A Rescued Heart (Rescued Heart Romance) (6 page)

Before she could respond, the DJ announced that the bride and groom would dance their first dance and that during the next song the floor was open to everyone. Ava watched as Kyle and Kate floated around the dance floor. Kate had talked Kyle into taking dance lessons. He was a good man.

With the lights turned down, Ava took time to compose herself. She needed to pull back from Matt before she allowed her emotions to get more attached. She enjoyed getting to know him, but it sparked the fear she tried hard to bury.

The next song started playing and Matt turned to her. “Ava, would you like to dance?” he asked, extending his arm out like a gentleman.

Her stomach did a flip, followed by dropping like a ball of lead. On top of the idea of being so close to this man, she was a pathetic dancer. He had been invading her comfort zone all night, emotionally and now physically. Yet she found herself throwing all caution to the wind, and took hold of his arm.

So much for Plan A. “Sure, but I should warn you, I’m not very coordinated. You’re likely to get stepped on.”

“I’ll take my chances.”

Matt took her hand, noting her hesitancy. He couldn’t tell if her resistance sprouted because of him or something deeper. He brought her around to face him and placed his hand on the small of her back while she put her hand on his shoulder. He took her hand in his, placing them on his chest, hoping she couldn’t feel his heart beating faster because of her closeness.

Her soft fingers trembled enclosed in his. He breathed in her fruity scent and slowly turned them around, enjoying the comfortable silence until her foot stepped on the front of his shoe.

She made a face.

“Sorry. I guess I was getting a little overconfident about m
y
smoot
h
dancing.”

“Hey, I was warned, I brought this pain on myself,” he teased and spun her around with speed. She held on tight and laughed. He’d been waiting for this moment all night. “You look incredible.”

Her eyes widen in surprise. He’d caught her off guard, but wasn’t sorry. All night she had been a swinging pendulum. One minute she would let him in and the next she would distance herself, almost retreating. Ava came across as a hard woman to figure out, but he welcomed the challenge.

“Oh … um … thanks. You look great yourself.”

He wore a black suit with a deep red shirt and black tie, his normal wedding attire. Matt had noticed the looks from some of the other women but only cared what Ava thought. He had been pumping himself up all night, and now the time had come to take the plunge and ask her out. Now was as good a time as any.

“I’m really glad that we ran into each other again. I actually have a little confession to make.”

“What’s that?”

“I had plans to stop at your school next week to ask you out.”

Ava took a deep breath and held it. She kept eye contact but stayed silent. He couldn’t read her face, but if he had to guess it looked like torment or panic. She had never mentioned a boyfriend and had not brought a guest with her to the wedding. He debated between changing the subject and finding something to say to make her laugh. He drew a blank on both, so he chose instead to give her an easy out.

“No pressure, Ava. If you’re not interested, don’t feel bad about hurting my feelings.” She closed her eyes and his heart sank. He prepared himself for rejection.

“Matt, you are so sweet and my hesitancy is not what you think.”

She took another deep breath and exhaled this time. “I had a relationship end horribly about two years ago and I carry a lot of baggage from it. Starting to date again is very scary for me and so even though I’m interested in spending more time with you, I’m just not sure if it’s a good idea. I’m not emotionally ready right now to handle a relationship.”

Her upfront honesty refreshed his perspective. She was interested. He could work with this. Two years was a long time. Whatever had happened must have been awful for her. He stayed quiet for a moment longer, realizing the impact his next words would need to make.

“Okay, I’ll make you a deal. Give me three dates. Nothing serious, just getting to know each other and having fun. If after those dates you still feel the same and would like to just be friends, I will completely understand.”

“Are you sure you want to tackle all this crazy?” She lifted her eyebrows.

“Just give me a chance, Ava.”

She took a long look at him and he realized he was being studied, weighed. He hoped he measured up.

“Okay, it’s a deal. Three dates.”

“You have chosen wisely.”

The music turned upbeat and they decided to stop dancing and get some cake and punch. While Matt was talking baseball with Kyle’s brother, he caught a glimpse of Ava standing in the back of the room alone. She peered out the wall of windows that overlooked the river. She didn’t appear sad, just lost in thought. He had just stirred the pot with her emotions and hoped she
wouldn’t change her mind about going out with him. He breathed a little deeper when he spotted Kate approaching Ava and watched the smile that reached her eyes return.

They met back later at the table. Ava seemed in high spirits and his confidence was restored. He needed to seal the deal. “How about next Saturday night? Are you free for date number one?” He didn’t even try to hide his determination.

“Well, I will say you are nothing short of persistent.”

“That’s right. It’s one of the many adorable qualities you will learn about me over the next few weeks.”

“Adorable, huh? You seem confident.”

“Because I am.”

“Well, I guess I’ll just have to be the judge of that.”

“Judge away.”

“I won’t be easy.”

“You won’t be disappointed.”

