Without Pretense Read online

  “Do they know about us?”

  “Not specifically. I’ve told them I’ve met someone. I never said a name or indicated it was you. They know you’re working on the article and that you might write the biography. That’s all they know for now. Would you like me to tell them?”

  “Let’s leave it how it is for now. There’s no point in them knowing about our personal relationship at this point.”

  “Okay.”

  ***

  After breakfast Bianca felt like they were back on the same page. She was looking forward to some time alone with Ava. They held hands on the way back to the hotel, something that had been noticeably absent on the way to the restaurant. Ava seemed to have a lighter step too. Maybe she had figured out whatever had been bothering her this morning.

  They were alone in the elevator. Ava moved to her and kissed her. If the ride hadn’t been quite so quick, Bianca might have tried for more. She was still in a lust induced haze when the elevator opened and they walked out. The lingering sentiment evaporated as Ava quickly pulled her hand away from Bianca’s as though she’d been burned.

  Bianca looked up and saw Lara sitting against Ava’s door. She had her head back and her eyes closed, so Bianca was pretty sure Ava didn’t need to worry about her having seen anything. But she wasn’t sure why Ava would be worried about that with her sister anyway. They hadn’t discussed it, so who knew what her reasons were.

  Bianca took advantage of Lara’s ears being covered by headphones. But she still kept her voice down when she turned to Ava. “I guess we’ll have to take a rain check on the sexy time.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t know she was coming back so soon.”

  “It’s not a problem. Clearly, she missed you as much as you miss her.”

  “Thanks for understanding. I’ll catch up with you later?”

  “Sure.” Bianca glanced down before kissing Ava quickly on the cheek. “Enjoy your time with your sister. Do you mind if I meet her?”

  “Of course not.”

  Ava was more than a little surprised to see Lara. When she’d walked her out earlier this morning she hadn’t expected to see her again until tomorrow when she joined their parents for the show. But nothing had really gone as Ava had anticipated since Paris, so maybe it was time she start getting used to her new normal.

  She stood over her, but when her shadow didn’t jar Lara, she bent down and shook her shoulder. “Lara?”

  She blinked a few times, adjusting to the lighted hallway. “Hey.” She stood quickly looking between them.

  “Lara, this is Bianca. Bianca, this is Lara.”

  Lara nodded. “Sure, the biographer you told me about. Hiya.”

  “It’s nice to meet you Lara. I hope you two have a nice day.”

  “Thanks,” Ava said. She watched Bianca let herself into her own room. Then she turned to Lara. “Want to come inside?”

  “Sure.”

  “Want anything to drink?”

  “A Coke would be good.”

  Ava grabbed a couple bottles from the mini fridge. “Here you go.”

  “Thanks.”

  Ava waited to see if Lara would initiate the conversation. She had shown up, so she had something on her mind. But when she simply sat drinking her soda and looking around the room, Ava decided to intervene. “So, what’s up?”

  Lara shrugged. “Just felt like hanging out longer. I have a few more questions. Is now a good time?”

  Ava sat across from Lara. “You’re welcome to hang out with me whenever you like. You are also allowed to ask me any questions you have any time you want.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. In fact, if it’s okay with Mum and Dad, and you’re interested you could even come with me on tour until your classes start again.”

  “Really? You wouldn’t mind me tagging along?”

  “Truly, I would welcome it. I feel like I have spent too much of your life too far away because it was so hard for me to be near you and not feel guilty.”

  “You feel guilty?”

  “Sometimes, yes. Don’t get me wrong, I know I made the best possible decision at the time. I couldn’t have asked for better parents for you. But there is still a part of me that felt like I should have stayed around more. Helped with you more. Spent more time with you and gotten to know you better.” Ava looked at Lara.

  “All right, I get that on some level, but I’ve also realized you were a year younger than me when you had me. I can’t imagine how freaked I’d be if something like that happened to me. So, I get it. I get why you reacted the way you did. Maybe you should start giving yourself a break and start getting to know me now.”

