Worth the Wait

by Rhonda Laurel

  Morgan laughed. “You definitely would take the time to self-groom.”

  “I think hearing how hard I’d have to work became an exciting challenge in my head.”

  “We’re so proud of you. You are brilliant, and I hope you know that Uncle Seth and I will pay your tuition and all of your expenses. That’s if John Jacob and Teri-Lyn don’t beat us to it first.”

  “Thank you. I hope you know how much I appreciate having a generous family who’s made sure I don’t have a gazillion dollars in student loans. These are advantages I don’t take lightly. Thanks to you, my mom and dad won’t have to overextend themselves so I can further my education. I know other families aren’t as fortunate and I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. I would like to continue to work at the new Reed Bradley to pay for my own books and food, though. I want to contribute too.”

  “Sure. But only if it doesn’t interfere with your studies.”

  “Deal.”

  “You’re a good egg, Avery Reed.” Morgan wiped tears from her eyes. “I knew you would become a doctor. When your grandpa had his heart attack, you sprang into action and called the paramedics. He says you were his angel.”

  “I was so scared that day, but I knew I had to be calm because he needed me.” She sniffed too. The day her grandfather fell ill was etched into her mind like a bad movie.

  Morgan smiled. “You’ll always be the heroine in the story of his second chance at life. Not many people can say they’re responsible for saving a family member.”

  “I love you, Aunt Morgan. I’ll admit I had a good cry when I found out about your lupus diagnosis. But Wyatt was there for me and helped me see it wasn’t the end of your life. And I’ll be there every step of the way in the capacity as your niece who happens to be a medical professional. I intend to watch over the whole family, but I will admit I’ll be keeping a closer eye on you, Grandpa, and Aunt Cassie.”

  “We love you for it. And as long as this career path makes you happy, I look forward to the in-house medical attention. Your cousins skin more knees running around this ranch.”

  “Don’t I know it.” She giggled and stood. “So is it OK if I borrow these clothes?”

  “Borrow? You can have them. I’ll never wear them. Keep looking, I’m sure there’s more in there you’d love. I gave up trying to be remotely glamorous after baby number four. Practical living is my motto now.” Morgan kissed Mackenzie on the cheek.

  Avery picked up Mackenzie off the bed and stood her in front of the mirror next to her. “Kenzie, what do you say? Do we look fabulous or what?”

  “I’m too cute!” Mackenzie clapped.

  “Avery!” Morgan said, raising an eyebrow.

  “What?” She giggled. “She does look cute.”

  Morgan folded her arms across her chest. “I’ve been trying to figure out who’s been teaching her that. I accused your uncle! We had an argument. He slept on the couch and everything.”

  “You did?” Her eyes widened.

  “Eh.” Morgan waved her hand. “He was on the couch for two minutes and then we made up.”

  “Oh.” She let out a big sigh of relief. “You and Uncle Seth don’t stay mad very long.”

  “He’s really good at getting me to forgive him.” Morgan grinned.

  She loved that about their relationship. She’d fallen in love with her Uncle Seth the day her aunt brought him home. Seth was handsome, smart, charming, and successful. He also treated her aunt like a queen. Aunt Morgan said they just knew they were meant for each other, and Avery had to agree. Her aunt had always been her inspiration for being true to herself. She’d fallen in love with their love story and hoped to experience that same kind of epic romance someday.

  “I’ve learned a lot about intimacy from watching you and Uncle Seth,” she said. “One look from him and your face lights up like a Christmas tree. When you touch him, he closes his eyes like he’s trying to remember that feeling for the rest of his life. I hope to feel that kind of passion someday.” She sighed.

  “You will.” Morgan put an arm around her shoulders. “I think you’re off to a good start.”

  “How so?”

  “Have you and Wyatt worked things out yet?”

  “Oh.” She rolled her eyes. “No, we’re exactly where we were three months ago.”

  “I see.”

  “Can I tell you something?”

  “Of course.”

  “Wyatt and I kissed.”

