by Jessica Yeh
Avery obeyed the command.
“Cross your arms and grab the edges right here.”
Avery felt Kadence giving the cloth by her ears a gentle tug. Her fingers found the edge, but not before accidentally skimming Kadence’s fingers.
Kadence cleared her throat. “Now, bring your knees into your chest and fall back as far as you can.”
“What?”
“It’s called a flip out. Your feet will find the floor, I promise.”
“Kadence…” Avery tried to object, eyes widened in horror.
“You don’t have to be scared.” Kadence kept her voice level.
“I never said I was.”
“Your eyes have been saying otherwise all day.”
The tension of the room was suffocating. They were no longer referring to yoga anymore.
“I’m sorry.”
Kadence just clicked her tongue, shaking her head. “Come on. Let’s get past it.” She pressed her hands between Avery’s shoulder blades. She gave a gentle push and the momentum was enough for Avery to toss her feet above her head and land squarely on the foam mat below her.
Kadence seemed pleased. “See, I told you it was fun.”
Avery managed to nod, legs somewhat shaky. Her skin sizzled everywhere Kadence had roamed. Their eyes locked and Avery saw Kadence searching for something, but she couldn’t place her finger on what. Still, she was unable to break away.
“Umm, I think that’s enough with the tricks for today.” Kadence’s voice was tight. “Let’s wrap up.”
She placed Avery into a final position, a resting position that allowed her a moment of silence. Avery wasn’t sure how long she was left alone to let her mind wander, but the next time she opened her eyes, her spirit felt renewed.
“Are we feeling a little more at peace now?”
Avery nodded. “I think so.”
Kadence smiled back. “I think so, too.”
Chapter Sixteen
KADENCE’S HEAD THUMPED AGAINST the wall. She had just gotten off the phone with the repair shop. Her car was going to take three weeks to fix. She would have to resort to public transportation for the time being.
Normally she wouldn’t have a problem with taking public transportation. After the accident, there was a period of time when she would only take public transport, too afraid to even set foot in a car, let alone drive it. But not having a vehicle while trying to complete maid of honor errands was terribly inconvenient.
Avery had called earlier that day to invite her to check out the painting’s progress. During their conversation, she accidentally revealed that she was going to be car-less and had errands to run that afternoon. Avery didn’t even let her finish her sentence before allowing her to borrow hers. The chivalrous heroine even offered to pick her up. Kadence didn’t want to continue to burden her, so they agreed to meet in two hours, at Avery’s place.
When she arrived at the third floor of the apartment building, she was surprised to find Emma, rather than Avery, at the door. “Hey, Emma! Is Avery here?”
Emma’s smile fell from her face. “What did she do now? I swear, Avery is a good person, she just—”
Kadence placed a hand on her forearm to stop her from storming out the door. “Avery didn’t do anything. We were supposed to meet up but I’m early. Is she here right now?”
The roommate shook her head. “I saw her leave the studio about half an hour ago. Said she needed a break. She hasn’t come back yet.”
“Do you know where she went?”
Emma shrugged. “Probably the park. But I’m sure she’ll be back soon though. You’re welcome to hang out here until she gets back if you want.” She gestured in the direction of the couch and television.
“That’s all right. I think I might go find her.”
***
Kadence walked through the gated area toward the brambles and brush when she heard a husky laugh from across the basketball court. She stopped in her tracks, turning toward the sound that made her stomach bubble. That’s unexpected.
What she saw was even more unexpected. Avery was running from a crowd of boys, laughing and squealing as they shouted after her. A ball bounced between her hand and the pavement before hitting the backboard, swishing into the basket in a near-perfect arc. The sun danced around honeysuckle curls as they sprung in time with Avery’s steps. For someone who didn’t like exercising, Avery was certainly putting in quite a bit of energy, eyes shining as the boys tackled her to the ground. They proceeded to pile on top of her and for a moment Kadence wondered if she should break them up and rescue her. But then a long arm broke through the mass of children, waving frantically. The boys pulled themselves off her, a red-headed boy holding out a hand. Avery emerged ruffling his hair before addressing the group. Soon, all but one dispersed.
