The Perpetual Quest for the Perfect Life

by Pace, Michelle

  “Thanks for the memories. I have to eat here.”

  After admiring the guestrooms, she turned the corner and went into his bedroom. Aaron grew increasingly warm and busied himself with the firewood by the mantle as an excuse to avoid going into the bedroom with her. He couldn’t help but think about the weekend he’d stayed with her in Chicago before she and Ryan got engaged. They’d been alone for days—Ryan was in med school and couldn’t get away. She was attending art school at the time, and he’d never seen her happier. She had dragged him to see one of her bands that, naturally, he’d never heard of. They’d partied a lot that night. Inebriated, Aaron had kissed Nicole. Things had gotten very heated and would have ended very differently if Nicole hadn’t put on the brakes. Two weeks later, Ryan told him he was proposing and asked him to be the best man. Six months later, they were married. He and Nicole had never spoken about the incident.

  She reappeared and her glowing face yanked him back to the present.

  “It’s stunning! Did you decorate this yourself?”

  “I had a little help.” Aaron shrugged. His thoughts immediately flipped to his girlfriend, Joy La Rue. She was an outgoing blonde he’d met in the city at a hair salon. He went in for a haircut and came out with her number. She was very bubbly and very generous in bed. After four sex-crazed months, Aaron didn’t know if things with her were going anywhere, but he did enjoy her company.

  “So there is a woman in your life...” She raised her eyebrow at him in a probing manner, and Aaron was about to respond when Nicole gasped loudly.

  “Oh…my God.”

  He turned to see what caused her reaction and saw her holding a picture from his desk.

  “Prom night! Ugh, I look hideous!” Nicole laughed. The picture was of Ryan, Nicole, Aaron, and his date. “She was that foreign exchange student from Norway. What was her name again?”

  “Anastasia Lundgren.” Aaron walked over to her side.

  “Yes! How do you keep track of them all, Aaron? A not-so-little black book?” Her playful dig was salt in an open wound. He was struck speechless.

  “We had a good time, didn’t we?” Nicole murmured and seemed immersed in her memories. Aaron vividly recalled Ryan bragging that he’d taken Nic’s virginity that night.

  “Some of us more than others…” Aaron eyed the picture studiously and tried not to smirk. Nicole shot him a look of understanding and with mock anger, slapped him on the arm. He feigned being wounded and she laughed that throaty laugh of hers that had always slayed him. He broke out in goose bumps. Whenever Nicole was down on herself, he’d fallen all over himself to make her laugh. She shook her golden locks and sighed. Putting the picture back on his desk, she looked around the cottage once more.

  “I should go. Ike is probably torturing Avery as we speak.”

  “Okay,” Aaron kept his voice neutral. Now that she was here the last thing he wanted was for her to walk out the door.

  “I really like what you’ve done here. The cottage, the farm … you’re amazing.” She took him by surprise with a friendly hug. He had an internal battle about what to do with his hands, knowing his instincts weren’t appropriate.

  “Thanks.” Temptation gripped him and he had the overwhelming urge to wrap his arms around her and taste her lips. He thought of Ryan and suddenly felt like a grave robber, which doused him like a shower of ice water.

  With Castle tagging along, he walked her back to her fire-engine-red Jeep and thought how well it suited her. He couldn’t help but ogle at her as she climbed in and rolled down her window.

  “Thanks for the tour. Come by soon and I’ll return the favor.”

  “We’re having a pumpkin carving contest Halloween weekend. You should bring Ike.” Aaron instantly felt ridiculous.

  “Ike … with a knife. Hmm…” Nicole shot back a joking smile. They locked eyes for a moment, and Aaron felt tongue-tied. She had reduced him to a nervous schoolboy without a word. Nicole turned away, pushing her hair behind her ears. She started the Jeep and her radio blared, playing a noisy Nicole-style tune.

  “I’ll see you soon,” she called over the music.

  Aaron nodded and moved away from the Jeep whistling for Castle. Nicole backed out and waved to him. He waved back and stood with his dog at his side, watching her go. For a moment, an intense and familiar sadness overcame him.

