Even as the words fell from her mouth, she knew them to be untrue.
“Surely you can’t be so naïve. You know he’s going to sue your brother. You’d be wise to remember Andy’s chief asset is half of this house.” He gestured up to the ceiling and around the open space. “You know your mom and I count on the monthly loan payments as part of our retirement income. We can’t afford for Grey Lowell to pocket your brother’s half of its value in a forced sale.”
An uneasy pit opened up in Avery’s stomach. She’d been so focused on her brother’s more immediate health and criminal concerns, she hadn’t really thought about the house. And if Grey came after it, she and her parents would inadvertently be entangled in the legal mess between her brother and him.
The weight of responsibility for her dad’s current stress bore down hard.
“You’re always jumping to the worst-case scenario. What makes you think he’ll start some major legal battle rather than settle up with the insurance company?” Her pulse began to speed up, but she didn’t want her dad to notice he’d succeeded in making her doubt herself.
“He hasn’t accepted Andy’s insurance company’s offer, so apparently he considers it insufficient.” Her father huffed in that superior way he’d perfected by the time she’d turned ten.
Still, the news surprised her. Grey hadn’t struck her as greedy.
“So what are you suggesting? I should drop him as a patient?” She tipped up her chin to hide the shiver sliding down her spine. “Would that make him more or less cooperative, do you think?”
“You always have an answer for everything, don’t you. But mark my words: this won’t end well. Not for your brother, not for you, and not for your mom and me.” He turned on his heel and marched toward his bedroom to continue the argument with her mother, she presumed.
Avery tossed the magazine aside, her dad’s warning ringing in her ears, echoing her own secret fears. Suddenly, she was no longer interested in the healthy peanut butter bar recipe she’d been perusing before her dad had ruined her mood. She glanced around her living room.
Large picture windows offered a distant mountain-range view. The décor resembled something along the lines of mountain-treehouse-meets-Mexico. Earth tones and exposed beams grounded the space, but festive drapes, pillows, and carpets splashed vibrant color and patterns all around.
Her parents had nearly dropped over in shock the first time they’d come back to visit and seen all the changes she’d made. She’d done it to please herself. To make it hers instead of theirs.
Cosmetic changes did not, however, erase her memories of growing up there: building pillow forts with Andy, sleepovers and secrets, the first kiss on the back deck, report cards on the refrigerator, and her favorite tradition—eggnog French toast every Christmas morning.
Treasured memories in her beloved home—now a home at risk.
If Grey filed a lawsuit against Andy, she’d have to drop him as a patient. And what if he won? Of course he’d win, but how much? Enough to force Andy to sell the house to pay him? Enough to wipe out her entire family’s finances?
At least she had a stable career and a respectable paycheck. Andy and her parents would really suffer if they lost the house.
She scrubbed her face.
Helpless.
Helpless didn’t suit her. She hated being vulnerable to someone’s whim or will. Watching her mom live under her dad’s thumb had been a huge turnoff for most of her life. And yet, she’d ultimately let herself fall under Matt’s spell.
He’d influenced everything from her appearance to her opinions, and even had her questioning the wisdom of living out her life in Sterling Canyon. That mistake in judgment resulted in public humiliation when he cheated, and, worse, utter self-disgust. Never again could she allow herself to be so weak for a man.
But men weren’t at issue now. Legal battles were on the horizon.
And as much as she’d like to blame Grey for her current predicament, she couldn’t.
Normally, her brother’s tendency toward irresponsibility was harmless: paying a bill late, losing his car keys, shrinking her favorite shirt when trying to “help” with the laundry.
However, Grey sustained serious and potentially life-changing injuries thanks to Andy’s carelessness. Andy had broken the law and put all of their financial situations in jeopardy. He was to blame, not Grey.
A streak of resentment stabbed her heart. She inhaled deeply to relieve the mounting tension. But the walls around her pressed against her from every angle. She needed to go do something productive. To be anywhere else.
She heaved herself off the sofa and grabbed a large garbage bag from under the sink before going into her room to purge her closet.
“This is a good bundle of gently used clothes, honey.” Mrs. Johnston, the proprietor of Finders Keepers Thrift Store, refolded the last sweater in the pile and pushed it aside. While Avery stuck the receipt in her wallet, Mrs. Johnston tucked her chin and peered over her glasses. “I haven’t seen your poor mom in town. Is she in hiding because of all this business with Andy?”
Prickly heat swept through Avery’s body. “No one’s in hiding. My mom’s simply taking care of Andy while he recovers from his lung surgery, but I’ll be sure to give them both your regards.” Avery hoped her hint of snark nipped at Mrs. Johnston’s conscience. She turned on her heel and exited the shop as quickly as her feet could move.
Her patience for prying “friends” like Joe at the hardware store and Mrs. Johnston had worn thin. Having her family constantly scrutinized by everyone stank. The fact their opinions bothered her really stank.
Avery shuttled along the sidewalk, looking around at the storefronts lining the street: a Technicolor version of the Old West towns in black-and-white movies.
Sidewalks were wet with snowmelt from the banks of dirty snow at the edges of the road. Fewer pedestrians clogged the sidewalks nowadays. The busiest time of the year was winding down, with only the die-hard skiers still visiting.
The refreshing cool air tempted her to remain outdoors despite the lack of sunshine. Cupping her hands over her mouth, she breathed into them to warm her fingers and nose. She zipped up her jacket, stuffed her hands in its pockets, and turned left toward the small town square where she often went to think.
When she arrived, it didn’t surprise her to find it empty. Only a fool avoiding reality would sit in a park surrounded by a handful of random graying mounds of old snow. She slid onto an ice-free bench and stretched her legs while admiring the cathedral spires of the San Juans, which surrounded town like a fortress wall.
But even Mother Nature’s spectacular beauty failed to occupy her mind for long.
Then a loud bark drew her attention. She looked up at the beautiful golden labrador racing toward her. After a sharp whistle split the air, she heard a familiar voice yell, “Shaman!”
Grey trailed behind the dog. Oh God—the absolute last person she needed to see right now. She’d been seeking a quiet place to think and ended up coming face-to-face with the very source of her dilemma.
Shaman slowed his pace but still approached her, nuzzling her legs, seeking attention.
“Aren’t you sweet?” Avery scratched the dog behind his ears, avoiding eye contact with Grey until she could slow her heart rate. “Yes, you are.”
When Grey finally reached the bench, his enormous smile somehow brightened her otherwise dreary day. “Hey, Bambi, no wonder he saw you from a mile away.”
Avery continued petting the dog, pretending not to be stirred by Grey’s presence. “And what does that mean?”
“You’re a kaleidoscope in a sea of gray.”