Jumping into conclusion

Ava unsuccessfully tried to tamp down the feeling of disappointment that engulfed her when she saw the empty space beside her.

Why did Derek leave without telling her? With how intimate they were the previous night, she had been hoping that they would spend the morning together.

After all, it wasn’t like he had to go to work today, or even any day if he didn’t want to, for that matter.

It occurred to her that he could be with Harper, after all, Ava had woken up late. So she got out of bed, put on her robe, and padded out in search of him.

Her whole body ached, but in a pleasurable way, and thinking about how the night went made her want to relive everything again.

Derek wasn’t in the living room with Harper, however, and a quick check of Harper’s bedroom showed that the little girl was still fast asleep and alone.

Ava checked around for a note but didn’t find any either. A quick look outside showed that Derek's car was no longer parked in her driveway, meaning he had indeed left.

For