by Nomi Summers
“I’m not sure, Ave. But I know you, and you’ll figure this out. We’ll figure this out.”
“We will figure this out? You are leaving soon. After the concert, I’ll be left to figure this out, and Arbor Shores will just be a distant memory to you once again.”
Now he was getting to the bottom of what was really bothering her. Was it really what Hunter had said? Or was it that they were finally getting close again, and the sobering reality of him leaving had just hit her? He wasn’t ready for this conversation. Not yet, anyway. But perhaps it was time.
“That’s not fair, Ave. Like I said, we’ll figure this out. We don’t have to figure it out today, but we will before the week is over. I know we can make this work.”
“Do you really think this could work, Shane? I mean, let’s be realistic.”
“You’ve already decided our future for us? We haven’t even talked about it yet. We’re just getting to know each other again.”
She stared out the window. “The reality is, you are leaving. You’re a famous rock star. Not to mention, you live in California, and I’m never leaving Arbor Shores. My life is here. Everyone knows long distance doesn’t work, and I don’t have any interest in trying to make a relationship like that work.”
“Well, I don’t know what’s going to happen after this week. We haven’t even gotten that far yet, but I do know that I’d like to try.” Shane flipped off the radio and a deafening silence filled the truck. Was she right? Was this relationship impossible to make work with his career and the distance between them? He had been so happy all day, thinking he was getting his Avery back. He wasn’t going to lose her. Not again. Not ever.
“What if I moved back here? Would that make you happy?” he asked. Avery’s head shot in his direction, and she stared at him with a look of disbelief.
“You’d do that? I mean, is that even an option?”
Was it an option? That was a good question. The rest of the band lived in LA, so practice would be difficult, but it could be done, couldn’t it?
“Anything is possible. I don’t have to stay in LA. Heck, I don’t even have to stay in the band.”
“What are you talking about?” She let out a half laugh. “Your band is your life. You’re one of the biggest names of our time. You can’t give that up. Not for me. I won’t let you.” She shook her head.
“What if I told you I’m tired of it?”
“I bet. It must be exhausting having raving fans all over the world, and all the money you could ever dream of for doing exactly what you love,” she teased.
“Money isn’t everything.” He shot her a serious look. “And who says I still love it?”
“You’re telling me you don’t love making music?”
“Making music, yes. Touring, writing songs I’m forced to write, in a way that I’m being told to do it instead of the way I want to do it, that takes all the fun out of it for me. To be honest, it stopped being fun a long time ago.”
“So, what do you want to do?”
“I don’t know, but I do know one thing. I’m ready for a change, and Arbor Shores might be just the change I’m looking for. It’s been so good being back here. Being with you. Life is so simple here. I left town searching for happiness, but it was here waiting for me all along.”
She scooted across the seat and slid next to him. He put his arm around her and pulled her close. “You’re right, Shane. We don’t have to figure this out today. Let’s just forget I brought it up for now and see where this week takes us.”
“Okay, but I meant what I said. We are going to make this work. I don’t know how, or what that will even look like, but I know I’m never losing you again.”
With those words, he felt Avery’s head rest against his shoulder, and although she didn’t say anything, he was sure they were on the same page for the first time in a long time. And that felt better than ever.
There was no way he would screw this up again.
Avery watched as Shane spent the afternoon painting the cabins, thinking of reasons to go check on him several times throughout the day. Her mom still hadn’t returned, and she wasn’t answering her cell phone, which was odd. Avery had plenty to keep her busy at the lodge, especially with the absence of her mother, who usually wrote checks for the deliveries that came in on Mondays, but by five, she was beat. It had been a long day, and she just wanted to go see Shane and let him know it was time to stop for the day.
She made her way down the hill in the golf cart, and was pleasantly surprised to find that some time throughout the hot afternoon, Shane had taken off his shirt. He was trimming the window on cabin number two in nothing but his blue jeans when she found him. She was actually surprised he hadn’t drawn a crowd of guests from the resort. It was odd to find him alone and not being swarmed for autographs. Then again, that was a testament to how slow the resort actually was, although it was early week, and most of the weekend guests had already checked out.
“I brought you some lemonade,” she said, walking up behind the ladder.
“And here I thought you were coming to help,” he teased and gave her a grin before he took a big swig. “Thank you. This is exactly what I needed.”
“Have dinner with me? It’s the least I can do for all of your hard work. The cabins are looking great, by the way.”
“Well, I barely finished two, but thank you.”
“I really appreciate it. So, dinner?” She was wearing her heart on her sleeve, but she didn’t care. As much as she hated the thought of him leaving, he was right. They could figure it out later. For now, she just wanted to enjoy herself and have some of the fun she’d been missing. She could feel herself coming around, and she was actually quite proud of herself for letting him back in.
“I’d love nothing more.” He climbed down from the ladder. “I’ll need to get a shower. Where would you like to go?”
“How about right here?”
“Huh?”
Avery walked to the back of the golf cart and retrieved a basket. He followed to see what she’d brought.
