It was an impulsive slip, but I didn’t regret saying those words.
“I love you, too,” she said, and then her lips found mine and our kiss was filled with relief and reverence and adoration.
That night, I slept the best, deepest sleep of my life as I held the woman I loved—and who loved me back—in my arms.
*
“When should we tell Quinn?” I asked the next morning as Avery whipped up a batch of pancakes.
She glanced up at me and back to the batter with a little shrug.
“What are you so worried about?”
“We’ve talked about you before, Grant. Your sister may annoy you, but she loves you.”
“So wouldn’t she want me to be happy?”
“Yes. And she’s openly told me she wants you to end up with someone who’s not like you.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning she wants you to be with someone stable, someone who you will commit to and who will commit to you. She knows both of our reputations. I’m just worried she’ll judge us and assume it’s something less than it is before she knows anything about it.”
“So we inform her.”
“I know.” She nodded. “Grant, she’s one of my best friends. I can’t lose her if things don’t work out between us.” Her voice was soft.
If things don’t work out between us.
Why did those seven words hurt me so much? And why was I so sure we were going to work when she was still questioning it?
I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I didn’t. I figured we’d table the conversation for now. I didn’t have immediate plans to see my sister between now and when we returned from Tucson, anyway, and I had only seen Reed at work in passing recently. I wanted to confess to my best friend I’d fallen in love, but I couldn’t tell him because he’d tell his wife.
I headed to Avery’s fridge and poured us some orange juice. I took out the syrup, and she flipped the pancakes onto our plates. I met her at the table, both of us silent after her awkward final phrase that had scared the hell out of me.
We sat across from each other and she handed me a plate.
“Thanks,” I mumbled.
“What now?” she asked, her tone exasperated.
I heaved in a deep sigh as I squeezed syrup over my plate. “Nothing,” I said, shaking my head.
“God, Grant. We’re back to square one. I thought we were being honest with each other.”
“We are being honest.”
“Then tell me why things just got awkward between us.”
I took a bite of my pancake and chewed slowly. I swallowed, and then I took a sip of my juice. “Because you don’t think we’re going to work.”
“When did I say that?” I noticed she hadn’t even picked up her fork to start eating yet.
“You don’t want to tell Quinn about us because you’re worried about what will happen if we don’t end up together. You haven’t even given thought to the idea that maybe we will end up together.”
She stared down at her plate. “It’s all I’ve thought about,” she admitted in a whisper. “I’ve never been so terrified about anything in my life.”
I set my fork down with a clatter, but she didn’t look up at me. I stood and crossed over to her, kneeling on the floor next to her. She finally turned toward me, and I settled between her legs. I rested my arms on the arms of her chair. “You think I’m not terrified, Avery? I’ve spent every second since the engagement party either thinking about you or trying to figure you out. Yes, this is a risk. Yes, it’s scary. But we’ve got each other.”
I saw a tear trickle down one of her cheeks, and then one down the other. More followed quickly in their wake.
I reached up and took her face between my hands. I pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. “And there is no one else I’d rather be terrified with. There’s no one else I’d rather take this leap with, no one I’d rather fight with, and no one I’d rather make up with. It’s only you. We’ll navigate this together, and on the off chance it doesn’t work out—which isn’t going to happen—you and my sister will still be friends. I really think she’ll be happy for us, Ave.”
“You really think so?”
“I’m sure of it. She married my best friend. Why wouldn’t she be happy to see me with one of her best friends?”
“Can we just go to Tucson and then tell her when we get back?”
“If that’s what you want.”
She nodded and dashed away her tears. “Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. If you’re upset, I’m upset. Like you said, we have to be honest with each other.”
“How has no woman snapped you up? You’re perfect.”
“A woman has snapped me up,” I said, leaning forward for another kiss. “And she’s pretty perfect herself.”
***
My week passed slowly as I looked toward my weekend with Avery in anticipation. I couldn’t wait to get her alone in a hotel room, but more than that, I was excited to spend two days with her. Uninterrupted. Just the two of us.
We’d spent plenty of time together, but we always had the option of going home, of parting, of saying goodbye. But this would be us—just us—and I was thrilled at the thought.
I picked her up at her apartment on Friday. She had a small overnight bag and her purse. I helped her get her bag into my trunk, stopping to give her a kiss before she got into the passenger seat of my car.
“How long until we get there?” she asked as I turned out of her apartment complex.
“It’s about an hour and a half. You in a rush?”
She laughed. “Yep. Horny.”
“We can take care of that right here in the car.”
“Nice try. I’m making you wait.”
“Tease.”
She shrugged and grinned. “I may or may not have packed some sexy lingerie for the weekend.”
We weren’t even on the highway yet and she was already tempting me. I grinned. “It’ll just end up on the floor.”
“Well at least you’ll get to see me in it before it gets there.”
“Sorry in advance for any damage I do to it while ripping it off of you.”
“Jeez, Grant.”
“Babe, if you can’t take the heat, don’t start the conversation.”
