Chapter 11

 

Andre

. ~ . ~ .

 

ANDRE SAT ON his private plane, alone for the moment until his personal flight attendant brought him a glass of champagne. He took a sip then took out his cell, scrolling through the contact list for Ava’s doctor.

Placing the phone next to his ear, he waited for a moment, then heard, “Mr. Rockwell, how goes it, sir?”

“I’m doing well, Dr. Burke. How about yourself?”

“I’m excellent. What can I do for you?”

“Well, let me first apologize for calling you after hours.”

“No need to apologize.”

“Um...well, I was calling to ask you some questions about Ava.”

“How’s Mrs. Ava...she was just here on Monday.”

Andre sat straight up in his chair. Ava didn’t have a scheduled appointment with Dr. Burke on Monday, so why’d she go? “You saw her on Monday?” he asked.

“Yes. She said you had some concerns about her starting an exercise routine and she wanted me to clear her.”

“And did you?”

“Sure did. As a matter of fact, she should’ve started an exercise routine months ago.”

Andre sighed, realizing his mistake. “Yeah, that’s what she was trying to tell me, but I was so afraid of the physical activities being too much on her that I wouldn’t allow her to do any exercise.”

“I can understand why you’re concerned, but she has to exercise her heart. Ava’s doing superb after the transplant and exercise is only going to make things better for her.”

“What about travel? Can she fly?”

“Sure can.”

“So the pressure, ear-popping and altitude won’t bother her?”

“Mr. Rockwell, let me assure you...the only way those things will bother her is if she just has a fear of flying. Her heart is fine.”

“Gosh, it just seems like she’s in such a fragile state and that all of this is too much.”

“It’s quite the opposite. Exercise, being active and resuming life as normal is most beneficial to the overall health of heart transplant patients. The heart is a muscle, and like any other muscle in our body, it will become stronger and healthier with a consistent routine of physical activity.”

“And what about sex?”

“Resuming sexual activity is also okay at around four weeks post-surgery.”

“Really, because I haven’t touched her since we left the hospital.”

“It’s fine. If she’s well enough to climb two flights of stairs, and from what I’ve seen she is, then sex won’t be a problem.”

“You know I’m not ignorant to this. I’ve done my own research, Dr. Burke. It’s just that I’m so afraid of hurting Ava that I don’t want to believe those things won’t hurt her.”

“Well, they won’t, but just as a precaution to her new exercise routine, I told her to come back next Monday so I could check her out again, although I’m confident she’s fine. Her recovery has been remarkable, one of the best I’ve seen.”

Andre sighed. He’d told Ava she was boring but he was the reason she was that way. He prohibited her from doing anything he deemed too risky, his way of protecting her. But all he was doing was hurting her.

“Well, thanks, Dr. Burke. I appreciate it.”

“Anytime, Mr. Rockwell. By the way, how’s that handsome boy of yours?”

A smile bloomed on Andre’s face. “He’s a handful.”

“Sounds fine then.” Dr. Burke laughed.

“Absolutely. Well, thanks again and enjoy the rest of your evening.”

“You as well.”

Andre slid his phone into the pocket of his shirt. He still had on the black Tom Ford suit he’d worn to work. He was so anxious to get home that changing into something more casual and comfortable hadn’t even crossed his mind. He needed to get home to Ava.

Unable to relax, he took his phone from his pocket and dialed his mother-in-law and waited for an answer.

“Hey, Andre.”

“Hi, Maria...just calling to see how Ava and Andrew are doing.”

“They’re doing just fine. Ava was here last night. She and Andrew actually spent the night.”

“Would you, by any chance, know where she is now?”

“She went to the gym. I have Andrew with me.”

Andre nodded. All he could think about was Ava being alone with Juan again. Todd had told him that Juan was looking too comfortable with Ava and even though he considered Juan a decent businessman, Ava was sweet enough to give any man a taste for sugar. That’s the very reason why he fell in love with her. She was carefree, innocent and playful. She had a sensual pair of plump lips that made him want to taste them, even now, and eyes that could draw a person in.

And then there could have been the possibility that she was lonely. What if all the new attention she was receiving from Juan had her wanting to spend even more time with him?

 

* * *

 

After landing, he drove straight to Juan’s gym and saw him walking out with a woman, but was it Ava? From afar, it looked like her, judging by her physique, but this woman’s hair was brown and hanging loose – not black and gathered up into a messy ponytail like Ava usually wore her hair.

Not sure if it was her, Andre waited a while, hoping the woman would eventually turn in his direction. He sat up tall in anticipation and then, like seeing an apparition, her face was in his vision. It was Ava, but she looked so different, he hardly recognized his own wife. When did she dye her hair? He watched on as Ava shook Juan’s hand. Even that small contact brought a frown to his face. Made knots tighten in his torso.

Ava got in her car, drove away and Andre followed her. She’d made two rights and a left. Then after driving for six more miles, she turned into the parking lot of a restaurant. She sat in the car for a few minutes before she got out, walking in and sitting at a booth. Alone. From where she sat, Andre could see her from his car. She had said something to the waitress then rested her head against a fist.

Why are you sitting there alone, Ava?

It baffled him that she would go and have dinner alone like this. Or maybe she was meeting someone. If she was meeting someone, who? Sasha? He decided to wait a while longer and watch her.

After twenty or so minutes passed, he got out of his car, took his suit jacket from the back seat, slid it on and made a beeline for the restaurant entrance.

Like a confident hunter, he sought her out, making eye contact with no one else. Even when the maître d' asked him if he’d had a reservation, he quickly said no and kept walking, his vision locked on his woman. He watched her slice a steak and when she went to her mouth with the fork, her vision collided with his.

She laid her fork in the plate while a small disturbance appeared in her forehead. She was shocked to see him. She hadn’t expected to see him until Friday, but he was here now, looking dapper. Handsome.

Andre took a seat across from her, inviting himself to her booth. To her dinner. For the moment, he was becoming acquainted with her new look. She was beautiful before, but something about the dark copper tone of her hair made her skin glow. And she wore makeup. She hadn’t worn makeup in a long time, not that she needed to, but he was impressed that she made the effort.

“Hi, Ava.”

She didn’t respond. She looked more shocked than surprised.

That didn’t bother Andre, though, because it gave him even more time to silently enjoy being in her presence.