by Jamie Beck
Perfection.
Well, almost. She couldn’t help notice the asymmetry of his gait. Concern about that problem took priority over questioning why he was at the school in the first place.
“Hey, Bambi.” The right side of his mouth lifted into a coy smile. “I’ve never seen a woman frown so hard when staring at my . . . hips.”
“Don’t flatter yourself.” She smirked to cover up the heat rising in her cheeks. Had she grown to like her ridiculous nickname, or was it simply the sound of his taunting, low voice that turned her on? “I’m staring at ‘your hips’ because you’re still compensating with your good leg.”
“Am not.” He squared his shoulders and tucked his thumbs in his pants’ pockets, drawing her attention once more to “his hips.”
“Are too.” Avery jerked her eyes up to his face then gestured in a circular motion with her hand. “Turn around and walk away from me over there, along the sidewalk. I want to see you from behind.”
A lazy grin crept across his face. “I bet you do.”
“On second thought, maybe there’s not enough room on the sidewalk for you and your ego.” She raised an eyebrow and made another circular sweep with her index finger. “Just go!”
Grey shrugged and turned. Oh yes, she did enjoy having a legitimate reason to stare at his tight little butt. Naturally, he decided to make a joke of her concerns and began swaying his hips like a woman as he strolled away from the table. On the third step, he grabbed his bad knee and leaned against the nearby bike rack. “Ooh.”
Avery jumped up, dashed to his side, and grabbed his waist. “What happened? Did your knee give out?”
He spun on his good leg, laughing. “Gotcha!”
“You think you’re a wise guy.” She slapped his shoulder, although truthfully she didn’t mind the excuse to be so close. Stolen moments like this were all she could enjoy.
“Just admit it.” He caught her arm before she eased away. “You were enjoying the show.”
His silver eyes glittered. Had his breathing turned a little ragged? She felt hers fall shallow. He held fast to her arm, almost tugging her closer. His focused attention made her girly parts tingle and tighten. Her mouth went dry.
“You’re blushing,” he said, still clutching her forearm.
“Let go.” She tried wrenching herself from his grasp before she did something stupid like throw herself at him. And then, as if coming out of a dream, she remembered why she was there in the first place, which made her wonder about his plans. “What are you doing here, anyway? Meeting the athletic director to discuss teen climbing programs?”
He released her and shoved his hands deep into his jacket pockets.
“No.” All traces of humor had fled his voice and eyes. “I came to hear what your brother has to say for himself.”
His uncharacteristically somber tone and demeanor set off alarms. She tried to control her response, but felt her eyes grow wide with panic. “Are you planning to use his words against him in your case, or with the DA?”
“You’re determined to suspect the worst, aren’t you? Maybe I’m just curious to learn something about the man who messed with my life. Wouldn’t you be?”
“I suppose.” Avery pressed her lips together. “Why here and now? Andy’s already nervous. Seeing you in the audience will only make it worse.”
“Then I’ll stay in the back, okay?”
Avery shrugged. “Guess I can’t stop you.”
“Would’ve been nice if you invited me to sit with you, Bambi. I thought maybe we’d started to become friends.” When he turned toward the door, he glanced over his shoulder. “You know, you can’t go staring at my backside again after refusing to keep me company.” He winked and sauntered into the school.
Avery slouched onto the bench, holding her stomach. What if Andy said something to hurt his case? Grey had as much at stake as the rest of them, so she couldn’t fault him for sharing whatever he might learn with his lawyer.
She dropped her head into her hands, but then Emma walked up and cleared her throat.
“You looked piqued.” Emma tipped her head sideways. “What’s going on between you and Grey?”
“What?”
“I couldn’t help but notice the tension—the heat—between you and Grey.” Emma straightened up and crossed her arms. “Are you two involved?”
“No.” Avery sighed. “He’s a flirt, but he’s harmless.”
“He likes you, not Kelsey?” Emma touched her fingers to her mouth.
