Page 45 of The Alpha's Second Chance Mate

“Come on, I’mstarving,” Ashton said, his tone pleading and desperate, as if he hadn’t eaten in days.

Avery glanced back and forth between her son and me, obviously trying to come up with an excuse that wouldn’t sound rude or disappoint Ashton.

“I’ve got so much work to do,” she said lamely.

Ashton rolled his eyes and walked toward the door. “Go get dressed, Mom. I’m gonna die if I don’t eat soon, and you and I both know Cole isn’t leaving until you’re in the car.”

He slipped around her and out the door, jogging toward my truck. Avery glared after him, but I could see her resolve cracking. Finally, she heaved a sigh and gave me a defeated look. “You really aren’t leaving without me, are you?”

Leaning against the doorframe, I grinned. “No, ma’am.”

“Oh, for God’s sake,” she grumbled and turned away. “I’ll be out in a minute.”

It was all I could do to suppress the urge to throw a fist pump of victory. Instead, I headed to the truck to join Ashton.

“I think you’ve got your mom wrapped around your little finger,” I said.

Ashton shrugged uncomfortably. “Maybe.”

“It’s okay. It’s not a bad thing.”

“I know I can get her to do stuff if I ask.” He quickly added, “I don’t take advantage, though.”

I belted out a laugh. “I know your mom has probably changed a lot in the years since she left, but if there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that no one can take advantage of Avery Carlisle. Whatever she agrees to, she does it because deep down she wants to.”

The statement was true, and it also gave me hope. She could have easily waved us off and told us to go. Had she pushed theissue even a little bit more, I’d have relented, but she was joining us. I couldn’t help but think it was a good sign.

Ashton smiled faintly. “Yeah, I guess so. I’m still happy that she tries so hard. Sometimes, I feel guilty, though.”

“Why?” I didn’t like the sadness in his eyes.

“Anything I ever want to do, she tries her best to make it happen. A lot of the time, I have to think about whether it’s something I really want before asking. I don’t want to stress her out, you know?”

Ididknow, but he was far too young to think that way. He was way more mature than I’d been at fourteen. Most kids just asked and asked and asked, hoping the answer would always be yes. The fact that he was always weighing and measuring his wants and needs against his mother’s stress and happiness spoke to the kind of kid he was.

“She hates that goofy magazine she works for, but it pays well and keeps us going,” Ashton said. “She really wants to write her own stuff, but it seems like she never has the time. I get the feeling she’d really like to write a book or something cool like that.”

In high school, Avery had filled notebooks with ideas, character profiles, and short stories. She’d always wanted to be a writer, and it was what she’d gone to college for. The fact that I hadn’t been there to help her raise Ashton, that she’d had to leave her dream behind to work a job that didn’t fill her with joy, only added to the mountain of regret already inside me.

Avery reappeared a few minutes later. All she’d done was change clothes, brush her hair, and maybe put on a tiny bit of makeup,but I was still completely enamored with her. She looked gorgeous, and I had to avert my eyes to keep from staring.

“Ready to go?” I asked.

“I suppose,” Avery replied, casting an annoyed look at Ashton.

“Al and Betty’s, here we come,” I said.

Avery glanced sideways at me as she got into the front seat. “Al and Betty are still running the diner? They were old enough to retire when I left Harbor Mills.”

I shrugged and started the car. “They did. Al Junior runs it now, but he kept the name.”

“What the heck is Al and Betty’s?” Ashton asked.

“The best hamburger you’ll ever have, buddy,” I said.

“Yes!” He groaned. “I’m wasting away back here.”

“Oh my God, Ash,” Avery said, twisting in her seat to look at him. “You act like I never feed you.”

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