Ty looked at the card but didn’t make a move to accept it. “I’ve already got a lawyer, thanks.”
Luc laughed. “And he’s already signed the contract so I’m afraid you’re a day late and a dollar short, Jeff.”
Jeff’s grip around Avery tightened. “I thought I could count on you to keep me in the loop, sweetheart.”
She smiled at him. “Sorry. I guess I’ve been a little distracted lately.” Avery glanced at the table where Jeff had been seated. “We should probably get back to our table. It was nice seeing you both. Oh, Ty, I almost forgot. My friend Andrew is available to do that photo shoot in the morning. He had a cancellation so he was able to squeeze us in as a personal favor to me.” Her eyes finally rested on him. “I’ll text you the details later. Andrew’s a very busy man; please don’t be late.”
Jeff laughed. “Sweetheart, you should know these musicians by now. They rarely wake up before noon.”
Ty glared at Avery’s date. “I grew up on a ranch. We had to wake up before the sun to get the chores done.”
Jeff raised an eyebrow. “A rancher, hmm. I’m thinking that could work in your favor, Avery. Most musicians just play at being cowboys with the boots and the hats. Looks like you’ve got yourself a real live cowboy here.”
Avery looped her arm through Jeff’s. “Yes, well let’s get back to our table, Jeff. Gentlemen, nice to see you.
Ty barely waited until they were out of earshot before he said, “Okay, I hate that guy.”
Luc laughed. “Really, I couldn’t tell.”
Ty scowled. “Was I that obvious?”
“Jeff’s a pompous S.O.B., but Avery seems to like him so I guess that’s all that matters, right?”
“He’s a little long in the tooth, isn’t he?”
Luc laughed. “Avery likes older guys.” He winked. “Maybe she’s got a daddy complex.”
“How old is she?”
Luc thought about it for a minute. “Thirty-five, I think.”
Ty knew Avery would use their five-year age difference as another con on the mental list she seemed to be compiling to talk herself out of getting involved with him. No matter what she said, or how much she protested, he knew women well enough to know she wasn’t faking her response to him last night. She still wanted him as much as he wanted her. He just had to find a way to convince her to overlook the fact that there was a woman out there somewhere sharing his last name.
After enjoying a delicious steak dinner, Ty sat back in his seat and glared at the couple who had been at the forefront of his mind all night.
Luc took a sip of the espresso the waitress set down before him. “Man, you’ve got it bad. You’ve barely taken your eyes off of her all night.”
Ty shook his head. “Man, I’m sorry, Luc. I hope you’re not pissed that I brought you here to do a little spying on Avery. I overheard her making plans with him and I was curious.”
Luc laughed. “It was no surprise to me or Avery, Ty.”
“What do you mean?”
“You don’t think she wore that dress for Jeff’s benefit, do you?”
“Why else would she wear it?”
“She called me earlier to give me a progress report. I asked her about her plans for the evening and she told me she was coming here with Jeff. She didn’t seem all that surprised when I told her we were dining here as well.”
Ty shook his head and smiled. He should have known better than to think he’d be able to get one over on Avery. She was too sharp to believe that his choice of restaurants was merely a coincidence. Not that he minded being outwitted. He wanted her to know that he was willing to go to any lengths to be with her again.
“What do you know about this Jeff guy?” Ty asked.
Luc shrugged. “Not much, just that he’s an entertainment lawyer. Some of my clients have used him in the past. He seems okay, not a shyster if that’s what you’re asking.”
“You said you thought Avery liked him?”
“She seems to. I don’t think it’s serious, though. Avery dates a lot of guys.”
Ty didn’t like the sound of that. How many times would he have to sit across a crowded restaurant from the woman while another man took her home? “When you say a lot, how many are you talking about?”
Luc chuckled. “Being seen in the right places with the right people is part of her job. That doesn’t mean she’s into any of the guys she goes out with.”
Somehow that did little to put his mind at ease. “She dates a lot of celebrities?”
Luc finished the cup of strong coffee and set his napkin on the table. “This is Nashville, my friend. Most of the celebrities are country singers.”
“Which doesn’t answer my question.”
Luc stood up. “I’m not gonna act as your go-between. If you want the dirt, you’re gonna have to ask her yourself. Now, if you’ll excuse me, my fiancée is waiting for me at home.”
“Your fiancée?”
Luc grinned. “Yeah, can you believe it? I finally convinced Marisa to settle for a schlep like me. So don’t let anyone tell you to give up hope on Avery. If there’s hope for us, there’s hope for you two.”
Ty stood and offered Luc his hand. “Congratulations, Luc. You are one lucky man.”
He accepted his hand and pulled him into a back-slapping half hug. “Don’t I know it, buddy. Hey listen, I meant what I said, Ty. I don’t know the deal with your marriage...”
“It’s over, Luc. It’s been over for years; we just haven’t made it official yet.”
Luc raised his eyebrows. “If you really want a shot with Avery, I think you best be calling a divorce lawyer ASAP.”
“I wish it were that simple.”
