( Ava's POV )
The next few days settled into a brittle rhythm.
Ava kept her distance.
It wasn’t intentional. Well… not entirely. Every time she saw Brian, the heat in her chest tightened, her stomach twisted into knots, and the memory of last week’s confrontation threatened to unravel her composure. But she shoved it down, buried it beneath polite nods and careful avoidance.
She smiled at him when Lily wasn’t around. She answered questions. She did what any respectful friend of his daughter would do. But she stayed far enough away to avoid the weight of his gaze, the way it lingered longer than necessary, the way his eyes darkened at the sight of her.
It wasn’t easy. Not for either of them.
Brian noticed. Of course he noticed.
The first time he caught her slipping past the living r
