Wish Upon a Wedding (6 page)

Avery finally laughed. “You're so damned funny. But seriously, this is gonna be a total game changer for me. I'm gonna owe you big-time.”

“Aw, it's nothing. What are friends for, right?”

“Well, Sophia, this is going over and beyond the call of duty. You're the best.” He tapped his glass to hers again.

“Yeah, the best.” She smiled but felt a lump lodge in her throat. She was about to pick up her menu to hide her expression when Avery leaned across the table and gave her a light kiss on the mouth. The warm softness of his lips sent a tingle all the way to her toes. Oh boy, she was on the highway to the danger zone, and it was a zone she didn't want to be in.

“That will get tongues wagging again,” he said but then frowned and took a sip of his drink, making her wonder what he was thinking. “You ready to order?”

Sophia nodded and lifted her menu. She looked at the selections without really seeing them and when Chad came over a moment later she had no idea what to order. She pretended to listen while he listed the daily specials but all she could think about was how this pretend-girlfriend thing was probably going to blow up in her face. When Chad looked at her expectantly she realized she was supposed to give him her selection. “The, um, today's special.” She had no idea what it was but she doubted there was anything on the menu that she wouldn't like.

“One or two?” Chad tapped his pen to a tablet and waited.

“Uh, one,” she replied, thinking it was an odd question.

“One meatball,” Chad said. “Comes with a side salad.”

“Oh, uh, the house is fine.”

“Great choice. Tony Marino makes it fresh every day.” He looked at Avery.

“I'll have the same thing but make my spaghetti with two meatballs. And ranch dressing for me.”

“Gotcha. Need more bread?” Chad pointed to the nearly full basket.

“Maybe later,” Avery replied and turned his attention back to Sophia. “Now where were we?”

“Talking about getting tongues wagging,” Sophia said and dug deep for a grin. “Maybe we should eat our spaghetti like in
Lady and the Tramp
? That would certainly give them something to talk about.”

Avery frowned for a second, and then laughed. “Oh, right, the Disney movie. When we were kids Zoe loved that one and I had to watch it over and over again.” He put his hand next to the side of his mouth. “I pretended not to like it but I did.”

“And I think Garret secretly enjoyed the tea parties Grace and I made him attend,” she said with a grin.

“I wouldn't be surprised. So then, you're the pretty purebred cocker spaniel and I'm the street-smart mutt.” He nodded slowly. “Makes perfect sense.”

“Oh, but a very dashing mutt that the cocker spaniel falls madly in love with,” Sophia said, and then wished for a trapdoor to swallow her up. Thankfully, Chad, bless his heart, arrived with the salads. Sophia gave an elusive cherry tomato her full attention even though she wasn't particularly fond of them and reminded herself that Avery asked her to pretend to be his girlfriend.

Pre-tend.
As in make-believe. Not real. She stabbed the cherry tomato hard but sent the little tomato torpedoing across the table. “Oh God!”

Avery laughed when he deftly caught it from
careening into the dining room and onto someone else's plate. “If I'd been on the ball I could have caught that in my mouth. That would have been pretty sweet.”

Ah yes, his mouth, and what a beautiful mouth it was.

She looked at the other tomato on her plate. “I could try to do it again but I think I'd fail,” she said.

“You're so much fun to be with, Sophia. And a good friend for agreeing to do this . . .
thing
for me.”

Sophia waved a dismissive hand. They were just friends. She needed to remember that important detail and quickly changed the subject. While they ate their salads Sophia entertained Avery with bridezilla stories from her salon days in New York City. She had him in stitches, and he seemed to enjoy her company so much that by the end of the main course Sophia had to wonder if their pretend relationship could become very real. Avery claimed to be over Ashley. Sophia was staying in Cricket Creek. While she knew she needed to tread softly, hope crept into her heart and did a little jig. Maybe this little ruse could have a happy ending for her after all.

Gone Fishin'

A
very cast his bait toward the lily pads and looked over at Uncle Easton, who sat on the backseat of the bass boat. The unseasonably mild weather had enticed them out onto the lake. Though the bass had been biting earlier, the morning activity had suddenly ceased. It was still great just to be outdoors, so Avery didn't mind if he caught anything or not.