  As Avery pulled her car into her garage, she glanced in the rearview mirror and saw Ike was sound asleep. Gently, she removed Ike from his car seat and placed him on the couch. She hoped he wouldn’t wake; the kid needed a nap after all the running around. Seeing he was still zonked, she pulled her phone out from her purse to text Nicole. Much to her annoyance, she was greeted with notification of another missed phone call from Jason and a recent text message from him. Fighting herself and losing, she read the text message.

  Jason: Ignoring me? Call if you’re lonely.

  Making a disgusted face, she deleted it and threw her phone back in her purse.

  “Creeper. I should change my number,” she thought aloud. She watched Ike sleep and was struck again by how much he resembled Ryan. She had the urge to wake him up so she could play with him.

  Forty minutes later when Ike woke of his own accord, she regretted that thought.

  “Cookie. Cookie!” Ike grumbled as he trailed behind Avery.

  “I have no cookies, Ike. How about a cracker?” Avery handed him one.

  “No. Cookie!” Ike yelled again and violently tossed the cracker to the floor. Avery sighed.

  “I hear my cookie monster.” Nicole entered the house. Avery wanted to kiss her.

  “Mommy!” Ike exclaimed, running to Nicole. She swooped him up and hugged him tightly.

  “Cookie!” he exclaimed dramatically. Nic pulled a cookie from her purse as if by magic. Ike snatched it and ran back to the television.

  “How’s Aaron?” The words were out before Avery could stop herself.

  “Successful and happy, evidently.” Nicole shrugged and Avery thought she looked disappointed.

  “So are you going to tell me your theory about Ryan and Aaron’s falling out?”

  Nicole looked at her tiredly and Avery sighed.

  “Fine. But this is the last time you get a pass. I want to hear all about this at the fish fry next weekend or I’ll ask him myself.”

  “Done.” Nicole promised. Avery intended to hold her to it.

  When Avery returned to work on Monday, she was delighted to see Nicole had finished decorating for fall. The results surpassed her expectations. Nic had managed to play off the natural stone and earthy woods of the building, while keeping the elegance the country club demanded. As she proceeded with her workweek, compliments poured in. Golfers, diners, and people holding meetings at the club raved to the staff and it all trickled back to Avery. Touring brides requested her number, in hopes that she would decorate for their events. She’d given out Nicole’s name and contact information several times by Thursday. Somehow the local paper had gotten wind of the entire situation and had come out to take photographs. She emailed Nicole about the response to her work. Nic replied that she was thrilled and that the paper was interviewing her.

  On Friday, Avery worked feverishly in her office. She wanted to wrap things up before her busy weekend. With Lauren and Jack’s fish fry the following day, she intended to have everything in order so she wouldn’t have to handle any frantic last-minute calls or disappointed customers. She was typing her last memo when Jason appeared at her office door.

  “Avery.” His brown eyes fixed on hers and she wanted to scream.

  “Yes?” She looked back to her computer and continued typing.

  “Are you going to Lauren and Jack’s tomorrow?”

  “Of course. Shouldn’t you be at work?”

  “It’s Friday.” Jason shrugged. His lack of work ethic was one more example of their incompatibility. “Want a date?”

  “I seem to recall breaking up with you.” She stopped typing and sat back in her cha
ir.

  “That hasn’t stopped us from … dabbling.” His suggestive tone made Avery feel slimy, though mildly aroused.

  “Find someone else. I’m not interested.” She went back to typing, but misspelled half of the words she typed.

  “Maybe Nicole needs a date…” The comment was delivered with an air of innocence. She stopped typing.

  “I’m her date.”

  Jason flushed and with a frustrated glance he exited her office, slamming the door on his way out. Avery suppressed the urge to throw her nameplate at it.

  As if on cue, her phone rang. It was Lauren.

  “Thrill me.”

  “Hey, woman. You better be hungry. Ten pounds of potato salad isn’t going to eat itself. I just saw an O’Connell’s flyer for karaoke night the weekend before Halloween,” Lauren bellowed into the phone.

  “Okay.” Avery sighed. She was still disturbed by Jason’s appearance and felt like she was stripping gears trying to make plans with Lauren.