“I grabbed a couple of steaks and some sides from the kitchen. I figured we’d throw them on the grill at your cabin, and enjoy a summer evening by the lake.”
“That sounds like a plan to me. What else have you got in there?” He playfully bumped her out of the way with his hip and started rummaging through the basket.
“Hey, you’ll find out later.” She tried to grab it back from him but it was too late. He was pulling the contents of the basket out and looking at what all she’d packed with an amused grin on his face.
“Marshmallows … graham crackers … chocolate … red wine.” He smiled at her, and she could feel her face reddening. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you planned us a date night here in this basket.”
She felt slightly foolish. Was it too much? “I just thought I’d give you the full experience. When was the last time you had s'mores or grilled out by the lake?”
He put the contents back in the bag and turned to face her, grabbing her hands. “Honestly, it’s perfect. There’s nothing I’d rather do than barbecue by the lake with you. I do have to shower though.”
“Let’s wrap up here. You can get a shower, and I’ll start prepping.”
She helped him pack up the painting supplies and put them on the porch of the cabin he’d been working on. Once back at Shane’s cabin, he disappeared into the bathroom to shower, and she began shucking the corn and seasoning the steaks.
She heard the shower turn off, and he emerged in nothing but a tight white towel wrapped snug around his waist, his hair wet and tousled, looking like a tanned god with bulging abs.
“Those look great,” he said eyeing the steaks, but she couldn’t take her eyes off of him. “I’m going to go get dressed, and then I’ll help,” he said over his shoulder before disappearing into the bedroom.
Please get dressed. His rugged good looks were almost too much to take.
Shane emerged a few minutes late
r in gym shorts and a hoodie. He looked just as good in this getup as he had half-naked. What was happening inside of her? She hadn’t had this reaction to a man in a long time. In fact, she hadn’t had this reaction to a man since him.
Shane poured them both a glass of wine and led Avery by the hand out to the patio. “You relax.” He placed her in a lounge chair and handed her a glass. “I’ll light the grill.”
She watched as he prepped the grill, and the comforting aroma of hot charcoal filled her nose with nostalgia. Her dad had always cooked on the grill, and that smell took her back every time. It was a smell she loved more than anything. She leaned back in her chair and took a sip of her wine, letting all the tension escape her body as she let out a long sigh. This was the first time she’d felt this relaxed in a long time, and there was nowhere else she’d rather be.
They ate dinner on a picnic table in front of the cabin, under the shade of a giant oak tree. The sun was getting low now, and she was getting a bit chilly, still in her sundress.
“How about I light a fire?” He motioned to the firepit.
“That’d be great.” She got up and went into the cabin to get the fixings for the s’mores. She wandered into the bedroom and found his suitcase on the floor. She grabbed a sweatshirt out of his things. She used to love stealing his shirts back in the day. In fact, she still had his favorite U of M sweatshirt, but she’d never tell him that. It was soft and worn out from years of washes, and it was her favorite. There was no getting rid of it, even though the sleeves had begun to fray and there were a few holes and stains. She only wore it when home alone, and the holes and stains didn’t bother Tipper much.
“I see you went shopping in my suitcase.” He looked up at her and laughed, poking at the fire.
“I’ll give it back.”
“Yeah, right! I know how that goes.” He smiled. “Keep it.”
The sweatshirt had a hint of his scent and it comforted her. “If you insist,” she agreed, shooting him a flirtatious grin.
They sat by the fire for several hours, talking about what they’d been doing over the years while they were apart. Shane played her a love song every now and then on his guitar, serenading her in the quiet summer night. It was dark now, and the sky was dusted with stars. The moon shone down on the lake, and the last few logs on the fire glowed before them, but it was slowly starting to go out. Shane tilted his head back and closed his eyes. He looked content, but there was something she needed to know before their evening came to an end. Something that had been on her mind for far too long.
“Man, it’s so nice to be back. I sure do miss summers here. Thank you for a great day.” He opened his eyes to look at her, and she met his eyes with a serious look.
She sat up straight in her chair, searching for the right words. “Shane, I need to know something.”
He straightened his back and sat up to face her. “Anything.”
“I need to know why you left the way you did.” Her voice shook, but she had to know. They were so close back then; their love was real even if they were just kids. How could he just leave and never miss her or Arbor Shores? Not even once did he have a moment of weakness after he left. It didn’t make sense.
“Take a walk with me down to the dock?” He stood up and held out his hand to her. She obliged, and they walked to the end of the dock in silence, the moon lighting the way.
They took a seat at the end of the dock and both dipped their feet into the water, which was surprisingly warm.
Shane rubbed at the back of his neck, and Avery could tell he was pausing to find the right words. He looked to be deep in thought, so she waited. This wasn’t the time to push.
“Avery, there’s something I never told you. Something I never told anyone. Something only the Knox family knows about, and still, it’s never spoken of, even among us brothers.”
“Go on,” she said softly.
“You always knew my father was tough on us Knox boys, but I never told you just how tough.”
