by Nomi Summers
“What do you mean? There’s nothing going on between us.” She did her best to stay cool as she knelt to dig under the bustle and fiddle with the fastenings.
“I was just curious if you two had given in yet. Seems like you’ve been fighting it since he got here.” Leila shot her a playful smile over her shoulder.
“Nah, that all ended a long time ago.” Avery rose to her feet and immediately went to work securing a ringlet that had sprung loose from Leila’s updo.
“So, you’re telling me you have no interest in Shane?” Leila tested her in a tone that told Avery her future sister-in-law wasn’t buying her story.
“Not in that way, I don’t. We were kids. Those feelings died long ago.” She didn’t see any harm in fibbing. Technically, they weren’t family just yet.
“Then you don’t mind if I go for him?” Chelsea chimed in from the corner, a hungry smile spread across her face. “I think there may be something between us and—”
“Suit yourself,” Avery said, perhaps a little too quickly, still fidgeting with Leila’s hair. She tried to back pedal because she could feel all eyes on her, and she didn’t want to let on to her annoyance. She did her best to plaster on a smile and soften her tone. “Like I said, that was over long ago. He’s fair game.” Those may have been the most painful words she’d ever spoken. Did she just give Chelsea full rights to pursue her ex? Did she just put him on the market for the redheaded goddess that could clearly get any man she wanted?
At least now she would see just how much Shane really wanted her back in his life. The way he handled this situation would tell all. Was this a test? Perhaps, but she was certain Chelsea would be going for it now, and Avery knew she would have to up her game. For some reason, she’d believed him when he said that nothing had happened between him and Chelsea, so there was no reason to stay mad. If she wanted to see if there was a future between them, then she needed to stop pushing him away. Perhaps they could make it work.
Somehow. Some way.
The morning with the guys had been a blast. Even though Shane finished twelve over par, he couldn’t remember a time when he’d enjoyed a round of golf quite as much. Maybe it was the perfect summer day, or being back home with his boys, but he felt like himself here, and he hadn’t felt like himself in years. He barely had time for fun anymore. It seemed all he did was tour, make media appearances, and sleep off the long nights until it was time to get up and do it all over again. His life had become monotonous, and that’s something that had started to chip away at his soul long ago.
He stood next to his best friend at the front of the processional, as the guests were ushered one by one to their seats. A violinist played a soft tune that drifted through the afternoon air, and a warm breeze tickled his skin and rustled the leaves in the trees behind him—a soothing and familiar sound that spelled out home. Any minute now, the bridesmaids would start walking down the aisle. He couldn’t wait to see Avery.
Once all the guests were seated, the music changed, and the bridesmaids began their descent from the side of the main lodge, down the aisle. One by one, they all took their spots; the last to emerge was Avery. She was breathtaking. Her hair was in a loose updo, and soft tendrils hung down and swept her bare shoulders. She was wearing a form-fitting, pale pink, satin-gown with spaghetti straps. She walked slowly, a stunning smile on her face, as she took turns acknowledging each side of the audience, nodding to familiar faces while holding her bouquet. The closer she got to the front, the harder it was for Shane to breathe. He couldn’t remember a time when she’d ever looked so beautiful. She took her place at the front, across from him. She met his gaze for a moment and gave him a soft smile before looking toward the end of the aisle. He’d told her he wanted to be her friend, but could he ever settle for just being friends? How could he have her in his life and not have all of her?
Another change in music indicated the bride was set to walk down the aisle, and the crowd rose, all eyes awaiting Leila, except for Shane’s. He couldn’t take his eyes off of Avery.
As the ceremony ensued, he wasn't sure if it was the nuptials, or listening to Dax and Leila recite their vows, but he was hit with a wave of nostalgia, and he couldn’t help but wonder what his life would be like today if he’d stayed in Arbor Shores. Would it be him and Avery walking down the aisle? There was no way to ever actually know; he’d thrown that chance away when he left, but he sure didn’t mind the thought of it.