  “You’re a brilliant young woman, Lara.” Ava was proud of who Lara had become.

  “Well, I got that from somewhere and whether it was from my birth parents or from Mum and Dad, you had a hand in that.”

  “I don’t know what to say to that, but I would really like to get a chance to know you better. So, will you think about coming along on the tour for a few weeks?”

  “Sure. I’ll think about it.”

  “Great.”

  “By the way, I had a good chat this morning with Mum and Dad,” Lara said.

  “That’s really great to hear.” Ava was relieved Lara was at least willing to talk with their parents. It would only help in the long run if she felt like she could communicate with all of them.

  “Yeah, it was nice. But they couldn’t fully answer one question for me.”

  “What question is that?”

  “Who else knows about me?” Lara asked. “They weren’t sure who else you may have told.”

  Ava was relieved she knew the answer to this one. “Aside from Mum and Dad, the lawyer they hired to take care of the adoption paperwork.” Ava started mentally checking them off as she thought back. “The midwife who delivered you at the house, although she wouldn’t have known anything about the adoption, I don’t think, only that I gave birth to you. Your birth father, Damon, as of a few nights ago. And Steven. That’s all, as far as I know.”

  “Steven? Why did you tell him?”

  “Because he’s a good friend. The night of your seventh birthday, after spending the day with you, when I had to leave I was sad, deeply sad. I called Steven and he took me out for a drink. I got wasted. I just didn’t want to feel everything I was feeling for a little while. Anyway, when Steven was trying to get me back to my hotel, I told him the whole story. He’s never breathed a word to anyone and he never will.”

  ***

  Bianca knew she would be a nervous wreck if she thought about meeting Ava’s parents in any capacity other than as her biographer. As long as she could remember it was a part of the job, she’d be fine. Andrew and Grace arrived a little while ago. Ava had wanted her to stay in the dressing room with her to greet them, but she felt it was better to give them all a few moments as a family. Plus that way she could keep everything on a more professional level. She took a deep breath and braced herself outside the dressing room. It was time to meet the Wellingtons. She knocked.

  “Come in,” Ava said.

  Bianca opened the door but hesitated before entering. The room seemed to burst with people. She took a moment to look around and realized there were only four others in the room besides Ava. Ava’s parents both had a big presence. Her dad was physically big. He could have easily have been a rugby player in his youth. She’d have to ask him about that. Her mom was tall and slender, like a dancer. She had a charisma radiating off her that seemed big enough to occupy its own space. Steven was busy putting the finishing touches on Ava’s hair. Lara was lounging across the room on the sofa playing on her phone, seeming to ignore everything and everyone else in the room.

  Bianca strode into the room. She thrust out her hand. “Mr. and Mrs. Wellington, I’m Bianca Vega, Ava’s biographer. Lara, it’s nice to see you again. Ava’s told me so much about you all. It’s so nice to finally meet you in person.”

  Bianca noticed Lara’s eyes dart
to Ava who shook her head slightly. Lara’s head went back down to her phone. Weird.

  “Bianca, it’s lovely to meet you as well. But please, we’re Grace and Andrew,” Grace said as she returned Bianca’s handshake warmly.

  “I have so many questions for you both.”

  “Why don’t you come for tea tomorrow and we can chat.”

  “That would be wonderful.”

  “It’s settled then, and of course you’re coming for supper at our home after the show tonight.”

  Bianca glanced at Ava who met her gaze and nodded.

  “Absolutely, that sounds lovely.”

  “Terrific.”

  ***

  Grace had apparently invited everyone in Ava’s travel family for the after concert supper. They began with cocktails in the honest to goodness front parlor. Andrew made the drinks behind his well-stocked side cart. The room was comfortably sized and elegantly decorated. Bianca imagined in the winter, a fire raging in the large fireplace would be quite a lovely touch.