“It is, if you want to be with Avery. If there’s one thing I know about her, it’s that married men are off limits, no matter the circumstances.”
Ty grimaced. “Yeah, I kinda got that impression.”
Luc nodded toward the door. “Looks like our boy Jeff just left.”
Ty looked over to see Avery finishing her coffee as she scrolled the messages on her Blackberry. “Can I touch base with you tomorrow?”
Luc slapped him on the back. “You got it, man. Hey, I’m gonna have Marisa send some stuff over to Andrew’s studio for the photo shoot tomorrow, if Avery hasn’t already arranged it.”
“Great, thanks. I’ll let you know how it goes.”
Luc rolled his eyes. “I’m not worried about it. The camera is gonna love you.”
Ty chuckled as he made his way over to Avery’s table. “Can I tempt you into having some dessert with me, pretty lady?”
Avery looked up and smiled. “How did you know I needed a chocolate fix?” She gestured to the chair her date had vacated.
He sat down. “What happened to Jeff?”
“A client in crisis, he had to leave.” She laughed. “In fact, he’d just had a few too many and needed someone to talk him down, but when duty calls...”
“He must be crazy to leave a gorgeous woman like you sitting here all by her lonesome.”
Avery sat back in her chair and studied him. “Are you coming on to me, cowboy?”
He grinned. “Hell yeah, is it workin’?”
She propped her elbows on the table and leaned forward. “I wanted to tell you how much I admire what you did for your parents. There aren’t a lot of sons who’d be willing to put their own happiness on hold to help his family save their life’s work.”
He leaned forward and met her halfway across the table. “It wasn’t a sacrifice until I met you,” he whispered. “If I had my way, I’d put a big ole’ diamond ring on your finger and tell the world that you’re my woman.”
She laughed and settled back in her seat. “You do have a flair for the dramatic, don’t you, McCall?”
“I’m serious,” he said, reaching across the table to take her hand. “You’re the one, the only one for me. I knew it the night we met two years ago.”
She looked around the restaurant as she withdrew her
hand from his, looking uneasy. “We can’t be seen together like this. I mean, people are going to find out you’re married and...”
“I don’t care about that, Avery...”
“You may not care about it, but I do. I swore I’d never be the other woman and I won’t be, not even for you.”
He sighed. “Why are you so hell bent on fixating on a meaningless piece of paper?”
She grunted. “You know how many men think of their marriage license as a meaningless piece of paper? Too many and you can count my father among them.”
He felt like a heel when he realized he’d been minimizing her pain. “I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he whispered. “That must have been difficult for you.”
When her eyes finally met his, they were filled with tears. “My mother looked the other way because she wasn’t willing to give up the cushy lifestyle they’d built. She’s a brilliant, successful woman in her own right. Why would she subject herself to that kind of humiliation? Unless...”
He wished he could reach across the table and offer the comfort she so obviously needed, but he knew she wouldn’t welcome a public display of affection so he maintained his distance. “Unless what?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know, I’m just speculating, but I’ve often wondered if they had one of those open marriages. Maybe they chose to look the other way when the other took a lover.” She shuddered. “It makes me sick just thinking about it.” Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him. “I guess you’d be able to understand that kind of arrangement though, wouldn’t you? You sleep with whomever you want, your wife does the same, and it seems you couldn’t care less.”
He knew she was just angry at her parents and was choosing to lash out at him. He would gladly shoulder her burden if he thought it would help her. “You’re right, I don’t care if my ex… if Abby is sleeping around, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t respect and believe in the sanctity of marriage because I do.”
She smirked, looking angry, sad, and lost. “How do I know that? You’d probably do the same thing to me if we were ever married.”
He reared back, feeling her words with the intensity of a physical blow. No one had ever questioned his morals or his integrity before. Abby understood and agreed to the terms of their arrangement. She had cheated on him while he thought they were in a monogamous relationship, not the other way around. He had never, would never, cheat on a woman he’d promised to be faithful to, especially not if that woman was Avery. “If that’s what you think of me, I guess we have nothing left to say to each other.” He got up, but she grabbed his forearm.
“Wait, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I’m just upset about…” She paused, letting go of his arm. “It’s my parent’s fortieth wedding anniversary today.” She rolled her eyes. “What a crock, huh?”
“Avery, I get the feeling you could use a friend tonight. If I promise not to cross the line, will you come back to my place? I’ll build a fire. We can have a glass of wine and just talk. What do you say?”
She looked up at him and it nearly broke his heart. She looked more lost, more vulnerable than he’d ever seen her.
“I think I’d like that,” she whispered.
Chapter Five
Avery couldn’t explain why she’d allowed Ty to convince her to drop her car off at her place so they could drive back to his ranch together. Maybe it was the fact that he was concerned about her welfare and wanted to take care of her that finally broke down her defenses. No one had ever offered to take care of her, not her parents or previous lovers. Her parents had paid people to see to her needs and her past boyfriends were more concerned about having her take care of their needs. Ty was the first person who had ever looked close enough to see through the tough veneer at the vulnerability that lurked beneath her lacquered mask.