And now, he wasn’t even the same person he was back when he was with Avery. He had loved her so freely back then, without guarding his heart, the thought of being hurt never crossing his mind. After what he’d been through with his divorce, he wasn’t sure if he’d ever be capable of having a love like he’d shared with Avery when they were young. Now they were both jaded—him because of Naomi, and Avery because of him. Knowing that tore a hole in his heart.
As happy as he was to be there, every part of the wedding was a constant reminder of his own failed marriage. He was damaged from what Naomi had done to him. And while he knew in his heart Avery was not like Naomi, would he ever be able to trust again and give her the love she deserved? Who was he kidding? He was damaged goods, and she deserved more from a man.
As Dax leaned in to kiss his bride, Shane got a clear shot of Avery, who was only a few feet across from him. Finally, as the officiant announced the couple as husband and wife, Avery’s eyes met his, and he could see tears had gathered in their corners. Were those tears for him? Was she having the same thoughts that he’d been having? Probably not. They were likely tears of joy for her brother.
It was time for the bridal party to follow the happy couple back to the lodge. As the maid of honor and best man, he and Avery were supposed to walk arm in arm. The crowd cheered for the bride and groom as they made their way back to the lodge, stopping to kiss a few times for their guests to take photos.
The wedding director gave Shane and Avery a nod, cuing that it was time for them to walk. Shane stepped forward and held out his arm for Avery. She slipped her delicate arm through his and flashed a quick smile in his direction. Was that smile genuine? Or was she was just putting on a show for the crowd?
The crowd stayed standing and continued to cheer as they walked past them and back up to the lodge. It felt so good to have Avery beside him. He could smell a hint of her sweet scent that always warmed his insides. He wanted to tell her how beautiful she looked, but he knew she wouldn’t hear him with all the cheering going on. So, he just walked her as slowly as possible, reveling in having her by his side where she belonged.
As soon as they were out of sight of the guests, she released his arm and wandered over to hug her brother and Leila. It wasn’t long before the photographer was corralling the wedding party for photos. They all took turns in different group poses around the property with the bride and groom. First a picture of the groomsmen with just the groom, then with the bride, then with both the bride and groom and the bridesmaids.
That lasted for nearly an hour, and when it was over, so was the cocktail hour for the guests who were now all seated in the ballroom waiting for the announcement of the wedding party. One by one, the DJ announced each bridesmaid and groomsmen pair, and they joined hands and entered the ballroom as the guests rose to their feet to welcome them with applause.
“Please welcome Avery Cooke and Shane Knox!” It was their turn. He held her hand high in the air for all to see as they entered the ballroom. The feeling of her soft hand in his shot adrenaline through his entire body. Avery seemed to be enjoying herself as they strolled through the room together, which lit him up. They stopped at the long table that sat in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows. It was time to take their seats on either side of where the bride and groom would be sitting.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the DJ announced, “please stay standing, and join me in welcoming the bride and groom, Mr. and Mrs. Cooke!” The crowd cheered as Dax and Leila entered, and the DJ transitioned the music to their wedding song. They danced slowly, gazing long
ingly into each other’s eyes as the guests took their seats to enjoy the show.
When their wedding song ended, the DJ quickly transitioned into the next slow song. “Now, if I can have the wedding party join the bride and groom on the dance floor.” This was the moment Shane had been waiting for—his chance to dance with Avery.
Each groomsman and bridesmaid linked up with their respective partner for a slow dance. He had Avery in his arms now, his hands resting on the small of her back while hers rested on his shoulders. She hadn’t looked at him yet, and he knew this was his chance to apologize for the way they had ended things the night before.
“You look beautiful, Avery,” he whispered in her ear.
“Huh?” She looked up at him through dreamy eyes.
“You’re absolutely stunning.”
