A Love of Her Own by Bettye Griffin Read Free Book Online

Spencer always guaranteed a good time …and a good seat. They had the best table in the house, on a platform with an unobstructed view of both the dance floor and adjacent bandstand. Kendall was her usual effervescent self, while Spencer’s more subdued demeanor was a perfect complement.
    Ava double-dated with her friends whenever she happened to be seeing someone, and while it had always been fun, she couldn ’t help noticing that Hilton fit in like he’d known them all for years. It made her feel good.
    The band played a lot of old-school favorites, and they all recounted what they were doing when the particular song came out …provided they remembered it. Spencer broke them up with his memory of having a Jheri curl as an adolescent and staining the back of his father’s favorite easy chair with the moisture from the activator.
    The band shifted into a ballad, and Hilton wordlessly held out his hand to Ava. Suddenly there was no one else in the room, and, her hand in his, he led her to the dance floor.
    Neither of them spoke during the dance, which suited Ava fine . She wanted to savor being so close to him, being in his arms. The song, the Average White Band classic A Love of Your Own, was one of her favorite ballads. She liked the words. Getting a love of your own was simple, or at least it was according to the lyrics. Ava knew better, but how nice it was to believe it could be so easy.
    She realized she it wasn’t her past that she missed, but the promise her youth had held, the hopes and dreams she’d lost so long ago. That was what she yearned for. It was all supposed to be so simple…fall in love, get married, have two-point-three children, settle down in a house in the same suburban atmosphere in which she’d grown up with a picket fence, an SUV with three rows of seats and a family-friendly dog like Khufu. A nice thought for sure, but for her it was more than difficult; it was impossible.
    Eyes closed, Ava threaded her arms under Hilton ’s armpits and rested her palms on his shoulders as she moved to the music, letting the emotional burden she’d carried for so many years dissolve in the simple joy of being in his arms. She was careful to keep enough distance between them to not allow the front of their bodies to touch. She was relieved that Hilton didn’t try to pull her closer. Not only was he handsome, but he was witty and a gentleman to boot. She actually knew very little about Hilton White other than those three attributes, but what she knew so far she certainly liked.
    *****
    “That was fun,” Ava remarked when they were back in his truck on the way home.
    “ Yeah, it was. You’ve got nice friends.”
    “ The best. Kendall and I go way back, all the way to high school. We both grew up in Nile Beach.” She turned her head to face him, suddenly remembering something. “You probably ought to talk to her and Spencer about your work. They’re going to be building a house.”
    “ Where are they in terms of construction?”
    “ It hasn’t started yet; they’re still working on the plans. I think it’s safe to say nothing will be happening before the spring.”
    “ Looking for the perfect set of blueprints, huh?”
    “ Kendall’s very fussy. She’s got to have an island in her kitchen, a split bedroom arrangement, plenty of closets…”
    “ I studied architecture years ago,” he remarked.
    “ Did you?”
    “ Yes. I might be able to help them out. I’m glad it’s not a rush situation, though. I’ve pretty much got my hands full right now. It’ll probably be like this straight through Christmas.”
    “ Business is booming, ay?”
    “ I certainly can’t complain. Then again, that’s one reason why I came here. A bunch of old houses being refurbished, plus new construction. It’s an ideal place for my services. Sometimes it does gets a little crazy, since I can only do so much at a time.”
    “ Sounds like you could use an assistant,” Ava said.
    “ Not me, thanks. I like