She turned the page and Ryan’s beaming young face greeted her. His perfect teeth and sparkling eyes stabbed her like a hundred tiny nails. He wore his Prom King crown and she was on his arm. Prom had been their first time. Remembering his attempts to make that night romantic (the flowers, the limo, and later … the hotel), she felt the sting of unshed tears. Ryan had always been one for big gestures.
She hesitated for a moment and flipped to Aaron Foster’s photo. His dimples still left her breathless. His strong square jaw and expressive eyes caught her by surprise, and she had to sit down for a moment, feeling weak in her knees. As she continued to study his image, she frowned, ashamed that seeing Aaron was somehow more poignant than seeing her late husband. In the center of the following page was a large photo of her between Aaron and Ryan. The guys were mugging for the camera in their football jerseys, and she was laughing and partially hiding her face with her hand. Inspecting the image of her younger self, she was grateful the girl in the photo had no idea what ugly times lay ahead.
Her cell phone rang, putting the brakes on her reminiscing. Glancing at the number, she saw it was Ryan’s mom. Dread washed over her and she heaved a resolute breath as she hit the answer button.
“Hello.” Nicole made her voice sound cheerful.
“Hello, Nicole. How are you today?”
“Fine, and you?” Nicole bristled at Sandra’s icy tone.
“I’m just wonderful. Are the two of you available Friday night?”
Nicole glanced at the calendar, and immediately felt stupid. She had nothing in the works except her upcoming pumpkin patch adventure on Sunday. “Yes, we are.”
“Fabulous. I’m planning a ‘welcome home’ dinner. The whole family is going to attend.” Sandra Harper always sounded formal, especially when she was trying not to.
“That sounds great.” Nicole forced a smile and immediately began planning an outfit that wouldn’t make her look dumpy. Sandra was known for her elaborate dinner parties.
“Good. So we will see you at six?” It sounded like a question, but barely.
“We’ll be there.” Nicole ended the call and made a distasteful face as she tossed her phone on the table. She glumly shelved her yearbooks and continued unpacking.
Avery’s morning was off to a better start than the one before. She’d driven out to the Overlook Trail for a run at sunrise. She really pushed herself, glancing at her watch to monitor her pace. The beauty of the wooded running path was at an all-time high; the oranges and reds of the leaves were a feast for her eyes. Warm weather helped her morning workout feel more therapeutic than painful. As she returned to her car, she studiously ignored the cemetery across the gravel parking lot. She popped an antidepressant in her mouth and washed it down with a swig from her water bottle.
She needed a spare tire. Procrastination was not in Avery’s nature. With her track record with tires, it was only a matter of time before she had another flat. She figured she could drop the tire off the minute Ron’s opened and be to work at a semi-decent hour. Ecstatic to be getting back to the grind, it irritated her that she’d be late. She smirked at herself and her to do-list; she had to admit she was more than a little Type A.
Ron’s Tire Shop was only a few blocks from CoffeeSmith’s and Nic’s wasn’t far away, so she had plenty of ways to kill time during the repair. Entering the shop, she spotted one of the “old farts” from the country club standing at the counter with the shop owner.
“Avery, how are you?” Ron’s wide smile displayed his gold tooth. He was in his late 30’s, very tall and macho, with tattoos to enhance his badass image. Avery remembered thinking he was the sexiest man alive when she was in high school and forcing Nicole to drive by his house daily to catch a glimpse of him. The memory of her girlhood stupidity tickled her and she fought off a fit of laughter. The machismo permeating the shop caused an air of levity that reminded her of church. She and Ryan used to pass notes to each other during mass in an effort to entertain themselves. His comments were so vile and inappropriate she used to have to dig her fingernails into her knees to keep from laughing. This random, vivid memory of her brother sucked the humor from her as swiftly as a decompression chamber.
“I’ll be better as soon as you fix my tire.” She managed a halfhearted smile.
“What did you run over this time?”
Avery shrugged and followed Ron outside to her car and opened the trunk to retrieve the flat.
“How long do you think it will take?” Avery asked as he assessed the damage.
“Probably about an hour.” Ron’s inspection continued as he turned the tire over.
“Okay, I’ll be back.”