“Be honest—do you think this pretend thing with Sophia is a good idea or am I playing with fire?”

“Little of both, I reckon.” He reeled in his line, changed his bait, and then cast again.

“You gonna elaborate?” Avery asked, grimacing when he missed a nibble. His concentration wasn't what it should be.

“Well, as I see it, you're both single so I don't really understand where the whole pretend thing comes into play. It's obvious that you like the girl. I'm not sure I get it.”

“Uncle Easton, I don't want to start something serious with Sophia.”

“Somethin' wrong with your eyesight, son?”

“No . . . I just . . . I don't know,” he said, but he did know.

“Lemme guess—you're scared shitless.”

“Hell no!” Avery protested but as usual his uncle hit the nail on the damned head. “I'm just enjoying my freedom after . . . you know. Why would I want to put myself through that shit again?” Avery said and then clamped his mouth shut.

“No, I don't know because you refuse to talk about what happened between you and Ashley. I never did buy into the whole cold-feet gossip or the even more ridiculous ‘you grew apart' baloney that you like to toss around.”

Avery remained silent.

“You protecting her, son?”

“I really don't want to talk about it, Uncle Easton. My relationship with Ashley is completely over. That's all anybody needs to know.”

“You still love her?”

Oddly, Avery immediately thought of Sophia and didn't quite know why. Or maybe he did know why and didn't want to face his growing attraction to her. He shook his head. “No, I don't love Ashley. I mean, a part of me will always care about her. We go way back to when we were kids. But I don't love her like
that
any longer and I wish to hell Zoe would get that through her thick skull.”

“You sister loves you and means well. This has been really hard on Zoe. She misses how happy the way y'all used to be.”

“I know.”
That was the problem,
Avery thought, with a long sigh. That, and they unfairly blamed him and there wasn't a damned thing he could do about it. “Look, I'll admit that I miss hanging out with them, and the old times. But how the heck can I hang out with my ex-fiancée?”

“I get that.”

“That's why I'm taking a page from your book and
staying single. The relationship with Ashley caused me nothin' but heartache. Why would I want to risk that again?” Avery looked back at his uncle and waited.

“Because maybe you don't want to grow into a lonely old man, like me. And just because it didn't work out with her doesn't mean it couldn't work out with someone else.”

“B-but you always said—”

“Forget what I always said. I was a damned fool.”

Avery reeled in his line and then cast toward a fallen log. “So, you're sayin' you wished you'd gotten married after all? I thought you said you didn't want to be shouting and arguing like Grandma and Gramps always did.”

Easton reached up and adjusted the bill of his baseball cap. “It wasn't fun to be around constant bickering and fighting, always on edge. That's for damn sure.”

“Mom never yells at Dad.”

“Your mama married your daddy really young, Avery. I think partly to get out of the house.”

“Do you think that's why Dad became a trucker? To get away from something he got into way too young?”

“No. I didn't mean it that way. I do believe your mama and daddy love each other. Your father simply made a good living but unfortunately it kept him on the road. And I think it pained Tommy to see me get to do the things with you that he wanted to do. I knew he was jealous of our relationship and used to treat me kind of shitty because of it. Avery, your dad used his grumpy moods as a shield against showing how he really felt having to be on the road all the time.”

“Seriously?” Avery felt an odd pang in his chest. “How do you know this?”

“'Cause Tommy told me so. We almost came to blows one night after a few beers, and then we had a comin' to Jesus meeting.”

Taken by surprise, Avery shook his head. “When was this?”

“Few years back.”

“Damn.” Avery lifted up his baseball cap and scratched his head. “I used to get so pissed at Dad for not being around. I guess it never occurred to me that he really wanted to be at my baseball games and school functions.”

“Trust me—he sure as hell did.”

“So why didn't he tell me and Zoe this stuff?” A bit of anger warred with sadness at the notion that he understood his father so very little. “I always wanted a closer relationship with him.”

