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Once a small-town girl, always a small-town girl. My heart raced with a mixture of gratitude and curiosity. “Are you coming, too?”
“I can’t. My five-year-old came down with the sniffles and the sitter’s pulling a night shift at the hospital.”
“Are you saying I’m going solo?”
“You’ll be fine. The only thing that’s changed about boring Sunridge is the new MMA scene.”
I thought about Ryder, and the word boring disappeared from my mind. “Who knows, this may help me get another angle for my story.”
“I knew you’d say that.”
“I could use the extra angles. This Ryder McKenzie guy I’m interviewing is more closed off than a caged ring sometimes.”
“Is he the one flirting with you?”
My stomach somersaulted as I closed my laptop. "You're a lifesaver, Em."
“Fine, don’t answer my question. Anyway, consider this as me returning the favor after you saved my butt on that 9th grade algebra test."
I laughed, remembering the countless hours we used to spend trying to make sense of those dreaded equations. "Fair enough. Do I need to dress like a royal for the ball or something?"
Emily chuckled. “My mom still has her boutique downtown. I already let her know you’d be coming."
I grinned, feeling the excitement and nerves. "You've really outdone yourself."
“I know you’ve been through a lot since leaving LA behind.” Her voice softened. "You deserve a night of glitz and glamour, Ava. Enjoy yourself."
As I hung up the phone, emotions rushed at me. The mayor's ball was something I'd only read about in newspapers or seen on TV. And now, thanks to Emily's thoughtfulness, I had a chance to experience it firsthand. Anticipation fluttered in my chest as I packed up to head to the dress boutique.
WALKING INTO THE BOUTIQUE, I was hit with a sensory whirlwind of colors, fabrics, and the soft scent of perfumes. It was the kind of place where magic happened with the right dress. As the bell above the door tinkled, I couldn't help but feel a little out of my depth. Formal dresses weren't exactly my area of expertise.
“Ava Martinez?” The familiar voice of Mrs. Daniels, Em’s mom, called out from behind a rack of elegantly draped gowns. “Look at you, all grown up."
Her kindness made me grin. I walked toward her, feeling a warmth of nostalgia. "Mrs. Daniels, you haven't changed a bit."
“Call me Carol. You look like you’ve grown another foot and a half.” She gave me a once-over, her eyes twinkling. "You need a dress to wear to the ball tonight."
“You make it sound like I’m Cinderella.”
“I’m going to give you the fairy tale treatment. Emily told me your size. Come see the options I picked out for you.” She chattered as we moved past the front racks of dresses. “We get a lot of business since the MMA leagues moved here. People need nice clothes for nice parties.”
As I browsed through the racks, Carol offered her expert advice on various dresses, guiding me toward options to suit my style. I held up a deep forest green gown, and she nodded approvingly. "Ah, that one highlights your eyes."
As I was about to take the dress to the fitting room, her next comment caught me off guard. "I’m glad you’re back home. Sorry about some of the circumstances that made you leave LA.”
Slight embarrassment made heat rise to my cheeks as I imagined her and Em discussing my divorce from my struggling actor ex. "Guess I just couldn't cut it with the show business types," I replied with a sheepish grin. “But the divorce was a couple years ago. I’m in a much better place these days.”
Carol patted my hand in reassurance. "Your old life is all water under the bridge."
As she bustled around, I wondered about Ryder and his brand of show business. He had a certain arrogance to him, but I couldn't deny the attraction simmering beneath the surface. His muscled frame and playful charisma were a lethal combination, drawing me in even as I tried to maintain my professional distance.
But I’d been involved with someone in the entertainment business before. It was all fun and games until stardom went to his head.
Ryder seemed like the complete opposite of my ex. He had his head on straight when it came to his work ethic and dog shelter. However, I could tell he had secrets from the way he acted whenever I asked questions. I thought of him when I should’ve been getting ready for the mayor’s ball. How would he act when I saw him next time?
RYDER
AS I STOOD OFF TO THE side in the ballroom for the mayor’s fancy little shindig, I couldn't help but feel out of place. The suits and gowns, the shiny chandeliers, it was all a different world from the gritty ring I was used to. My fingers itched to be wrapped around the worn fabric of my training gloves instead of my arms confined in a tux.