She laughed as she plugged in her iPhone and hit play on her playlist. “Closer” by Nine Inch Nails started playing and Avery’s hand found my thigh.
“Are you trying to tell me something?” I asked as Trent Reznor’s voice talked about fucking like animals.
“I made a whole playlist of songs that make me think of sex.”
“What else is on it?” I asked as something between a moan and a chuckle escaped me.
“Well, we’ve got ‘Pony’ by Ginuwine, ‘I Want You’ by Third Eye Blind, ‘Justify My Love’ by Madonna, Kings of Leon, and a bunch of others.”
“I don’t need a playlist to make me think of sex.”
“What do you need?”
“Oxygen.”
She laughed, and that gorgeous sound made me just a little more excited for our weekend together.
Our car trip was filled with talks of other road trips, and we reminisced about our first night together.
It felt good to finally be over the darkness Rachelle had brought into my life. Looking back, I realized how detrimental she’d actually been to my mental health. I’d based so much of my life around her that I’d stopped living for the present and only lived for the memories of my past.
I’d continued to wait for her because I thought she was it for me. Some idiotic recess of my mind truly believed I’d end up with Rachelle someday, so I didn’t bother with serious relationships and I stupidly blamed it on the way she’d broken my heart.
I waited for her, waited for a past to catch up to me that never would.
What a horrible way to live life.
I glanced over at the beautiful woman sitting in the seat beside me. She was staring out the windshield, bobbi
ng her head to the Rihanna song about whips and chains.
I couldn’t help the smile pulling up my lips as I took in her beauty. Everything about her was beautiful. She was exciting and fresh and new. She was what I’d been holding out for.
She still wasn’t a replacement for Rachelle. Instead, she was something much, much better and brighter in my life.
Instead of holding onto the past, I suddenly found myself running toward my future.
As I turned my attention back to the road, I felt a calming sense of peace.
CHAPTER 30
“Sweet Jesus, it’s hot out here,” Avery complained. It was unseasonably hot for early November in Tucson.
“Get back in the water,” I said, chuckling at her. I was far from complaining as I took in her black bikini. My mouth was watering and I couldn’t stop sneaking glances at her tits.
“Come with me,” she said.
I would be a fool to pass up the opportunity to hang with her in the pool. Getting her wet seemed like a good idea. Solid plan.
“Want another drink?” I asked noticing her beer was empty.
She nodded as she stood. I stared.
“What?” she asked, looking down at her body as if she had spilled something.
I grinned lasciviously when her eyes met mine.
“God, you’re a pervert.” She rolled her eyes.
“Just another thing you love about me.”
She shrugged. “True. We are kind of a perfect match.”
I watched her walk away toward the water, giving myself a minute before standing because if I stood, everyone would see just how much of a pervert I was.
All it took was Avery’s perfect body in that very revealing bikini. I didn’t have eyes for any other woman.
I watched as she climbed down the steps into the water, and I realized my giant erection wasn’t about to go away if I kept my eyes on her. So instead I stared up at the sky, willing myself to focus on baseball instead of Avery’s breasts.
I finally stood and headed toward the bar. I ordered two more beers. As I waited for the bartender to fill my order, I felt wet arms snake around my waist.
“Jesus, that’s cold,” I complained, and I heard the musical sound of Avery’s giggle behind me as she wrapped herself around me and rested her cheek on my back.
I struggled out of her hold and turned around, drawing her into me and placing a gentle kiss on her lips.
It was as I pressed my lips to hers that our world shifted.
I heard her before I saw her.
“Are you fucking serious?” I heard Quinn screech as I was lost in Avery’s soft lips.
The uncontrollable tornado otherwise known as my baby sister.
I felt Avery freeze beneath me.
Shit, even I froze for a second.
But then I realized I had nothing to hide. Maybe we did have something to hide before, but that was back when we didn’t know how serious this was. That was back before I knew I wanted to be with Avery for the rest of my life.
I relaxed, but the woman I was grasping to my chest didn’t.
She backed away slowly, and I turned to face Hurricane Quinn.
“What are you doing here?” I asked stupidly.
Stupid because our company gave out tons of these weekend staycations. I should’ve figured I’d run into Reed at some point.
We’d both been busy at work, and I’d been busy in my free time with Avery while he spent time with his new wife.
And he and his wife were apparently in Tucson for the weekend, too.
“Reed won a trip. What are you doing here?” she asked, her eyes focused on Avery.
Avery jumped immediately to the defensive. “Quinn, it’s not what it looks like.”
I shot her a look at that boldfaced lie. “Ave, let’s just tell her.”
Avery’s eyes were wide with fear, but I felt a sudden peace. “It’s exactly what it looks like, Quinn,” I said.
“Is this like a thing? Or are you two just fucking?”
My sister. Always such a peach.
“It’s a thing,” I said, looking over at Avery. Her eyes wouldn’t meet mine. They were focused on Quinn.