  She glanced around the room. Vicki and Andrew seemed to be having a lively discussion about a local soccer team. Bianca couldn’t help but think of it as soccer even though her parents referred to it as football. Grace and Steven were discussing something decorating related that Bianca couldn’t quite follow. Ava was chatting quietly with Lara. She wanted to check in with her. They had ridden over with Steven and Vicki so there hadn’t been a chance. Now there were too many curious eyes around. It would have to wait until later.

  A discreet bell rang. Grace stood and cleared her throat. “Dinner is ready. Shall we move into the dining room?”

  Bianca took the opportunity as everyone was moving to get next to Ava. “How are you doing?”

  “Lovely. It’s fantastic to have everyone in one place. How is this for you?”

  “It’s wonderful. I’m enjoying watching you with your family.”

  “In a professional or personal capacity?”

  “Both.”

  The Wellingtons’ dining table easily sat the seven of them with plenty of room to spare. Bianca turned to Grace. “You have a lovely home. This chandelier is stunning.”

  “Thank you. We picked that up in Italy a few years ago. If you’d like, after dinner, I could give you the full tour. Show you the room Ava grew up in and a few other spots you might enjoy hearing about.”

  “I would love that, thank you.”

  Ava overheard the conversation between Bianca and her mum. A part of her was thrilled they were getting along so well. The other parts of her were conflicted. She felt like she was hiding so many things these days. She couldn’t tell Bianca about Lara. She hadn’t told her parents how much Bianca was starting to mean to her.

  They didn’t even know Bianca was anything more to her than her biographer. And she was hiding her feelings for Bianca from Bianca herself. She had lived with one secret for more than half her life. That had been hard enough. In the course of a week, she now had more than she could keep track of. Something was bound to break.

  It wasn’t fair to tell Bianca about her feelings when she wasn’t yet able to be completely honest with her. Maybe letting Bianca interview other people in her life would give Ava the time she needed. She knew her mum was better equipped than she was to keep the secret discreetly under wraps no matter how many questions Bianca threw at her.

  Hopefully, Lara would lift the ban before Bianca came asking questions again. She could only hope. She looked at Lara who was sharing something with Steven. He was laughing hard. Maybe Lara would share the story with her later. She felt like it had been a long time since she’d laughed so freely.

  As dinner was served, Ava tried to relax. Everyone was having a great time, but her mind was still spinning with how to move forward with Bianca with the secrets hanging over her head.

  Later, as they were getting undressed in Ava’s hotel room, Bianca wrapped her arms around Ava from behind. “Are you okay? You got really quiet at dinner.”

  “I’m fine. I just have a bit of a headache.”

  “Would you like a massage?”

  “Hmm, no thank you. As nice as that sounds, I think I’d like to get into bed, cuddle with you, and close my eyes. Is that all right?”

  “Sure, that’s fine. I’m pretty wiped out myself.”

  They slid under the sheets. Ava sighed when Bianca wrapped her arms around her as the big spoon. She was going to have to figure out something soon. She couldn’t keep making excuses. Her body wanted so badly to be with Bianca. But her heart wouldn’t let her as long as she was keeping secrets from her. It had been different before Damon and Lara knew the story. She could rationalize in her head that it was only fair they know first.

  But now, even though it wasn’t true, if felt like everyone in her life knew the truth except for Bianca. It wasn’t fair. Once she had brought the secret out in the open, she had wanted to share it with the woman in her life. If she did, she’d destroy the bond she was building with Lara. It was a no-win situation. But this wasn’t Lara’s fault, and she owed it to her to abide by her wishes.

  ***

  When Bianca accepted the invitation to tea, she assumed Ava would be joining her. But apparently, she and Lara had other plans today. Bianca would have some quality time with Ava’s parents all alone. They were lovely people who had opened their home to her last night. As long as she remembered to keep on her professional hat, she should be fine. When she rang the bell, she half expected the door to be answered by a maid or butler. She was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by Grace. “Bianca, so lovely to see you again. Do come in and please make yourself comfortable.”

