Wearing a pair of jeans, a pressed shirt, and cowboy boots, he looked more like a gentleman farmer than the pastors she knew. His wire-frame glasses added a professorial touch.
But the Bible in his hands was the first giveaway, the symbol they had agreed on when they talked yesterday morning. And he had Avery’s kind blue eyes.
They reached in for an awkward handshake-turned-hug, and he had pulled her close. “Kathleen, what a pleasure to meet you. You’ll never know what you’ve meant to my daughter.” His deep voice sent a tingle down her spine. “You helped her through a difficult time.”
“She’s meant every bit as much to me. You raised her right.” She looked into his eyes. “I’m thankful she went ahead and told you everything.”
He reached out and squeezed her hand. “God sent you to her. I’ll never know how to repay you.”
About her age, Morris had sandy hair, a shade darker than Avery’s. He tossed his oversize piece of luggage into the trunk, as though it were a handbag, and opened the car door for her. “I brought another load of crafts.”
The way his eyes lit up when he saw his daughter was one of the most attractive things Kathleen had ever seen.
“I don’t know what to say.” Avery pulled him close again, her ponytail swinging back and forth. “How in the world did you get here?”
“Your friend Kathleen worked it out.”
“Leftover frequent-flyer miles. They were going to expire anyway.” Kathleen smiled. “Davis pitched in a few too.”
“That’s the nicest, best, most wonderful thing ever—” Avery stopped. “Your hair. It’s red again!”
Kathleen put her hand up to the spiky strands. “I was ready for a change. And this time I’ll stick with it.”
“I love it! Daddy, don’t you love it?”
Morris looked at her, a quirk to his mouth. “I’ve always liked redheads.”
“So your wife was a redhead?” Kathleen asked.
“She had brownish hair, darker than Avery’s.” He shook his head. “But my first love, way back in sixth grade, had red hair. She was a firecracker.”
“Kathleen is too.” Avery glanced from her father to her friend.
“I can tell.” He grinned.
“She’s the best, Dad.”
Kathleen put her hands on her hips. “You threw me for a loop, child, when you decided to pick up Martha and Bill. I was calling all over the place for someone to mind the store.”
“And then you were gone. I had to ask Camille to keep an eye on things when I took them home.” Avery’s eyes flew open wide. “I forgot to tell you! Bill left the final paperwork for us to sign. Marsh is stopping by later to take care of it. And he’s going to let us pay his fee in fried pies.”
Kathleen let out her big laugh. “Hooray!”
“Praise the Lord,” Morris said.
“Group hug!” Avery said. The three of them hugged, Kathleen and Avery jumping up and down.
“Is everything okay?” T. J. stepped through the door, tool belt slung around his hips.
Avery laughed. “Everything’s perfect.” She grabbed her father by the hand. “This is my father, Morris Theriot. Daddy, this is T. J. Aillet.” Exuberant, she gave T. J. a quick hug.
He extended his hand, and Morris shook it slowly.
Kathleen knew that assessing look. She had seen Wayne use it on Lindsey’s boyfriends.
“Good to meet you, son. Avery’s spent quite a bit of our phone time lately talking about you.”
“Dad!”
T. J. threw her that potent grin. “She’s a special woman.”
“You two have so much in common, Daddy. I told you about New Wine, T. J.’s mission on the other side of town, and they’re doing some of the things you’re doing in Haiti. And, T. J., my dad’s pretty handy with a hammer and nail too.”
“Morris is a great storyteller also,” Kathleen said. “You should hear all he’s got going on. The story about young Angel just about made me pull over by the side of the road and weep.”
Avery moved to stand near her dad. “Did something happen to Angel?”
Morris nodded. “Her mother’s sister has asked her to move in with them. They will have to stretch to make it work, but we’re all thrilled.”
“And Angel?”
“She loved the shoes you sent but is worried you won’t visit her if she leaves the orphanage.”
“Oh, Daddy, you know I will. Be sure to tell her I’ll always visit.”
