Falling For Zoe (The Camerons of Tide's Way #1) by Skye Taylor Page A

new bathing suit. He hated the bikini Mom bought me just before she took off. I didn’t really like it all that much, but I wore it to please her. Only it didn’t matter, I guess. She left anyway.” The cloud returned to Ava’s face.
    “I’m certain your father will approve of the replacement.” Zoe hurried to redirect the discussion. Ava had chosen a very flattering two-piece suit in green and blue. A tankini top, at least that’s what Zoe thought the clerk called it, and a hot pant style bottom with little ties on the sides. A lot less revealing than the bikini Zoe had seen in the picture on Jake’s mantle, but just as flattering.
    “I know he will,” Ava agreed. “It doesn’t even show off my navel ring. Maybe I’ll take it out anyway. It itches. Travis talked me into doing it, but I don’t think Daddy would have said yes if I’d asked him.”
    “He doesn’t know about it?”
    “Oh, I think he knows. He just hasn’t said anything. I guess he figures it’s not worth arguing about.”
    “Maybe he’s trying to give you room to grow up.”
    Ava’s eyebrows peaked. “You’re kidding? Right? He’s all over me about everything else. He won’t let me go to the library after supper with my friends. He doesn’t approve of Travis. He’s always on me about my homework. I get all As and Bs. I don’t know why he doesn’t trust me to get my stuff done.”
    Zoe laughed, remembering how often her brothers had avoided homework when they were growing up. “Boys don’t take homework as seriously as girls usually do. Maybe your dad just doesn’t understand that girls are different. Especially, that you’re different. Have you ever talked to him about it?”
    “Ava!” A chubby, vivacious brunette hurried up to the table and plunked herself down in a chair, interrupting the conversation. “You’ll never guess who I just saw down by the surf shop!”
    Ava ignored the urgent question as she spoke to Zoe. “This is my friend Debbie Renkin.” With an apologetic shrug, Ava turned back to her friend. “Zoe Callahan is . . . She’s my new next door neighbor, and we’ve been shopping.”
    “Oh! Hi.” Debbie glanced at Zoe in a distracted way, then back to Ava. “So, don’t you want to know who I just saw?”
    “I was trying not to be rude,” Ava whispered.
    Debbie flushed. “Sorry,” she mumbled in Zoe’s direction.
    Ava relented. “It’s obvious you’re dying to tell me, so spit it out. Who’d you see?”
    Whatever else Jake might be missing about teenage girls, he was bringing Ava up to be a considerate young lady. Zoe’s estimation of him went up another notch. He was more than just a great-looking guy with a broken heart. He was a pretty decent dad.
    “Travis,” Debbie answered in a breathy voice filled with outrage. “And you’ll never guess who he’s with.”
    “Nope, I guess I wouldn’t.” Ava tried for nonchalance, but Zoe saw the look of alarm in her warm brown eyes.
    “Andrea!” Debbie said between gritted teeth.
    Ava’s eyes widened, but she didn’t otherwise react as if this were unpleasant news. “He has a right to see whoever he wants to see. It’s not like we’re an item or anything.”
    Debbie sat back, obviously confused by her friend’s reaction. Then she gathered herself together and got to her feet. “Well, I gotta go. My mom’s going to be looking for me. See you.” She turned to Zoe. “Nice to meet you.” Then she hurried away, zigzagging through the tables and disappearing around the corner.
    “I suppose we should get going, too. Daddy and the twins’ll be home soon.” Ava got to her feet and began collecting her bags.
    “Is Travis the young man who stopped by my first night in the neighborhood when you had me over for supper?” Zoe asked as they moved toward the parking lot.
    “Yeah.” Ava strode toward Zoe’s truck with total disregard for other cars in the lot and narrowly missed colliding with a woman backing up. She stowed her bags in