“It's never too late, Avery.”

“But I just don't get why he couldn't have had this conversation with me.”

“I dunno. Maybe he will someday. Pride can get in the way of a lot of things, Avery. Sometimes when something hurts, it's easier to lock it up inside rather than face it.” He paused to cast his line and then looked over at Avery. “Or at least we think so, especially at the time.”

Avery felt an ache settle in his chest. “Or pretend it doesn't matter, which is what I guess Dad often did.” He sighed. “Honestly, I think that I really did know Dad wanted to be around rather than on the road. I guess bein' mad at him was easier than admitting how much I missed him. Stupid on both our parts, I'd say.” Avery shook his head. “But Mom never complained even though she was basically a single mother most of the time. And rarely said a cross word to Dad even when he deserved it.”

“I think she'd heard enough cross words and shouting to last her a lifetime. And Carla most likely understood Tommy's moods. Not that bein' a grumpy ass was right.” He unscrewed the cap from a bottle of water and guzzled half of it. “But honestly, I think Tommy suffered from bouts of depression that none of us understood. I don't think he understood it either.”

“Looking at it from another point of view makes more sense. Dad did often seem unhappy for no real
reason. You'd think he'd be so glad to be home but it sometimes felt as if he couldn't wait to get back on the road.”

“Yeah, as the saying goes, we can't walk in someone else's shoes so we're not to judge. I guess I should have said more about Tommy to you, but I didn't want to get in the middle of anything between you and your father.”

“Maybe someday he'll want to talk to me about it,” Avery said. His father was a quiet man so getting him to open up wouldn't be easy but it would be worth the effort.

“That would be a good thing. So tell me, did Sophia actually suggest doing this pretend-dating thing you were telling me about?”

“Yeah, it's only until after the wedding and then she suggested a big public fight.”

His uncle gave him a measured look and then chuckled.

“What?”

“I've seen you two together. I think you're both foolin' yourselves.”

“We've become good friends over the past few months. Maybe we don't want to screw that up. And she suggested this scheme, not me.”

“Well, maybe you should suggest dating for real.”

“I don't want to risk pushing her away, if dating for real isn't something she wants to do.”

“And maybe it's well worth the risk.”

“You should talk!” Avery waited for a comeback but his uncle suddenly went as silent as birds before a storm. “Well, now, did I just hit a nerve?”

“I don't know what you're talkin' about. Damn, I just missed a bite.”

“Right, sure you don't,” Avery said, and got a grunt in response. “Maybe you need to start practicing what you're preaching, Uncle Easton,” Avery said and gave his uncle a look of challenge.

“Well, now, maybe I already have.”

Avery nearly dropped his fishing pole overboard. “Come again? Are you seeing Carrie Ann for real?”

“Maybe.”

“Well, it's about damned time,” Avery said and meant it.

“Yeah,” his uncle nodded. “Tell me about it. I mean, we're two old farts so I don't know where this will go but I think I'm ready to give it my best shot.”

“You're a pretty good shot so I think odds are in your favor,” Avery said with a grin. “Wow, this is some really cool news.”

Easton chuckled, but then said, “Avery, even though you won't talk about it, I know that Ashley must have done somethin' to hurt you.”

“I just want to move on.”

Easton raised a palm in the air. “You don't have to admit to or say anything. I respect your privacy. But it's pretty easy for me to figure some of this out. You're protecting Ashley by keeping quiet about something. I know you too well.”

Avery looked out over the water wishing once again that he could confide in his uncle. He knew that Ashley's secret would be safe, but he couldn't bring himself to divulge the truth, even if there was a part of him that wanted the whole damned world to know what she'd done to him.

“If you ever want to bend my ear over what happened you know I'll be here for you. And you know I'll keep my mouth shut.”

“I know.” Keeping this secret bottled up inside hadn't been easy or healthy, but when it came down to it, his word was his damned word and that was that. “Thank you, Uncle Easton,” he said sincerely but decided to change the subject before he spilled his guts. “So you and Carrie Ann finally were spotted gettin' really cozy at Wine and Diner. Holding hands and dancing real close.”

