“I was going to bring my bike,” he muttered sheepishly, “but I figured you wouldn’t be dressed for it.”
Avery suppressed a giggle. Of course she wouldn’t be dressed for it. Wasn’t he the one who told her to dress nice? And he seemed to be almost… nervous? It was endearing and definitely not what she expected. How could a guy of his height and girth, covered head to toe in tattoos, be intimidated by the likes of her? But Brody’s nervousness only added to the fire that had slowly begun to spread through her body the moment he knocked on the door.
Very few words passed between them as they drove the sixteen miles from Avery’s apartment to the Boston Harbor. It wasn’t until they approached the waterfront that Brody finally broke the silence that had settled between them.
“Have you ever been here?” he asked, but quickly answered his own question. “Of course you have. You live here.”
“It’s been years, but I wouldn’t mind bringing Parker here one day.” At the mention of Parker’s name, Avery felt Brody’s stare boring into her. Just two old friends catching up, she politely reminded herself.
Sensing her trepidation, he softly replied, “I think Parker would love it down here. Maybe next time we’ll bring him with us.”
At his suggestion, her shoulders visibly relaxed. He’d known about Parker for almost a month now but they’d yet to discuss what role he would play in his son’s life. That conversation was inevitable, but not one she wished to have tonight. It was a bridge they’d cross when the time came.
The sound of her heels echoing off the cobblestone walkway danced across the air and mingled with the cool breeze drifting in from the ocean. Avery shivered and slowly gravitated closer to Brody. Her mind justified this move as a need for warmth, but her body knew otherwise. She liked being near him as they casually strolled along the waterfront, watching the light of the city dance across the surface of the water. She liked feeling their bodies accidentally brush up together when he pointed out another landmark and babbled nervously about its historical significance. But most of all, Avery just liked being close to him. She loved the images her mind conjured of ripping that stiff suit from his body piece by piece.
As they neared the restaurant, Brody rambled on about this being the hottest place in the harbor. “You’re going to love it,” he gushed. “Their specialty is oysters.”
“That would explain the name.” Avery laughed as she read the sign above the entrance. A blue neon sign shaped to form the words ‘Aww Shucks!’ hung above the door, its bright lights piercing the blackened sky above the marina and casting a blue tinge on the boats moored nearby.
Brody willed himself to relax. The sight of Avery looking as fine as she did was driving him mad with need. He needed to touch her. He needed to feel her. He needed to taste her. Every nerve ending in his body was electrified by the sight of her. It took every last bit of hit self control not to sweep her up in his arms and whisk her back to his apartment, but tonight was about winning her back, not ravaging her before they even made it to dinner. Keep your head in the game, man.
“Did you say something?” Avery asked, turning her attention back to Brody.
I didn’t say that out loud, did I? “No, I didn’t say anything.”
“I could’ve sworn you just said something.”
“I think you’re hearing things,” Brody laughed, and offered her his hand. “Shall we?”
Avery could feel the clamminess of his palm as their fingers entwined. The feeling of her hand in his was familiar, but at the same time felt different. She knew every inch of his body, every crease in his skin. She’d committed it to memory just as she had memorized every other detail about him, but there was something in his touch that had never been there before. Tension. What is he up to? A million different scenarios ran through her mind. Did he want her to tell Parker that he was his father? No, it was far too soon for that, and Brody had already agreed to wait until the time was right. Was he expecting her to have sex with him tonight? If he was, it wouldn’t take much convincing on his part. Oh God, what if he wanted custody of Parker? This was something she’d never considered before now, but was a very distinct possibility. Brody had already made it very clear that he thought Parker was going without the day he showed up at her door with hundreds of dollars worth of food. And the cheque! It wasn’t really for Parker’s education. He’s already told her to spend it on whatever she wanted. And maybe that’s why he was so insistent on her joining him tonight. That had to be it. Brody wanted custody of Parker.
Avery launched into panic mode and quickly snatched her hand from his. If Brody wanted custody of Parker he would send his lawyer after her, not treat her to an expensive dinner at the city’s hottest restaurant, wouldn’t he? Not wanting him to see her panic, Avery slowed her pace and fell into step behind Brody, averting her gaze in an effort to avoid his curious stares.
They stood patiently in the foyer as they waited for the hostess to escort them to their table. Avery busied herself with watching the TV that hung above the bar, while Brody leaned on a nearby wall and casually observed her, wondering what caused the sudden change in her mood. Was she having second thoughts about their date? About him? They’d barely spoke two words since he’d picked her up at his apartment. Things were not going according to plan. He had to do something, anything, to salvage this date.
“Screw this,” Brody hissed, and pushed off from the wall. Joining Avery by the bar, he kept his distance as he casually asked, “Can I get you a drink while we wait?”
“Umm, sure.”
Umm, sure? That wasn’t even a real response. There was definitely something up with Avery and he needed to fix it. Fast.
He returned from the bar a few minutes later with drinks in hand. “You’re going to like this. It’s the house special.”
