Avery didn’t want to have so much anger and irritation in her body. The stress of that took it’s toll. She’d never been one to be so angry for long, and now wasn’t the time to start. She nodded, meeting Lucas’s gaze. The affection in his eyes almost made her melt. He appeared so distressed and worried, it was kind of sweet, actually. He didn’t even have to stay around, or try to talk to her, but he did. What was it about stubborn men? In Lucas’s case, Avery was okay with it. “Yes, we’ll talk later.”
“Thank you.” He brushed her bangs back. Avery shivered at the gesture.
“I’m going to go home now. Take care of that ankle.” Avery got to her feet. She left him sitting in the chair, and she had to fight like hell to not look back.
Paula wasn’t anywhere to be found outside, and on the way home, Avery still hadn’t run into her. She’d probably see her at home. When she walked into the front door, her parents were in the living room, Mom curled up with a book in her hands and Dad changing the channel on the television. They both looked up and smiled as she stepped into the house. “Everything is good. Everyone sends their get better wishes,” Avery informed, taking a seat next to her mom.
“Good, that’s perfect. Thanks sweetheart,” Dad said, finally turning the TV off. “Did you see Paula over there?”
Avery swallowed. “Yeah. She followed me around a bit, then later took off on her own. I thought she’d be back here already.”
Mom shook her head, peeking from behind the book. “No, she hasn’t come back.” Mom put the bookmark in and shut the book. She placed it in her lap, looking through her bifocals at Avery. “Are you doing all right with her here?”
Should she mention the attitude, or just leave it be?
“It’s been interesting,” was the best answer Avery could muster.
“I just don’t want you to feel any different now that she’s here. I always wondered how things would go between the two of you if she ever came home. She’s always been a difficult one, ever since she entered her teenage years.”
Oh, Avery felt different, all right, and Paula’s comments didn’t help. But what could she do?
“Oh, and, since it’s been so crazy, I never did get a chance to ask you about that letter.” Mom took off her glasses, wiped them off with the cloth and adjusted them back on her face.
Avery sighed. “It was from a man that think he’s my biological father. And ... he’s here. At the inn.”
Mom gasped, and Dad’s jaw dropped open.
Here goes nothing.
“We took a DNA test, but the results haven’t come in. I- I’m sorry I haven’t told you yet.” Tears formed in her eyes again. Avery waited for one of them to respond.
Mom nodded wordlessly.
Avery looked from one face to the other, hoping someone would say something soon.
“It’s only fair you know where you came from. I have always been a little worried that if you met your birth parents, you might forget about us,” Mom admitted.
Avery gasped. “No, never! How could I ever forget you, either of you? I love you so much! I don’t know where I would be without either of you.” They really feared this, didn’t they? Avery sensed it, but now with confirmation, Avery felt heartsick. She’d never want to isolate or make them feel like they didn’t matter. Ever!
“Well, whatever happens, we’ll support you all the way,” Dad finally said. He smiled at Avery, but the gesture didn’t reach his eyes.
“I appreciate that. I’m not looking to replace either of you, I’m really not. I just want to know where I come from. What if I have children some day? I’d want to know what kind of medical challenges they might face. I want to know so much. I’ve hated my birthday every year because I don’t know if it’s my real birthday. I hated to celebrate it. The only reason I went along with it was for you two. You were always so happy planning festivities.”
“I never knew that, Avery.” Mom blinked. “If you had told me, we wouldn’t have made so much of a big deal about it. We just wanted to make sure you knew you were loved by us.”
“And I do. I never lacked for love from you two. There were days that I felt like I didn’t belong, not truly anyway, and I hated myself for thinking like that.”
Avery had never made that admission before. It felt good to get that weight lifted from her shoulders.
“Don’t hate yourself for wanting an insight to your past. You need to know. You deserve to. We understand that. There’s so much to take in right now, with Paula being here, me being so tired, not catching up on life with you. Life is too short, and we need to make more time. Your father and I have been toying with the idea of selling the inn. We’re getting older, and it’s proving to be too much. But besides you and Paula, this inn has been our livelihood. I think we’ve both been afraid of retirement because of the uncertainty. What would we do with our time? We’ve always been so busy.”