“He most definitely is not interested in Kelsey.” Avery huffed at Emma’s surprised expression. “Oh, come on. You aren’t really surprised, are you? They met in a bar months ago and shared one drunken kiss. He’s never called or given any hint of interest since then. She’s hanging on to some fantasy. Why is this one lasting so long?”
“Well, he is pretty gorgeous. She thinks he’s nice, too.”
“He is nice.” And talented, gentle, sweet, sexy.
“Look at your dreamy face.” Emma’s eyes widened. “You really like him!”
Avery gave up the pretense, nodded, and then buried her face in her hands a second time. “What should I do? He’s off-limits! He’s my patient. He’s probably going to end up taking Andy to the cleaners. My entire family mistrusts him, not to mention all my own hang-ups about men. This stinks.”
Emma sighed. “Don’t forget Kelsey.”
“Seriously?” Surely Avery misheard that last part. “If Kelsey and Grey had even gone on a single date, maybe I could see your point. But, assuming Grey and I wanted to date after he’s done with therapy, why should I say no if he’s never going to like Kelsey anyway?”
“Because a lifelong friend is more special than some new guy, especially one who belongs to a clique of men you mistrust.”
Avery couldn’t argue with Emma’s logic. Maybe she and Grey would date a month or a year, but maybe not. And maybe wasn’t a good enough reason to hurt a friend. “You’re right. But I wish Kelsey would meet someone new.”
“Well, yes, then she wouldn’t be an obstacle.”
“Too bad she didn’t fall for Grey’s friend Trip.”
Emma’s freckled cheeks pinked. “Is he a really tall, dark-haired guy?”
“You left out startlingly handsome.” Avery tilted her head. “When did you meet him?”
“I saw him sneaking out of my inn early one morning last month while I was baking muffins. Later, I overheard two women talking over breakfast about their night. One was gushing about a ski guide named Trip who’d given her a night to remember, but took off without leaving his number.”
“Yes, that sounds like him. Womanizing smooth-talker. Honestly, if I were ever interested in a one-night stand, he’d be perfect. He’s so good-looking, even I might’ve fallen victim to his charm had I not met him through Grey.” Avery scrunched her nose. “If only Kelsey had kissed Trip that night in the bar.”
“Oh, brother, Avery. Keep him away from Kelsey.” Emma chuckled. “She’d never be able to sort the silver-tongued lies from the truth.”
“Good point.” Avery’s phone alarm beeped. “Oh, let’s get inside. Andy’s starting now.”
On their way in, she’d noticed Grey seated on the aisle in the last row. Every nerve in her body burned with worry about how he’d interpret and use whatever Andy might do or say on that stage.
She and Emma managed to find two seats near the front left side of the old theater, which still had creaky seats and the dusty smell she remembered.
Her brother fidgeted in his chair while being introduced by Principal Winters. That old man probably wasn’t overly surprised to see Andy—who’d been a bit of a class clown—end up in this position, she realized with sorrow.
When Andy stood in front of the microphone, he didn’t say a word for at least ten seconds. She watched her brother scan the crowd
and could almost see his mind decide to toss his originally planned speech.
“My name is Andy Randall, and I used to be like you: sitting in this auditorium, being forced to listen to speakers talk about stuff that didn’t matter to me. I came here every day, played sports, chased girls, partied in the woods, and was satisfied enough with my B-minus grades. That was twelve years ago.
“Unlike my sister, I didn’t go to college. I got certified as a ski instructor, worked odd jobs off-season, including painting houses, and pretty much continued living the life I’d gotten used to in these hallways. That’s to say, I had fun, did the minimum that was expected or that I was capable of, and thought I was invincible.”
Andy paused, glancing at the front row until he spotted Avery and Emma. Then he looked back across the wider audience. “A couple months ago I was drinking with some buddies after work, and then I got behind the wheel and tried to drive home. Didn’t make it.
