Lavender

Aria’s POV:

I know who a prostitute is—someone you spend a night with once, and that’s it… Everything ends that night, and no one talks about it ever again because it was just a job.

No feelings attached, no commitments. It was just an exchange that took place over a couple of hours, and no one is to mention it ever again.

That’s what Liam took me for; he never mentioned that night, and I didn’t even dare mention it because I feel so ashamed of myself.

And last night he was all kind and attentive to me; I thought I got the signals right, but he was leaving, and everything we shared was just supposed to be a memory.

“Stupid,” I muttered. How could I expect a man like him to even consider me…?I mean, I was just a divorced woman with a stupid disaster that has nothing to do with me.

And most importantly, I was a broken soul… Ever since that night a few years ago, I've felt like I lost myself that day.

Right now I didn’t want to go back to an empty home, so I drove to the Martins’, parked the car, and walked to the door when Sam walked out.

“Sister,” she called out happily, and I smiled weakly.

“Umm, hey.”

“I am heading out now, but Ava is upstairs,” she explained, and I nodded and waved at her before I got in.

I walked to the kitchen and pulled a cup of yogurt from the refrigerator and returned to the sitting room, sitting before the TV while eating the yogurt.

“Oh, my…” Ava gasped from upstairs, and I craned my neck to stare at her. “You almost scared me. Why didn’t you alert me you were here?” She pouted and walked downstairs, walked to the kitchen, and returned with a bag of chips.

“I kept calling last night, but you didn’t pick up,” she said and sat next to me.

“Oh,” I muttered with my gaze on the TV; they were showing pictures of animals in the forest and how they fend for their families.

Even animals had so much love.

“What happened last night? You said you were coming by but didn’t show up.”

“Nothing.” I scooped a spoonful of yogurt and shoved it into my mouth, and Ava brought her face close to mine before her brows furrowed.

“Did you use lavender shampoo?”

I stared at her with a blank look. What was she on about? “And?” I didn’t understand where she was going with such a question.

“Your use vanilla,” she stated.

“It’s creepy that you know my shampoo, okay?” I scoffed, and she rolled her eyes.

It was creepy for others, but not Ava, though. I mean, she always comes over for sleepovers and uses my shampoo, so it was normal she knew what type I used.

Hmmm, so Liam used Lavender.

“Don’t change the topic. Where did you spend the night, Aria Nicole?”

“I am not answering questions without the presence of my lawyer,” I answered, and she laughed.

“Continue keeping secrets from me.”

There was silence as we watched the show; my gaze kept moving to my phone, and I don’t know what I was expecting.

First…he didn’t have my phone number, and second, he doesn’t give a fuck.

I breathed heavily and caught Ava staring at me. “Don’t you have work?” I questioned why was she sitting here like she didn’t have some tissues to cut or designs to draw.

“Thanks to you, love, I am a boss.” She winked at me, and I laughed before standing up… I was still not over my headache and just needed to rest.

“Don’t wake me up and don’t make a sound when you walk into the bedroom because if I wake up…”

“Then you will kill me,” she concluded, and I was glad we were on the same page.

I walked towards the stairs when Ava called, and my steps halted. “Won’t you have breakfast?” She questioned, and I shook my head in denial.

“Why are you smiling?” She asked, and I cleared my throat. I had no idea I was smiling when she asked that; I just reminisced about the homemade breakfast Liam had made. I was so nervous not to humiliate myself in front of him while eating that I didn’t get to enjoy the food.

But it was tasty; it was heaven, and not because it tasted like it was made by a master chef but because he had thought about me, even if it was just for a minute while making the meal.

“Later.” I hurried upstairs to the bedroom, slipped into one of Ava’s PJs, and covered myself below the duvet.

“I don’t have his contact, but I have Julian’s,” I thought while rolling on the bed, but what will I contact him for?

–

Hmmm…I don’t even remember when I fell asleep, as I kept wondering what time Liam would be leaving tomorrow and if our paths would ever cross again.

I yawned and stretched my body before checking the time. Holy fuck, it was 5pm.

I am never drinking that much again; I wasted a day sleeping. Funny, because I had nothing to do anyway.

So, I dragged my feet out of the bedroom and down the stairs; I was starving and just needed a bag of chips for the moment before dinner.

Pulled a bag of chips from the cupboard and turned to leave when I flinched and dropped the chips.

“Oh, my…” I sighed in relief; I had no idea there was someone in the kitchen.

It was Ava’s older brother, who was the closest person I had to a brother as well. He was a sergeant and has been away training the new recruits, so I didn’t expect to see him here… Or was he done?

“Umm…hello, brother.” I cleared my throat as his sharp gaze was stuck on me; he was having coffee while dressed in a black police t-shirt with jeans.

Kraig nodded and sipped his coffee. I turned to walk out of the kitchen when he called.

“Come back,” he said with an authoritative, hoarse tone. He was already strict enough when we were growing up, so why the hell did he have to join the army and become even stricter?

I sighed heavily and walked back towards him. He pointed to the seat opposite him. “It’s been a while,” he muttered, and I nodded. We haven’t seen each other for probably three months; the last time we did was during Mr. Martin’s birthday party.

“Where is Ava? Sam?”

“Umm, brother, I just woke up; I have no idea.”

He nodded and sipped his tea; the microwave chimed… He nudged at me, and I hurried over and pulled it open; it was plain pizza.

I brought it over to the table, and he took a slice. “Don’t just stare; eat as well. Look at how slim you have gotten,” he scoffed, and I happily took a slice, as I was starving.

“Brother, I am not slim… I am in shape,” I corrected, and he glared at me. I glanced away and focused on my food.

“How old are you, Aria?” he suddenly asked, and this caused me to doubt my age. Why was he asking me this?

“24,” I muttered.

“And Caleb?”

I pouted. Why was he mentioning his name…? He raised a brow, and I had no choice but to answer, “27.”

“So how could you both behave like kids?”