“Clint, no.” Rhett’s mom raises her hand, then stands. “Avery, go home, honey. You’re welcome to stay with the twins, but you can’t come in here anymore.”
I slide from the bed, averting my eyes as Rhett’s dad glares at me. The Clarks have never treated me like this. I’m part of the family. I’m so confused and hurt as I grab my things and head to my car.
But I can’t go home. Heading to the park, I stand by the stream where Jack’s dad once laid in an icy tomb. Mom lost her love and it had crushed her. But then, she bounced back. She fell in love with Dad. The only person who would talk about it is Nova.
I call her.
“Hey baby girl,” she says with a yawn. “Early call. I thought after your late night, you’d be a zombie.”
“Tell me about how Mom and Dad fell in love.”
She hesitates. “Where are you?”
“Tell me.” My voice is high-pitched and tense.
“What happened?” The tension in her voice rises. Her social worker instincts are kicking in.
“The Clarks kicked me out.” I fall onto the shoreline sobbing.
“Avery? Avery?” She swears. “You’re by the creek, aren’t you? Do Mom and Dad know?”
I can’t answer. All I can do is cry.
“Avery!”
I can’t respond.
She hangs up.
I don’t care. I wasn’t getting what I wanted from her anyway. I cry and cry until I can’t cry anymore. Staring over the babbling creek, I take a deep breath. Rhett’s gone. I’ve lost him for good. I’m such an idiot.
Then, I rub my ear over my earlobe. My earring is gone. Dad gave it to me and I lost it. Dad’s special earring and Rhett, gone.
Dropping my knees to sit cross-legged, I pull the pins out of my hair. Dad fought for Mom when everything kept them apart. Maybe I should do that, too.
“Avery?”
It’s Brad. He sits beside me, his dark blond hair looking golden in the sunlight. He stares out over the creek. “This place gives me the creeps.”
“Yeah,” I say on a sigh.
“I made breakfast this morning.”
A smile forces itself to the surface. I rest my head against his shoulder. “Your French toast?”
“I can’t actually make anything else.”
I chuckle. “I’ve been stupid, Brad.”
“No.” His arm wraps around my waist.
“Yes. I had Rhett all along, and now he’s gone, I finally realize how much he means to me. I mean, he was always my favorite person in the whole world, but it never clicked that I…”
A lump in my throat prevents me from saying it. If I say it, I want to tell Rhett first.
“Yeah.” His head sinks. “It sucks. I kinda wanted him to marry you.”
I grin. “What?”
He shrugs. “He’s cool. We’ve hung out a lot, as you know. For you, you and the twins have your girl link; with me and him, it’s a guy thing. Jack and Donny would go off, Taylor is an annoying brat, and we didn’t want to hang out with our sisters, so …”
I nuzzle up against his shoulder. “You miss him too?”
“More than Jack.”
That surprises me. Brad loves his big brother. Everyone loves Jack.
He links his arm under mine, and pulls me to my feet. When we turn around I see Dad by the truck, watching us. I keep my head down. He’s going to be furious at me for acting the way I am.
When I step in front of him, I say, “Dad, I’m sorry if I—”
His arms wrap around me, pulling my face to his chest. “No, Avery. You don’t need to be sorry. They shouldn’t have chased you out like that. No one makes my girl cry.”
I swallow, sensing things are about to get ugly.
That night, Dad comes home furious. The twins sit in the living room—apparently Scarlett has recently decided Brad is worth paying attention to—as he storms in the door.
“Braydon!” he yells.
Mom glares at him from the kitchen. “Don’t yell at me like that!”
“Where’s Taylor?”
“At the Blakes’.”
“Good.” He looks into the family room and pauses. “Girls?” The twins and I look over.
“I think it’s time you go home.”
The twins rush out of the house, cowering as they pass Dad. Brad and I sit, staring up at him. His jaw clenches as he looks from us to Mom. “We’re not visiting with the Clarks for a while. And no one stays over.”
