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bottom lip for a few seconds
before finally speaking.
    “I know why you’re here,” she blurted out. “And I don’t want
to waste your time.”
    “Okay, then let’s not play games.” Jace admired her direct
approach. “I’m here because Parker is extremely concerned about you.”
    “Is that the only reason you’re here, Dr. Cross?” Ava raised
her eyebrow and smiled at him.
    “Please, call me Jace,” he insisted. “And I’m not sure what
you mean. Parker asked me to come and talk to you.”
    “Do you always agree to show up at strangers’ houses and
evaluate them?”
    “No, I’m far too busy for that,” he answered. “I’m doing a
favor for Parker.”
    “Hmm.”
    “You seem skeptical, Ava.”
    “So, we’re not going to waste one another’s time, right?”
    “No,” he told her. “But your friend is very worried about
you, and he thinks I can help.”
    “Do you think you can?”
    “I don’t know much about your situation, but I’m very good
at what I do. So if you’re willing to allow me to meet with you a few times,
I’ll get a better understanding and we can go from there.”
    “I probably can’t afford you.”
    “We can work something out,” he assured her.
    “I’ll agree to your help,” she said, and that seemed just a
little too easy. “On one condition.”
    Of course. But since he found her extremely
endearing, he’d listen to her condition.
    “You help Parker.”
    Wasn’t that what he was doing here in the first place?
Helping Parker? He didn’t understand.
    “With?” he wondered out loud.
    “Help him figure out who he is and what he wants.”
    “I don’t understand.”
    “He’s talked about you all week,” she told him. “He’s been giddy
and excited you were coming to dinner, but I don’t even think he realizes why.”
    “But you do?” Jace had to know what she thought.
    “He likes you, but he can’t admit that on his own, he’ll
need your help.”
    “How can you be sure I’m into him? It’s kind of a bold
assumption for you to make, wouldn’t you agree?”
    “Umm, Jace,” she said. “No offense, but your designer shoes,
manicured fingernails, and just right hair are really good clues. Not to
mention the fact that you are just too perfect not to be gay. A young, rich,
sexy, renowned doctor? You’re single, and you’ve been texting Parker and
calling him all week. You’re into him.”
    She did have a point. He already liked Ava a lot.
    “He’s been happy, and I think you’re the reason,” she said.
“He’s too afraid to admit it.”
    “How long have you known about him?”
    “Ten years, maybe?” she admitted. “At first, I wasn’t sure,
but as the years go by and he couldn’t seem to find the right woman, well, I
really think it’s because he doesn’t want a woman. But my suspicions were
confirmed about a week ago.”
    “What happened?”
    “You,” she said. “He can’t stop talking about you.”
    “I see.” Jace was excited by the notion there was a
possibility Parker was into him. Now he just had to figure out how he was going
to get Parker to be open-minded enough to act on his feelings.
    “But you can’t hurt him,” she quickly added. “He’s a good
man, and he just needs to figure out what he wants.”
    “I don’t plan on hurting him.”
    “Okay, good,” she said as Parker walked back into the room.
    “Sorry,” he said. “A client needed me.”
    “Save it, Parker,” she said. “I’ve agreed to meet with Jace
and see if he can help me.”
    “You did?” He stared at Jace.
    “Yes.” She stood up and hugged him. “I know you love me and
you want me to be okay.”
    “I want you to be better than okay, I want my Ava back.”
    “I want to come back,” she said. “But now I have to go to
Lisa’s house.”
    “You don’t have to leave.”
    “Yeah…” She paused to smile at Jace. “I do, but you might
have to come get me in the middle of the night.”
    “Just have Lisa call me and I’ll be there in