The Choices We Make (Revenge)

Mistaken Identity

'Stowaway', Montauk

Nolan entered with Ava and went to the bar. "Is the boss there?" He asked the young man, who worked as a temporary help at the 'Stowaway'.

"He's upstairs." The man answered, frowning. "Are there any problems? Are you from the health supervision?"

"No," Nolan grimaced. "Do I look like that?" He cleared his throat. "I've seen the sign outside that you're looking for a bartender in full time." He pointed to Ava. "She's interested in the job."

"Diego," the bartender offered his hand to Ava. "The boss will be glad. I'm only here for a few weeks. Then I'll leave. I just do the job to earn some money for my studies."

"What are you studying?" Ava asked curiously.

"Economic Engineering," he said. "I got a place to study in Washington."

"Sounds interesting." Ava looked around the bar. "Is this going well here? I mean, do many guests come?"

"It's quiet in the week. On weekends there are masses of guests."

"That's good." Ava nodded satisfied. "I don't want to just stand around here. With work, time passes faster..." She stopped in the middle of the sentence as she saw someone coming down the stairs. She felt her heart missing a beat. The man who came downstairs reminded her almost painfully of what she had lost. "Charlie ..." she muttered.

Nolan followed her gaze and frowned. "This is Jack Porter. He's the owner of the bar," he explained.

Ava squinted twice to get a clear view again. For a moment, she had thought to see her ex-fiancée. The same build, the same dark brown hair, slightly curled , the mustache ... But as he came closer and finally stopped in front of her, she realized that he had green and not brown eyes.

"Nolan?" Jack eyed him suspiciously. "I haven't seen you in ages. What gives me the honor of your visit?"

Nolan pointed to Ava. "Do you have a job for her?" he opened the conversation.

Jack turned to the young woman who was staring at him as if she had just seen a ghost. "Jack Porter." He held out his hand to her and pulled it back when she didn't react. "And with whom do I have the pleasure?"

Ava squinted again. "I'm sorry," she stammered. "Ava ... Ava Winters." She cleared her throat and looked quickly at Nolan. "I'm a friend of Nolan."

"She lives at my place," the computer expert explained.

"Okay." Jack frowned. "If you're looking for a permanent job, does that mean you want to stay here longer?"

Ava nodded as she hung on his lips. Even the mouth and nose are similar, she thought. But she was sure Charlie was an only child. "Um ... yes, actually that's the plan," she replied.

"Good." Jack's mouth twitched. "Have you ever worked as a bartender?"

Ava shook her head. "Just waitressing. But I think this can be learned, right?"

"Sure you can learn that," Diego interjected. "I can teach you."

Jack nodded hesitantly. "Well, let's try it. You can start at the weekend. There's the most going on anyway, and I need any help I can get." He held out his hand to Ava, who hesitantly took it then. "I'll set up the contract, and we'll discuss it all the following weekend."

"Wow, that was fast," Nolan said as they had left the bar. "I thought he would do a job interview. But Jack seems to be uncomplicated. "He looked at Ava with a frown. "What's wrong? You've been so stand-offish the whole time."

She stroked a strand of hair from her forehead. "I told you that I fell in love with the wrong man, who then took away everything that was mine?"

Nolan nodded.

"His name was Charles Bay, and he and Jack Porter resemble each other."

"Does that mean you already dislike Jack because he looks like your ex-fiancée?" Nolan surmised.

Ava shrugged. "I don't know," she admitted.

He looked at her skeptically. If it meant what he suspected, it might not be a good idea that Ava would work at the 'Stowaway'. He gently took her arm. "Shall I bring you to my place, or do you want to come with me to the hospital?"

"Take me to your home." Ava stifled a yawn. "I'm really tired."

When he left her at the mansion and headed for the hospital, he wondered what the consequences would be for him that he had allowed Ava to live at his home. Would she be able to start a new life without lies and revenge? Or would the past catch up with her? Sighing, he stepped on the gas and drove to the hospital.