped. Ava’s stomach twisted into knots after realizing he had followed her all the way outside. She continued to walk fast but felt like her feet were not moving fast enough. She could see her car in the distance.

“Ava, will you wait a minute????” a hand slipped around her arm and easily pulled her back.

“No! No! No!” she shouted with her eyes shut. She immediately twisted her body to get away, his touch burning her skin.  “Why????” she screamed into the air. “Everything was going so perfect! Why are you here Blake??? Why Why Why????” she was hysterical, shouting the question over and over again. She didn’t want to see him. She didn’t want to remember how much she loved this man. She didn’t want to remember how much he hurt her.

Blake sighed. “Lance is my boy. Why would I not show up to his wedding???”

Ava bent over and took long breaths. She was having a panic attack and it felt as if her chest were close to caving in.

As usual, Blake watched her intensely. “You okay???” he asked, noticing she was winded.

Ava swallowed her shortness of breath then stood up. “What does that matter???” she snapped at him. “It’s been two years! Two years and I haven’t heard from you at all. Why today? Why did you choose today to show up??? At my best friend’s wedding???”

Blake shook his head. “You changed your number, Ava. I couldn’t find you...” He gave a poor excuse.

She glared at him. Ava was unmoved by his poor excuse. “Bullshit!” she cursed on church grounds. “Why didn’t you call Jade??? Her number is still the same, you know???”

Blake shook his head again. Apparently, he tried that too. “It’s not that simple, Ava… Jade hates my guts. She wouldn’t tell me where you were even if I paid her…”

 Ava rolled her eyes. She wasn’t buying it for a second. After all the time that had passed. If Blake really wanted to find her, he could have.

 “So how have you been?” he asked eagerly changing the subject. “Has life been treating you alright??” he asked the question sincerely as if he were truly concerned to know.

 Ava chuckled a nonchalant laugh. She was hoping he would ask that. “I’ve been great!” she answered his question arrogantly while slightly rolling her neck. “I’m opening up my own happy hour bar downtown. My contractors are there renovating the place right now as we speak.”

A surprised look spread across Blake’s face. Clearly, he was shocked by the news. “Wow. Really? That’s amazing.” He complimented her.

She wasn’t finished. “Yep. Lance and Jade helped me get my business license. Those two have really done a lot for me… And I have a new condo.  I’m renting but the owner is considering selling it to me.”

His jaw dropped even wider. Visibly, he was baffled by her success. “Wow, Ava… You have really excelled these last two years, I see…”

She nodded her head hoping her accomplishments was a sucker punch in his gut. Ava wanted nothing more than for Blake to know his deceit did not break her. She actually picked up the pieces of her life, started her own business and made something of herself. Blake smiled at her. “I always knew you had it in you. You are such a smart woman. I am really proud of you, Ava.”

She clenched her jaw and pressed her lips together. Apart of her wanted to ridicule him for everything he had done to her in the past, but she couldn’t find the strength to do it. Ava had let go of that anger a long time ago. “Thanks.” She answered briefly and then turned her back. She continued digging through her purse for her keys. “I have to get going now…I hope you got what you came here for…” she could feel her finger tips brush against her key ring. Thank God she had finally located them.

“Ava, the baby wasn’t mines…”

Silence.

Her heart sunk into her stomach like the titanic hitting the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Ava paused and stopped rummaging through her purse. She turned back to look at him, moving in slow motion. “What???” she whispered. “What did you just say???”

He repeated it again. “We did a DNA test at the hospital after Madison gave birth. The baby wasn’t mines...”

Ava gasped and placed her hand on her chest, the horrific memory rushing back. She had tried so hard to forget about the outcome. She tried so hard not to picture it.

"I knew all along..." he continued. "I knew from the beginning I wasn’t the father. Time didn't add up. I freaked out when she told me. I never should have let you walk away without reassuring you."

Her jaw hung wide open. Ava was stunned. “Wha—What???” she stuttered again, immediately turning woozy.

Blake nodded his head. “It’s true...Our divorce was final as of May 1st last year.” He hit her with another surprise. She almost stumbled but quickly held on to her car maintaining her balance. He walked up and placed his body in front of hers as if preparing to catch her if she fell again.

“Ava, I never lied to you... I may not have told you everything, but I didn’t lie...” he looked her deep in the eyes while taking. “I never stopped thinking about you after you left… I tried to tell myself this was for the better and that I was doing the right thing by staying away from you… But I didn’t believe any of it… I knew I was lying to myself… Ava Sweeney, I was still in love with you… and I still am…”

Her knees immediately went weak. “Oh Nooooooo…” she couldn’t help but cry out, officially stumbling over. Blake stepped up and quickly grabbed her before she could fall, wrapping his arms around her tightly. “Noooo Blake…” she cried out and poorly beat at his chest. She didn’t want to be this close to him. She didn’t want to smell that intoxicating scent. He placed his hand against her cheek, her body flinching the more he pressed up on her. He was so close she could now feel his body heat next to hers. It had been so long since he had been this close. Surprisingly, she did not pull away although she could have if she wanted.

“These last two years, I’ve done everything possible to get over you.” Blake stared in her eyes, giving her that same look he used to give her in college as he poured her heart out. That look was irresistible once upon a time. That look still haunted her in her sleep.

“Ava, I tried seeing other women. I tried the dating thing. Excuse my language, but I couldn’t get you off my fucking mind. I couldn’t think about anyone else. Not