“People in this town need something better to talk about.”

“You're dodging the question.”

“We're not serious or anything.”

“Do you want to be?” Avery asked.

“I've been sweet on her for some time but felt the need to fight my feelings.” He grinned and pointed at his head. “Why do you think I keep my hair so danged short? I know what days she eats lunch at Wine and Diner and what time she has her coffee at Walking on Sunshine and I would just so happen to stop in at the same time. Son, guess I've been foolin' myself for a long time.” He shrugged before casting again. “There's no fool like an old fool.”

Avery laughed. “I pretty much had all of this figured out. I just wondered if you'd ever get up the gumption to go for it.”

“Yeah . . .” Easton took a drink of his water, and then side cast his bait beneath a weathered dock. “But I do wanna tell you somethin'.”

“Go on.”

“Lookin' back, I see now that I let my childhood dictate a lot of my life. I decided early on that I wanted to stay single and not live an unhappy existence filled with constant turmoil. And I sure as hell didn't want to have children and put them through hell. I was pretty damned afraid of that happening.”

“I understand, Uncle Easton. I told myself that if I ever had kids I'd be around for them. I mean, it's only natural to want to avoid or be the opposite of what causes us such pain.”

“Yeah, but when it holds you back from happiness then you've got to do somethin' about it. I'm nearly fifty-six years old and it's about time I give fallin' in love a whirl.” He shrugged. “If I crash and burn, so be it. What do I have to lose?”

“Well, the crashin' and burnin' part for starters,” Avery pointed out but his uncle tossed his head back and chuckled. “So what are you tellin' me to do? I
mean, you're assuming that Sophia would be open to the idea of somethin' real between us.”

“Is that so far-fetched?”

“Are you forgetting that this pretend thing was her suggestion?” Avery suddenly thought about the
Lady and the Tramp
movie that they'd talked about. “I guess it's not completely out of the question.”

“What, that Sophia could fall for someone hardworking, honest, and good-lookin' as you? I mean you do take after your uncle, after all.”

Avery laughed. “Well, when you put it that way . . .”

“Seriously, Avery, you can look at this as pretending for the sake of getting Zoe off your back about Ashley. And hopefully it will work because your sister can be pretty damned determined.”

“Tell me about it.”

“But maybe you should consider giving this silly scheme a fighting chance.”

“I know.” Avery nodded but a cold shiver of anxiety slid down his spine.

“You don't have to say anything right off the bat but if something real starts to develop, then . . . you know what I'm sayin'.”

Avery reeled in his line and looked for a frog to flip across vegetation near the shoreline. “Yeah, I know what you're sayin' but I've done the crashing-and-burning thing and it really sucks.”

“Then go slow,” he said. Then his eyes widened. “Hey, I got a bite!” He started reeling and then shouted, “Fish on! Get the net. We're gonna need it! Damn he's a fighter!”

Avery laughed and felt his blood pumping with excitement for his uncle. After a few minutes of laughing and cussing up a storm, Uncle Easton reeled in a huge smallmouth bass. Avery had the net ready and a moment later the fish was in the boat.

“He's a big one!” Easton shouted, and then gently removed the hook.

“Let me get a picture!” Avery reached in his jeans pocket for his phone.

“Yeah!” Holding the fish up high, he hammed it up for Avery's cell phone camera, and then tossed the prize back into the water. “Send that to me, will ya? That had to be about a seven-pounder. I need proof.”

“I'll vouch for ya.” Avery sent the picture to his uncle's phone but he also sent the picture to Sophia telling himself that it was just a friendly thing to do and it would bring a smile to her face. But he knew better—just like his uncle had seen right through the pretend dating It wasn't just a genius plan to squash the Ashley situation but also a way for him to keep his growing attraction for Sophia from showing. He'd wanted to tell her how he felt at the pizza parlor but she'd all but insisted on the fake-dating scenario, making him hold back. Pretending to pretend was a pretty crazy thing to do, but he just wasn't ready to let his true feelings show if it would end in him only getting hurt again.