“Thanks,” she replied stiffly, and took the drink from him. A viscous, blood-like substance filled the glass and was garnished with a bushy stalk of celery. A small plastic sword impaled a pickle and two cocktail onions hung unsteadily from the rim, which upon better inspection appeared to be coated with some sort of salt. Avery raised the glass to her lips and took a tentative sip. The flavor exploded in her mouth as the red viscous liquid rolled across her tongue: tomato, spices, and a hint of something she couldn’t place.
“Do you like it? It’s called a Caesar.”
“I love it,” Avery gushed, hastily wiping a drop of tomato juice from her lip and temporarily letting her guard down.
“That’s the clam juice.”
“It has clam juice in it? Hmm, I never would’ve guessed.”
At last Avery’s carefree mood seemed to have returned, but only for a moment. The second Brody took a step towards her, she resumed the same cold and awkward persona that she’d adopted upon their arrival at the restaurant, making it perfectly clear that whatever was bothering her had something to do with him. Frustrated, concerned, and unable to hold his tongue any longer, he blurted out,” What’s wrong, Avery? You’ve been acting weird ever since we got here.”
Avery leaned back against the bar and let out an apprehensive sigh. “Why did you really ask me out to dinner tonight?”
“I told you, I wanted to catch up. Five years is a long time.”
“Yeah, just two old friends, right?” As much as she tried, Avery couldn’t hide the sarcasm from her voice. She was in stage five panic mode now. Raising her arms, she motioned aimlessly at their surroundings. Her voice was clipped. “So all of this, the bracelet, the fancy restaurant, none of it has to do with you wanting custody of Parker?”
“What the hell, Avery? Where on earth did you ever get an idea like that?” The words spewed out of Brody’s mouth in a rush.
“Just tell me the truth.”
Brody wanted to take Avery in his arms and tell her how very wrong she was. That he would never do something like that, but in her current state of mind a move like that would only earn him a slap in the face, or better yet, a kick in the groin. So instead o
f comforting her, he remained motionless. “Avery, I swear, never in a million years has that thought crossed my mind. I would never dream of taking Parker away from you. I told you…”
“Yeah, I know,” Avery interrupted “just two old friends catching up.”
Brody waited for her to calm down before repeating his question. “What on earth ever gave you that idea? Was it something I said or did, because if it was, I am truly, truly sorry.”
“No, it’s nothing like that.”
“Then what was it?”
“I don’t know. First you show up at my house with all those groceries and then there’s that damn cheque. It just felt like you thought I couldn’t provide for Parker.” Avery tilted her head up and allowed herself a peek at Brody. The look of hurt on his face shocked her. Maybe she’d misread his gestures. Maybe he was just trying to be a provider for his son. “I’m sorry. I guess I just let my imagination get the better of me.”
“I can think of a better use for your imagination,” Brody joked, trying to relieve the pent up friction that had settled between them. And it worked. He watched as a half-hearted smile slowly began to spread across her face.
Thankfully, the hostess chose that exact moment to appear at their side. “Sir, Ma’am, if you’ll follow me. Your table is ready.”
“Allow me?” Smiling, Brody offered her his arm.
Avery wasn’t entirely convinced that his motives for asking her out to dinner were pure, but she was now certain that they had absolutely nothing to do with Parker. And so she looped his arm through his and allowed him to lead her through the restaurant.
Arm in arm they maneuvered through the crowded dining room. White, crisp linen tablecloths had been draped over the tables, which were surrounded by high back chairs upholstered with blue and white striped fabric. Antique navigational maps hung in silver frames and stood out against the plain white walls. The theme was very nautical and very unlike the tacky décor most of the other seafood restaurants she’d visited seemed to have in common. It was chic, clean, and bright.
A waiter appeared suddenly at their table carrying menus and two glasses of water. “Can I start you off with another drink?”
“Not for me, thank you, but perhaps the lady would like another one.”
Avery nodded in agreement. “Yes, please.”
“Very well,” the waiter replied. After presenting them with a menu, he listed off the daily specials before vanishing into a crowd of passing patrons.
Three Caesars and four plates of raw oysters later, Avery settled back into her seat and studied Brody. The sparse gray hair around his temples was something she hadn’t noticed until now. And he look stressed, something else she hadn’t noticed until now. Thinking back, she could recall seeing him turned on, angry, moody, nervous, and even amused, but never stressed, not like this. There was definitely something eating away at him, but what? Dinner had been enjoyable, but their conversation was non-existent. Barely two words had passed between them all night. If Avery wanted to know what was bothering him, she was just going to have to ask him outright.
She fidgeted with the napkin in her lap. The four Caesars she’d consumed since arriving at the restaurant had given her the courage to ask the question she’d wanted to ask all night. “So, why did you ask me out to dinner?”
At the sound of Avery’s voice, Brody’s head snapped up. He’d been racking his brain trying to think of something to fill the lull in their conversation, and this was definitely something. If he answered Avery’s question the wrong way, he’d send her running in the opposite direction, so it was important that he chose his words very carefully.
