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I opened the envelope, blinking in disbelief as I pulled out a check. The amount made my head spin—it was more than generous.
"Ava, this... this is incredible," I stammered, feeling a rush of emotions. Gratitude, admiration, and a hint of that charged tension that always danced between us. “I’ll be sure to thank them. And thank you.” I tucked the check safely back into the envelope. "Not just for this, but for seeing the value in these dogs, in the people they help."
Her smile was a mix of pride and something warmer, softer. "Your story needed to be told. And it's clear how people are responding to it."
"Thanks to you," I acknowledged, allowing myself a moment to savor the closeness between us. This might be my last chance to be this close to her. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
Chapter Eleven
AVA
Istood by the edge of the training pen, watching a golden retriever nuzzle against Ryder's hand. He looked up, his gaze unexpectedly locking with mine. There was a vulnerability in his eyes that I hadn't seen before. It drew me closer, despite the fluttering in my stomach.
"I didn't think I'd see you here today,” Ryder began.
"Neither did I," I admitted, letting out a slow breath. "I thought about leaving town after submitting the article."
There was an awkward pause, a space filled with unspoken words and tangled emotions, before Ryder broke the silence.
"About what happened at Carnage." His voice trailed off, and he glanced down at his scuffed sneakers. "I was angry and frustrated, and I took it out on you unfairly. You were only trying to help, and I pushed you away when I should have let you in. I’m never fighting there again. I regret that night more than I can say. If I could take it back, I would."
I nodded, my fingers brushing against the side of my jeans. "I pushed you away, too, and I’m sorry. After everything, I needed space to think."
"I get that. You did nothing wrong. I acted like an ass."
The air between us was charged. I could almost feel the heat radiating from him, and I wondered if he could sense the same from me.
"Your article," Ryder began again, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "You didn't mention the brawl. Thank you."
"Of course." I met his gaze, square. "What you're doing here, with these dogs, it's important. People should know about the good you're putting into the world."
He exhaled, a look of relief washing over him. "I thought you were gone for good.” Then, with a hesitant step forward, he reached out and grasped my hand. "But I don't want you to go. Not now, not when... when there might be something worth staying for."
His touch sent a spark through me, igniting the embers of feelings I'd tried so hard to compartmentalize. His admission hung in the air, and I found myself unable to look away.
"Stay longer," he whispered, as if it were both a question and a plea.
I felt the corners of my mouth lift in a smile that mirrored his own, a silent acknowledgment of the connection we couldn't deny.
Ryder's honesty, his open vulnerability had stripped away the last of my defenses, leaving me exposed in a way I never felt before.
"Ryder," I started, my voice wavering as I took a small step closer to him, "I've been doing a lot of thinking and... I don't want to leave." My heart raced. The words tumbled out, each one laced with a truth I could no longer hide from. "Being here with you, getting to know the real you has made me realize how much I care about you. I'm drawn to you in ways I didn't expect. Ways that scare me sometimes, but I can't ignore them anymore."
His eyes widened, and something deep flickered within their depths. He stepped forward, closing the distance I'd put between us. His hand found mine, his fingers intertwining with my own. A perfect fit.
I breathed, letting myself lean into the touch that felt like coming home. "I want to stay."
The relief that washed over his face was real, and it mirrored the release I felt within my chest. Ryder's smile broke free, unrestrained and infectious, and I couldn't help but return it.
"Ava, that's all I wanted to hear."
We stood there, hands clasped, the world around us fading. I watched as Ryder's gaze dropped to our intertwined fingers, a look of wonder etching across his features.
"Thank you," he murmured, lifting his eyes to meet mine again, "for believing in me, in what I'm doing here. And for giving us this chance."
My throat tightened at his gratitude, emotion clogging my words. "No, thank you. For showing me what it means to persevere, to dedicate yourself to something greater. You've inspired me more than you know."
In that moment, the future stretched out, ripe with possibility. The connection between us, once a fragile thread, was now a strong cord, binding us together.
