Chapter 36: CHAPTER 36: Unspoken Desires

　　The car glided out of the underground parking lot of my apartment onto the congested road. Inside the vehicle, a tense silence stretched between Alexander and me. It wasn't unusual but this time, especially after our little flirtatious conversation, I began to wonder if the awkwardness between us was not just his fault but also mine.

　　My fingers itched to grab my phone and reply to Shawn's latest message, anything to escape the heaviness that seemed to surround Alexander and me anytime we were together. Shawn had been a ray of sunshine in these past few days, his texts filled with playful banter and a genuine eagerness to plan a date. Under normal circumstances, Shawn Lively was the type of guy I should be with. He was everything that my ex, Luke wasn't and his last name was not Westcott. I would be able to live my life free of problems and quietly if I wasn't already tangled up in the lie of pretending to be Ava Lincoln.