As Avery headed to CoffeeSmith's, she attempted to absorb the beauty of her hometown in its prime. Incapable of being in the moment, her thoughts whirled like they always had. Avery often felt she was pouring over her past and worrying about her future. It had always been hard for her to focus on the present. Her anxiety, which had been at an all-time high a couple of years before, had never come back down to a manageable level.
CoffeeSmith’s was busy, so she paid Jules for coffees, scones, and chocolate milk for Ike. She made her way to Nicole’s, basking in the autumn sunshine. She rapped lightly on the door, not wanting to wake Ike. Nicole answered, red-eyed and looking like she’d just rolled out of bed.
“Hey.” Nicole wrapped her robe around herself in a flurry. “I thought you were going back to work today.”
“I am. Relax.” Avery laughed. “I just need my tire fixed, so I figured we could kill some time. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Shut up and get in here. Ike’s still asleep.” Nicole snatched one of the coffees from her. For a moment, she sounded like the Nic Avery knew and loved. Nicole had never been remotely gregarious like Lauren, but since losing Ry, she’d become even more introverted. For a long time she’d seemed distant and stilted, but with each passing day, the old Nic seemed to be resurfacing.
“So I saw Shilah again. He was at the pro shop buying clubs when I got a flat. He changed it for me. Oh my God, Nic. He’s...” Trailing off, she realized there wasn’t a suitable adjective to describe him. She entered the loft and looked around admirably at the progress Nic had made hanging pictures. She had such a good eye and had done a stunning job.
“Is he your hero … or a stalker?” Nicole looked enthusiastic as they sat down on her sofa. “Can’t wait to meet him. So your mother is having a dinner party on Friday night…”
“Yay.” Avery murmured unenthusiastically. She and her mother were at opposite ends of the spectrum.
“I know,” Nicole agreed. “I hope she realizes that two-year-olds, crystal glasses and tablecloths don’t mix.”
Avery scoffed and shook her head. “Hey … I need you to help me with a project and it may be good for the job search.” Avery grabbed her coffee cup for another swig. Nicole tilted her head and instantly looked interested.
“Every year I have the club decorated for the holidays. I usually just use the local florist and she does a passable job, but I thought if you wanted a project…”
“Say no more. I’d love to!” Nicole beamed.
“The old biddies at the club love to talk … so it could lead to something, you never know,” Avery added.
“It would be nice just to keep busy,” Nicole admitted, and Avery could see the wheels turning. “When do you want me to start?”
“Just come take a look at the place today if you want to get some ideas. Do you have someone to watch Ike?”
“Lauren says her sitter has a part-time opening.” Nicole sounded excited as she grabbed her purse.
“We can see what they have at the Foster’s on Sunday. I’m sure Aaron will have a great selection.” Avery noticed instantly that Nicole looked flustered. As she put two and two together, she felt ignorant.
“Oh, Nicole. I’m so sorry. I didn’t even think about it,” Avery sheepishly stammered. Ryan and Aaron had been best friends growing up. Talking about Aaron h
ad to feel like ripping off a scab.
“It’s okay.” Nicole looked pale. “Until Lauren brought him up, I hadn’t heard his name in a long time. He and Ryan weren’t on speaking terms.”
“What? Why?”
Nicole shrugged, looking at the floor.
“What the hell? They practically had a ‘bromance’. He still asks about you guys … always has.” Avery couldn’t hide her astonishment. This was the first she’d heard of a falling-out between Ryan and Aaron, who’d practically been an honorary brother to her since forever.
“It’s a really long story for another time.” The cryptic response caused Avery to raise an eyebrow in surprised confusion.
“All right. But this sounds juicy. We’re talking about this later.” Avery stood and grabbed her purse. She wanted to press Nic for details, but she needed to get to the office.
“Okay.” Nicole seemed reluctant. Avery read her face and knew there was quite a tale to be told.
“See you in a few hours. Bring Ike if you can’t find a sitter.” She headed for the door.
As she drove to Stone Valley, Avery’s mind wandered to her brother and his childhood best friend, Aaron. They’d been an odd pair. At 5’10” tall, Ryan was relatively small and toned. Avery had always enjoyed telling him he had a Napoléon complex. Aaron was well over 6 feet, broad-shouldered and muscular. Her brother had always been a natural leader; he was class president all four years in high school. Aaron was his enforcer; he had zero tolerance for bullies and constantly defended the underdog.
