by Jamie Beck
“Before or after I go to jail?” His sarcasm failed to conceal his anxiety.
Instinctively, she reached out and stroked his arm. “Can’t your lawyers negotiate a reduction of the charges?”
“Not yet, apparently.” Andy slid off the stool and took his empty cup to the dishwasher. After staring at the drain for a few seconds, he looked at Avery, his brow furrowed. “They’re telling me to go to AA, and to talk to kids about the dangers of drinking and driving. So, I’ll do that and hope Grey Lowell doesn’t want to see me fry.”
“He won’t go to the DA with guns blazing.” Avery gulped the rest of her water.
“Why not?” Andy turned toward her, his eyes scanning her face. “You think he’s your friend now because you’re his PT?”
While she wouldn’t admit it aloud, she couldn’t ignore the truth. She did feel friendship and more for Grey, and she suspected it was mutual.
“A little bit, maybe. Just trust me; he’s not the type who’s out for blood.” Avery pictured Grey’s intense gaze, which made her body thrum. “He’s a ‘live and let live’ kind of guy.”
Andy stepped closer and narrowed his eyes. “You’re blushing. What exactly is going on between you and Grey? I thought Kelsey liked him.”
Only because Avery didn’t tell her about “Boomerang.” She’d considered it, but chose not to humiliate her friend. Yet, despite Avery’s gentle dissuasions, Kelsey continued to hold on to hope.
“Nothing’s going on! You know I can’t get involved with a patient.” Avery ran her fingers through her ponytail. “We’re friendly. He’s a good guy. He’s got a lot riding on his recovery and I want to help him.”
“You know I rarely agree with Dad, but I’ve gotta admit, I’m not sure it’s a good idea for you to be involved with Lowell until the business between him and me is finished.” Andy turned one palm upward. “Show some loyalty, for God’s sake.”
“You’re part of the reason I decided to work with him.” Her hands went to her hips. “If I can help him recover more quickly, it’ll reduce his damages. In fact, maybe you should consider offering to help him out, too. That might go a long way with a judge.”
“Lowell probably doesn’t want much to do with me.” Andy shrugged. “Despite your opinion, he could make things worse for me with the DA. Plus, my lawyer says the only reason Lowell hasn’t filed the civil suit yet is because his lawyer can’t assess damages until they can reasonably determine the full extent of his recovery. So it’s not a question of if, but when. You and I both know that means trouble for our whole family.”
“He won’t take the house.” The words sprang forth without a moment’s hesitation. Why, she couldn’t say. Intuition? Or was she turning into Kelsey, making major assumptions based on her gut, or worse, her heart?
“How can you say that? He’s got a business to keep running, Avery. A business he can’t participate in as long as he’s hurt. Trust me, that’s more important to him than his ‘friendship’ with you.”
She scowled, unwilling to acknowledge Andy’s warning. Was it really too much to ask to be able to enjoy one or two days of peace?
“I don’t want to talk about this anymore. You’re ruining my good mood.” Her stomach growled, so she grabbed a banana yogurt and spooned it into her mouth. “Stop borrowing problems. Let’s take things as they come. In the meantime, try to enjoy the peace and quiet here for a change.”
“About that.” Andy’s expression turned sheepish. “I should warn you, I spoke with Matt yesterday.”
“Did you?” She threw the empty container in the trash. Her spoon hit the sink with a resounding clang. “Why?”
“He’d gotten wind of the accident. Wanted to check and see how I was doing.”
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell him to go to you-know-where. Really, Andy, where’s your loyalty?”
Andy’s forehead creased before he wrapped one arm around Avery’s shoulder and kissed the top of her head.
“He acted like a jerk, but he was my friend for five years before you two got involved—against my advice, if you recall. Right now I’m a little short on friends, so I wouldn’t mind reclaiming one.” He stepped away and leaned his butt against the counter. “Besides, you never seemed all that broken up when he left.”