The red head retrieved the winning basketball, returning to Avery with an eager gleam in his eyes. Avery took the ball from his grip, placing it under her arm before holding up a finger. Kadence was too far away to hear what she was saying. With the ball nestled under her wing, Avery pointed to the tip of her finger. The child nodded ardently, eyes wide and eager.
What happened next had Kadence thoroughly impressed. Avery gave the ball a light toss, catching it on her left pointer finger. She whipped her right hand around its surface, spinning the sphere before allowing it to lose momentum. The boy jumped in the air, clapping enthusiastically. It elicited a boisterous laugh from Avery and Kadence found herself smiling at the sound of it.
Avery passed him the ball, gesturing for him to copy her trick. It fell out of balance, his expression dropping along with it. The youngster passed it back to Avery with his head hanging low. Avery placed a hand on his shoulder before repeating the motion. On his next attempt, the boy managed to catch the ball on his finger, but it wobbled before tumbling toward the pavement.
Avery recaptured the basketball before it hit the concrete. She spoke to the boy again, making a sharp swiping motion. The student mimicked her action, receiving a nod of approval. This time, he sent the ball spiraling on his finger. His face lit like fireworks and Avery placed her snapback on his head. She lifted him in the air with a hoot, his gangly limbs flailing as she did. Laughter erupted from the pair. Kadence’s grin widened.
When his feet contacted the ground, his eyes caught sight of Kadence and he pointed toward the intruder. Avery grabbed the boy, positioning him behind her. When she registered it was Kadence watching, her gaze softened. Kadence gave a shy wave in their direction.
Avery’s shoulders slackened and she returned the gesture. Kneeling to place a hand on the boy’s shoulders, she spoke to him before holding a hand in the air. He completed the high five, removing the snapback and returning it to Avery. Avery gave him a nod before he scampered toward the gate.
“Ryan!”
The boy pivoted.
“Forgetting something?” Avery held up the basketball with a laugh.
Ryan bolted to Avery, wrapping his arms around her waist. Kadence saw Avery’s eyes shimmering before he detached himself, bidding her farewell. She grabbed a drawstring bag that had been resting against the bench before breaking into a brisk jog.
“Hey, Kae. What are you doing here?”
Now that she was closer, Kadence could smell the mixture of sunlight and fresh grass emanating from Avery’s skin. A sheen of sweat coated her heaving chest. Kadence had never seen Avery exert herself this willingly, and for a bunch of kids. It was endearing, if not incredibly sweet.
“I came to find you.”
“Shit. Am I late?” Avery started to rifle through her bag. “I didn’t have my phone on me. Did Em not let you in? I’m sorry if…”
It took Kadence a moment to register what Avery had asked, her rambling words blurring together in the rush. She shook her head, gathering her bearings.
“You’re fine,” Kadence assured with a chuckle. “Don’t apologize. I was early. Emma said you were at the park, so I decided to come find you.”
&
nbsp; “Sorry.”
“Stop apologizing,” Kadence rebuked. “Especially for just being yourself.”
Avery flushed. “Sor…Okay. I didn’t mean to get caught up with them.”
“Are they your…friends?” They were a bit young, but Avery did have a youthful spirit about her.
Avery’s fingers toyed with the straps of the bag on her shoulders. “I uhh…Logan used to coach them. We used to play with them when we were still together.”
“That must be…” Kadence paused in search of the right word. “Conflicting.”
“Yeah.” Avery’s smile deflated. “But I don’t want to let them down, especially Ryan.”
“The one who stayed behind?”
Avery nodded, a gentle fondness in her eyes at the mention of the boy. “He’s wanted to learn that trick for a while. I promised I’d teach him.”
“That’s sweet of you to keep your promise.”
“He’s the sweet one.”
Something about the way she said it with so much pride sent a jolt through Kadence’s chest. But Kadence wasn’t sure she was ready. There was still a lot of trust that need to be regained. Luckily, Avery was too caught up with singing Ryan’s praises to pick up on Kadence’s conflicting emotions. “Kid’s an absolute angel. Really smart, too.”