  “I’d assumed as much. You two have been joined at the hip for some time now.”

  “I mean we really kissed. The way you and Uncle Seth do,” she added to make sure her aunt got the idea.

  “Oh.” Morgan’s eyes widened. “That’s when the rift began?”

  “Yes. We went to Bo and Summer’s guesthouse to talk and we…got closer, but then he pushed me away.”

  “Have you two ever…” Morgan trailed off as she went over and closed the bedroom door. “No one else is home, but there’s no reason to give your Uncle Seth his first heart attack if he should come home early with the boys.”

  She shook her head. “I’m still a virgin.”

  Morgan’s eyes darted from her to Mackenzie. “How about we spell out certain words. Your cousin’s repeating a lot of words these days.”

  “Well at least she says mommy now.” Avery laughed.

  “True. I’m still delighted about that, but unless you want the whole family in on this talk, let’s stick to spelling some words out.”

  “Got ya.”

  “Have you talked to your parents about all of this?”

  “Are you kidding? That talk consisted of dad handing me his target practice paper from the gun range and some antiquated birds-and-bees-talk book called All about the Birds and Bees. I think it was written in the fifties. Mom just stood there.”

  “I’ve seen that book. Your grandpa gave me a copy too.” Morgan smiled. “It’s never easy to talk about these things. But if you’re having these feelings and think you’re ready for a s-e-x-u-a-l relationship—”

  “I don’t know if I am,” she interrupted. “I just know Wyatt and I were great friends, and then something changed. Now every time we see each other we end up kissing, but then he runs away.”

  “I’m sure your mom would love to talk about love and intimacy with you. Maybe you could do it when your dad isn’t around.”

  “I know she would, but I’m talking to you right now.”

  “I know I’d want to be the one to have this talk with Mackenzie when she’s at this stage of her life. Talk to your mom. After you get past the awkwardness, you’ll be glad you had the conversation with her. Trust me. Alicia is much cooler than you give her credit. She even helped me when I was younger and had questions.”

  “OK.” She bit her lip.

  “And after the two of you have talked, I would be happy to talk to you again. You can ask me anything.”

  “Anything?” Avery raised an eyebrow.

  Morgan took a deep breath. “Anything.”

  She put her hand on her hip. “The real deal, no-holds-barred, not some PG-rated rhetoric filled with euphemisms and sprinkled with rainbows and unicorns?”

  “Yes. The unadulterated truth about love and s-e-x as I know it. The whole thing should take about ten minutes.”

  “I doubt that. Somebody with four kids and a hot husband should know a thing or two, but I’ll hold you to that.”

  “Avery!”

  “What? It’s your fault. Uncle Seth was my first crush. He makes a lasting impression.”

  Morgan laughed. “He does have a way of raising the bar. I’ll keep my promise.”

  “Thanks, Aunt Morgan.” She hugged her aunt.

  “Anytime.” Morgan hugged her back. “Wyatt has a lot on his plate. Taking into account the growing pressures of choosing a career and the new direction your relationship is headed, the poor young man must be going crazy. Try to be patient with him. The two of you will talk when the time is right.”

 
“I hope you’re right.”

  Morgan patted her cheek. “Friendship is the cornerstone of a good relationship. It’s the little moments that make it worth it in the long run.”

  Like helping a friend research her aunt’s illness online to put her at ease. Getting drenched in the rain helping her find the owner of a lost dog. And taking care of her when she caught a cold from reuniting the pup with his family. All the things that Wyatt had done for her without complaint, even if he took a ribbing from his friends. He’d always been there for her when she needed him…and that was why the distance felt so disjointed.

  Avery looked at her little cousin. “Mackenzie, that look really does it for you. Aunt Morgan, do you think I can borrow that necklace sometime? You always find the best costume jewelry. It almost looks real.”

  “That’s because it is. You have your cousin decked out in about fifty thousand dollars in baubles.”

  “Oh my gosh.” Avery panicked. “I didn’t know.”