“Thank you.” She gave him a bashful smile as her cheeks flushed. That was a good sign. She seemed to have lost some of the fire that was in her the night before. He couldn’t decide which look drove him crazier—feisty Avery ready to take on the world or soft Avery who was slowly melting in his arms? He wanted their dance to last forever.
“I’m sorry about last night, Ave.” He pulled her close to his chest and held her a little tighter so he could speak softly into her ear. He could feel eyes on them, and he didn’t want people to make out his words. Privacy was something he respected, but got little of.
“I’m sorry, too.” He wasn’t expecting that. Were they finally going to put down their dukes and stop fighting this thing that was happening between them? “I shouldn’t have—”
“Shh, you don’t have to say anything more.” He leaned his head down so he could look into her eyes. “You’re forgiven,” he said, flashing her his best smile. No need to rehash another word. Right now, he just wanted to keep Avery in this mindset.
He felt her body soften into his as she leaned closer and rested her head on his chest. It was a moment of surrender, and all of his doubts disappeared. He decided right then and there that he never wanted to let her go. Not ever.
Chapter 12
After the scheduled dances, dinner, and his witty best man speech, the guests were in full-on dance mode. Shane took the opportunity to sneak out onto the veranda while many of the guests, along with the bride and groom, were doing the electric slide in unison. Where had Avery disappeared to? He was determined to find her. He wanted to get her alone and talk with her, and this was the perfect time.
To his delight, he found her at the edge of the terrace, looking off over the lake. She appeared to be lost in thought. She’d taken her hair down, and she looked like an angel as it blew softly in the wind.
“Nice night,” Shane said.
She looked startled as she turned to face him. Avery met him with a smile as she rubbed her crossed arms. The air had cooled to the low sixties, and her dress looked as thin as a nightgown. He slid his tuxedo jacket off and slipped it over her shoulders. She accepted the gesture. He couldn’t believe the shift in Avery since last night, but he was relieved. Did this mean she believed him about Chelsea? He wanted so badly to ask, to make sure she knew he would never do something like that, but he didn’t want to bring it up. Things were going far too well at this point.
“Walk with me?” he asked, holding his hand out for hers. She looked down at it and hesitated, but then, to his delight, she placed her hand in his and allowed him to lead her away from the lodge and down the path toward the shoreline.
“You’re quiet tonight,” he finally said, breaking the silence as they paused to remove their shoes at the sandy shore.
“My father should be here,” she finally said. Shane felt like an idiot for not putting two and two together. Of course, she was sad about her father not being at her brother’s wedding.
“I’m sure he’s looking down from Heaven, proud of all you’ve done for Dax and Leila today. I’m sure he’s here in his own way.”
She gave him an appreciative smile.
“Have you given my offer any thought?” he asked.
“It’s a generous offer, Shane, it really is, but aren’t you scheduled to leave on Monday? The Jamboree isn’t until next weekend.”
“I can change my flight,” he said quickly. But could he? His manager would have a fit, and his publicist had already scheduled him for appearances all over New York City. He’d kept getting text notifications on the golf course. He’d eventually switched his phone off and left it in his cabin. “I was thinking I’d stay for the week, maybe do some work around here. If you’ll have me?”
“Work?” She laughed. “What kind of work are you planning to do?” she asked with amusement in her voice.
“I was thinking we could spend the week fixing the place up a bit. I can help paint the cabins. Not all of them need it, but a few do. And that fence down at the Beach Club needs repairing.”
“You’d want to do that?” she asked, stopping to turn to him.
“Why not? It’s been awhile since I’ve been home, and honestly, I’m enjoying being back here. I could use a break from LA. I’d welcome some manual labor for a change.”
He thought he saw her face fall at the mention of LA. It was almost as if any hope building between them was killed at the mere mention of it.
“I’ll think about it,” she said after a few moments, and he hoped that meant yes. As long as he didn’t screw this up.
