Chapter 74

Sex toys

Ava

The weekend was great. Nothing much happened, but I’d enjoyed spending time with mom and

dad

They were the kind of parents I’d hoped that mother and father would be. Loving, caring and attentive.

Instead they had been the complete opposite except when it came to Emma and Travis.

Hell, they even treated Rowan and Gabriel better than they ever treated me even though they

claimed that I was their daughter.

The more time I spend with Nora and Theo, the more I grow to love them. The more I accept them

as my parents. Being around them made me understand why Ethan adored them. Why he used to

speak with so much love when it came to them. They were the best and no one had to be told

twice about that.

“Where the hell is she?” Corrine asks in annoyance, breaking my thoughts.

וויי

We were at a cafe shop waiting for Letty, who like most of the times, is late. The woman is a

secretary, but she has no sense of time.

“She’ll come. She’s probably just running late” I mumble around my blueberry muffin.

My pregnancy cravings have started to kick in and it’s driving me nuts. Right now all I want are

muffins and cupcakes. I take them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Most of the food I try to eat end

up tasting like sawdust.

“We agreed we should all be here by two” she grumbles, irritation distorting her beautiful face.

I chuckle at how pissed off she seems. “You’ll soon learn that Letty is rarely on time. The quicker

you learn that, the better life will be for you”

She’s silently fuming and I know why. Corrine isn’t someone that likes to be kept waiting. She’s

the punctual type of person. The kind that would rather be an hour early than a second late. 2

As she stews I continue eating my muffin. I’m just so damn hungry all the freaking time.

With Noah I could barely keep anything down. No nausea medicine worked and it wasn’t until I

was about six months into my pregnancy that things settled.

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That’s why Rowan abandonment hurt me so much. There I was suffering Barely surviving because I

couldn’t keep food down and all he was doing the entire time was brooding and mooning over Emma.

Not caring that I was losing weight and that my pregnancy was difficult

I had to be hospitalized a couple of times because my doctor was concerned about mine and

Noah’s health

I get he was heartbroken about losing Emma, but come one. Does that take precedence over the

health and welfare of your unborn child?

Pushing those thoughts away, I focus on my friend. She was tapping her foot relentlessly.

“What’s wrong? I finally ack when I can’t take it anymore.

“I had a business proposal for you and Letty, but since she’s not here yet, I’ll just have to tell you

because it’s driving me insane” she speaks up after a moment.

“Okay..”

“It’s going to sound absurd and it’s not really a business people of our social standing would

consider

The moment she says that, my interest is piqued. That she would suggest that it’s not your normal

traditional business has me curious on what idea she has come up with.

“Go on”

“I wanted us to open up a sex toy company” she delivers the news with a straight face.

I choke on the sweetness I was eating, not sure I’d heard her correctly.

“Come again?” I stammer

“A sex toy company” she repeats. “Think about it. Sex toys have become increasingly popular and

I bet you seventy percent of women have it, whether one is single or not. Even men have began

embracing it as a way to spice things up in the bedroom*

I stare at her, my mouth hanging wide open.

“What’s got Ava shocked?” Letty asks, joining us.

I didn’t even hear her joining us. That’s how shocked I was.

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She takes her seat and moves her gaze from me to Corrine. Trying to figure out what was going on.

“I just told Ava that the three of us should consider starting a sex toy company” Corrine answers

I expected Letty to be in the same boat as me. I expected her to be shocked by the idea. She isn’t

“That’s a good idea” she screams in excitement. O

“Are both of you crazy?” I ask but they don’t seem to be paying me any mind.

“It’s a great idea. I mean, which woman doesn’t have one of those pleasure bringers?” Corrine

possesses the same question.

“I don’t”

They turn to look. With the way they look at me, you would think I’ve grown a second head or

something.

“You don’t have one?” Letty seems surprised by this and I can’t for the life of me understand why.

“No and I’ve never had one”

“Well you’re missing out on a lot” Corrine adds.

I mean I once considered them, but my sex life with Rowan wasn’t at a level where I could

comfortably introduce them.

For Rowan it was about getting sexual relief and for me, it was about seeking a connection with

him that was lacking in other parts of our lives.

“I think we should do this. Like Corrine said, it’s a profitable business. We just have to find away to

stand out from all the other sex toy producers” Letty happily says.

“It’s settled then, I’ll draw up the proposal and email them to both of you once I’ve covered

everything” Corrine smiles, looking more relaxed.

