Page 36 of One Southern Summer

“Happy to help.” He forced a smile, but his insides collapsed like a punctured balloon. How could he tell her that he’d always be there for her? He’d always wanted to be there for her. And he’d like nothing more than to restore their friendship. Nourish it. Stoke that chaste kiss on the cheek into something so much more.

You’re off your rocker. Not gonna happen.

Her husband had betrayed her. Even though the divorce had been final for a while, he sensed that wound was still quite raw. A relationship was likely the last thing she wanted or needed right now. Especially a relationship with him. Accepting Maribelle’s bribe meant vanquishing any possibility of a future romance. If Avery knew the truth, she’d never forgive him.

He followed her out onto the porch, being as quiet as he possibly could. Selfishly, he didn’t really want to see Addison again today, either. The cicadas, frogs and crickets all sang their peculiar nighttime harmony. Lanterns in the yard cast a pleasant glow into the velvety darkness. Strands of vintage lights crisscrossed the screened porch. A ceiling fan whirred overhead, swirling warm air around them. Avery claimed one end of the swing and patted the cushion beside her. “Here, have a seat.”

He set the tumblers on the table nearby then sat down beside her. They dug into their frozen custard. The ordinary activity of eating their favorite dessert together carried him back in time.

He couldn’t begin to count how many hours they’d spent at Marlowe’s back in the day. It was a perfect reward after an intense study session, and the ideal escape when they both needed to get out of their houses for an hour or two. “So what happened today after I flipped out and ran off?”

“Please don’t beat yourself up. It really is okay.” She pressed her hand to his pants leg above his knee, and it was all he could do not to twine his fingers through hers and hold on. “Don’t give it another thought. She’s fine. Kids bounce back quickly.”

“I don’t like...ever since...” He blew out a breath, followed by an embarrassed laugh. “Ever since Kim was abducted, I’m not great with kids getting hurt. I realize a bee sting and an abduction are on opposite ends of the spectrum, but clearly I react to an injured child by panicking. There’s something about it that freaked me out.”

She paused, a spoonful of custard halfway to her mouth, and searched his face. Oh, he wanted to get lost in those eyes. He hadn’t said those words about his sister out loud to a woman, any woman, ever. But instead of feeling raw and exposed, he felt seen. Safe. Because he knew Avery was trustworthy. He could tell her his true feelings and didn’t have to risk being ridiculed.

“Cole Whitaker, you are a remarkable human,” Avery said finally. “Tell me again why you’re still single?”

Oh, my word. What had she done? Her spoon clinked against the edge of her bowl as she let it go then she pressed her fingers to her lips. This was Cole, one of her dearest friends. One of the few genuine friends that she had left. And she’d gone and made fun of his vulnerability with a joke.

“I think it’s my turn to apologize,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry. I meant that as a compliment. You’re a wonderful guy and you’ll make someone very happy.”

He still hadn’t looked at her. Two splotches of color clinging to his cheekbones hinted that she’d probably embarrassed him. Yeah, they had made that pledge to marry each other if they turned thirty-two or whatever and they were both still single. But they’d been young and naive then. Besides, it wasn’t like Cole had expressed any interest in her. Maybe he wanted to be single. Maybe he liked being devoted to an important cause.

She ducked her head and stared into the remnants of her frozen custard. Today had been one long string of drama-filled disasters. She was in a terrible frame of mind, which meant she’d likely say and do all sorts of nonsensical things. Exhibit A—she’d already dipped her toe in the off-limits pool when she kissed his cheek. And now she was getting all worked up about a silly bargain they’d made years ago. This was a sentimental trip down memory lane on a night when she was feeling sorry for herself.

He quietly finished the last of his chocolate peanut butter custard then set aside his empty bowl and reached for his water. “Thirsty?”

“Please.” He passed her the other tumbler and she drank it down in three long gulps. He raised his eyebrows, but he said nothing. Finally, his mouth curved into an effortless half smile. “Now might be a good time to talk about that napkin pledge of ours. Since, as you mentioned, I’m not married and almost thirty-two.”

She groaned and pressed her palm to her face. “I’m so sorry.”

“Not a problem. You aren’t the first to point out my marital status.”

She forced herself to look at him. “I do still have that napkin, by the way.”

He slung his arm across the back of the swing and sipped his water. “Do you now?”

She angled her body toward him and crossed her legs underneath her, grateful that he’d overlooked her thoughtless comments. “I found it the other night. It’s in the bottom of my jewelry box.”

“Good to know.”

His amused expression grew serious and she waited for a more nuanced explanation about why he hadn’t married or a brief summary of who he’d dated over the years. Instead, they rocked slowly, and Avery resisted the temptation to pry.

But she couldn’t stand the silence for long. “So, I’ve come to an important realization.”

“Uh-oh.” He stopped the swing with his foot. “Am I going to need more custard for this?”

“Probably not. I think you’ll like what I’m about to say.”

He resumed rocking. “All right. Lay it on me.”

“I need to hire reliable childcare if I’m going to give our project the attention it deserves.”

“You’re right. I do like the sound of that.”

“Pax called me today, and I’ve been super flustered ever since, because he wants to spend some time with the kids when he’s here in a few weeks. That made me realize Hayes has never been away from me and now it’s going to be super hard because he’s so attached, but I’m going to have to find a way to make it happen.”

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