So, I am choosing to be accepting of HOG.
And I hope sometime soon he will be brave enough to reveal who he really is.
And if he’s the pizza delivery guy, so be it. Hearts don’t lie... and right now, mine is burning strong.
“He says he met me before, but I don’t know his name.” As I’m explaining the last part Mom rejoins us, and Sophia quickly gets her up to speed.
“Oh, Ava, darling, you’re falling in love with a stranger?” she asks, her eyes full of pity.
“Love?” I shake my head. “We’re just friends, just getting to know one another.”
That’s what I tell them, but deep down I feel like my heart is knit with his in ways I would never have guessed. I wake up wanting to see if he has emailed, I go to sleep with his sweet words on my lips.
Sophia frowns. “You always do this, Ava Grace.”
“Do what?”
“Go for the least available, most detached man possible. Samson was a low point, but this stranger who, for all you know, is a ninety-five-year-old man in Daytona? This is really sad.”
“He’s not living in Daytona. I don’t know anyone who lives in Daytona. I've never even been to Daytona. I mean I did go there once but that was just because I got lost on my way back from a 'Love Yourself, You Deserve It' seminar, and I stopped off to have waffles because, well, you know—I deserved them. Wait, why are we talking about Daytona?”
Sophia looks at me as if I am pathetic and just plain old crazy. “Maybe you should find out who this person is before you start making life decisions based on him.”
I swallow, feeling her sharp reprimand and knowing she is exactly right.
Also, suddenly dying for a waffle.
11
From: avagracewentworth
To: heartofgold
HOG,
Want to exchange photos?
AG
From: heartofgold
To: avagracewentworth
AG,
How about we exchange some other things first? There is still so much I want to know about you.
Favorite song?
Favorite food?
Favorite place?
Favorite person?
I’m not trying to be difficult, but I’ve been hurt before. This time, I want to get things right.
HOG
From: avagracewentworth
To: heartofgold
HOG,
I get that. It’s just not totally fair. You know who I am.
Still, I’ll play nice. Mostly because I’m a nice person, lol.
Favorite song? Hands down, Jon Bon Jovi, Living on a Prayer. I want this song played at my wedding one day as I walk down the aisle with my husband. Some may think JBJ is cheesy AF—but I unabashedly think he’s the greatest. He married his high school sweetheart for goodness sakes! And he’s like fifty and can still rock leather pants. That’s damn cool.
Favorite food? My grandpa Bill’s chili. He died about five years ago, but he made award-winning chili. I have his recipe and make it every year on his birthday. But if I were to go out to eat in Denver, my favorite place is an Italian restaurant called, Little Mia Mia.
Favorite place? This might sound seriously weird... but I love ice-skating. Sometimes I go on a weekday morning when the rink is empty, and I skate for an hour, probably embarrassingly bad—but I don’t care. I feel like an ice princess, making circles and figure eights. Also, it’s a workout. So, there’s that.
Favorite person? While you’re inching up my list, Grandpa Bill has a special place in my heart—he believed in me in ways no one else ever has. He was the person who taught me how to make my first piece of jewelry.
We’d go to his shop and he taught me how to use a soldering tool. In his will, he left me enough money to start my business. He was a widower for most of my life, and I never met my grandma, but his love for me taught me that what real love means. When he died, he was buried wearing one of my rings.
So, you must answer those questions too, and then answer these for me:
What are you doing for Christmas? (It’s in a few days you know.)
What is your address? (I want to send you your Christmas gift.)
Do you have plans for New Year’s Eve? I don’t. We could meet when the ball drops...
AG
From: avagracewentworth
To: heartofgold
HOG,
It’s Christmas Eve and I haven’t heard from you in days. Did I do something wrong?
Maybe asking for your address is too personal, but telling you all about my hopes and dreams is personal too.
Hope you have a good Christmas.
AG
From: avagracewentworth
To: heartofgold
HOG,
Well. It’s NYE. You haven’t written me for two weeks.
I know we don’t owe one another anything, but I don’t understand you. My sister told me to block your email because I opened up to you and then you just dropped me. And the truth is, it hurts. A lot. People always say I wear my heart on my sleeve, and I always chose to take it as a compliment. But now I just feel like a fool.