“It took hitting someone on a bike and plowing into a lamppost for me to learn I’m not invincible. I’m here today to try to prevent you from living with the guilt of hurting another person and messing with their life. From suffering the pain of lung surgery. And from facing felony charges, which, if I’m convicted, will limit my future job opportunities, my ability to travel to other countries, my ability to borrow money, among other things. And let’s not ignore the shame I’ve brought on my family.”
Avery’s eyes stung while Andy continued to discuss, in detail, what happened that night, the impact on his family and the victim, and the stress and expense of dealing with multiple lawyers to defend against multiple charges.
When she glanced around at the kids, she noted most of them were paying attention and, despite the circumstances, felt a surge of pride for her brother. She’d be sure to tell him that later so that he could feel good about what he’d done.
At the end of the thirty-minute presentation, Avery craned her neck to look for Grey, and caught him ducking out of the auditorium.
“Em, I’m going to run to the restroom. Meet you outside.”
She trotted up the aisle and dashed into the school lobby just as Grey was exiting the building. “Grey!”
He stopped, hesitating before turning around. She trod over to him, but then didn’t know what to say.
He raised his brows in question.
“Did you get what you came for?” she finally asked.
“Uh-huh.”
“Well, is that all you’re going to say to me?”
“Apparently not?” He crossed his arms, as if preparing to fend off an attack.
“Did anything he said make a difference to your plans?”
“No.”
She swallowed her disappointment, which landed in her chest like a twenty-pound kettlebell.
“Will it make you feel any better to hear that I respect what he said, and the way he’s trying to help these kids stay out of trouble?”
She shrugged. “I suppose that’s something.”
“I’m sorry I can’t tell you what you want to hear, but there’s too much uncertainty at this point for me to make any major decisions.”
She nodded, fully aware of the truth of that remark. Just then the auditorium doors blasted open as dozens of kids poured out of the theater. Avery saw the top of Andy’s head and Emma’s red hair in the throng.
Grey must’ve noticed, too, because he touched her forearm. “I’ll see you at our next appointment, okay?” Then he whisked himself away from the scene before Andy and Emma met up with her.
During Avery’s drive home after work, she replayed Andy’s speech in her mind. The recitation of problems both he and Grey faced, not to mention the potential adverse impact on her and her parents. Most troubling for her was the fact that she had no control over the outcome. Well, almost no control. She could do her best to help Grey achieve a full recovery, but that wouldn’t keep Andy out of jail.
She entered her house thinking her mood couldn’t slip any lower.
She’d been wrong.
“Hey, sis, look who dropped by.” Andy stepped aside to reveal Matt, who was sitting on her kitchen stool as if he’d never left.
Unfortunately Avery’s knees softened, but she managed to steady herself by gripping the back of a chair. Unbelievable! Matt was here, in her house, hanging out like he had one hundred times before, yet nothing was the same.
He hopped off the seat, approaching her with open arms. When she glowered, his arms fell to his sides, but he kept smiling. “Avery. You look great.”
Despite her irritation, she couldn’t deny how handsome he was, standing there all long legged, broad shouldered, with his mop of curly blond hair.
Avery dropped her purse on the floor beside the sofa and stared at Andy, who conveniently had become absorbed by cleaning the kitchen. She heaved a bitter sigh and glanced at Matt. “I’d have expected you to have a darker tan, or at least be that fake-tan orange color to match your girlfriend.”
Matt glanced at Andy for help. “Maybe I should go.”
“Yes, I recall you being quite good at that.” Avery waltzed into the kitchen with all the poise she could muster. Resentment simmered for allowing Matt to make her uncomfortable in her own home. “Actually, I’m shocked to see you, considering how eager you were to escape this ‘backwater’ town.”
“Avery,” Andy began, but Matt held up one hand.