  “There’s a costume contest, too. We’ve got to go. We’ll take Nicole and Jules. There’ll be lots of guys there … we can be your wing women.”

  “Sorry, Lauren. It’s been a rough day. Can we talk about it tomorrow?’

  “Whatever. Just start planning a costume ‘cause you’re going. I already have an overnight sitter set up for the girls and Ike,” Lauren continued. Avery wanted to tell her no. She hadn’t been out in eons and was overcome with self-doubt.

  “I don’t know, Lauren...” Avery began.

  “I need a girls’ night, sistah! It will be fun!” Lauren urged. “Jules is in for sure. I still need to ask Nicole about it when she comes out to help me decorate tonight.”

  “All right. I’m in.” She had to admit she needed some fun. It would be harmless practice to get out there and mix it up with the local guys.

  “Yay!” Lauren yelled. “See you tomorrow. I have the camper ready if you need to stay the night.”

  After she hung up, Avery zipped through the last of her work and practically ran for the door. The Indian summer continued and the sun reinvigorated her for the weekend. The moment she was off the course, she blasted her stereo and sped away with the sunroof open and the windows down.

  It was 1:30 P.M. and the fried fish was ready for consumption. Lauren couldn’t have been more thrilled at the turnout. Vehicles were parked haphazardly all over the farm. People had started arriving at 12:30, and now the swelling crowd milled about all over the property. Some guests were playing poker, and some were playing darts at the shop or horseshoes in the yard. Others had begun to help themselves to booze and the buffet. The three high school girls she’d employed for childcare were earning their money on the screened porch and back lawn, painting faces, blowing bubbles and playing kickball with the kids.

  Thanks to Nicole’s keen eye and some unexpected ingenuity, her barn looked like a rustic reception hall. It currently housed a buffet line where Jules and two other friends were serving food. The picnic tables lining the barn were filling up, community style. Her husband, Jack, was behind his makeshift bar in the far corner, playing bartender. His job was to make sure there was plenty of beer on tap and he was a workaholic.

  Lauren loved hosting the fry. Jack was an avid fisherman. He and his “boys” caught so many catfish, their families could never dream of consuming it all. It had become a tradition and it was now in its fourth year. She had a “staff” of ten friends wearing matching shirts busy removing garbage, preparing food, directing people to the restrooms, etc. Since the previous fry, Jack had built a stage for live music and the band would start at 5:30. Many businesses in town donated food and supplies. Everyone donated their time and guests were encouraged to make a donation to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, a charity to which Lauren felt particularly drawn. They’d serve barbeque for dinner, and then it would turn into more of a bar scene. This is usually when most of the families took off and the fry became more of an adult barn party. Jack referred to the night portion of the fish fry as a “high school kegger with a budget.”

  Lauren spotted Nicole and Avery as they entered the barn. She made a beeline for them.

  “Where the hell have you two been? I was about to send out the National Guard.”

  “We had to take Ike to Ma and Pa’s.” Avery rolled her brown eyes. She looked fantastic in her clingy white top that complemented her dark hair and accentuated her tanned skin. Years before, Lauren had been jealous of Avery. Thankfully, their rivalry was far behind them. Lauren knew she looked hot; navy always made her strawberry blonde hair pop, and this year’s crew shirts were her color. She saw more than a few heads turned in their direction.

  “He had a meltdown.” Nicole wore a sheepish expression, but looked stunning in a red off-the-shoulder top and a flashy silver necklace. Her long blonde hair was down and wildly wavy.

  “Sounds like you two could use a drink. Let’s go see about that.”

  “This place looks great!” Avery called over the roar of the crowd.

  “That’s all because of this one.” Lauren nudged Nicole, who grinned.

  “Well, take a look at what the cat dragged in,” Jack drawled as he spotted them. All the men at the bar turned to watch appreciatively as the three women approached. Lauren wished she’d been holding a video camera to record the expressions. For a split second, you would have thought they were Charlie’s Angels.

  “Jackster.” Avery joined him behind the bar for a hug. “I see you’ve been hard at work behind the pole again.”

  “That’s what she said,” Jack replied and everyone within earshot laughed heartily. “This must be Nicole.”