  “Thank you for having me back so soon.”

  “It’s our pleasure. Andrew will be down in a few moments.”

  They moved to the front parlor where they’d had cocktails the night before. This afternoon there was a full tea service set on a cart by the settee. Bianca sat where Grace indicated and set her bag down by her feet. Grace took one of the chairs across from the sofa.

  “Now, Bianca, what have you seen since you’ve been in London?”

  “A number of things, I spent an evening sightseeing. Is there anything specific that you’d recommend?”

  “If you’ve never seen a show in Piccadilly Circus, you should get Ava or Steven to take you. It’s similar to your Broadway, with London flair, of course.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.” Bianca thought it could be fun to see a show.

  Grace looked over Bianca’s shoulder. “Ah, here’s Andrew now.”

  Bianca went to stand, but Andrew waved her down. “Please sit. It’s nice to see you again.”

  “Likewise.”

  Grace began preparing the tea. “How do you take it, Bianca?”

  “A little milk, please.”

  “Right, here you go.” Grace handed her a delicate cup. She had arranged biscuits along the edge of the saucer.

  Bianca sipped the tea. “Oh that’s wonderful.” Once both Andrew and Grace had their tea, Bianca cleared her throat. “I guess I’ll jump right in with my questions if that’s all right.”

  “Certainly,” Grace said.

  “What was Ava like as a child?”

  “Curious and inquisitive about everything,” Grace said.

  “Shy and quiet,” Andrew added. “She loved being outside more than almost anything. The only times she could tolerate being inside were when she was practicing her violin or reading, and she would take those outdoors as often as possible.”

  “She was all those things and so much more. We knew very early on that she had a special talent, but we wanted to keep as much of her childhood as normal as we could for as long as that was realistic,” Grace said.

  “Whose idea was it for her to study in America?”

  “Definitely hers. As I said, we were trying to keep her home life normal,” Grace said. She looked at Andrew and then back to Bianca. “We knew when she brought it up we had to let her go. That’s where she felt she could get the
best training, so she was willing to subject herself to the big wide world and so many new people.”

  “She was so young. Weren’t you worried about her?” It was clear to Bianca how much Ava’s parents loved her. She wondered how hard it had been for them to let her go so early in life.

  “All the time, I stayed in a hotel down the street from her school for most of that first year in case she needed me for anything. But as the year wore on, she needed me less and less.”

  “What was that first year like for her?”

  “Almost her whole life was about music then, and she seemed quite capable of managing that on her own. I would spend longer and longer periods away from her to see how she did. I knew if she was going to eventually perform professionally I wouldn’t always be able to be with her. But we still kept a nanny nearby whenever I was away so she wasn’t ever completely alone. As mature as she was for her age, she was still only a teenager.”

  “Sure, that makes sense.” Bianca couldn’t quite wrap her head around what that must have been like for Ava. Basically on her own from the time she was so young. She thought about what she’d been doing at that age and could not imagine not having her parents and siblings with her every step of the way. But it didn’t seem appropriate to get into all of that with Ava’s parents. Maybe she’d ask Ava about it later.

  “Now may I ask you a question?” Grace said.

  “Like mother, like daughter. If I didn’t know better, I never would have guessed Ava was adopted.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “She and I have an agreement that she can ask me as many questions as I ask her.”

  “I’m not surprised. As I said, she has always been very curious.” Grace seemed amused.

  “Anyway, please ask me anything you want. Either of you.”

  “In that case, I’ll go first,” Andrew said. “What are your intentions toward our daughter?”

  “Excuse me?”

  Grace laid her hand on Andrew’s thigh and answered for him. “Please excuse him. We’ve never actually met anyone Ava’s been interested in. He’s a bit overprotective. But it was quite obvious to us last night, based on the way you two were looking at each other, that you’re more than Ava’s biographer.”