“Paul.” Mom moves toward him, scowling, but he raises his hand.
“That’s it. Clint’s being an unreasonable dick.”
“Paul!” Mom says harshly.
“That’s final, Bray! None of them are welcome here for a while. Am I perfectly clear?”
“You’re being an ass, Paul Davis.”
“I’m protecting my daughter!” he yells. “He basically called her a slut.”
“I doubt that,” Mom responds.
I curl up on the couch, mortified.
“If they don’t think she’s good enough for their runt of a son, then that’s their problem.”
“Paul.” Mom finally grabs his arm. “This is not the time or place to be discussing this.”
She glances to me.
I want to turn invisible.
Dad looks to me as well. “Avery.” He steps over to kneel in front of me. “You’re a beautiful, wonderful girl, you know that? I love you very much. If any boy breaks your heart, I’ll rip him to shreds, no matter whose kid he is.”
Dad launches to his feet and marches up the stairs.
Mom groans and heads back into the kitchen.
Brad leans against me as we hear her talking on the phone in a whisper.
“Megan? Yeah, Paul just got home … Yeah, it’s that … The pair of them are being idiots … I don’t know … How’s Rhett doing?”
I sit up to listen.
“That’s good. He’s a really good kid … That’s a pity. I would have loved to see him for Christmas … Yeah, he’s coming up with Donny … All right. Bye.”
No Rhett for Christmas. I slump back. And our families are divided, too. This is my fault.
Chapter Five
Avery
It’s spring break for Jack’s college, and he’s back for the week. We stroll through town, with the last of the snow in patches on the grass and against the bases of trees.
“It’s already hot in Vegas,” he says, breathing in the cool, mountain air. His lean but strong shoulders rise and fall. “I’m so moving back here when I’m done. I’ve been talking to Doc about taking over when I’ve done my interning and all that.”
“That’s a few more years yet,” I say.
“Yeah, but he’s in his fifties. By the time I’m done, I’m sure he’ll be ready to phase out and let me take over.”
“That sounds nice. I’d love to have you back.” I wrap my hand around his elbow.
“You’re not going to stay here forever are you?”
“Why not?” I smile. “I love it here. I want to be a teacher and a mom, and where else would be better?”
A wolf whistle echoes across the street. I hate the boarding school boys. But they don’t dare come near any of us, especially me. They’re all terrified of the big bad sheriff, and they all know what happened to Jack’s real dad.
Jack glares over at them. “Jerks.”
“Just ignore them.” We stop in the playground by the courthouse and sit on the swings together.
We fall silent for several minutes as I enjoy the peace; the soft rushing sound of the mountain air, the smell of pines. Nothing could be more perfect.
“So, what happened between Dad and Clint?”
I tense. It’s been months since their falling out, but still they won’t talk to each other unless they have to. “Me.”
Jack tilts his head. “Huh?”
“I happened.”
“But … huh?”
I sigh. “After the winter formal, I crashed at the Clarks�
�� house and they kicked me out.”
“But we’ve always crashed at each other’s places.”
“Yeah, but …” I chew on my lip. “I crashed in Rhett’s bed because I miss him.”
Jack swears softly. “He’s still not talking to you?”
I shake my head. “Short texts every now and then, but that’s it.”
Jack runs his hand over his face, letting out a soft moan. “And both Dad and Clint are trying to protect their kids.” He stands, raising his chin with a defiant look in his eyes. “This needs to end.”
He marches away.
“Jack?” I hurry after him.
“You stay outside.” He squeezes my shoulder. “I’ll give them both what for.”
“Mom and Megan have already tried. Even Sarah and Wyatt tried.”
He looks into my eyes. “Then what will it hurt if one more person tries?”
He rushes by the courthouse and into the sheriff station. I stand outside the courthouse, watching the sheriff station’s door. Several minutes pass before I hear yelling. I rush over and peek through the window.
