He was. Something like Luke. Ava's mother had once told her there'd never been another man who'd made her heart flutter the way Chuck did with just a smile. And this was years after their divorce, after Zelinda had remarried the loser who'd become Ava's stepfather. "Some men have a way with women, I guess. And some women are too stupid to avoid them."
Luke studied her for a moment. "Not you, though. You'd never let that happen."
"Never," she said.
He offered her more bread, but she refused. "Is Carly attractive?" he asked.
Ava tried to be objective with her answer. "She's not bad."
"So you like her."
"No. I tried, at first. But it's impossible. She hates the fact that I even exist. I'm not welcome at their place and can't join them for holidays. My dad has hell to pay if he so much as calls me." More personal stuff she hadn't meant to divulge. Somehow it kept seeping out, as if she were some kind of leaky container. But Luke was as easy to talk to as he was to look at. She hadn't expected that.
He shook his head. "That's not fair."
She'd thought the same thing many times. But she couldn't figure out how to change it. "There's nothing I can do if my father won't take a stand."
Uncomfortable with the pain that statement inadvertently revealed, she deflected Luke's sympathy before he could extend it. "But I'm sure it'l all work out in the end."
He took another piece of bread. "Now I get it."
"Get what?"
"You."
She rolled her eyes. "I'm not interested in your psychoanalysis, but thanks, anyway."
Fortunately, the waitress interrupted with their food just then, and he didn't bring it up again. Once they were alone, he said, "What about your mother?"
There was no way Ava was going to talk about her mother. She could make fun of her father's stupid choices and complain about her nemesis--
the dreaded stepmother who was younger than she was. Zelinda was a different story entirely. Ava had always known better than to count on her father. But what her mother had done had come as a complete surprise--
and been a leveling blow.
She waved away the curl of steam ascending from her plate. "Looks good."
"Was that a dodge?"
"Just my way of saying, 'Enough about me--it's your turn.'"
He was cutting his steak. "What do you want to know?"
"Where do you come from?"
"I was born in San Antonio. Although he's retired now, my father was in the military, so I went to more than ten different schools in a number of states."
She took a bite of her sweet potato and had to admit he'd been right to recommend it. "Never overseas?"
"Never overseas."
"Have you ever been to war?"
"Not yet, but it's always a possibility."
"You wouldn't mind?"
"I knew what I was signing up for when I joined." He motioned to her plate with his fork. "How do you like it?"
"With butter, brown sugar and pecans on top, I can't imagine it's very healthy, but--"
He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Let go for one night, Ava."
"Let go?" she echoed.
"Just enjoy yourself."
She opened her mouth to tell him she was perfectly relaxed, but why bother? He knew she was too serious, too driven. Most people recognized that shortly after meeting her. She was too much of a lot of things. But she was pretty sure she couldn't be too cautious around him. "I'l try."
"That's the idea."
"How'd you handle all the moving?" she asked.
"It wasn't that bad. But I think it's easier on boys. The second you join a sports team, you're part of a group and you have instant friends."
"You're lucky you were always good enough to make the team."
"I suppose."
"Is that desire to belong to a team the reason you joined the air force?"
"Trying a little psychoanalysis yourself?"
"Perhaps. How'd I do?"
"Not too well. I joined the air force because I've always wanted to fly."
Somehow she'd already finished her entire sweet potato--giant slab of butter and all. She switched to her meat, a filet that nearly melted in her mouth. "Are you glad you did it?"
"Definitely."
"I'd love to see what it's like up there, in a jetfighter," she said.
"It's the most incredible experience in the world."
"Is it frightening, too?"
"It can be. It's definitely an adrenaline rush. You feel like you're traveling at the speed of light. Flying requires absolute trust in yourself, your plane, your commanding officer and flight crew. It's more of an act of faith than anything I've ever done."
She wanted him to go on, but he didn't. He smiled and lowered his voice. "You've got really pretty eyes."
Ava hadn't expected the compliment. Straightening, she swallowed.
"Thank you."
"How's your steak?" he asked.
"Perfect."
"Would you like another glass of wine?"
She shouldn't. She was beginning to relax, to feel warm and comfortable and even a little sleepy, but she said yes, anyway. "Sure."
"I'l flag down the waitress when she comes by."
"What about siblings?" she asked. "Are you an only child or..."
"I have one younger sister. She'l be a senior in high school."
"Are you close?"
"As close as we can be, considering the age difference."
"Has all the moving been more difficult on her than it was on you?"
"Yeah, she's had a few problems with it. Fortunately, my folks have been settled in one spot for a while now."
The waitress came to check on them, and Luke ordered her another glass of wine. "Aren't you going to have one?" she asked.
"No, I'm okay."
When she heard that, she almost canceled her own, but the waitress had already left, and she didn't want to have to hunt her down. Besides, she didn't have to drive, and he did. It made sense. "Was your baby sister a surprise?"
"More like a much-wanted blessing," he said. "My parents had been trying to get pregnant for years, but couldn't manage to conceive. Then, the month after they stopped taking fertility drugs-- wham."
"So a surprise and a blessing."
"Definitely."
Ava took a swallow of water. "Where's your family now?"
"In San Diego."
"Do they know about...what you've been going through?"