Reed walked up beside Quinn, wrapping an arm around her waist. “Hey, Grant,” he said as if everything were totally normal. “Hey, Avery.” He nodded in her direction. He headed toward the bar, and then he stopped mid stride and looked back at us. A look of total confusion passed across his face. “Wait. What?”
I chuckled.
“Are you two—” Reed stopped himself.
“Yes,” I confirmed.
“Since when?” he asked.
“I’d rather not get into that,” I said, knowing this had to be making Avery uncomfortable.
“This is disgusting. And after what you did to Kaylee, I don’t think I can get on board with this,” Quinn said.
“Sorry, Curley Q, but it’s not your call.”
Finally Avery spoke up. “I know this is weird, but I don’t want to hide it anymore. Quinn, I’m in love with your brother.”
“Oh my God,” Quinn said, a look of pure disgust crossing her features. “Love?”
I wrapped an arm around Avery’s waist and pulled her back into me. “And I love her, too,” I said, leaning my forehead down to hers. “I’ve never been in love like this.”
I pressed a soft kiss to her lips.
“I think I’m going to be sick,” Quinn said. She covered her mouth with her hand and ran off toward the bathroom.
“Well that wasn’t exactly the reaction I’d been expecting,” I said as Avery looked toward the bathrooms in horror.
“I’ll go talk to her,” she said, taking off after Quinn.
I signed for my beers and handed one to Reed. We toasted and both drank down half before sitting on the stools at the bar.
“So how long?” he asked.
“I first really noticed her at the engagement party. The first time we hooked up was your wedding night.”
“At least you won’t forget the date.”
We both chuckled.
“Shit, this is why you looked different at our house last weekend.”
“Because of Avery?”
“Love,” he said, taking a sip of his beer as if that one word was the answer to everything.
In a way, it was. Actually, in many ways it was.
I nodded. “It’s funny,” I said. “I didn’t want to fall for her. I didn’t want to fall for anybody. It was like she was always there, but I never really saw her. As soon as I noticed her, I couldn’t stop thinking about her. We were both worried about Quinn’s reaction, but I honestly didn’t think it would make her sick.”
He laughed. “It’s not you.”
“Is she okay?”
“She’s been getting sick a lot the past few days. It must be food poisoning.”
“So why did you bring her here?”
“Didn’t want to pass up a free weekend at a great resort with my wife. I figured it would pass.”
“Sorry for causing the relapse.”
He shrugged. “She’ll be okay. She’ll be happy for both of you once she sees what’s so obvious.”
“Thanks, man,” I said, finishing my beer and signaling the bartender for another round.
Avery appeared a short while later. “She went up to your room,” she said to Reed.
He nodded. “Excuse me,” he said, standing. “I’ll text you and maybe we can get together for dinner or something.”
“Send her my best,” I said, worried about my sister. “Is she okay?” I asked Avery as Reed retreated into the hotel.
She nodded. “She said she’s been getting sick a lot lately. It wasn’t us. She thinks she ate some bad food a few days ago.”
“That’s what Reed said. But food poisoning usually gets out after a day or two.”
“That’s the same thought I had.”
“You don’t think…” I stopped my train of thought.
Avery’s eyes met mine. “Th
at was my first thought.”
“You think I’m going to be an uncle?”
Avery laughed. “Maybe. Uncle Grant.”
“God, Quinn as a mother. I can’t even imagine.”
Avery laughed. “It might just be the most perfect happy ending I could imagine for her and Reed.”
“Agreed. Maybe not the sickness, but the happiness at least.”
Avery laughed, and we both drank our beers, glad our secret was finally out in the open.
CHAPTER 31
“So how’s married life?” I asked the blushing couple in front of me.
“Except for this stomach bug, it’s been great so far,” Quinn said, taking a sip of water. She felt good enough to emerge from their hotel room to meet us for dinner. Conversation thus far had been fairly awkward. Quinn kept staring at Avery and me, especially anytime we showed each other any type of affection.
Which, I realized, was nearly constant. I was always touching her or throwing my arm around her or kissing her. And if I wasn’t touching her, she was touching me. We were just pulled to each other as if we were each one half of the other’s magnet.
“So I’ll address the elephant in the room,” Quinn started. “What the fuck is going on between you two?”
My eyes met Avery’s. “You want to talk?” I asked.
“You know I’ve always thought he was hot,” she started, turning toward Quinn. My sister nodded. “Well I made a comment to him at your engagement party. That’s kind of where things started. He finally noticed me there, I think.” She looked to me for confirmation. I nodded and grinned as I remembered her words, something that would always stay between the two of us.
“We started flirting, and then there was softball. We eventually started texting, and then things sort of just took off on your wedding day.”
“You’ve been together since our wedding?” Quinn asked, true shock in her voice.
We both nodded.
“How was I so oblivious to this fact?” she wondered aloud.
“You were a little busy, you know, getting married,” I teased. “And then you were on your honeymoon, and then you came back and had a life to start with each other. The longer we waited to tell you, the bigger deal it became. I didn’t want you to think this was another Kaylee situation.”
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