Page 11 of More Than Anything

“But really, I don’t want to?—”

“Of course you do! I know what men want,” Danette murmured with a smile. “I may look like a churchy little virgin, but I’ve been around the block a time or two.”

Oh, shit!Avery’s brain shrieked.How the hell do I get out of this?“Well, that’s good, I suppose.” Avery prayed that someone would figure out what was going on and come to his rescue. “But I’m really not ready to get involved with anyone just yet.”

Danette let out a little giggle. “I’m not talking about getting involved. I’m just talking about some fun,” she whispered and leaned in to kiss him.

“Hey, your ice cream’s melting!” Walter announced from right behind Danette and she whipped around to stare at him. “I just didn’t want it to get all soupy, that’s all.”

“Oh! Sure! Thanks, Walter!” Avery almost shouted and pressed past Danette. “We should really get out here and eat our cobbler and ice cream,” he said without looking back at Danette, but he could feel her staring a hole right through him.

Avery breathed a huge sigh of relief when everyone took their cobbler and ice cream and made their way out to the back yard. Danette alternated between sullenness and glaring, but Avery didn’t care. He found Arlene’s backyard to be a wonderland. The flowers were huge and beautiful, hummingbirds and bees buzzed around everywhere, and everyone except Danette seemed to be having a grand time.

He offered to stay and help clean up, but he was relieved when Arlene told him it wasn’t necessary. He was even more relieved when Walter walked him to his truck. Once they’d reached it, Avery turned to him and winced a bit. “Thanks for coming to my rescue. I was afraid I wouldn’t get out of there without, well, you know.”

“Yeah.” Walter glanced back over his shoulder toward the house, then turned back to Avery. “It took me a whole second and a half to figure out what was going on, and I couldn’t leave you to fight that battle alone.” He grinned. “She’s tenacious, I’ll give her that.”

“Never married?”

Walter shook his head. “Nope, but left at the altar once.” He stopped, his gaze wandering and turning thoughtful, then said, “And as for Lydia… Avery, everything isn’t always as it seems.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. Everything. You’ll see. Just try to remember that.” Walter clapped him on the shoulder. “See you soon, I hope.”

“Yep. Hope so. And thanks for being so welcoming. I needed this,” Avery said, a smile splitting his face.

“You’re welcome any time. Hope you’ll come back.” Avery watched Walter head to his own truck and climb in. Back in the cab of his, he thought about the conversation.

Everything isn’t always as it seems. What had Walter meant by that? Avery hoped he got a chance to talk to ReverendPotter that week. He had a lot of questions he needed to ask, and he was pretty sure the minister could answer every one of them.

* * *

Monday morning wasquiet enough until about nine thirty when the phone rang. “Mr.Holcomb?” a female voice asked.

“Yes?”

“This is Wendy at Graves and Martin Legal Offices. Mr.Martin would like to speak with you. Is this a good time?”

Avery’s throat went dry and a pain shot through his right eye. “Sure.”

“Okay. Hold just one second.” He heard theclickthat told him she’d put him on hold, and then another when the attorney picked up the phone.

“Hello?”

“Yes, sir?”

“Avery? FrankMartin. How are you?”

“I’m fine, sir. How are you?”

Mr.Martin chuckled. “I’m fine. Before you piss your pants, just know, everything’s okay. But I’ve got a strange request, and I hope you’ll honor it.”

“Okay. Shoot.”

“The judge down here wants to talk to you in my office. Off the record. He wants to know exactly what kind of deal you and SirusKinsey struck. Is that agreeable to you?”

“Sure. When?”

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