“Holden, I’m sorry I ran.”
“No. I’m sorry, Ava. I should have been stronger. I never meant to hurt you.”
She peeked at him, noting the regret that etched his face. She wanted to reach out, to take his hand in hers, but if she touched him she’d lose heart. Part of her still loved him. Curling her fingers around the arm of the chair, she shook her head. “It’s not only your fault. I lost myself in emotions, as well. We were wrong, and God wanted us to wait until marriage, but I shouldn’t have just run away. But we got so serious so fast, and I wasn’t ready.”
“I wanted to marry you.”
“I know.” Ava’s heart beat faster “And I really wasn’t ready for that. I’d only graduated high school a few months before.”
Holden pursed his lips. “If I could do it over, I’d have—”
“We can’t change what happened, but I should have talked to you. I should have told you about—”
The back door opened and Aunt Irene poked out her head. “You two get in here. I’ve almost got Jerry talked into doing Senior Idol with me.”
Holden’s jaw dropped and he stood. “You’re kidding. This I gotta hear.” He extended his palm to Ava. “You and I are going to have lunch after church tomorrow. Okay?”
Ava battled relief and disappointment that they weren’t finishing their conversation. She accepted his hand and cringed at the tingles she still felt at his touch. “Okay.”
Chapter 7
H olden stood in the foyer of the church, waiting for second service to end at any moment. He’d spotted Ava’s car in the parking lot. He knew she was there, and even though he’d attended first service and Sunday school, he was determined to hang around and wait for her. She might try to wriggle out of lunch, but he had no intention of letting her get away a second time.
The door opened and several people walked out. Jake exited beside Megan, with Vince tagging behind, and Holden smiled. Jake waved, and the three of them walked toward him. “Hey, Holden. Surprised to see you at second service.”
“Just waiting on someone.” He extended his hand and Vince smacked his palm. “How you doing, man?”
“Jake is taking me and Mom to lunch. We’re getting pizza.” Vince’s eyes lit up. “Then I’m gonna beat Jake at video games.”
Holden looked at Jake and Megan. The man beamed with excitement, while she dipped her chin in what appeared to be embarrassed pleasure.
Jake tousled Vince’s hair. “Yep. Last time I let him win.”
Holden cocked his head. “Last time?”
Vince’s face scrunched up. “Nuh-uh. I beat you.”
“He’s just teasing you.” Megan tapped her son’s shoulder.
Holden spied Ava. He waved and she moved toward them. “Oh, hi. I didn’t see you.”
Seeing the bright blush that swallowed her cheeks, Holden wasn’t sure if she was fibbing or just nervous. “No problem.” He patted his stomach. “I’m getting hungry. Didn’t want to miss my lunch date.”
Ava opened her mouth, and Holden feared she would try to come up with an excuse to bail. He pointed toward Megan. “Ava, I’m not sure if you’ve met Megan Fallows. And this is her son, Vince.”
Megan nodded, and Vince reached up and held his mom’s hand. “Hi.” He looked up at Jake, then at Ava. “We’re going to have pizza. You and Holden could come with us if you want.”
Relief washed across Ava’s features as she said, “That sounds like a great idea.”
Holden frowned. They wouldn’t be able to talk, really talk, with another couple sitting across from them and kids screaming at the arcade games that circled the place.
“Can I go, too? Mom’s gotta work today.”
Holden turned and saw Zack standing behind him. He tugged at the collar of his polo shirt.
“Zack!” his mom admonished. “You don’t invite yourself. Grandma is expecting you to come over. You’ll have a good time with her.”
Zack crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Grandma makes me eat peanut butter and
“No. I’m sorry, Ava. I should have been stronger. I never meant to hurt you.”
She peeked at him, noting the regret that etched his face. She wanted to reach out, to take his hand in hers, but if she touched him she’d lose heart. Part of her still loved him. Curling her fingers around the arm of the chair, she shook her head. “It’s not only your fault. I lost myself in emotions, as well. We were wrong, and God wanted us to wait until marriage, but I shouldn’t have just run away. But we got so serious so fast, and I wasn’t ready.”
“I wanted to marry you.”
“I know.” Ava’s heart beat faster “And I really wasn’t ready for that. I’d only graduated high school a few months before.”
Holden pursed his lips. “If I could do it over, I’d have—”
“We can’t change what happened, but I should have talked to you. I should have told you about—”
The back door opened and Aunt Irene poked out her head. “You two get in here. I’ve almost got Jerry talked into doing Senior Idol with me.”
Holden’s jaw dropped and he stood. “You’re kidding. This I gotta hear.” He extended his palm to Ava. “You and I are going to have lunch after church tomorrow. Okay?”
Ava battled relief and disappointment that they weren’t finishing their conversation. She accepted his hand and cringed at the tingles she still felt at his touch. “Okay.”
Chapter 7
H olden stood in the foyer of the church, waiting for second service to end at any moment. He’d spotted Ava’s car in the parking lot. He knew she was there, and even though he’d attended first service and Sunday school, he was determined to hang around and wait for her. She might try to wriggle out of lunch, but he had no intention of letting her get away a second time.
The door opened and several people walked out. Jake exited beside Megan, with Vince tagging behind, and Holden smiled. Jake waved, and the three of them walked toward him. “Hey, Holden. Surprised to see you at second service.”
“Just waiting on someone.” He extended his hand and Vince smacked his palm. “How you doing, man?”
“Jake is taking me and Mom to lunch. We’re getting pizza.” Vince’s eyes lit up. “Then I’m gonna beat Jake at video games.”
Holden looked at Jake and Megan. The man beamed with excitement, while she dipped her chin in what appeared to be embarrassed pleasure.
Jake tousled Vince’s hair. “Yep. Last time I let him win.”
Holden cocked his head. “Last time?”
Vince’s face scrunched up. “Nuh-uh. I beat you.”
“He’s just teasing you.” Megan tapped her son’s shoulder.
Holden spied Ava. He waved and she moved toward them. “Oh, hi. I didn’t see you.”
Seeing the bright blush that swallowed her cheeks, Holden wasn’t sure if she was fibbing or just nervous. “No problem.” He patted his stomach. “I’m getting hungry. Didn’t want to miss my lunch date.”
Ava opened her mouth, and Holden feared she would try to come up with an excuse to bail. He pointed toward Megan. “Ava, I’m not sure if you’ve met Megan Fallows. And this is her son, Vince.”
Megan nodded, and Vince reached up and held his mom’s hand. “Hi.” He looked up at Jake, then at Ava. “We’re going to have pizza. You and Holden could come with us if you want.”
Relief washed across Ava’s features as she said, “That sounds like a great idea.”
Holden frowned. They wouldn’t be able to talk, really talk, with another couple sitting across from them and kids screaming at the arcade games that circled the place.
“Can I go, too? Mom’s gotta work today.”
Holden turned and saw Zack standing behind him. He tugged at the collar of his polo shirt.
“Zack!” his mom admonished. “You don’t invite yourself. Grandma is expecting you to come over. You’ll have a good time with her.”
Zack crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Grandma makes me eat peanut butter and
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