At the time, Avery had put on a brave face so no one, most especially not Matt, could see how deeply she’d been hurt. But she’d privately broken down when, despite her best efforts to make him happy, Matt suddenly turned away from her and into the arms of some other woman. When he’d upended the future they’d been discussing. When he’d confirmed all her worst suspicions about men and relationships.
“I’m your sister. Aren’t you mad at him on my behalf? He humiliated me in front of the whole town.”
“You know I hadn’t spoken with him since. But we talked about it yesterday, and right now I know how it feels to screw up and need forgiveness.” Andy rubbed his jaw, as if weighing his next words. “He’s sorry, Avery. In fact, he asked whether you were involved with anyone. I got the feeling he misses you. He’s not happy with Sasha What’s-her-face.”
Sasha Grossman. Only child of a wealthy movie executive from Hollywood. A twenty-two-year-old girl who looked like the quintessential Californian. Silky blond hair, perfect tan, double-Ds. Not that Avery didn’t have a nice figure, but Sasha’s body—long, leggy, lean—resembled a supermodel with a boob job. Plus she was loaded and happy to spend her money freely on Matt. She’d booked him as her private instructor for the week. Unfortunately for Avery, the bumps Sasha enjoyed with Matt weren’t located on the slopes. Given Matt’s track record, perhaps Avery shouldn’t be surprised he’d tired of his young plaything already.
“You better have told him I’m having the time of my life.” She placed her hands on the counter and leaned toward him. “You tell him I’m being pursued by a dozen guys or something.”
Andy chuckled. “Or something, all right. Of course, if I’d have known Grey Lowell gets you all hot and bothered, maybe I’d have mentioned that to him.”
“I am not hot and bothered!” Avery wadded up a napkin and tossed it in her brother’s face to cover her lie. “There’s nothing romantic going on between Grey and me.”
“Well, Matt will be delighted to hear it.” Andy grinned, goading her.
“I couldn’t care less what Matt thinks or does.” She crossed her arms.
“I hope that’s true, because he’s coming back soon.”
“How soon?” Avery rubbed her forehead to stave off a headache.
“Couple of weeks.”
“Raspberries!” She stomped her foot. “Well, that’s just fan-freakin’-tastic.”
“Raspberries?” Andy shook his head, unlike Grey, who hadn’t judged her dislike of cursing. “You’ve really got to get over your thing against swearing, or come up with better fake curses. You’re not twelve, Ave.”
Unable to think of a snappy retort, she stuck her tongue out and trounced off to her room to shower before meeting Grey—er, going to work. Work, dang it.
Grey arrived at therapy in a shitty mood. The miraculous recovery he’d counted on wasn’t happening. Throughout his years of skiing, he’d broken a collarbone, suffered two concussions, bruised ribs, and torn a rotator cuff. That rotator cuff hurt like a bitch, but this knee worried him more than anything.
When Avery came to the reception area to get him, he didn’t greet her with his typical smile. “Let’s get started. I feel like I should be stronger than this by now.”
Avery’s eyes widened. “Grey, you’re doing great. You’re still compensating a bit with your good side, but that’s not uncommon this early in your recovery. You need to be patient and trust the process.”
Grey loathed being lumped into the “average” recovery zone.
Avery proceeded to put him through the paces, working on gait education to minimize h
ip hikes and drops, doing a series of lateral box steps with TheraBand resistance, quad work on the TRX.
Throughout the exercises Grey’s mood fell further, but not because of his knee. Normally Avery gave him one hundred and ten percent of her attention. Normally she was hands-on, touching him to correct his body alignment. Normally he enjoyed being the center of her universe for the hour they spent together.
Not so today.
Today she maintained physical distance. Her manner remained polite but impersonal. At times, she seemed almost distracted.
“What’s up with you today?” Grey’s direct question surprised him, but didn’t seem to affect her.
“Nothing.” She crossed her arms while intently watching his knees and hips as he completed a set of lunges. “Focus on your balance, Grey. You’re still compensating.”