Not run the inn? Of course, Avery knew that time would come. As much as she loved this place, she wasn’t sure if she wanted them to pass it on to her.
“We just haven’t found anyone yet we’d feel comfortable turning it over to.” Dad shifted on the couch.
“We don’t want to burden you with it, because bigger dreams are waiting for you, Avery. You have a passion and a talent and if we gave you the inn, you couldn’t pursue that. That wouldn’t be fair to you.”
“Anyone with a voice like yours needs to shine,” Dad agreed. This time his smile grew bigger.
Avery was consumed by emotion. She had no idea what to say to that. “I- I don’t know what to say to all of this.” Of course, only recently, Avery recalled the conversation similar to this with Mom. With everything else going on, she hadn’t put much more thought into it.
“We are settled for retirement, and selling the inn would give us a better cushion. I think for all of us, we should turn a new chapter in our lives. If we sell the inn, then you should seriously consider that music career of yours. It’s not a guarantee, but if you don’t try, then you’re not living.”
Wow. Having this support meant so much. Avery wasn’t sure how many parents would be so eager to send their child off to make it in the music business.
“I don’t know how to thank you,” Avery whispered, her voice thick with emotion. Please don’t cry again.
“What a beautiful moment. Am I interrupting a family moment?” Paula sneered. Avery looked up. She stood in the doorway, watching the three of them with a look in her eyes that screamed anger.
“Paula.” Dad’s voice changed from the kind tone to a more stern one. “There really is no reason for you to get so defensive and rude, is there?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Is there? You never supported me the way you do for her.” Paula cast a glance at Avery.
“Supported you in what? Marrying a man that would ruin you, at seventeen years old? Follow him around in a drug-induced haze because you couldn’t see what that relationship did to you? So you ran off, shutting us out of your life for eight years before you contacted us again,” Mom said through her tears.
“So you replaced me!” Paula huffed.
“Replace you? Absolutely not.” Dad crossed his arms over his chest.
“Then what do you call Avery? Not a replacement?”
“There’s room in our hearts and home for Avery, and always for you. You don’t ever have to be jealous. There’s no replacing anyone, and that goes for both of you. No matter how you came to me, blood related or a mysterious miracle, your mother and I love both of you equally. We’ve had our share of problems, Paula, but we’d never replace you and we still love you unconditionally.”
Avery watched wordlessly, her heart lodged in her throat, blood roaring in her ears. Paula was on edge. What would it take to send her over? What would she do? Avery had no doubt the woman had a mean streak a mile wide, and if she chose to unleash it, there’s no telling what would happen next. Avery swallowed hard.
“Whatever,” Paula muttered. She bolted past them, and thundere
d upstairs. A door slammed a moment later. Avery glanced over at Mom and Dad. Mom’s face was white, and Dad caught his lip between his teeth.
“Some things don’t change,” Mom said softly. “This is just what it was like before she ran off. Very intense. I’m sorry for this, Avery.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for,” Avery reassured her. This was bound to happen. Avery worried about this day just as much as Mom worried about Avery reuniting with her birth parents. But things would be okay. Avery had to believe that. Life couldn’t just unravel in one swift tug of the yarn.
Chapter Sixteen
After weighing the options, tossing and turning, and fighting with a pounding headache, Lucas came to a few conclusions. First, he would do whatever it takes to make things right with Avery. Even if nothing ever happened between them and he moved on from this town, which would happen, he wouldn’t feel right if he knew someone he came to care about hated his guts.
He needed to learn to be on his own. For too long, he’d stayed hidden under someone else’s wing, lurking in the shadow, following them from place to place. That could no longer continue. How did he go from taking care of himself for years in his teens, to all of his adult life never having a real job. Yeah, he had a decent amount of money, but what good did that do for him? Covering up problems for an unstable person? Lucas never imagined that while doing so, he’d meet someone that effortlessly and unknowingly made him want to change.