Jack’s yelling! He points between Dad and Clint and scolding them like little boys! Neither of them look at him; they stare at the ground. When he stops, he presses his hands against his hips, waiting.
Clint looks to Dad first. He mutters something, then Dad nods, looking back at him. Dad raises his hand and Clint takes it. Jack nods and hurries out the door.
I stare at him in amazement. He grabs my arm and pulls me away.
“How did you do that?” I ask.
“Sometimes people just need to be reminded that they care about one another.”
I love my brothers.
*
Rhett
I had an incredible night. Anne looked beautiful, we had a blast out dancing, and I’m going to ask her to come home with me for the summer.
As we approach my dorm, her arm wraps around mine as she kisses my ear. “You’re so sexy.”
I laugh.
“I’m serious.” She nibbles on my earlobe. “Your ass looks amazing in these jeans, and this shirt makes me want to rip it off.”
I laugh again. “You’re nuts.”
I slide my key in the door and push it open. I flick the light on as she shuts the door behind her. She clicks it locked as I pull out my laptop. “I want to show you something.”
“Porn?” Her arms slide around my shoulders.
“No.” I shake my head, smiling. “My hometown.”
“Rhett.” She swivels the chair around so I’m facing her. Then she slides her skin-tight shirt over her head.
That black lacey bra I’ve had glimpses of all evening as it peeked out when she bent over, is incredibly sexy. She’s a little bonier than I expected. Her ribs and hips jut out, but I’ve never seen a girl so close to naked before, so I’m not complaining.
She bends over and slides her matching black panties off under her tight black skirt, never breaking eyes contact with me. I swallow, suddenly realizing what she’s doing. What she wants.
She raises her skirt and straddles me. My hands run up her thighs and over her waist. Is this really happening?
She leans closer so our lips are barely a finger’s width apart. Then, she whispers the most obscene thing to me I’ve ever heard. I pull back, horrified. “What?”
“Did I mumble?” She licks her lips, grabbing my hand and sliding it up between her thighs.
“No. Not like that.”
She sighs, hanging her head back. “Come on, Rhett. It’s not like you’re a virgin.”
“I am, actually.”
She stares at me, her mouth hanging open, then she laughs.
“What’s so funny?” I stare, irritated.
“We better do something about that.” Her arms wrap around me as she kisses my neck.
“Anne, stop.” I push her back. “This is weird. I can’t do it like this.”
“Why not?” She tilts her head, her eyes full of desire.
“Because … because, well, sex is special. It’s for people you love.”
“Uh …” Her eyebrow rises. “You like me, right?”
“Yeah. A whole lot, but what I mean is—”
“Then let’s just do it. It’ll be fun. I’ll make sure your first time is a time you will never forget.”
She moves in again, but I push her back. “Come home with me this summer.”
She looks into my eyes. “What?”
“Meet my family.”
“I’ve met Don. Isn’t that enough?”
“My family is really nice, so you don’t have to worry about them not accepting you.”
She jumps off me. “Wait, you think this …” She points to me, and then to her. “Wow, you’re old school. Rhett …” She rests her hands on my shoulders. “I never want to get married.”
I stare at her, suddenly extremely confused. “But I thought you were my girlfriend?”
She nods. “I am. But this is the twenty-first century. We’ll eventually move on, and it’ll be cleaner if there are no contracts involved.”
My head is spinning. What just happened? This can’t be the same girl I’ve been dating for months.
“You can’t seriously be freaking out.” She grabs her shirt, pulling it back on. “How backward are you?”
“I’m not …” I shoot to my feet. “Get out!”
“Seriously?” She marches over, glaring at me. “I thought you were cool. I thought you accepted people.”
“I accept people,” I say, glaring at her. “I just don’t like being deceived.”
She slaps me. “Asshole.” She grabs her panties. “We’re over.”
“Good.”
She points at me. “Don’t think you can come crying back to me.”
“I have no intention of—”
She slams the door behind her.
I stare down at the website for Papina as it scrolls through pictures of the town. Going home looks really good right now.