  “No worries. You notice she isn’t pulling on it or trying to put it in her mouth? She knows its value.”

  She hesitated…wanting to broach another subject but not quite sure how to do it. Then she decided to simply go for it. “Aunt Morgan, did Uncle Seth give Riley a hard time over that photo in the newsletter? I don’t know why it got cropped, but Parker and I were both in that picture.”

  “He got to the bottom of it. The photographer showed him the original photo and told him Riley asked to crop Parker out. Riley probably did it to get a rise out of Seth.”

  “Good.” She breathed a sigh of relief. She didn’t want to be responsible for Riley losing his job.

  “Not so good. Seth made Riley practice for three more hours after everyone else was done for the day. Logan had to stop him and J.J. from dangling Riley from the cheap seats at the stadium.”

  “I guess that’s not so bad.”

  “Seth also made Riley practice with him.”

  “Oh.” She winced.

  “You definitely made an impression on Riley. It’s sheer suicide, but he doesn’t mind messing with your uncle Seth.”

  “The funny thing is, I don’t think he’s like that at all. He’s still obnoxious, but he turns it down a bit when we talk.”

  “Sounds like Riley is still smitten with you.”

  “Not as much as he is with himself.” Avery giggled.

  Avery continued to try on clothes while catching up on the family gossip. Maybe her aunt was right about Wyatt. He needed some space, and as much as she’d like to help him through it, it was something he had to do alone.

  * * *

  Wyatt came back from his run drenched with sweat. He thought a jog would help him clear his mind, but he had ulterior motives. The running path the joggers in the complex used ran right past Avery’s apartment. He’d started running as a way to keep up with her. She’d run track in high school and it usually was a daily ritual of hers, but she hadn’t been running lately. The simpler, mature thing would be to just go to her place, but he wasn’t ready to do that. Despite saying they’d talk when he returned, he’d turned chicken and went back to being scarce. But that photo of her and Riley kept gnawing at him…

  His thoughts jumped to his brother and Courtney as he headed for the shower. So much had changed. The animosity about Bo coming back into their lives had lessened. Bo asserted many times he wasn’t trying to overshadow Corbett’s life, he just wanted to be in it. He’d told them both that he had the Blakes, but they were just as important to him. The Blake family reinforced that by welcoming them with open arms. But now Courtney was gone and the wedding was off. People could lose each other and what they had together so easily. He only hoped Corbett didn’t do anything too stupid and reckless, but then again, it was Corbett he was talking about. He and Bo had the market cornered on conservative behavior. So yeah, being with Bo and the Blakes had changed their lives. For Wyatt, the icing on the cake was meeting Avery. And now that joker Riley was putting what Wyatt had with Avery in danger.

  He stripped and got into the shower. He had an hour to get to the Bright Star for his shift. He normally thought about Avery when he bathed, but he was too pissed to pleasure himself while thinking of her. Ever since Corbett showed him that picture of Avery and that idiot Riley Sloane, he’d been in a bad mood. Did she go to see him or just randomly run into him while she was visiting Seth? She had lunch with her uncle all the time, it would be logical she was there to see her uncle, but the picture with Riley made no sense. The Blake men weren’t happy about the quarterback’s interest in her. Would that jerk risk his position to go out with her? Maybe he felt it was worth going head-to-head with Seth in order to date her. More importantly, would she be receptive to it?

  He got out of the shower and dressed in jeans and T-shirt. The dress code was hardly demanding at the bar. It was a part-time gig, but he took the job seriously and he liked working there. Cal had already entrusted him with closing a few nights and helping him keep inventory. He grabbed his keys and headed out the door. He was getting into his SUV when he saw Avery’s car blow past. He knew he was in a time crunch, but he didn’t care. He wanted answers about that photo.

  He jumped into his vehicle and drove in the direction of her apartment unit and parked next to her. She was unloading her car. She had on a pair of jean shorts and T-shirt and her hair was pulled back into a braid. Suddenly, his blind anger had subsided against his will, and he was happy to see her. But she didn’t look happy to see him. The sparkle in her eyes had turned to daggers and they were pointed right at him.