T. J. looked at Kathleen out of the corner of his eye and winked.
Seeing him light up every time he looked at Avery added a sparkle to the market. And the strain of the past month—probably from the past few years—had melted from Avery’s eyes.
“You, you tricky thing.” She turned to Kathleen. “You said you went on a job interview.”
“I did. Before I went to the airport.”
“Oh,” Avery said. “And you were turned down for a thirty-year-old who has three young children to support?”
Kathleen raised her eyebrows. “I got an offer.”
“What?”
“My old boss is starting a small manufacturing business. He needs me part-time.”
“Didn’t he move to Minnesota?”
“Not for long. It isn’t the best corporate strategy to transfer someone to Minnesota in January. His wife and kids never moved, and he hated it up there.” She raised an eyebrow. “So he came back. He’s begging me to work for him—can’t afford me full-time, though.”
A smile crept onto Avery’s face. “How would this work?”
“I’m thinking we keep our fifty-fifty investment, and you run it full-time. I fill in.” She shrugged. “We’ll figure out the rest.”
“Sounds like a plan to me.”
“I have more news,” Kathleen said. “I was telling your father about Lindsey in one of our e-mails, and he suggested I call her.”
“I’ve been telling you that for a couple of weeks.”
“I know, but he’s got a parent’s perspective. But that’s not the good part. I worked up my nerve and invited her for a visit.”
“Oh, Kathleen, that’s fantastic.”
“She sounded glad to hear from me and said she’s been thinking about going back to school. I told her you and I would love to have her live with us.” Kathleen gave a tentative smile. “We’ll see.”
The bell on the door jingled, and one of their regular customers stepped in, smiling. “Hey, Avery, what’s the special today?”
“Jambalaya, and it’s good.”
“Everything’s good.” T. J. eyed Avery.
“Could I get four orders?” The woman glanced at a slip of paper. “Any bread pudding today?”
“I can help you,” Kathleen called. “Morris, want to see what it looks like in the command center?”
“Great idea,” Avery said. “Would you mind, Dad?”
“It would be my pleasure.”
Avery swatted Kathleen on the rear end and winked. “How about you, T. J.? The special?”
“Wouldn’t miss it. And then I’m going to hang your new awning. You were right about the stripes. They look awesome, and the company got it back in record time.”
The sight of Avery’s sparkling eyes and big smile made Kathleen want to yell with sheer joy. Who would have expected their string of awfulness to wind up so happily?
She shifted her attention to Morris and recalled the Bible verse taped to her bathroom mirror. “Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” Kathleen gave in to the moment and let out a jubilant whoop.
Avery pulled the Brown Beast into the bank parking lot that afternoon before closing time and brushed flour off her jeans. Maybe she should have dressed—no, she liked this look. Too bad she hadn’t borrowed Camille’s cowboy boots.
With a Magnolia Market canvas tote thrown over her shoulder, she strolled toward the lobby. Through the glass, Scooter watched, his face expressionless. At the last moment, he stepped forward
and held the door. “They’re expecting you.”
Avery nodded and headed toward the elevator, an odd calm settling on her as she approached the office.
Evangeline sat in the chair Avery had used on her last visit. Was that only a month ago? Creswell was on the phone in Scooter’s desk chair, turned toward the window.
A bolt of unexpected anger zinged through her but disappeared almost as quickly as it appeared. Avery could not erase the past, but she had moved beyond life in the Broussard family.
Her gaze met Creswell’s in the window’s reflection, and he stared at her for a second before ending the call and turning. Evangeline shifted at the same time, her attention going first to Avery’s jeans and then to the empty ring finger.
Avery had sealed her wedding band in an envelope to send to a Shreveport thrift shop benefiting an animal shelter, then headed to the post office. But in the end she circled back and asked Kathleen to drop the anonymous package in a mailbox for her.