“Walk the shore with me?” He held out his hand for her once again. She slipped hers back into his, and he led her up the shoreline, in the opposite direction of the resort. Soft waves lapped at their feet, and a billion stars twinkled above them.
Finally, he stopped and turned her toward him, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close for a long hug. She laid her head on his chest and allowed him to hold her.
“Do you realize this is the spot where we had our first kiss?” he said softly by her ear.
She picked up her head and looked around and then looked up at him. His hand traveled up her back, and his fingers tangled in the hair at the nape of her neck. Gently, he guided her closer as he leaned in and brushed her pillow-soft lips with his.
“Shane—” Their lips barely touched before she pulled back.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I guess with the wedding, this night, our spot. Something just came over me.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to kiss you, but not tonight. It’s been a hard night for me, and I’m really missing my dad. Right now, I could really just use a friend.”
“You got it.” He tilted her chin up and met her eyes before pulling her back in for a hug. How could he be so senseless? It’s just that whenever she was near, he couldn’t help himself. He was ready for things to go back to how they once were, and being with her felt so natural. Even after all of the years of not seeing each other, it felt like they could pick up right where they left off. But could they? It’s what he wanted. He was sure of it. But he was starting to realize, with Avery, it was going to take time. And time in Arbor Shores was something he didn’t have much of.
“We’d better get back to the wedding. People are probably beginning to talk.”
“Ah, let them talk.” He held out his hand for her once again. She gave him a sideways look.
“What? Friends hold hands. I mean, sometimes.” He flashed her an innocent grin and she gave in, allowing him to hold her hand as they walked back to the lodge.
Shane tossed and turned all night, unable to shake the feeling of Avery’s soft body in his arms. Adrenaline had kept him awake. He hadn’t been this excited about a decision in a long time, and the fact that she might allow him to stay the week and help fix up the place meant she’d more than likely decided to move forward with the concert.
A thought jarred him. What would he tell his manager about staying in Arbor Shores for the week? What would happen when he missed his appearances in New York? Media appearances were one thing, but the gig with The Aftershow for Distant Union was a great opportunity for any band. Would skipping it be detrimen
tal to his career and possibly the band’s future with their record label? He was willing to deal with the consequences of his own choices, but the one thing he didn’t want to do was let down his band. He’d have to talk to them before this plan of his went any further.
After a long hot shower, he put on a pair of board shorts and a plain white tee and headed to the main lodge to meet the rest of the crew. They were all going to Ripples for brunch, and then they planned to spend the day on the beach. Leila and Dax were not scheduled to leave for their honeymoon until Monday morning so that they could spend a full day of fun with their out-of town-guests. He was looking forward to a relaxing beach day, especially because it meant spending the day with Avery.
Ripples was the place to be on Sundays. It’s where most of Arbor Shores gathered for brunch, and with the beach volleyball courts right in the sand off the back deck, guests could either play in the Sunday tournaments or watch from the patio. They had a party of eight reserved at a long table overlooking the beach, thanks to Rylee.
“Hey, guys,” Rylee said with a big smile, approaching the table and leaning in to hug Leila and Dax. Shane wondered why someone like Rylee was still single. Probably because she worked so much to take care of her son. It was too bad she couldn’t find someone special; she really was a great girl and he’d always gotten along well with her. She’d be perfect for his guitarist, Axel. Nah, on second thought, that was no life for someone like Rylee. She deserved more. But then, didn’t Avery deserve the same?
Shane was hoping to position himself next to Avery, but she took the seat next to Leila, and Cooper had planted himself next to her. Of course he did. The guy wasn’t going to give up. Could he blame him? Avery was a great catch. Unfortunately, this landed Shane next to Chelsea, and she took every opportunity to touch his arm in her flirtatious manner. He noticed Avery kept an eye on him. He adored her little jealous streak. It gave him hope that she still had feelings for him somewhere deep inside her, whether she was willing to admit it or not.