He didn’t stand a chance with her. Not long term.
But Lucas was not going to leave things the way they were.
He could take Avery to meet her mother. Oh, there would be backlash. Tons of it. Lucas wouldn’t be able to move on from this part of his life if he didn’t make that bold move. Avery was worth it. She deserved that closure. Even if there were no relationships formed, Avery needed answers.
Lucas could at least attempt to help her get those answers. It wasn’t enough to make amends for his past, but it was a damn good start to a new beginning.
A waitress brought him a hot plate of food. There was steak, sautéed mushrooms, and a baked potato. He nodded in a thank you as his mouth watered. Tonight he’d decided not to eat at the inn. Lucas wanted a break. He didn’t want to run into Avery, Rodney, or anyone else. He needed that time to clear his head and think about things. Now, if only he could pull this plan together and then get Avery to hear him out.
His phone beeped. Another text message. Lucas sighed, putting down the knife and fork. He could ignore it.
No, better to just get it over with. With a few clicks and swipes, Lucas pulled up the message.
“Despite what you think, how I act, I care about you and about her well being.”
Lucas pounded the tiny keyboard furiously typing a response.
“You have an odd way of showing it. In both aspects. You want to keep her safe, then tell me why. Better yet, let me bring her there.”
He held his breath.
“I can’t.”
Of course that would be the response. Lucas grunted, typing back.
“Why not? Don’t want anyone to know? You’re that ashamed?”
“It’s not that. It’s complicated.”
Lucas snorted. Complicated. Right. Isn’t that what they all said? Disgusted, he stuffed his phone in his pocket. Forget about wasting time trying to get through to a brick wall. Dinner was getting cold, and for once, Lucas wanted to enjoy something instead of dealing with consequence.
The phone dinged again, but this time, Lucas took a bite of food instead.
After he’d taken the time to savor his dinner and paid the bill, Lucas peeked at the message on the phone. Surprised, he nearly dropped it.
He wasn’t reading the response correct.
No way.
“Fine. Make the arrangements. But she has to abide by my privacy requests. No one else can know. No one. You hear me? I have my reasons.”
Well, that was a good start. Lucas pocketed the phone, walking briskly to the inn. His ankle throbbed, but he ignored it. At least it wasn’t broken, or even sprained. Just a little bruised. The pain would fade in time. He wanted to go right over to Avery’s and talk to her now, but he hesitated. Should he go, or wait? Find out for sure if this would actually happen. The last thing he wanted to go was get her hopes up.
A river of headlights streamed across the highway. The little strip with the inn, restaurants and a gas station lined up in a row, with a backdrop of trees made for a peaceful walk. This time, Lucas kept an eye out for anything strange. Maybe the person in the car didn’t even have a personal agenda with him. They could have been drunk, high, or just stupid. He would probably never know. Who really knew him here in the town anyway except for Avery, her parents, and Rodney?
Rodney. Lucas snapped his fingers.
No. Why would he do that? Sure, Lucas didn’t trust the guy, and he knew it went both ways, but why would the man try to run him over?
“Fuck, I’m putting way too much thought into this,” Lucas said aloud.
Lightning flashed in the distance. Maybe a storm would roll in tonight.
Lack of trust had a good way of sending a mind into overdrive, Lucas mused as he strolled through the entrance of his temporary place of residence.
Then he saw a sight that bothered him.
Paula, talking, no, not even talking, trying to persuade Rodney for something. Rodney appeared to be uncomfortable, actually backing away from her. For a moment, Lucas actually felt bad for the guy. Paula responded by getting closer. As Lucas neared, he smelled the whiskey. Sure enough, in her hand, was a bottle of the stuff. Lucas glanced at the front desk. Where was Alice? Any of the staff? Surely someone had to be around.
“Oh, I bet you swing the other way, right? That’s why you don’t want company in your room,” Paula slurred. “I’m lonely. I bet you’re lonely. So what’s the excuse?”