Evangeline wore a suit Avery had not seen before, nothing from earlier boutique collections. A gold brooch, a gift from Cres and Avery, graced the lapel. The choice was encouraging.
“Thank you for meeting with me.” Avery walked to the chair next to Evangeline.
Evangeline was more rigid than the coatrack at the boutique.
“May I?”
Evangeline’s nod was so slight it was almost imperceptible, but Avery lowered herself into the chair with ease.
“You missed your deadline. Let’s get this over with.” Creswell’s gaze shifted from right to left, anywhere but Avery’s face.
“You’ve come to your senses?” Evangeline asked.
“Yes.”
“Finally. When will you be leaving?”
“I won’t leave. And I expect you to withdraw your offer for the market—and any other property at the corner of Trumpet and Vine.”
Evangeline made an inelegant snort. “Why would we do that?”
Creswell fidgeted with a monogrammed cuff link.
Standing, Avery held up her fingers. “One: The money is mine. I expect it and the rest of the money from my savings account. Two: Razing the corner will hurt Samford, a town that has made you wealthy, in ways that can never be repaired. And three—” She paused, even though it was clear she had Creswell’s attention.
“You’re so naive,” Evangeline said.
“Let her finish.” Creswell sounded like a parent chiding a child.
The inflection, so similar to Cres’s when Avery displeased him, caused a rush of sympathy—and relief—that a new part of life had begun.
“It’s past time we put everything—and I do mean everything—behind us.”
“Cash the check.” Creswell’s voice was low. “Buy that ridiculous grocery store. But don’t ever contact us again.”
Avery bit her cheek to keep from smiling.
“You’re not going to let her win,” Evangeline snapped. “Everyone in town will talk about us.”
“Sounds like another excuse for you to run away to the beach house.”
Evangeline’s mouth opened, even as her eyes narrowed at her husband’s words.
“Scooter’s waiting downstairs.” Creswell waved toward the door. “See him on your way out.”
Avery walked out of the office, then hesitated and walked back toward Evangeline. “There’s one more thing.” It was time to let go of the last of her shackles.
Sweat popped out on Creswell’s forehead.
Avery reached into her tote bag and pulled out her heavy white-gold bracelet. Placing it in Evangeline’s hand, she closed her fingers around the cool metal, their two hands clasped together for a moment.
“Cres loved you very much.” She turned on her heel and walked away.
Chapter 39
Avery straightened the new Haitian crafts her father had brought and lit three vanilla candles, one on each table and one on the counter.
Their scent mingled with leftover smells of lunch and coffee—and the étouffée she had fixed for dinner. Only the dim light over the register was on. After all, she wouldn’t want to confuse the customers.
The bells on the front door jingled, and a smile lit her face. A man, more than six feet tall, stood on the threshold, the person she had been expecting.
He looked over at the big round clock on the wall behind the counter and wrinkled his nose. “Did I get my wires crossed?”
“This is Magnolia Market. What address were you looking for?”
“I’m T. J. Aillet, and I’m looking for Avery Broussard.”
“You found her,” she said softly, and he moved to gather her in a hug.
He glanced down at her feet. “I want you to know you’re the only person whose shoes I’ve ever noticed.”
She laughed, and he kissed her, running his fingers through her hair.
“Ahem.”
Did the bell on the door jingle?
“Ross!” Avery jumped back, her face flooding with heat.
Ross Broussard stood inside, his face unreadable. “When I asked you to check on Avery, T. J., looks like you took it seriously.”
Even in February, he was tan, every golden hair in place. With his dress slacks, starched shirt, and blue-striped tie, he could have been about to sign a big real-estate deal or preach at a wedding. But his eyes looked tired, and his mouth was tight.
“Best favor I ever did for anyone.” T. J.’s eyes were wary. “When’d you get back?”
“This afternoon.” The veins in his neck stuck out. “Marsh said I’d probably find the two of you here. Congratulations on signing the papers, Avery—and whatever else is going on.”
“I was going to call you, man,” T. J. said, “but things have been crazy.”
