Avery’s eyes stung while Andy continued to discuss, in detail, what happened that night, the impact on his family and the victim, and the stress and expense of dealing with multiple lawyers to defend against multiple charges.
When she glanced around at the kids, she noted most of them were paying attention and, despite the circumstances, felt a surge of pride for her brother. She’d be sure to tell him that later so that he could feel good about what he’d done.
At the end of the thirty-minute presentation, Avery craned her neck to look for Grey, and caught him ducking out of the auditorium.
“Em, I’m going to run to the restroom. Meet you outside.”
She trotted up the aisle and dashed into the school lobby just as Grey was exiting the building. “Grey!”
He stopped, hesitating before turning around. She trod over to him, but then didn’t know what to say.
He raised his brows in question.
“Did you get what you came for?” she finally asked.
“Uh-huh.”
“Well, is that all you’re going to say to me?”
“Apparently not?” He crossed his arms, as if preparing to fend off an attack.
“Did anything he said make a difference to your plans?”
“No.”
She swallowed her disappointment, which landed in her chest like a twenty-pound kettlebell.
“Will it make you feel any better to hear that I respect what he said, and the way he’s trying to help these kids stay out of trouble?”
She shrugged. “I suppose that’s something.”
“I’m sorry I can’t tell you what you want to hear, but there’s too much uncertainty at this point for me to make any major decisions.”
She nodded, fully aware of the truth of that remark. Just then the auditorium doors blasted open as dozens of kids poured out of the theater. Avery saw the top of Andy’s head and Emma’s red hair in the throng.
Grey must’ve noticed, too, because he touched her forearm. “I’ll see you at our next appointment, okay?” Then he whisked himself away from the scene before Andy and Emma met up with her.
During Avery’s drive home after work, she replayed Andy’s speech in her mind. The recitation of problems both he and Grey faced, not to mention the potential adverse impact on her and her parents. Most troubling for her was the fact that she had no control over the outcome. Well, almost no control. She could do her best to help Grey achieve a full recovery, but that wouldn’t keep Andy out of jail.
She entered her house thinking her mood couldn’t slip any lower.
She’d been wrong.
“Hey, sis, look who dropped by.” Andy stepped aside to reveal Matt, who was sitting on her kitchen stool as if he’d never left.
Unfortunately Avery’s knees softened, but she managed to steady herself by gripping the back of a chair. Unbelievable! Matt was here, in her house, hanging out like he had one hundred times before, yet nothing was the same.
He hopped off the seat, approaching her with open arms. When she glowered, his arms fell to his sides, but he kept smiling. “Avery. You look great.”
Despite her irritation, she couldn’t deny how handsome he was, standing there all long legged, broad shouldered, with his mop of curly blond hair.
Avery dropped her purse on the floor beside the sofa and stared at Andy, who conveniently had become absorbed by cleaning the kitchen. She heaved a bitter sigh and glanced at Matt. “I’d have expected you to have a darker tan, or at least be that fake-tan orange color to match your girlfriend.”
Matt glanced at Andy for help. “Maybe I should go.”
“Yes, I recall you being quite good at that.” Avery waltzed into the kitchen with all the poise she could muster. Resentment simmered for allowing Matt to make her uncomfortable in her own home. “Actually, I’m shocked to see you, considering how eager you were to escape this ‘backwater’ town.”
“Avery,” Andy began, but Matt held up one hand.
“No, it’s okay. I deserve it.” He looked at Avery. “I’m sorry for how I treated you last year. You deserved better. I had my head up my ass—uh, sorry—I acted like a jerk. I never meant to hurt you.”
“Actually, you did me a favor by showing me your true colors before we made any real commitments.” Avery smiled her sweetest smile. “In fact, I should thank you.”
Matt tipped his head sideways. “Andy, can I talk to your sister alone?”
Andy looked at Avery. “Sis?”
“What? Now you care how I feel about having him in our house?” At least Andy had the decency to look chagrined. “Oh, just stop. It’s done now. I can talk to Matt for five minutes. You don’t have to hide the knives.”
Andy kissed her cheek and shot Matt a warning glance before shuffling off to his bedroom.
“What’s so important you needed privacy?” she asked.
“Can we sit and talk like civilized people for a few minutes?” He nodded toward the couch and grinned his charming but futile grin. “Put down your weapons, Ave. I’ve already apologized.”
Avery inhaled slowly. She had put him behind her last year. She didn’t miss him. And she didn’t want him to misinterpret her annoyance for a pang of regret. Whatever was causing her insides to explode, it was most certainly not the familiar scent of his cologne or the rasp of his voice.
“Is this the part where I act sophisticated and ask you about your new life with Sasha?” Crud. Not exactly exuding indifference.
“This is the part where I tell you I’m fairly miserable in LA.” Matt shifted slightly closer, lowering his voice. “This is the part where you get to gloat because I’ve realized I walked away from a warm, intelligent woman for the worship of a spoiled, young nitwit. This is the part where I grovel for forgiveness.”
Matt searched her eyes as if seeking some response other than her stillness.
Truly, his confession should have her doing backflips. No spurned woman’s revenge fantasy topped the “I made a huge mistake when I left you” speech. Well, it would be a tad better if she had also already moved on with someone new. But, little details could be overlooked.
This was huge.
And yet, curiously, Avery felt only a minor flutter in her chest. Maybe she was really over him. Maybe she didn’t really care. Maybe she hadn’t merely been fooling herself all these months.
“I appreciate the admission, but it’s too little, too late.”
Matt didn’t look surprised by her lack of enthusiasm. “I hope not. In fact, I was hoping we could spend some time together.”
“Ha!” Avery laughed out loud. When he didn’t smile, her eyes widened. “You’re not joking, are you?”
“No. I want to rebuild my friendship with Andy, and with you.” He smiled. “Who knows what could happen?”
He looked sincere, but her ability to believe in him had long ago crumbled.
“Why would I ever trust you again, Matt?”
“I know it’ll take time, but let me earn it back. We could start as friends, like before.”
“‘Like before’ isn’t a good argument, considering how it ended.” She crossed her arms, raising one brow.
“You know, a big part of what happened had more to do with wanting to try a different kind of life in a bigger town than with choosing between her and you.” He leaned closer to Avery, reaching toward her but resting his hand on the cushion near her thigh. “Now I know the other pasture isn’t greener. It’s out of my system. I won’t make the same mistake twice.”
“Me either.” She could recite the litany of things that, looking back, were wrong with their relationship, but what was the point? She simply wanted to end the discussion.