He reached across the warm, dark cab of his truck to take her hand in his. “You okay, darlin’? You’ve been pretty quiet since we left your place.”
She sniffled, grateful for the cloak of darkness surrounding them. She feared if she started crying now she may never find the strength to stop. Maybe it was hearing his story, the fact that he was willing to put everything on the line to help his parents and serve as a father-figure to a little girl that wasn’t even his, that made her realize that no one, not even her own parents, had ever been willing to sacrifice their selfish needs to ensure her happiness.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, swiping at the tear sliding down her cheek. “I don’t want to dump all of my problems on you.”
He brought her hand to his lips. “I’m here to listen. Whatever it is, you can tell me.”
She fisted her other hand over her lips to thwart the trembling. “I just feel so alone, Ty.”
He kept his eyes on the road as he turned onto the unpaved road that led to his family’s ranch. “You’re not alone, sweetheart.”
“Yes, I am,” she sniffled. “I always have been. Did I mention the fact that my parents shipped me off to an all-girls boarding school when I was a kid?”
He stroked her hair and sighed. “No, that must have been rough.”
“Not only that, but I had to stay there all year. My friends would get to go home and I had to stay there for their ‘enriched’ summer programs. I knew the real reason was because my parents didn’t have time for me. They didn’t want me around.” She took a deep breath, trying to quiet the sobs wracking her body. “My father always had time for his mistresses, but he never had time for me, his own daughter.”
Ty eased the truck over the side of the road and slid across the seat to pull her into his arms. “I’m so sorry, honey.” He stroked her hair as he kissed the top of her head.
“I guess when you told me about Melanie it triggered something inside of me, something I’ve kept buried for a long time.”
“How so?”
“When Melanie was born, you were just a kid yourself. You didn’t have the life experience or financial resources to be a dad to her, but you didn’t let that stop you.”
He shook his head. “No, I did the best I could. That’s not to say I didn’t make a lot of mistakes.” He reached into the glove box and handed her a travel pack of tissue.
“Thanks.” She took one of the tissues out of the package and dabbed her eyes and nose. “I just don’t understand how a guy like you could step up and be a father to a kid who wasn’t even yours when my own parents cast me aside like a useless piece of garbage.” She hated to admit even to herself that was how her parents made her feel.
He slid his finger under her chin and turned her face toward him. “You are beautiful and brilliant and strong, Avery. If your parents can’t see that, then they’re fools.”
She leaned her head on his shoulder, hoping she could draw on some of his strength to help her reclaim the fortitude that escaped her. “I just wish things could’ve been different.”
He stroked her thigh. “I’m sure everyone wishes there was something about their lives they could change.”
She lifted her head to look up at him. “What would you change, if you could?”
He sighed and leaned his head back against the headrest. “I would have met you at a different time in my life, when I was single and able to give you the kind of commitment you deserve.”
His words were so sweet, so reassuring, but she had been disappointed too many times to allow herself to accept them at face value. He was about to embark on a life changing experience: groupies, a different city every night, fame, money, and adoration beyond his wildest dreams. Within a matter of months he’d forget he’d ever met her and she would be alone again. Only this time it would be harder to cope because she would have finally lowered her defenses and allowed someone to help her. She couldn’t take that kind of risk.
“I think maybe I should go home now, Ty. I’m too wrung out to talk anymore tonight.”
“Then just let me hold you,” he whispered. “We don’t have to talk if you don’t want to.”
The promise of hi
s strong arms around her, holding her through the night felt like a balm to her battered soul. But when he was gone, in just a few weeks, she’d be left to face life alone once more. It would be best if she didn’t allow him to provide comfort. “I don’t think that would be a good idea.”
He shifted his body so he was facing her. “Tell me what you want from me.”
It was such a simple question, but she couldn’t find the words to express her needs to a man who couldn’t possibly meet them without sacrificing more of himself than he had already. “I don’t want anything from you.”
He took both of her hands between his to warm them. “I think we both know that’s not true. When I first met you, I knew there was something about you, about us. I knew that I wanted you, needed you, but I had no idea how much you needed me.”
She bristled at his words. She had never needed anyone in her life. She wasn’t about to start relying on a man who was just passing through on his way to bigger and better things. “You’re wrong. I don’t need you.”
He smiled, brushing a tear off her cheek. “Yes, you do and that’s okay. I want you to need me.”
She shook her head vehemently. “No, it’s not okay. I can’t afford to fall in love with you.” Where had that thought come from? Who had said anything about falling in love? He may well be talking about a mutually supportive friendship and she was making false assumptions. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, dipping her head to hide her embarrassment. “I shouldn’t have said that. It was stupid.”
“Why? Is the thought of falling in love with me so inconceivable to you, or maybe you’ve never let yourself fall in love with anyone. Is that it, Avery?”
She refused to acknowledge the truth in his words, so she tried to retreat. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Please take me home.”
He shook his head. “I’m not taking you home until you tell me the truth. Is it that you can’t imagine falling in love with me or you won’t open yourself up to anyone?”
Reckless (Nashville Nights) Page 7