  “Princess.” He took the bags out of her hands. “I got it.”

  “Wyatt, nice to see you made it back from New Mexico alive.” She rolled her eyes.

  He smiled. “Is that your way of saying you miss me?”

  “No.” She paused and bit her lip. “Sorry to hear about Corbett and Courtney breaking up. How’s he doing?”

  “I don’t think it’s really hit him yet.”

  “I wish I could give him a hug or something. It must be a nightmare after all those wedding plans.”

  “Yeah, it’s messy, but they’ve contacted the wedding guests and canceled the venues. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him like this. I don’t understand, he admitted they weren’t suited for each other.”

  “Whether they were right for each other or not, it still must be devastating.”

  “You’re right.” He peeked into the bags as he followed her up the walkway. In addition to yogurt and veggies, there was a ton of junk food. “Looks like you have enough food for an army. You having a party?”

  “It’s Tuesday.” She gave him a knowing look. “My study night with my friends.”

  “Oh. I forgot you meet with the nerd squad on Tuesdays. I thought you had an easy schedule this semester. What are you studying for now? Aren’t all of your classes electives or something?”

  “No. I don’t have any electives and my classes are challenging.”

  “Nothing is challenging to you. Like what?”

  “A psych class on the social disorders that have been accentuated by the onset of the Internet and a forensic science course.” She opened the door to her apartment.

  He stuck out his tongue. “Sounds like work.”

  Her place was neat and tidy as usual. She loved order, not the chaotic mosaic his place usually resembled. He had a rule. He only cleaned when a family member was visiting, otherwise all bets were off. He followed her into the kitchen and helped her unpack the groceries.

  “I thought I taught you that a challenging class can be fun if you think of it that way.”

  Man she looked pretty today. “You did teach me about fun.” He instinctively leaned in for a kiss, but she moved away.

  She folded her arms over her chest. “No more kisses for you until you mean it.”

  “I always mean it when I kiss you.” He smirked.

  “You know what I’m talking about. I know you have some career stuff on your mind and you have some things g
oing on with your family. But I will not be the quick fix to cheer you up when your day sucks. Next time you want to plant a kiss on me, know why you’re doing it and be prepared to talk, really talk afterward.”

  He folded his arms across his chest too. Since she was setting the rules, he’d throw in a few of his own. “As long as you don’t go locking lips with every quarterback that crosses your path.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “That photo of you and Sloane at the stadium.”

  “Can’t you tell a cropped photo when you see one? Your friend Pete posts enough memes on his social media page for you to figure out it’s been doctored. Parker was in the picture too. She was cut out.”

  “Oh.”

  “And you should be worrying about yourself, not Riley Sloane.”

  The doorbell rang. From the chattering on the other side, he could tell it was her study group. “The nerd squad is here.”

  “Stop calling them that.” Avery glared at him. “Open the door, please, and be nice.”

  Wyatt opened the door and the ladies poured into the apartment carrying books and more snacks.

  “Hey, Wyatt,” they called to him.

  “Ladies.” He flashed a smile, but stopped when he saw Avery squinting at him. “Princess, I’ll be touch.”

  She sauntered over to him. “You will be seeing me, but you won’t be touching anything any time soon.” She pushed him out and slammed the door in his face.

  Wyatt smiled and rubbed the back of his neck. Funny how that declaration made him want to be with her more than ever. He shook his head when his body started doing that stirring thing it did when he saw her. He had a shift to do and he hoped Cal wouldn’t kill him for being so late.

  * * *

  Avery picked up the bowling ball and eyed the lane. She didn’t think she’d have a typical day out with Parker. Nothing with her ever was typical. For two people to be so different, they meshed well together. Parker was helping her toughen up, while she was helping Parker turn down the intensity a few notches. Today they were bowling at the alley on the ranch.