“Maybe for you.” Andy raised his coffee mug toward her, silently requesting a refill.
Frowning, she refilled his cup and sighed. Andy’s legal troubles were never far from his thoughts. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be insensitive.”
“It’s okay. Not your fault my life’s a mess.” He scrubbed his hands over his face. “Just got a lot on my mind. If I’m convicted of the felony, I’ll lose my job as a ski instructor, which I understand because of the background checks they do to protect clients. But I didn’t think these charges would cost me my off-season job, too.”
“You won’t be painting?” Avery picked a strawberry off his plate and popped it into her mouth. Surprisingly juicy for this time of year, so she stole another.
“Rob’s wife is a MADD volunteer. She doesn’t want him to keep me on the payroll.”
Avery’s eyes closed briefly.
“I’m sorry. I know things look bleak now, but it will get better.”
“Before or after I go to jail?” His sarcasm failed to conceal his anxiety.
Instinctively, she reached out and stroked his arm. “Can’t your lawyers negotiate a reduction of the charges?”
“Not yet, apparently.” Andy slid off the stool and took his empty cup to the dishwasher. After staring at the drain for a few seconds, he looked at Avery, his brow furrowed. “They’re telling me to go to AA, and to talk to kids about the dangers of drinking and driving. So, I’ll do that and hope Grey Lowell doesn’t want to see me fry.”
“He won’t go to the DA with guns blazing.” Avery gulped the rest of her water.
“Why not?” Andy turned toward her, his eyes scanning her face. “You think he’s your friend now because you’re his PT?”
While she wouldn’t admit it aloud, she couldn’t ignore the truth. She did feel friendship and more for Grey, and she suspected it was mutual.
“A little bit, maybe. Just trust me; he’s not the type who’s out for blood.” Avery pictured Grey’s intense gaze, which made her body thrum. “He’s a ‘live and let live’ kind of guy.”
Andy stepped closer and narrowed his eyes. “You’re blushing. What exactly is going on between you and Grey? I thought Kelsey liked him.”
Only because Avery didn’t tell her about “Boomerang.” She’d considered it, but chose not to humiliate her friend. Yet, despite Avery’s gentle dissuasions, Kelsey continued to hold on to hope.
“Nothing’s going on! You know I can’t get involved with a patient.” Avery ran her fingers through her ponytail. “We’re friendly. He’s a good guy. He’s got a lot riding on his recovery and I want to help him.”
“You know I rarely agree with Dad, but I’ve gotta admit, I’m not sure it’s a good idea for you to be involved with Lowell until the business between him and me is finished.” Andy turned one palm upward. “Show some loyalty, for God’s sake.”
“You’re part of the reason I decided to work with him.” Her hands went to her hips. “If I can help him recover more quickly, it’ll reduce his damages. In fact, maybe you should consider offering to help him out, too. That might go a long way with a judge.”
“Lowell probably doesn’t want much to do with me.” Andy shrugged. “Despite your opinion, he could make things worse for me with the DA. Plus, my lawyer says the only reason Lowell hasn’t filed the civil suit yet is because his lawyer can’t assess damages until they can reasonably determine the full extent of his recovery. So it’s not a question of if, but when. You and I both know that means trouble for our whole family.”
“He won’t take the house.” The words sprang forth without a moment’s hesitation. Why, she couldn’t say. Intuition? Or was she turning into Kelsey, making major assumptions based on her gut, or worse, her heart?
“How can you say that? He’s got a business to keep running, Avery. A business he can’t participate in as long as he’s hurt. Trust me, that’s more important to him than his ‘friendship’ with you.”
She scowled, unwilling to acknowledge Andy’s warning. Was it really too much to ask to be able to enjoy one or two days of peace?
“I don’t want to talk about this anymore. You’re ruining my good mood.” Her stomach growled, so she grabbed a banana yogurt and spooned it into her mouth. “Stop borrowing problems. Let’s take things as they come. In the meantime, try to enjoy the peace and quiet here for a change.”
“About that.” Andy’s expression turned sheepish. “I should warn you, I spoke with Matt yesterday.”
“Did you?” She threw the empty container in the trash. Her spoon hit the sink with a resounding clang. “Why?”
“He’d gotten wind of the accident. Wanted to check and see how I was doing.”
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell him to go to you-know-where. Really, Andy, where’s your loyalty?”
Andy’s forehead creased before he wrapped one arm around Avery’s shoulder and kissed the top of her head.
“He acted like a jerk, but he was my friend for five years before you two got involved—against my advice, if you recall. Right now I’m a little short on friends, so I wouldn’t mind reclaiming one.” He stepped away and leaned his butt against the counter. “Besides, you never seemed all that broken up when he left.”
At the time, Avery had put on a brave face so no one, most especially not Matt, could see how deeply she’d been hurt. But she’d privately broken down when, despite her best efforts to make him happy, Matt suddenly turned away from her and into the arms of some other woman. When he’d upended the future they’d been discussing. When he’d confirmed all her worst suspicions about men and relationships.
“I’m your sister. Aren’t you mad at him on my behalf? He humiliated me in front of the whole town.”
“You know I hadn’t spoken with him since. But we talked about it yesterday, and right now I know how it feels to screw up and need forgiveness.” Andy rubbed his jaw, as if weighing his next words. “He’s sorry, Avery. In fact, he asked whether you were involved with anyone. I got the feeling he misses you. He’s not happy with Sasha What’s-her-face.”
Sasha Grossman. Only child of a wealthy movie executive from Hollywood. A twenty-two-year-old girl who looked like the quintessential Californian. Silky blond hair, perfect tan, double-Ds. Not that Avery didn’t have a nice figure, but Sasha’s body—long, leggy, lean—resembled a supermodel with a boob job. Plus she was loaded and happy to spend her money freely on Matt. She’d booked him as her private instructor for the week. Unfortunately for Avery, the bumps Sasha enjoyed with Matt weren’t located on the slopes. Given Matt’s track record, perhaps Avery shouldn’t be surprised he’d tired of his young plaything already.
“You better have told him I’m having the time of my life.” She placed her hands on the counter and leaned toward him. “You tell him I’m being pursued by a dozen guys or something.”
Andy chuckled. “Or something, all right. Of course, if I’d have known Grey Lowell gets you all hot and bothered, maybe I’d have mentioned that to him.”
“I am not hot and bothered!” Avery wadded up a napkin and tossed it in her brother’s face to cover her lie. “There’s nothing romantic going on between Grey and me.”
“Well, Matt will be delighted to hear it.” Andy grinned, goading her.
“I couldn’t care less what Matt thinks or does.” She crossed her arms.
“I hope that’s true, because he’s coming back soon.”
“How soon?” Avery rubbed her forehead to stave off a headache.
“Couple of weeks.”
“Raspberries!” She stomped her foot. “Well, that’s just fan-freakin’-tastic.”
“Raspberries?” Andy shook his head, unlike Grey, who hadn’t judged her dislike of cursing. “You’ve really got to get over your thing against swearing, or come up with better fake curses. You’re not twelve, Ave.”