“Am not.” He watched her worry the hell out of her lip. Something he’d be happy to do for her if she’d let him. In fact, he’d like to drag his mouth all over her hot body, watch desire light up the gold flecks in those blue eyes, and confirm his suspicion she’d be as forward in bed as she was everywhere else. Quit it.
“I’ll grab the video and prove it.”
Avery went to get the camera, but Grey suspected she’d also walked away to shove aside whatever was bothering her. She might think she’d fooled him, but she hadn’t.
While she set up the tripod, she casually asked, “So, how’s your friend Trip?”
“Fine.” His stomach dropped. Why was she asking about Trip?
“How many new hearts has he broken since I met him?” Her teasing voice and curiosity tunneled under Grey’s skin. Jesus, does she have the hots for Trip?
“Why? Are you volunteering to be one of his next victims?” Okay, maybe his voice snapped a little more sharply than he’d intended.
Avery’s brows shot up. “Touchy subject?”
Grey concentrated on his squats, refusing to look at Avery until his insides stopped flopping around. He forced a casual smile when he finally met her eyes. “I’m not a dating service. If you want info on Trip, you’ll have to get it some other way.”
Avery hid her face behind the camera. “Just making small talk.”
Grey frowned, feeling stupid and exposed. He ran through the series of planks they’d incorporated to improve core stabilization.
Didn’t she feel any of the tension he felt in her presence? His entire body ached with need whenever she came close. Every brief touch provided him a little relief from his yearning. Her withholding, physically and emotionally, felt like some kind of punishment, though for what, he couldn’t say.
Neither said much during the remaining exercises. When he rolled onto his back, he pressed his palms against his eyes. Dammit. He’d been acting like a baby for the past twenty minutes.
He opened his eyes once he felt her standing over him. She reached down. “Up you go.”
Although he didn’t need help getting up, he’d never turn down an opportunity to grab hold of some part of her body when offered—any part would do. Once upright, he forced himself to release her hand. She mindlessly rubbed it with her other hand.
“Let’s take a quick look at this footage so I can show you how you’re compensating.”
Grey grunted an acknowledgment, mostly because he’d become distracted by the scent of her skin. The light aroma made him guess she wore some kind of fragrant body lotion instead of perfume. An image of her slathering creamy lotion on her damp skin after a shower made him groan—aloud.
“Does your knee hurt?” Her concerned expression made him feel doubly asinine.
“I’m fine.” He waved her off. Idiot, get a hold of yourself. The girl is off-limits.
She pulled an extra chair beside hers, and then hooked the camera up to the computer. Initially he concentrated on the monitor, but then he began noticing everything else about her having absolutely nothing to do with his therapy.
Her forehead creased in concentration. Her slim fingers pointed at the screen to illustrate whatever she described. Her hair fell across her face, forcing her to push it behind her ear—the one with two earrings, by the way. One little gold hoop and one small pink gemstone. He could almost feel the scrape of metal as he imagined capturing that little hoop with his teeth.
Avery’s dimples deepened whenever she spoke, giving her a perpetually flirtatious appearance. He could barely keep from running his hand along the length of her thigh. Then, in the midst of his sexual fantasy, a horrible thought resurfaced.
What if she really was interested in Trip? She wouldn’t be the first. Grey had no more right to stop the two of them from dating than Kelsey had to stand between him and Avery.
That recognition prompted a genuine pang of empathy for how bothered Kelsey might be by his pursuit of Avery. He didn’t like to hurt anybody, especially not a girl who’d been nothing but nice.
“Are you even paying any attention to me? You look about a million miles away.” Avery elbowed him. “What’s going on?”
Not paying attention? I’m paying too damned much attention to you.
“Nothing.” Grey looked at his feet. Complications!
Avery sat back into her chair. “This probably—this definitely—isn’t my place, but I’m guessing you’re worrying about your business. Kelsey says you have plans for expanding Backtrax by offering summer climbing tours. Since you won’t be able to participate for a while, that’s another financial blow, isn’t it?”
