“I’m not going,” Hunt said. “If I show up, then it will be all about me and where did I go? Where have I been? Why didn’t I come back. Tonight is for Mom. And my brothers and sisters will be much happier without me, too, so there’s that.”

Ava frowned. “I’m so sorry. Whatever happened, it’s not fair to you, and that’s all I’m going to say, other than feel free to call me anytime. Thank you again for dinner.”

“You’re welcome,” Hunt said. “Maybe we can do it again sometime…like in the evening, after you get off work?”

Ava beamed. “I’d love that. Take care.”

Then she jumped in her car and drove away.

Hunt was getting in the truck and missed seeing the red Porsche that pulled out of a side street and followed Ava home, but once he left the parking lot, he decided to drive by Ava’s house on the way home, just to make sure the old boyfriend wasn’t in the area.

Chapter 6

Ava was still daydreaming about her lunch with Hunt and didn’t think to check the rearview mirror before heading home. It wasn’t until she was pulling up into her drive that she caught a glimpse of red and then a car pulling in behind her. When she realized it was Vince, her heart stopped.

She had a moment of sheer panic, and then anger washed through her. The fact that he was an utter jerk was no longer in question. He was stalking her and it made her mad. She reached beneath the seat, grabbed the old baton her dad had given her years ago when she began working nights at the hospital in Savannah, and got out with it in her hand.

Vince got out, holding up his hands in a joking I-give-up gesture when he saw what she was holding.

“There are laws against stalking,” Ava said.

Vince took a step toward her, grinning. “Aw, come on, Ava. I’m not stalking you. I just wanted to clear the air. I didn’t mean anything back at the grocery store. I was just surprised to see you and—”

“You weren’t surprised. You were looking for me or you wouldn’t be here. Why are you in Blessings?” she asked.

He didn’t care that she’d caught him out, and just shrugged.

“We were in Tallahassee for the holidays. I had to leave to get back to Atlanta and—”

“Who’s we?” Ava said.

“Uh…my wife and I, and—”

“Oh, for the love of God! You’re married, and you went out of your way to look up an old girlfriend?” Ava yelled, and then whacked the hood of his car with the baton.

The dent she put in it was immediate, and Vince reacted first in shock and then in anger. He doubled up his fists and started toward her.