A Rescued Heart(5)
Author: Natalie Replogle

When the clapping ceased, the food came out and Matt turned back to Ava, itching to talk with her again. “I didn’t have a chance to tell you this the other day, but I think you are a great teacher. Your students adore you and you seem to really enjoy it.” He took a mouthful of food.

“Thanks. I’ve always wanted to be a teacher.” No hesitation stalled her words or need for her to think about it. “I love being their cheerleader, giving them confidence in themselves, and making them feel special.”

“Well, they are very lucky to have a teacher who cares as much as you do.”

Her cheeks blushed a light pink. She laid her fork down and dabbed her mouth with her napkin. He hadn’t seen any food on her lips and he would know, since he’d been staring at them. She must be just covering up her embarrassment.

“This is such an important time in their lives and I want my class to be a positive impact on them. Sad but true, most kids see more of me than their parents. This is my opportunity to not only teach them, but also to make them feel loved and accepted.”

He sat mesmerized by the way she used her hands when she spoke and her facial expressions that told a story of their own. She had a rare passion. He hoped he could spend more time with her to get a better insight into what made her this incredible.

“It’s hard knowing some kids have a rough home life, because in most situations I can’t do anything about it. Unless I can prove abuse or neglect, my hands are tied. That’s why my time with them is so precious.”

She’d struck a chord inside him, a frustration of his own. Being a cop was his passion, but having to walk into situations where children had become the victims, made the weight of this job heavy.

“I can understand that. There have been a few times I’ve had to go in with a social worker to take a child out of an abusive home. It made me sick.”

They continued to share their stories until the time came for the garter and bouquet toss. They took turns getting up for the event. Matt couldn’t help but notice that Ava hid behind all the other girls.

Ava took cover behind the squealing girls eager to grab the bouquet. She chuckled at how ironic everything had turned out. She planned on giving Kate grief for trying to set her up with Matt, but it seemed to be pure coincidence and couldn’t believe that their paths had crossed again. Ava secretly glanced back at the table, catching a quick look at Matt while a reserved smile formed across her face.

She returned to her seat, thankfully empty-handed. They hadn’t sat long when the happy couple reached their table. Ava rose up to meet Kate and gave her a big hug.

“You look beautiful, Kate.”

“Thank you. I’m so glad you’re here.” Kate looked over at Matt talking with Kyle. “I see you and Matt are hitting it off.”

Ava almost expected her to tap her fingers together in a sinister way. “Actually, we met the other day. He was the police officer who came for my professional day.” Kate’s mouth dropped open in shock while Ava laughed.

“I can’t believe it,” she said, shaking her head. “All that work to put you next to one another and here you’d already met.” Their laughter attracted the attention of the men.

“What was that about?” Matt asked when they sat back down.

“Oh, it was nothing. So now it’s your turn to talk about your job. Have you always wanted to be a cop?”

He dismissed her weak answer and responded to the change of subject. He told her that his dad had been a cop for over thirty-five years before he retired. He shared how his dad lived his life as a man of strength and dignity, and ever since he was a little boy he wanted to be just like him. He had great respect for his dad and the job he did as a cop, and then as chief of police, before he retired.

“So, I know your favorite part is the lights and going fast,” Ava teased, “but is there a certain part of your job you enjoy the most?”

“Well, I didn’t talk about this at your school, but I’m not just a police officer. I’m also on the SWAT team.”

Just when she thought she was figuring him out, he peeled back another layer of who he was. “Really … wow … that seems like an intense job.”Duh, she wanted to smack her forehead.Good job, Captain Obvious.

The clanging of forks against the glasses in declaration that the newlywed couple needed to kiss briefly interrupted their conversation. It did Ava’s heart good to see Kate so happy. It had been almost three years since she had seen a successful wedding. Ava quickly brushed away the thoughts before they leached themselves onto her. She turned her attention back on Matt with a follow-up question.

“Why did you choose to join the team?”

“I like the challenge and even though it’s intense, I like the chance to use my skills to help save and protect those in a horrible situation.”

“Does the SWAT team get called out very often?”

“We usually get called out a few times a month. Some have been bomb scares, a few husbands out of control, public suicide attempts, and hostage situations. We also tag along when high profile warrants need to be served and help the narcotics unit with drug enforcements.”

Before she could respond, the DJ announced that the bride and groom would dance their first dance and that during the next song the floor was open to everyone. Ava watched as Kyle and Kate floated around the dance floor. Kate had talked Kyle into taking dance lessons. He was a good man.

With the lights turned down, Ava took time to compose herself. She needed to pull back from Matt before she allowed her emotions to get more attached. She enjoyed getting to know him, but it sparked the fear she tried hard to bury.

The next song started playing and Matt turned to her. “Ava, would you like to dance?” he asked, extending his arm out like a gentleman.

Her stomach did a flip, followed by dropping like a ball of lead. On top of the idea of being so close to this man, she was a pathetic dancer. He had been invading her comfort zone all night, emotionally and now physically. Yet she found herself throwing all caution to the wind, and took hold of his arm.

So much for Plan A. “Sure, but I should warn you, I’m not very coordinated. You’re likely to get stepped on.”

“I’ll take my chances.”

Matt took her hand, noting her hesitancy. He couldn’t tell if her resistance sprouted because of him or something deeper. He brought her around to face him and placed his hand on the small of her back while she put her hand on his shoulder. He took her hand in his, placing them on his chest, hoping she couldn’t feel his heart beating faster because of her closeness.

Her soft fingers trembled enclosed in his. He breathed in her fruity scent and slowly turned them around, enjoying the comfortable silence until her foot stepped on the front of his shoe.

She made a face.

“Sorry. I guess I was getting a little overconfident about mysmoothdancing.”