“Well,” he began, but reached for another oyster. The length of time it took him to chew it would buy him a few precious seconds to formulate a believable response. When he swallowed down the last bite, he cleared his throat and sat up straighter in the chair.
Avery waited patiently for him to respond, but her patience was wearing thin. If this wasn’t about Parker, what in the hell was it about? “Well?”
Brody hesitated. Emotions were already running high. If he told her the truth now—especially after the false assumptions she’d made about him wanting custody of Parker—there was a chance she’d flee, and that wasn’t a chance worth taking. He still had every intention of telling Avery how he felt about her, but only when the timing was right. So instead of saying the three simple words that he so desperately longed to say, he lied. “Avery, I really did want to catch up tonight, nothing more.”
Nothing more? She felt a pang of guilt deep in the pit of her stomach, but that was her own fault, not Brody’s. That’s what she got for carrying on like a raving lunatic. Resigned to the fact that any hopes she had for a “happy ending” had been quashed, she leaned back in her chair and forced a smile to her face. “Some date I’ve been, huh? First I accuse you of wanting to take Parker away from me and then I barely say two words to you all night. You probably would’ve had more fun taking Parker to Mc Donalds.”
Avery stiffened. Had she really just suggested that Brody take Parker out? By himself? No! It’s way too soon for that. With any luck, he hadn’t caught on to her suggestion, but the expression on his face told her he had.
“I’d love nothing more than to take Parker to Mc Donalds, but maybe the three of us should go out a few times so he can get to know me a bit better first.” He could sense Avery’s reluctance the second the words left her mouth, and this was one subject he didn’t want to press his luck with, but it was a start, and it gave him another excuse to ask her out.
“I’d like that,” Avery agreed “but I have to warn you, that child can eat his weight in Chicken Mc Nuggets.”
The two of them stared at each other and simultaneously burst out laughing. Finally, the carefree, playful Avery had returned.
“Now, about tonight, not all is lost.” Brody relaxed in his chair. If he played his cards right, he may just be able to salvage this evening after all. “We could always find a nice, quiet café. That’s what friends do, have coffee together.”
“I’d like that.”
“Good,” he smiled. “So would I.”
Chapter 9
Boston’s “new” waterfront was the tourist’s one-stop shop for niche boutiques, art galleries, nightclubs, and restaurants. The city had spent millions of dollars on its revitalization and judging by the growing lineups outside the bars and eateries, it was a very worthwhile investment. Even the locals couldn’t resist the lure of world class chefs and endlessly flowing cocktails. But during the day, the scene painted a very different picture. Families crowded into the dozens of parks that lined the waterfront, couples browsed the antique shops and artisan vendors, and hot dog carts were a dime a dozen.
Avery wrapped both hands around her coffee cup, relishing in its warmth as her body involuntarily shivered against the cool night air.
“Are you cold?”
“A little.”
Like the gentleman he was brought up to be, Brody removed his jacket and placed it across her shoulders. “Better?”
“Better.”
They continued walking towards the marina in silence, gingerly sipping at their coffees. But this was an amicable silence and very much the opposite of the awkward silence they’d encountered during dinner. They were genuinely enjoying each other’s company.
As they neared the marina’s entrance, Brody spoke softly, breaking the quietness. “What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing much.”
“You must be thinking about something. I can practically hear the wheels in your head turning,” he joked.
Avery looked at him and smiled. “Well, if you must know, I was thinking about how much Parker would love it down here.”
“He would, wouldn’t he?”
“Look over there.”Avery pointed to a spot off in the distance
Brody lifted his head and looked to the spot further up the walkway where she was pointing. There, in the parking lot beside the park, wa
s a fun fair in the midst of being constructed. A lone worker who had just finished stocking one of the game booths was locking up for the night.
“Parker would love that,” she murmured, and pulled the jacket tighter around her shoulders.
“Are you still cold?”
“A bit.”
Brody moved closer to Avery and draped his arm across her shoulders. As they continued to make their way along the walkway, he began lightly massaging her arm through the wool fabric. “Maybe we could bring Parker here this weekend.”
His hot, heady breath tickled the sensitive skin of her neck when he spoke, and the closeness of their bodies made it impossible for her to focus on anything else but him. It took every ounce of her concentration for her mouth to formulate one simple word, “Maybe.”
They continued walking past the entrance of the marina and towards the now deserted park, Brody mentally calculating the best way to steal a kiss, and Avery wondering how long it would take to ditch their coffees and make it back to her apartment.
“I was thinking,” they said simultaneously, and both began to laugh.
“You first,” Brody offered.
“It’s okay, you go first.”
“I was thinking that tonight would be a perfect night for a stroll in the park. That is, if you’re not too cold.” He adjusted his jacket to better cover her shoulders, his hand accidentally brushing up against the side of her breast, but Avery didn’t seem to mind one bit. In fact, he could swear that he saw her lips curl up into the beginnings of a smile. “Okay, your turn. What were you going to say?”
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