“You’re very taken with him. And he’s taken with you, too.”
“He’s a good one.”
“And I can tell you are, too.” Kadence hadn’t realized she said it out loud. Both women tensed before shyly drawing apart. Kadence cleared her throat. “Does he know?”
“Know what?”
“You put the hat on him.” Kadence eyed the accessory. “Your father’s hat. It obviously means a lot to you. Did you tell him?”
“I…it... yeah, it does. It makes me feel closer to him. Ryan doesn’t know that though. I don’t want him to be sad.”
Then it hit Kadence, the sheer significance of her father’s hat. Avery had been genuine all along. Even though she had masked it with flirting, cocky comments, and pick up lines, she wouldn’t have let Kadence keep her father’s hat for so long if her feelings weren’t genuine. It meant something to her. That fact shattered Kadence’s resolve. She took Avery’s hand.
“Avery?”
“Yeah?”
“He wouldn’t want you to be sad either.” It came out more breathless than expected. She willed herself to tear her gaze away from their hands, looking up to discover a pair of watery eyes. She gave Avery’s hand a squeeze, hoping to convey who she was referring to by he. Her eyes searching amber eyes as they shared the quiet moment.
The sound of Avery’s cell phone caused them to jump apart. Kadence brushed invisible lint from her shirt while Avery fumbled with her bag, pink tongue between her teeth as she silenced the deafening alarm.
“We should get going,” Avery noted, eyes no longer bearing the same sadness they had carried a moment ago. “That was my cue to go and shower before you got here. Or if you want, I can give you my keys and you can go without me. I’ll drive you home when you’re done—”
“No.” Kadence shook her head. “You and I made a deal. If I drove, you would be with me.” She bit the inside of her cheek, realizing what implication her words might have. “In the passenger seat. It’s your car, after all.” There we go. Just respecting her property. Nothing deeper.
“I trust you with it.”
Kadence tensed. She still felt the urge to be guarded against Avery. How could Avery feel so opposite? Surely it wasn’t that easy to just forget.
“You coming?”
Her gaze flitted to the back of the Avery’s figure and the sway of her hips. Kadence shook the image from her head and let her gaze fall to the sidewalk.
“Right behind you.” Her voice cracked as her haywire heartbeat thrummed after Avery.
***
They arrived at the custom print shop to pick up the wedding order. Kadence combed through the list while Avery assisted with verifying each quantity—invitations, thank you cards, personalized envelopes, and gift bags with Jordan and Melody scripted on the handles. Once everything was accounted for, they made their way back to Kadence’s apartment.
Unfortunately, the return paled in comparison to the journey there, literally. On the way to dropping Kadence off at her place, they hit traffic. Within minutes, the blaring of sirens emerged. White knuckles gripped, no clung, to the steering wheel. Kadence’s pupils darkened and eyes glazed over as she tried to ground herself.
“Kadence?”
Kadence’s jaw locked, biting back tears of hysteria. It wasn’t until she felt a warm pressure around her wrist that the sound of Iris’ scream stopped echoing in her head. She startled to find Avery rubbing the stiffened joint, speaking in hushed tones. Slowly, the muffled words became clear enough for her to comprehend.
“Kadence, I’m here. You’re here. We’re present. We are present.” As Avery repeated the soothing mantra, she never ceased to let go of Kadence’s wrist. “Can you count with me? One…two…three…”
On four Kadence’s trembling voice joined in.
“Five…six…seven…eight…nine…ten.” They counted together. After a few moments of repetition and coaxing, the swelling in Kadence’s throat relaxed. But her embarrassment escalated as the seconds ticked on. A tear fell down her cheek, plopping into her lap.
“Hey, Kae.” The way Avery spoke her name felt like a pair of warm arms and Kadence wanted nothing more than to fall apart in them. “Do you know where you are?”
Kadence blinked and swallowed. Avery allowed her a moment to breathe before answering. “W…we’re in DC. Off I-95, heading to my apartment.”