Ross looked at the candlelit table. “So that’s what you call it when you start fooling around with my brother’s wife?”
“Ross.” His name was mixed with a gasp as it left Avery’s mouth.
“Uncalled for.” T. J. stepped forward, his fists clenched. “Avery doesn’t deserve that.”
“Wait, T. J.” She put her hand on his arm. “Ross, I should have told you we were getting . . . close, but it’s brand-new. And I didn’t want to hurt you.”
“You hurt me by not calling me back and avoiding me whenever possible.” He crossed his arms. “You were my sister-in-law for five years. Doesn’t that mean something?”
“Yes, it does.” Her voice was so quiet that the hum of the cooler almost obscured it. “I loved Cres, but it didn’t work out and now he’s gone.”
T. J. opened his mouth, but Avery squeezed his arm.
“I want your blessing to move on, Ross.” She sniffed. “I want us to be friends and to make new memories.”
Ross cleared his throat. “I wish my brother had made different decisions, but he wasn’t all bad.”
“No, he wasn’t.” She moved toward him and gave him a quick embrace before stepping back to T. J.’s side. “I’ll never forget the good. But I’m putting the bad behind me. Starting over.”
He narrowed his eyes, looking toward T. J. “This caught me off guard.”
“Me too.” She gripped T. J.’s hand. “But I’m thankful. For so much, I’m thankful. Finally.”
“I never intended this to happen,” T. J. said.
“You’d better not hurt her.” Ross’s voice was rough.
“I promise you I won’t.”
Ross looked around, drawing a deep breath. “Am I interrupting a romantic dinner?”
“Not exactly,” Avery said.
“Sorta,” T. J. said.
Avery looked from one man to the other. “My father surprised me today, and we’re having a family celebration.” She could hardly wait to see her dad’s face when she slipped him the money from the Broussard check. It would go a long way to help Angel’s aunt raise her.
“How about joining us?” T. J. asked.
Ross looked first at Avery and then at T. J. “I don’t think so, but the store looks great.” He pic
ked up a praline and studied it. “This corner changed in a hurry.”
“I’m working with Camille and the gallery to bring Trumpet and Vine back to life. We’re applying for a grant. There’s hope here.”
“Avery’s serious,” T. J. said. “She’s considering running for city council.”
Ross’s eyes widened. “I guess you’ve decided to get out from behind the counter.” He gave a slight smile.
“I guess I have.”
“Well . . .” Ross shuffled his loafers on the floor. “I promised the folks I’d have dinner with them at the Samford Club. We’ll visit another time.”
When Ross walked through the door, the screen creaked. The sight of his back left a hollow feeling in her stomach.
But then she turned to T. J., and her heart felt as if it might pop.
“Are you okay?” He drew her up against his chest.
She nodded, rubbing her cheek against his shirt. “I’m good.”
T. J. pulled back. “I brought you a belated birthday gift.” He pulled a small package from his jacket pocket. “Bud made it.”
Her hands trembling, she pulled out a carving of a dog. “It’s Fearless,” she gasped.
“Does it look like him? I asked Bud to make his ears extra pointy.”
“It’s exactly like him.” Tears blurred her eyes.
T. J. bent to kiss her, and she leaned in, one high heel off the floor.
As they pulled apart, slowly, she opened her eyes a slit and looked over at the biscuit case.
New mercies. God’s compassions never fail.
The traffic signal flashed through the display window, and Avery snuggled against T. J. New mercies were ahead.
New mercies were here.
At this corner.
Her future beckoned. A store of her own. Kathleen’s friendship. A chance to help others.
And this man, solid and warm.
With delight, she lifted her face to meet his lips once more.
Discussion Questions
1. An unexpected calamity rattles Avery Broussard and sets in motion a variety of changes in her life. How does she handle it, and what might you have done differently? Have you ever had an accident, illness, or tragedy that resulted in change? What advice might you offer to someone in the midst of such a situation?
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