  “Oh yeah … you two haven’t met,” Lauren chimed in. “Nic, this is my husband, Jack Smith.”

  “Ma’am.”

  She watched as Nicole shook hands with him and smiled at her husband proudly. Her Jack was a man’s man. Strikingly handsome and tanned from daily work in the elements, Jack made a living as a carpenter and contractor. Some of his Air Force tattoos were exposed by his crew shirt, which could barely contain his bulging biceps. His black hair and bedroom eyes got him plenty of female attention. Lauren was sure she’d have to tell someone off for hanging on her husband by the end of the night.

  “This is Shilah. He’s new to Jefferson Point, too.” Lauren gestured to Shilah, who was with Jack behind the bar. He’d been leaning on the bar with his bottle of beer, but when they’d approached, he’d suddenly stood upright. She saw the racy way he’d been observing Avery and suppressed a squeal of delight. Her amusement was doubled since Jason Gates was seated at the bar to witness the entire exchange.

  “Shilah. Pleasure to meet you. I’m Nicole Harper.” She offered her hand. “I believe you may have met my sister-in-law, Avery.”

  Lauren raised an eyebrow. Something in Nicole’s tone and in Shilah’s expression as his eyes shifted to Avery, seemed juicy and warranted explanation. Shilah shook Nic’s hand politely as his eyes continued to peruse Avery.

  “Briefly, but memorably. Nice to see you again, Ms. Harper.” Avery blushed a deep shade of purple. “Would you like a drink?”

  “Call me Avery.” Her voice had a spicy quality and she made her way to the vacant seat across from Shilah. The various emotions that flashed across Jason’s face sealed the deal that Lauren was out of the loop on something, and she wanted to sit them all down and torture them for information. Jason seemed to recover and a playful expression won out.

  “Nicole, Avery won’t dance with me tonight. I hope you’re saving a dance for an old high school flame.”

  “Why not.” Nic shrugged as Jack handed her a beer.

  Lauren saw Jack do a double take and gawk over her shoulder. She turned to see what had caused his panicked expression.

  “Ah, shit. Here we go.” She heard Jack murmur behind her. Aaron Foster had just walked in with his girlfriend, Joy. Lauren rolled her eyes and sighed in exasperation. She’d just spent the week telling Jack she was sure they’d broken up, conside
ring the way Aaron had acted around Nicole. She’d obviously been mistaken. Joy was a loud bimbo who wore too much perfume. She annoyed the crap out of Lauren. As they approached the group, Lauren painted on a fake smile and greeted Joy.

  “Lauren! Aren’t you cute as a button? I love your short hair. I wish I was that courageous!” Even her compliments were backhanded insults, Lauren thought to herself.

  “Welcome.” Lauren managed as Aaron bumped fists with Jack across the bar. Lauren saw Nicole look Joy up and down curiously as she sipped her beer. Seeing the two women standing side-by-side nearly made her cackle out loud. With her bleached hair and blue contact lenses, Joy was like a blow-up doll clone of Nicole. They were the same height and both had curvy figures that could stop traffic. Though Joy was a couple years younger than Nic, she was definitely a watered down, porn star imitation of the real deal.

  Lauren continued to observe Aaron, who openly stared at Nicole. Nic studiously ignored his presence and continued her conversation with Jason. By Jason’s sly grin and cocky swagger, Lauren could see he reveled in the attention. Joy continued to attempt polite conversation with her for a few minutes, and when Lauren was sure she couldn’t stand it one moment longer, Jack saved the day.

  “We’d better get some food before it’s all gone, y’all,” her hero professed in his Texan accent. As Jack offered his arm to her and led her off to the buffet, she noticed Avery and Shilah stayed behind at the bar.

  “So you work for Gates Corp. What do you do?” Avery was barely aware that the rest of the group had abandoned them. The moment she’d sat across from him, Shilah had taken her hand, inspecting it to be sure she was caring for the wound she’d gotten when she changed her tire. Avery suppressed an erotic shudder at his touch.

  “I am an environmental engineer. Companies bring me in when they want to make their company more ‘green’… or at least to look as if they do.”