Grey raised an eyebrow. “Yeah.”
Avery pursed her lips and rubbed her hands over her thighs. Her tight expression radiated anxiety. “Are you planning to sue Andy?”
Aw, shit. He didn’t want to have this conversation. Definitely not here or now. He pushed back in his chair. “We shouldn’t be discussing legal stuff, Avery. Let’s keep this”—he gestured between them—“separate from all of that, okay? We have to avoid all the conflicts of interest, right?”
“Just tell me why you wouldn’t accept the insurance payout.”
He noticed the additional creases marring her forehead. “Because twenty-five grand doesn’t cover my losses. Medical bills, lost wages and tips, extra business expenses because I had to hire a replacement, and more.”
“Twenty-five grand?” Her eyes widened in surprise. “That’s all the liability coverage Andy carries?”
“It’s the state minimum.” Grey couldn’t even criticize the guy, considering he’d lived most of his life by the same philosophy when it came to car insurance.
“Well, how much do you need?”
Grey crossed his arms, closing his eyes so he didn’t have to see the panic in hers. How had he thought he could keep his personal feelings out of this mess?
“Listen, we really can’t discuss this.” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs. “It’s not personal. I’m not trying to hurt anybody. Not you. Not even your brother.”
“That’s what I told him.” The relief exuding from her grateful smile pierced straight through his heart. “Thanks for proving me right.”
Hell. She’d clearly misunderstood him. He didn’t want to hurt anyone, but he wouldn’t roll over and lose everything either.
Absent some miracle, he knew he’d probably have to go after Andy’s interest in their home. Despite his good intentions and near-desperate sexual desire, this friendship—or whatever this was—with Avery was as doomed as a sandcastle on the beach.
Chapter Six
Chaos—the only word that adequately described the scene at the Sterling Canyon Annual Tent Sale. Each late-April after the slopes closed for the season, all the retailers pitched canopies along Main Street, dragged out their remaining stock, slashed prices, and let the customers go crazy. By midday, the entire Sterling Canyon population milled around in a disorganized frenzy, scoping out that perfect deal.
“Ave, I’m gonna go
home.” Andy cast a quick glance over his shoulder at old Vanessa Cartright, who had just sneered at him and was now whispering something to her husband.
Throughout the weeks following the accident, Avery had discovered the locals had divided into three groups.
The smallest group—those who were standing by Andy—could be counted on her fingers and toes. Then there were those who weren’t particularly eager to see him punished, but who salivated over the latest gossip and were quick to point out how lucky he was that nobody died. And finally there were those who jumped at the chance to openly criticize and ostracize him for his mistake.
Avery threaded her arm through Andy’s, placing her body between him and Vanessa. “Don’t let that old bag bother you. Besides, you promised to help me find a new pair of skis.” She tweaked his nose, hoping to force a laugh, then rested her head against his shoulder.
“It doesn’t make me feel better when you treat me like a baby.” He shrugged free. “I’m taking off.”
“Fine. No more babying. I drove, and I’m not ready to go home.” She grabbed his hand. “Besides, your lungs and ribs are healed now, so no more excuses for lazing around the house. Sooner or later you need to start walking around town with your chin up.”
“Now you sound like Dad.” His observation caused her to bat him on the shoulder with the back of her hand, which only made him grin. “Knew that’d getcha. But you can’t control me or my feelings, Ave. I’m going to walk home.”
She looked at his Merrell hiking shoes. “That’s a long walk.”
“I can use the fresh air.” He bent down and kissed her cheek. “See you at home.”
Avery drew a deep breath and exhaled slowly as he walked away. She shook her head and then ducked into Gary’s Gear to look for new skis for next season. An attractive pair of green Atomics caught her attention. She plucked them off the makeshift wall to see if they were long enough.
While holding them along her body to determine if the tips were at about the same height as her nose, she felt someone approach. She braced to deal with a pushy sales person, but it was Grey’s voice she heard. “I doubt those are what you’re looking for, Bambi.”