She reached over and put her hand on his leg. She could see he was struggling.
“He was physical, Avery,” he finally spat out the words. “In a violent way. Not just to our mother, but to me and the twins, mostly. Hunter was always his favorite, but he still got it, too, just not as bad. Probably because he tried harder to please him than the rest of us.”
“I had no idea.”
“There was nothing I ever did that pleased him. It seemed that no matter how hard I tried, he was never happy with my decisions. When I didn’t make the football team my freshman year, you’d have thought the world was coming to an end. But I never wanted to play football. Football was Ethan’s thing. Music was my thing.” His jaw tightened. “And then, when I thought about going to college out of state, he exploded. He wanted me to go to Northern, and I couldn’t bear to stay that close to home. It made me not want to go to college at all if that was my only option.”
“So, that’s why you never wanted to apply for college?”
“Things got worse as my parents were going through their divorce. Our home life was tumultuous, and he took it out on us boys. After graduation, I just wanted to get out of here. So did the twins. Heck, the only one who stayed in Arbor Shores was Hunter. I can’t even imagine how he’s dealt with Dad all these years.”
“Why didn’t you ever tell me?”
He scrubbed his face with his hand. “I was ashamed, I guess. I didn’t want to burden you with my problems. Getting out of the house and being with you, being here at the resort with you and Dax and your family—which seemed perfect to me—that was the only time I was happy. It was an escape from the reality I was living at home, and when I was here with you, I didn’t want to think about it. I just wanted to enjoy every moment.”
Avery slid her body closer to him and put her arm around his waist. She rested her head on his shoulder, but didn’t say a word, allowing him to continue.
“The night before I left, that was the worst it ever got. My mom had come back to the house to get the rest of her things. There was a bad fight, and I’d had enough. I stepped in to protect her, and he—”
“Shane, you don’t have to say it.”
“We called the cops, but of course, because of my father’s power, that was never leaked, even in a small town like Arbor Shores. The next day, I was gone. Well, I was kicked out, so I had no choice but to leave. As long as I was leaving, I figured I might as well go as far away as possible. I’d always had a dream of making it in music, you know that. So, I left for California. I couldn’t wait for you. You were still in your senior year.”
“I wish you would’ve told me. I spent so many years wondering how you could just walk away from what we had. I never knew …”
“I’m sorry I left you, Ave. I’m sorry I never came back. When I tell you it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, I mean it. But I had to get out of here and put Arbor Shores behind me. I had to or else I would’ve broken and come back to you, and I didn’t want to be anywhere near him once I was old enough to make that decision. I had to be strong, and it was the first time in my life I was in control of my decisions and that felt good.” He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “But the leaving you part, that killed me. I just want you to know that.” He turned to face her for the first time since he’d started talking, and she could see his eyes were moist with tears. She could tell he meant his words.
“I understand. I just wish you would’ve told me, that’s all. You’ll never know how much it hurt me when you left. You’ll never know how many nights I cried myself to sleep wondering why you never thought about me or missed me, not even once.” A hot tear escaped the corner of her eye.
“You weren’t the only one who was hurting. And just so you know, there isn’t a day that’s gone by that I haven’t thought about you. Still to this day. There isn’t a song I’ve ever written that didn’t have you in mind. They’ve all been for you.”
“But why didn’t you ever come back for me?”
“That part, I don’t have an answer for. Maybe I was too ashamed to face you after I left you like I did. Call it being young, call it making bad decisions. Call it what you want. I call it the worst decision I’ve ever made.”
“Well, in hindsight, as much as it hurt at the time, I’m glad I stayed here, or I wouldn’t have had those last few years with my dad.” The thought of not getting that time with her father filled her with emotion.
He stood up and held out his hands to pull her to her feet. She didn’t need to hear another word, she was just grateful to finally know the truth.
She put her arms around his waist and nuzzled into his embrace, exhaling the last trace of doubt she had left in her.
It was as if nine years of heartache had finally been erased with one long overdue conversation.
Chapter 15
“There you are.” Avery plopped her purse down on the chair across from her mother’s desk and stood with a hand on her hip, ready for an explanation. “Where were you yesterday? I tried calling and texting you several times.”
Meredith let out a long, exasperated sigh. “I went into the city to meet with the bank and then with our attorney.” Her words had a somber tone, and Avery had a feeling bad news was coming.
“And?” Avery waited, afraid of what might come next.
“Well, the bank denied my request for an extension. So, I went to our lawyer to have him look over Hunter Knox’s offer.”
“What? Please tell me you did not accept the offer.”
“I signed the papers, Avery.”
“No, please tell me you didn’t.” Avery placed her hand on her forehead and circled around the office. “Didn’t you get my note?”
“There’s nothing we can do at this point to save the resort. We can’t come up with what’s needed in the next few weeks. We’d need a miracle.”
“Mom, call the attorney and tell him you’ve changed your mind. We do not need to take Hunter’s offer. Shane has offered to put on a concert here this weekend for the Jamboree. That’s why I was trying to call you yesterday.”