*
Avery
I don’t have a date for prom. Since I went to the last two, I shouldn’t be disappointed, but I am. This is my prom.
Sam sits beside me as we wait for buses, her boyfriend on the other side of her. They’re talking. I’m missing Rhett again. Then, a truck pulls up across the street. I watch, since I have nothing else to do, and the person who jumps out makes me sit up.
Todd slips out a bunch of flowers and crosses the street. He’s looking at me. I glance around, wondering if maybe he’s looking at someone else. Then, he kneels in front of me. Sam’s head snaps around as she gasps.
“Avery.” Todd grabs my hand. “I heard a rumor you weren’t going to prom and I had to rectify that.”
“Todd.” My heart melts.
“I’m not expecting anything from you,” he says, resting the flowers on my lap. “I just want to make sure you get to prom. So, Avery Davis, will you let me take you?”
I nod and throw my arms around his neck.
Chapter Six
Rhett
I pass all my classes with top marks. It’s not surprising, but it feels great. My scholarship is secure for another year.
In my dorm, I pull up Facebook, since I have nothing to study. There are so many messages from Avery. She’s telling me things like she normally would; how she’s struggling in Math again, how she’s certain Mrs. Thomas has it out for her, how the choir concert went. Everything always ends in, “How about you? How are you doing? I hope you’re well. Miss you. Av.”
I miss her, too. The problem is, now I’m staring at her profile picture with Brad under her arm, her hair everywhere as they both lean toward a frozen pole with their tongues out, I realize I’m not over her. In fact, the break up with Anne makes me appreciate her more. How uncomplicated she is. With her, what you see is what you get.
I open her PM and begin typing. Except I don’t know what to say. It’s been so long. But I have to say something.
I check her status, and s
ee she has done a check in at “Prom—Bearville High School.” She won’t be home. I hope she’s having fun. Better than last year, at least.
So I take a deep breath and type.
Hey Avery,
I’m coming home for summer, so I’ll be seeing you in a few days. I hope everything is going well, and you ended up figuring out Math.
ASU has treated me well. You know, straight A’s as usual. Typical, nerdy me.
I hesitate to tell her about Anne and me. But she knew about us, no doubt my chatty sisters blabbed that everywhere, and she asked me once if Anne was with me. So I shake my head and type: Anne and I broke up. It sucks, but I’ll get over it.
Not wanting to go into detail, I change the topic. I see you’re at prom atm. Who did you go with this year? Anyone I know? I hope you have fun.
Rhett.
I hesitate to send it. No, this is ridiculous. I won’t let my feelings control me. She’s Avery and, first and foremost, she’s my best friend. I’ve done a lousy job at being there for her this past year. I hit send.
*
Avery
My phone buzzed in my bag several moments ago. The jock guys are all over Todd, asking for details about his football experience at college. I don’t mind. I’m chatting with Sam and her boyfriend. I’m having a great time.
When I excuse myself to use the bathroom, I open my Facebook while I pee. Rhett. Rhett! He’s finally messaged me back. Can I read it? I’m afraid of what he’ll say. Will he tell me all about his girlfriend and how wonderful she is? That would break my heart.
But it’s been so long I can’t ignore him.
I open the message.
It’s short, only a few lines, and I read it over and over. They broke up. He’s coming home. He’s asking about me. I chew on my thumbnail, elated, except … What if this means he’s over me? His silence meant he was trying to get over me. What if this, him suddenly contacting me, means …
I breathe heavily. I might be about to hyperventilate. I focus on calming my breathing instead of what Rhett’s message might mean. This is my night. I feel beautiful in my black and white dress, my hair in tamed ringlets pinned back and up, my makeup perfect. I’ve set aside my glasses for the night. Dad even bought me a matching diamond necklace and earrings set. I’m wearing the corsage of white flowers Todd gave me around my wrist. I’m beautiful.
Loving Avery (Bearville County Book 2) Page 4