Her laughter caused her shoulders to shake. He enjoyed their friendly banter, joking around with her came easy. She had a good sense of humor and a quick wit.

“Yes, I’m free on Saturday. What do you want to do?”

“Ah, that is a surprise. I’ll pick you up at six.”

Date #1

Matt held the door open for Ava as they made their way outside from her apartment complex. He straightened his jacket hoping to shake off the nerves. He had been on many dates before, but these upcoming dates were imperative. To be honest, he hoped that they would be life-changing.

When Ava spotted his Jeep Wrangler she gave a low, long whistle. “Nice ride.”

“Thanks, it’s my baby.”

“You’ve got good taste.”

He turned to her, letting his eyes trace her soft skin and plump lips that spread out from her smile. Her kindness and strong character illuminated as a beacon of light, drawing him in. Yes, he’d have to agree. He did have good taste.

Matt blinked when she caught him staring. “Um, yeah, my excuse is that it’s great for the winter weather.” It was a little much for city driving, but it was great in the snow and he had always wanted one. He opened her door and quickly ran around and jumped in. He started up the Jeep, letting it idle, enjoying the purr his engine produced. They headed north into town.

“What, no blindfold to add to the secrecy?” she teased.

“It did cross my mind, but I didn’t want people to think I was kidnapping you. It wouldn’t go over well at work.”

“No, I guess not. So do I get a clue?”

“Well, I’m taking you out to eat at this little Italian restaurant I found downtown. Now I’ll warn you, I consider this restaurant a diamond in the rough. I found it one weekend and it wasn’t what I expected. On the outside it looks like a dive, but the inside is quaint and the food is excellent.”

They pulled up to the curb in front of the eatery and Matt saw Ava’s facial expression change as she realized he did not exaggerate. He’d thought the same thing when he and his partner came across it one night after their shift was over. With its deep-red brick façade and more than a few of the bricks crumbling or missing altogether, the building looked worn and aged. A faded green awning with the restaurant name etched in gold hung over the door. It didn’t look unsanitary, just old. No curb appeal whatsoever.

They walked in and the atmosphere changed. Softly illuminated white lights dangled over the round tables in the middle and booths outlined the perimeter of the medium-sized dining room. The aroma of pasta sauce and breadsticks made his stomach growl. Red tablecloths and flickering candles dressed up the tables and booths. The soft, dim lighting made it a good choice for date nights, especially first dates. Waitresses scurried between tables and Matt could hear the cooks laughing back in the kitchen. It was family owned and he had learned that everyone working here was related.

Matt approached the hostess and silently prayed she wouldn’t flirt with him like she had the last time. “Two, please. Do you happen to have the booth in the back corner open?”

“Yes, right this way,” she smiled while grabbing menus and leading them to the back corner.

When the waitress left with their orders, Matt leaned his elbows on the table, ready to learn more about this remarkable woman sitting in front of him. “So tell me about your family.”

She placed her complimentary bread down. “Okay, my dad’s name is Steven and he is an architect. My mom’s name is Grace and she writes children’s books. They were high school sweethearts and have been married ever since. A couple years after they were married, they had my twin brothers, Jacob and Joshua.

“Are they identical?”

“No, but they are very similar. They both have sandy blond hair, the same height and build, but Jake has brown eyes and Josh has blue.”

She went on to explain that Jake was an investigative reporter and Josh was the worship pastor at her church. “It’s crazy how they can look so much alike and yet have completely different interests and gifts. Jake has won awards for his research and journalism. Josh is very gifted in music and can play almost any instrument.”

He made a mental note about the respect and pride she held for her brothers. “I guess they are the perfect example of how God creates each of us differently in the womb. No one is exactly like anyone else … looks, talents, gifts, character … and yet each of us is His original masterpiece.”

He thought a bit more about the billions and billions of people God had created and how each was thoughtfully made and loved by the Creator Himself.

“Wow, handsome and deep.” She didn’t allow him time to comment on her flirtatious statement. “Anyway, I came along two years later and then they had my sister, Lucy. She is one of the chefs at the restaurant Riverside.”

She took a sip of her drink. “So now that you know about my family, how about you enlighten me about yours?”

“Fair enough. You know about my dad, Peter. My mom’s name is Anna and she’s a school nurse. They met after college at a party of a mutual friend and were married three months later. My dad calls it love at first sight and my mom calls it insanity. She also says it’s the best choice she ever made.”

He went on to tell her about his older brother, Gabe, who was an accountant, married to Shelly, with three children. His sister, Sara, was married to Doug, and they were both lawyers.

Both his siblings lived in Chicago and even though they didn’t live very far away, he still missed them. His parents went to visit them frequently, but his schedule made the trip a little harder for him to get away. They came to Rockford to visit him sometimes on the weekends, more often in the summer months. They remained very close and didn’t let the distance affect their relationship. They never made him feel like the odd man out because he wasn’t married or dating. He was the baby of the family and milked it for all it was worth. He
embraced the role as the cool Uncle Matt and enjoyed getting the kids hyper and then giving them back to his brother. He knew Gabe waited to repay the kindness once he had children.