Avery nodded. “Good. That’s right. Do you want to pull over? I could drive if you’d like to take a break.”
After a shaky exhale, Kadence shook her head. She needed to pull herself together. What would Melody think if she knew she’d had another panic attack? “I think I’m okay now. Thank you, though.” She turned to face the road. Neither brought it up, sitting in silence until the traffic sped to a crawl.
Kadence couldn’t spare a glance at the wreckage as they moved beyond the scene of the accident.
“Looks like everybody’s okay,” Avery announced. “The cars took the brunt of the damage.”
“That’s good. They’re lucky.” Her voice cracked. She cleared her throat, masking it with an exaggerated cough.
“Kadence?”
Here it comes.
“Yeah?” She summoned all of her energy into speaking the single word.
“Can you please pull off at the next exit? I forgot that I need to grab something from the craft store.”
With a wooden nod, Kadence flicked the turn signal. Avery directed them to the parking lot of a small shopping complex and Kadence killed the engine. Kadence unbuckled her seatbelt, but Avery stayed put, shaking her head. Kadence cocked her brow.
“Let’s just sit here and breathe for a second,” Avery said. “Like yoga.”
Kadence hesitated. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.” Avery released her seatbelt, making herself at home. She cracked the windows and leaned back in the seat. Eventually, Kadence’s eyes closed as she inhaled. Her jerky breathing gradually leveled into a steady pattern. Feeling secure, Kadence chanced a glance at Avery, indulging herself in studying her mysterious savior.
She observed the slope of her nose and the bottom where it upturned the slightest bit. She tried to count each of her dark full lashes and the shadows they cast against her cheeks. Avery breathed with her lips parted just enough for Kadence to make out a tiny bit of ivory. When a pair of amber eyes ignited in the afternoon sun, Kadence felt her own breath falter, quickly recovering.
Avery offered her a smile. “Better?”
“Yes. Thank you.” Her voice sounded worn and exhausted, but calmer now. How did Avery know?
“You can ask me anything, Kae.” Avery’s genuine gaze melted Kadence’s pensive stare. Her heart began an errat
ic banging.
“How did you know?”
“My mom pulled me out of a few breakdowns.” Avery dug her nails into her palms. “After my dad died, I used to call her on the phone. Especially when I had nightmares, I’d just call. I couldn’t even say anything. It felt like knives in my chest.”
“I…I didn’t know.” Kadence felt a matching ache in her heart.
“I’ve learned to live with it for the most part, though some days are easier than others.”
Kadence nodded in agreement, allowing herself a second before speaking. “We never talk about stuff like this. Is this okay?”
“Is it okay with you?”
Kadence nodded again as they fell into a silent contemplation. “Hey, Avery?”
“Hmm?”
“How did you know about my wrist?”
“Your wrist?”
“How did you know rubbing it would calm me down?”
Avery blinked. “I…I don’t know? Maybe I just had a feeling?”
It was baffling. How could someone like Avery understand her so well after such a short amount of time? She wasn’t one to believe in soulmates, but since meeting Avery, Kadence felt like she had awakened into a new life.
“Is there something I should know about it?” Avery tilted her head.
Kadence stifled the panic in her chest. “No, not yet.”
Chapter Seventeen
AFTER THE INCIDENT, SOMETHING shifted between them. Every time she found herself looking at Avery, the woman was already looking back. She wasn’t sure what it meant. It was genuine though, that much she knew. Because she could feel it in the way her amber eyes filled with pain matched with understanding. Avery would press her lips together, the smallest stitch weaving between her eyebrows. When that happened, Kadence would give her an uptick of a smile. With just one expression, Avery would relax, and Kadence would feel the weight lifting from her own shoulders.
Avery continued to lend her the car, despite Melody offering the same. “You don’t want to owe her anything,” her sister had cautioned, but Kadence reckoned maybe she already did. Instead, she insisted Melody keep the SUV to run wedding errands. After all, having two vehicles would allow them to cover twice as much ground.