Both brilliant students, Ryan and Aaron became friends in the Talented and Gifted program in elementary school. When they hit puberty, Aaron had sprouted up a foot and could be intimidating if you didn’t know him. Fortunately, he was a bit of a class clown and usually laughed off insults and joked his way out of fights.
Aaron’s parents were working class farmers and the Harpers were about as upper class as they came in Jefferson Point. They owned a considerable amount of property and real estate. Avery shook her head, remembering what an unbelievable snob her mother had often been to Aaron. He took it all in stride, but Ryan constantly chastised her for how condescending she was toward Aaron.
Aaron and Ryan were both hot commodities to the girls of Jefferson Point High. Aaron’s lively personality and talent in sports and music had girls throwing themselves at his feet. Ryan hadn’t been in the arts, but had been a killer academic. He was a shark on the debate team, the quarterback of the football team and pitched baseball. The two of them spent their free time working their way through the female student body. Like all male friendships, they were competitive with each other, but they’d both had opportunities to come out on top. Somehow they struck a balance between rivalry and friendship, in a uniquely Y-chromosome kind of way.
When Nicole moved to town, the guys of J.P. High flipped. Ryan was first in line. Though Nic wanted nothing to do with him at first, his tenacity eventually wore her down. Nicole had the look of a beauty queen with a solemn quality that always seemed to appeal to Ryan.
Avery thought back to the night she introduced Ryan to Nicole.
When Avery introduced herself to the new girl, it was a calculated move. Nicole was ridiculously good looking, though she wore a faded Misfits t-shirt, old-style eyeglasses, and a beanie cap. Avery wanted to keep the competition close. Nicole turned out to be surprisingly cool, so that weekend Avery had invited her to stay the night. Aaron and Ryan agreed to give them a ride out to the house. She should have known something was up; the guys usually did everything they could to avoid being seen with her and her friends. When they pulled up to Nicole’s tiny house, they saw her chasing a Chihuahua across the front lawn. She wore headphones and her usual faded jeans and concert t-shirt combo. From the backseat she watched the back of the guys’ heads as they followed Nicole’s every move like cats watching a canary.
“Ugh! She’s so hot.” Aaron groaned as if he were in agony.
“I saw her first, remember?” Ryan replied, his voice sounded fascinated. Understanding their sudden desire to be helpful, Avery wanted to jump from the car and tell Nic they were staying at her place instead.
“Tic tock, dude.” Aaron’s retort made Ryan laugh.
“Bro, she hurts me here, and here.” Ryan pointed to his chest and his crotch.
“You two pukes need to settle down.” Avery leaned past Ryan to honk the horn. Nic turned to the street and waved with a tiny smile. She carried the small dog up onto the porch.
“She’s like a sexy librarian with those glasses,” Aaron murmured. “I wonder what she looks like without them.”
“I wonder what she looks like without all those clothes,” Ryan added and the guys’ fist bumped.
“That’s it. I’m calling Dad for a ride.” Avery opened the back door.
“No! Come on, Aves!” Ryan begged.
“You need to promise not to embarrass me, Ryan. You too, Aaron.” Avery had the door open and her foot out.
“Okay, okay…” Aaron conceded and Ryan nodded.
After a ridiculous spectacle of would-be chivalry and a quick ride to the house, the girls finally managed to ditch the guys. After watching a movie and painting their toenails, Avery and Nicole went to the kitchen to make some appetizers.
“Are you cooking for us too, woman?” Aaron asked as the guys came back in the house from shooting hoops, sweaty and out of breath. Avery looked at Nicole and rolled her eyes.
“Don't make me hurt you.”
“Why ya gotta be so mean, Avery?”
“Why ya gotta be so obnoxious, Aaron?”
“Just gifted, I guess.” Aaron shot Nic a dimpled smirk. Avery saw Nic smile, but only with her eyes.
“Now, children...” Ryan winked at Nicole as he opened the fridge. Avery wanted to kick him in his smug ass.