Disgusting. Lucas wondered what the woman would think if she knew who Rodney was. Or could be.
“I’m not interested, Miss. It sounds like what you need is to lay off the bottle,” Rodney said, pushing her advances away again. He turned his head slightly, and that’s when he caught on that Lucas was there. Rodney mouthed ‘help’ and gestured toward her. Paula stopped short and turned her attention on Lucas.
“Well, if it isn’t my adopted sister’s boy toy. I could go a little younger and show you a good time.” Paula swayed. Her eyes glazed. The woman was drunk off her rocker.
“You’ve got a lot of nerve, showing up here like that. If you’re here for your parents, then why are you getting drunk and accosting guests at this inn? Do you know how bad it will look for your mom and dad if this were to be reported?” Lucas kept Paula at arm’s length as she tried to push her way into his arms, making smooch sounds. God, her breath reeked! She couldn’t even stand up straight.
“They don’t seem to care about me, so why should I care?” Paula hissed.
Lucas thought Rodney had walked off, but instead, he aided Lucas in keeping her off of him. “We should get her to her parents’ house. This is Avery’s sister, I guess you’d say.”
Rodney frowned, and he held his grip on Paula’s arm. She didn’t fight them off. Lucas grabbed the whiskey bottle from her strong grip and tossed it into the trash can.
“Hey asshole, that wasn’t empty!” Paula protested, making a swipe at Lucas. She growled, missed, and almost fell forward on her face. Had either of the men not been holding her, she would have. “Let go of me!”
“You’ve had enough of it. You’re causing a ruckus. Now come on. Let’s get you out of here, back to your parents and hopefully sobered up,” Lucas snapped.
“I don’t want to go back there. They hate me. I hate me. They’ve got a new daughter, one they like better,” Paula whined.
“Oh, stop feeling sorry for yourself. No one hates you and they don’t have a ‘new’ daughter. Avery isn’t here to take your place, and she never was. Your mom and dad gave a child a home when she didn’t have anywhe
re else to go.” Lucas dared to look at Rodney, but the man didn’t meet his gaze. Instead, he continued to try and help keep Paula on her feet.
“What is going on?” There was Alice, behind them with her hands on her hips. But she caught sight of Paula and her expression changed. “Is she drunk? Damn, I can smell it! Gross!”
“Yeah, I came back a few minutes ago to her trying to get all over another guest here.” Lucas jerked his head in Rodney’s direction.
“Oh, I’m terribly sorry! This isn’t a normal thing here. Would you like me to call the police to press charges?” Her tone turned fearful.
“That won’t be necessary. I think I’ll just aid Lucas here in getting her back home. No harm done.”
Rodney could have easily made a big fuss, and Lucas could guess with one reason why he chose not to.
“I’ll call Avery, to at least warn them you’re coming. I’m sure with her mom so stressed and tired, they might want an advance notice,” Alice said promptly, heading to the desk and picking up the phone. As Lucas and Rodney led a ranting Paula out the door, Alice spoke rapidly into the phone.
Fifteen minutes and a few punches and kicks later, they finally arrived at the house. Avery and her father were already on the front porch, waiting for them. Avery’s eyes were puffy and red, like she’d been crying, and her father, even for his age, looked extremely pissed and a little intimidating.
“Uh oh ... here’s the parent police,” Paula muttered. She sagged, forcing Lucas and Rodney to practically drag her to the porch.
“Paula, you need to get up, sober up, and if this behavior continues, I’m going to have to ask you to leave. Your mother doesn’t need this, I don’t need this, and I certainly don’t want that kind of behavior around the inn. Accosting a guest? What is wrong with you? If you’re upset, and I know you are, then take it to the right place. Don’t bring the drama outside of our home into the workplace we’ve built for years.” Icicles dripped from the man’s voice. “And thank you both for bringing her back. I’m sorry for your troubles. And I’m terribly sorry she made unwanted advances on you.” The elder man looked at Rodney.
Baby Stetson (Love and Music in Texas #1) Page 15