“Hey, I was warned, I brought this pain on myself,” he teased and spun her around with speed. She held on tight and laughed. He’d been waiting for this moment all night. “You look incredible.”

Her eyes widen in surprise. He’d caught her off guard, but wasn’t sorry. All night she had been a swinging pendulum. One minute she would let him in and the next she would distance herself, almost retreating. Ava came across as a hard woman to figure out, but he welcomed the challenge.

“Oh … um … thanks. You look great yourself.”

He wore a black suit with a deep red shirt and black tie, his normal wedding attire. Matt had noticed the looks from some of the other women but only cared what Ava thought. He had been pumping himself up all night, and now the time had come to take the plunge and ask her out. Now was as good a time as any.

“I’m really glad that we ran into each other again. I actually have a little confession to make.”

“What’s that?”

“I had plans to stop at your school next week to ask you out.”

Ava took a deep breath and held it. She kept eye contact but stayed silent. He couldn’t read her face, but if he had to guess it looked like torment or panic. She had never mentioned a boyfriend and had not brought a guest with her to the wedding. He debated between changing the subject and finding something to say to make her laugh. He drew a blank on both, so he chose instead to give her an easy out.

“No pressure, Ava. If you’re not interested, don’t feel bad about hurting my feelings.” She closed her eyes and his heart sank. He prepared himself for rejection.

“Matt, you are so sweet and my hesitancy is not what you think.”

She took another deep breath and exhaled this time. “I had a relationship end horribly about two years ago and I carry a lot of baggage from it. Starting to date again is very scary for me and so even though I’m interested in spending more time with you, I’m just not sure if it’s a good idea. I’m not emotionally ready right now to handle a relationship.”

Her upfront honesty refreshed his perspective. She was interested. He could work with this. Two years was a long time. Whatever had happened must have been awful for her. He stayed quiet for a moment longer, realizing the impact his next words would need to make.

“Okay, I’ll make you a deal. Give me three dates. Nothing serious, just getting to know each other and having fun. If after those dates you still feel the same and would like to just be friends, I will completely understand.”

“Are you sure you want to tackle all this crazy?” She lifted her eyebrows.

“Just give me a chance, Ava.”

She took a long look at him and he realized he was being studied, weighed. He hoped he measured up.

“Okay, it’s a deal. Three dates.”

“You have chosen wisely.”

The music turned upbeat and they decided to stop dancing and get some cake and punch. While Matt was talking baseball with Kyle’s brother, he caught a glimpse of Ava standing in the back of the room alone. She peered out the wall of windows that overlooked the river. She didn’t appear sad, just lost in thought. He had just stirred the pot with her emotions and hoped she wouldn’t change her mind about going out with him. He breathed a little deeper when he spotted Kate approaching Ava and watched the smile that reached her eyes return.

They met back later at the table. Ava seemed in high spirits and his confidence was restored. He needed to seal the deal. “How about next Saturday night? Are you free for date number one?” He didn’t even try to hide his determination.

“Well, I will say you are nothing short of persistent.”

“That’s right. It’s one of the many adorable qualities you will learn about me over the next few weeks.”

“Adorable, huh? You seem confident.”

“Because I am.”

“Well, I guess I’ll just have to be the judge of that.”

“Judge away.”

“I won’t be easy.”

“You won’t be disappointed.”

Her laughter caused her shoulders to shake. He enjoyed their friendly banter, joking around with her came easy. She had a good sense of humor and a quick wit.

“Yes, I’m free on Saturday. What do you want to do?”

“Ah, that is a surprise. I’ll pick you up at six.”

Date #1

Matt held the door open for Ava as they made their way outside from her apartment complex. He straightened his jacket hoping to shake off the nerves. He had been on many dates before, but these upcoming dates were imperative. To be honest, he hoped that they would be life-changing.

When Ava spotted his Jeep Wrangler she gave a low, long whistle. “Nice ride.”

“Thanks, it’s my baby.”

“You’ve got good taste.”

He turned to her, letting his eyes trace her soft skin and plump lips that spread out from her smile. Her kindness and strong character illuminated as a beacon of light, drawing him in. Yes, he’d have to agree. He did have good taste.

Matt blinked when she caught him staring. “Um, yeah, my excuse is that it’s great for the winter weather.” It was a little much for city driving, but it was great in the snow and he had always wanted one. He opened her door and quickly ran around and jumped in. He started up the Jeep, letting it idle, enjoying the purr his engine produced. They headed north into town.

“What, no blindfold to add to the secrecy?” she teased.

“It did cross my mind, but I didn’t want people to think I was kidnapping you. It wouldn’t go over well at work.”

“No, I guess not. So do I get a clue?”

“Well, I’m taking you out to eat at this little Italian restaurant I found downtown. Now I’ll warn you, I consider this restaurant a diamond in the rough. I found it one weekend and it wasn’t what I expected. On the outside it looks like a dive, but the inside is quaint and the food is excellent.”

They pulled up to the curb in front of the eatery and Matt saw Ava’s facial expression change as she realized he did not exaggerate. He’d thought the same thing when he and his partner came across it one night after their shift was over. With its deep-red brick façade and more than a few of the bricks crumbling or missing altogether, the building looked worn and aged. A faded green awning with the restaurant name etched in gold hung over the door. It didn’t look unsanitary, just old. No curb appeal whatsoever.

They walked in and the atmosphere changed. Softly illuminated white lights dangled over the round tables in the middle and booths outlined the perimeter of the medium-sized dining room. The aroma of pasta sauce and breadsticks made his stomach growl. Red tablecloths and flickering candles dressed up the tables and booths. The soft, dim lighting made it a good choice for date nights, especially first dates. Waitresses scurried between tables and Matt could hear the cooks laughing back in the kitchen. It was family owned and he had learned that everyone working here was related.