“No, it’s okay. I deserve it.” He looked at Avery. “I’m sorry for how I treated you last year. You deserved better. I had my head up my ass—uh, sorry—I acted like a jerk. I never meant to hurt you.”
“Actually, you did me a favor by showing me your true colors before we made any real commitments.” Avery smiled her sweetest smile. “In fact, I should thank you.”
Matt tipped his head sideways. “Andy, can I talk to your sister alone?”
Andy looked at Avery. “Sis?”
“What? Now you care how I feel about having him in our house?” At least Andy had the decency to look chagrined. “Oh, just stop. It’s done now. I can talk to Matt for five minutes. You don’t have to hide the knives.”
Andy kissed her cheek and shot Matt a warning glance before shuffling off to his bedroom.
“What’s so important you needed privacy?” she asked.
“Can we sit and talk like civilized people for a few minutes?” He nodded toward the couch and grinned his charming but futile grin. “Put down your weapons, Ave. I’ve already apologized.”
Avery inhaled slowly. She had put him behind her last year. She didn’t miss him. And she didn’t want him to misinterpret her annoyance for a pang of regret. Whatever was causing her insides to explode, it was most certainly not the familiar scent of his cologne or the rasp of his voice.
“Is this the part where I act sophisticated and ask you about your new life with Sasha?” Crud. Not exactly exuding indifference.
“This is the part where I tell you I’m fairly miserable in LA.” Matt shifted slightly closer, lowering his voice. “This is the part where you get to gloat because I’ve realized I walked away from a warm, intelligent woman for the worship of a spoiled, young nitwit. This is the part where I grovel for forgiveness.”
Matt searched her eyes as if seeking some response other than her stillness.
Truly, his confession should have her doing backflips. No spurned woman’s revenge fantasy topped the “I made a huge mistake when I left you” speech. Well, it would be a tad better if she had also already moved on with someone new. But, little details could be overlooked.
This was huge.
And yet, curiously, Avery felt only a minor flutter in her chest. Maybe she was really over him. Maybe she didn’t really care. Maybe she hadn’t merely been fooling herself all these months.
“I appreciate the admission, but it’s too little, too late.”
Matt didn’
t look surprised by her lack of enthusiasm. “I hope not. In fact, I was hoping we could spend some time together.”
“Ha!” Avery laughed out loud. When he didn’t smile, her eyes widened. “You’re not joking, are you?”
“No. I want to rebuild my friendship with Andy, and with you.” He smiled. “Who knows what could happen?”
He looked sincere, but her ability to believe in him had long ago crumbled.
“Why would I ever trust you again, Matt?”
“I know it’ll take time, but let me earn it back. We could start as friends, like before.”
“‘Like before’ isn’t a good argument, considering how it ended.” She crossed her arms, raising one brow.
“You know, a big part of what happened had more to do with wanting to try a different kind of life in a bigger town than with choosing between her and you.” He leaned closer to Avery, reaching toward her but resting his hand on the cushion near her thigh. “Now I know the other pasture isn’t greener. It’s out of my system. I won’t make the same mistake twice.”
“Me either.” She could recite the litany of things that, looking back, were wrong with their relationship, but what was the point? She simply wanted to end the discussion.
“You don’t believe me?” He held her gaze.
“It doesn’t matter why you left or what you’ve learned. If a house is destroyed, what difference does it make if it happened by fire or tornado? It’s still gone. So, no, I don’t think there’s any hope for us.”
“You hate me that much?” He actually looked hurt.
Avery thought about it, admitting to herself some nonsensical chamber in her heart would always belong to him, for better or worse. She couldn’t risk allowing him to make inroads to that hidden place. “I don’t hate you. I just don’t see any good reason to let you back into my life.”
Matt hung his head and blew out a breath. “You always told me never say never.”
His hopeful eyes begged for a crumb of mercy.
“Well, that’s true.” Avery stood, restraining her fingers from tousling his hair. She’d always loved his hair. “But I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you.”