“There's more than enough food here for four,” Nicole offered innocently.
“Nicole, don't let the boneheads fool you. They're smarter than they look and can operate an oven.”
“So, Nicole. Where'd you move from?” Ryan saddled up to her, cornering her by the breakfast bar.
“Madison.” She dragged out the word with a sidelong glance at Avery.
“Wisconsin? Say it ain't so.” Aaron groaned incredulously and Ryan high-fived him. Nicole raised her eyebrows at Avery in question.
“Vikings fans,” Avery explained and shrugged.
“A Cheesehead? No way.” Aaron assessed her and shook his head.
“Prettiest Cheesehead I've ever seen.” Ryan locked eyes with her. Nicole’s cheeks turned a lovely shade of pink. “You’re not a Packers fan, are you?”
“I don't watch football.” The boys both groaned and booed at her as if she were an infidel.
“Well, being from Wisconsin, that's kind of understandable,” Aaron muttered with a cocky shrug and Ryan laughed.
“Do you have a boyfriend?” Ryan wiped his sweaty forehead on his shirt. Avery scoffed audibly and threw a dishtowel at him.
“What? It's just a question, Avery.” He turned back to Nic and his eyebrow twitched. Nicole pushed up her glasses and folded her arms across her chest.
“No.” She sounded mildly curt. Avery passed Aaron a soda and joined him at the breakfast bar as they watched, bemused.
“Do you want one? “ Ryan moved even closer to Nic, who scoffed, and didn’t back down.
“You’re not my type, sport.”
“Ooh. Ouch.” Aaron laughed.
“What is your type?” Ryan's lip curved in a smile as he narrowed his eyes, as if really seeing her for the first time. She leaned back on the counter casually.
“I like bass players.”
As Avery passed by, it was her turn to high-five Nicole. Aaron chuckled.
“You should really branch out.” Ryan reached out and plucked her glasses off her face. Nicole nervously pushed her hair behind her ear. Avery knew when she saw Nic without the glasses that the guys would be in their faces all night long. Thankfully, Mom app
eared in the doorway.
“Ryan. Stop sniffing around the young lady like a dog in heat and go shower. Make it a cold one.”
Arriving at the club, Avery scanned her parking space for nails before pulling in. It was now almost nine and there were already a considerable amount of cars in the parking lot. The fine weather had the avid golfers getting in late-season rounds. The prospect of an extra-long season and the money that it was sure to bring in had Avery smiling. Heading through the pro shop and waving to several employees, she walked past her office and down the hall to her father’s. John Harper sat at his desk. Not a salt and pepper hair out of place, he was impeccably dressed, as always. Hearing her knock, he looked up from his paperwork.
“Avery, sweetheart. I heard you were looking for me yesterday.” He took off his reading glasses and pushed back his chair to give her his full attention. He had always been vigorously healthy and looked younger than he was. However, since his son’s death, he seemed to have aged ten years. He’s height and build were the same as Ryan’s had been. An avid sports enthusiast, even in his advancing years, he stayed fit and trim.
“I just wanted to check in and let you know I am back and ready for business.” Avery took a seat across from him, crossing her long legs. “Any new issues I should know about?”
“You should check in with Onyx, but it isn’t pressing. Are Nicole and Isaac all settled in?” His eyes twinkled as he mentioned them. He had always been fond of Nicole, and Ike was the apple of his eye.
“Yes. I’m having Nic come out today to see about getting the place ready for the holidays. I figured we’d take advantage of having a talented interior designer in the family.” Avery brushed a piece of lint off her expensive pinstriped jacket.
“Great idea.” He nodded. “Will you be out to the house on Friday?”
“Of course…” She forced a neutral expression; she didn’t like to trouble her father about her tense relationship with her mother.
“The Gates family is not invited. I had to wrestle the invitation out of your mother’s hand. You know the election has her on edge,” he added. Avery’s heart sank a bit. She didn’t like causing any tension between her parents and Jason’s. In addition to their dads’ business relationship, her parents and the Gates’ were close friends. Her breakup with Jason was a huge point of contention between Avery and her mother, who was running for mayor of Jefferson Point.
The Perpetual Quest for the Perfect Life Page 3