“Wait a damn minute, I haven’t agreed to this damn idea”

Letty speaks, totally ignoring me. “We should do an extensive research, I suggest that since Ava hasn’t

had them before she’s the one to buy all the top notch brands and try them. Her input as a total virgin

to sex toys will help us evaluate what’s lacking in them and how we can improve and

make ours better”

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Corrine nods her head. Grinning at the idea. I could tell she was feeling really good right now I

wasn’t, given I was going to be sort of their lab rat.

“Do I have a say in all these?” I ask in irritation.

“Not really. We’re going to make you lots of money so…” Letty leaves the sentence hanging

“You do realize I don’t really need the money. I am loaded”

She just shrugs her shoulders before brushing me off. “Doesn’t really matter, besides, weren’t you

the one that said you needed something new? A challenge? Well here it is. It will keep you busy

without really tiring you out”

I think about it for a while before sighing. I mean, how bad can things get, right?

“Fine” I sigh in defeat.

They both squeal in excitement. Hugging me close to them. Squashing the breath out of me.

Seeing them so excited made excitement rise inside me. I haven’t had any in a while, maybe this

will bring some life back into my soul.

“Now that we have that out of the way, I have something to ask you, Ava” Letty says as we break

from each.

I look at her in question before nodding my head. “Go ahead”

“Who is Calvin?”

I’m surprised at her question because I haven’t told them anything about Calvin. Besides, after that day

I haven’t seen him again. Gunner comes to my house almost everyday, but I haven’t seen

his dad.

“He’s my new neighbor. How do you know about him?”

“Well, Travis told me about him” she pauses and I frown more confused about how Travis knows

about Calvin.

“Apparently at the get together, Noah mentioned him. He actually did more than mention him. He told

Rowan that Calvin made you happy and he wouldn’t mind if you and him married and gave him and

Calvin’s son more siblings. Travis said that Rowan blew a casket” (2

“Seriously?” Corrine asks with wide eyes.

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“Yes. Travis said he was so jealous that he almost broke the table in half at hearing that” Letty added

with a grin

I laugh. I laugh so hard that my stomach cramps.

I couldn’t believe what she was saying. It all seemed insane that Noah would try to make his father

jealous. It was even more crazy that Rowan would be jealous.

Do you know how absurd that is? If there was someone who wouldn’t care whether I fucked the

entire male population it would be Rowan.

“That was a joke right?” I ask her after I stop laughing.

It had to be a joke. The only one Rowan has ever been jealous over was Emma. He was not jealous

over me and he never will be.

“It isn’t. Travis is even questioning Rowan’s feelings when it comes to you” Letty insists.

“Why is it hard for you to believe that Rowan was jealous?” Corrine asks curiously.

“Because I know him. He would never be jealous. He was probably just angry that Noah keeps trying to

push us to get back together.” I tell Corrine before turning to face Letty.

“As for Travis, please assure him that there’s nothing going on. When his sister came back he asked

me not to get in the way of Rowan and Emma getting their happy ever after and so far I’ve

done exactly that”

“I don’t think that’s it. I think he too is probably starting to realize he might have been wrong about you

and Rowan. I think it’s starting to sink in that Rowan might have feelings for you” Letty whispers.

I still remember the warning Travis gave me at the hospital after Emma arrived. He was probably

worried that I was getting in the way and that his sister wouldn’t get her happy ever after.

“The only feelings Rowan Woods ever had for me is hate. No one can convince me otherwise. What

you’re all saying is insane. You can’t hate someone for nine years then all of a sudden develop

some positive feelings for them. It’s impossible”

“It’s possible if the feelings were already developed inside him but he didn’t know or acknowledge

them” Corrine put in.

I shake my head in refusal. I was starting to get annoyed by them.

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“Ava

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“No Letty, just drop the fucking subject. I don’t want to hear about Rowan okay? Even if he magically

developed feelings for me, which I doubt, don’t you think it’s already too late?”

Letty doesn’t answer and Corrine looks down at the table. The mood was soured and now I just wanted

to go home and forget all about this Rowan nonsense.

Why couldn’t they just let this go? Why were they insisting on something that isn’t there? They were

insane if they believe all that bullshit. I knew Rowan and I know he has nothing but resentment for me.

I shake my head to clear my mind. I wasn’t going to dwell on what they said. My focus now was on my

children, foundation and this absurd new business we were starting.

Rowan was in the past and he’ll remain there. I don’t see that ever changing.

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