Their food arrived and the waitress refilled their drinks. Matt prayed for the meal and they started to eat. They talked about where they went to college and the experiences they had there. He couldn’t help but observe how tense her posture became as they discussed the subject and how she continually turned the questions back on him. It was obvious she did not want to talk
about something related to her college years. Now was not the time to push, but if their relationship did get serious, it would be need to be brought up again.

Matt checked the time and didn’t want the night to end and hoped she didn’t either. “Would you like to go to the coffee
house around the corner?”

“Did you know that I’m a coffee addict? I would never turn down an opportunity to have my drug.”

Ava excused herself to go to the bathroom. She needed some time to get her thoughts and feelings in check. She stood in front of the mirror and studied herself, tucked stray strands of hair back in place and reapplied her lipstick. Tonight was going well except for her twenty questions during dinner. Besides wanting to avoid talking about her college experience, she couldn’t get enough information about him.

Her stomach tightened as her nerves got the best of her. Was she afraid of heading down the same road of getting to know someone, trusting them with her heart, and then being crushed in the end? Or did it stem from the fact that Matt was different and her attraction to him was something she had never felt before, this early on?

By the time she got back to the table, Matt had already paid, and was waiting to help put her coat on. His gentleman qualities didn’t go unnoticed.

He hesitated when they stepped outside. “Is it okay if we walk to the coffeehouse?”

She wrapped her coat tighter across her midsection. “Walking sounds great. I have a few calories to burn off from dinner and I feel pretty safe with my present company. I would hate to be the villain that met you in a dark alley.”

He flexed his muscles in a mock weight lifter’s pose, which made her burst into laughter. “Yeah, these guns sure do come in handy sometimes,” he joked.

“Sometimes? I woul
d
neve
r
want to be on any opposing team from you. I’m sure you wipe up any competition.”

“You sound like a competitive person.”

“You would be correct.”

“You don’t seem sorry about it.”

“Nope, it’s in my blood. My entire family is competitive … well, at least with each other. You name it, we compete. Sports, cards, board games, which person can get from point A to point B fastest.”

She grinned as she thought about the basketball game her family played on Sunday and her relentless determination to win. She had a bruised knee for proof.

“I would’ve never guessed that about you, Ava. I like that. I’m looking forward to playing a game with you at the coffeehouse. I’m pretty competitive myself.”

“Oh, it’s too bad that I’ll have to beat you at something on our first date. Will your ego be able to handle it?” She pushed her shoulder into his and smirked.

“Don’t you worry about my ego. Just worry about getting your game face on because you’re going down.”

They ordered their coffee and found a table by the window overlooking the street and agreed on a game of checkers. Neither had played in years so it made the playing field equal. Both were too concentrated on their game to say much. It stayed close for a while, but at the end Matt got lucky and won.

“Best out of three?” she asked when he leaned back against his chair looking pleased with himself.

“You must like torture.”

“No, I just don’t give up easily.”

“Neither do I.”

She caught his underlying meaning and blushed.

Ava won the next game, but not by much. They took a break and got refills. She burnt her tongue on the first sip and pushed aside her drink until it cooled off. The noise level started to dwindle as the night wore on. The background music became noticeable over voices now.

Matt won the third game by a landslide. As he gloated over his win, she noticed his attention become fixed on the back of the coffeehouse. His large frame became rigid as he fought over where to hold his focus. Ava turned in her seat and followed his gaze to a middle-aged couple in the far corner. The woman looked concerned as she spoke inches apart from the man’s face, her eyebrows drawn together while rubbing her hand over his shoulder. The man looked to be growing paler by the second.

Turning back toward Matt his senses looked to be on alert. “Do you think something is wrong?” she asked, observing how Matt’s cop side jumped into high gear.

“Not sure, but it wouldn’t hurt to go ask.” He stood. “I’ll be right back.”

Ava watched Matt stride across the floor with confidence that radiated with each step. Matt had only made it to a few tables away from the couple when the man tried to stand, but clutched his chest and rolled over the top of the table and fell to the ground with a loud thud that echoed throughout the room.

Panic shot through her veins as the scene play out before her. Matt lunged toward the man while the woman started frantically screaming. Turning the man over, Matt put his fingers to his neck, a frown depressing upon his features.

Matt’s eyes reached hers. Ava jumped to her feet before Matt finished calling her name for help. Her body felt in slow motion as she rushed to his side, falling to her knees beside him.

Matt stripped off his jacket and hollered above the panic filling room. “Someone call 911.” He turned his attention to Ava. “I think he is in cardiac arrest. I can perform CPR, but I need your help to keep the lady back and calm.”