15.
When Avery and Emily sat down to dinner that night, she cautiously brought up Mark. She didn't doubt her daughter could handle a dinner guest but Avery was wary of moving things too fast.
Mark had called earlier just to check in. She was still at work. She wanted to ask him about the things Ellie had brought up but stopped herself. That was a conversation more suited to a face to face meeting. Besides that, she wanted time to think before getting into all of that stuff.
So she had tentatively asked him to dinner the next night and he had agreed. That just left talking to Emily.
"is that the guy from the cemetery?" Emily asked.
"Yes. We were...friends. A long time ago." Avery hesitated on the word. It didn't quite seem to fit what they had been.
"Friends?" Emily grinned impishly.
Avery had to laugh at her expression. "Yes."
"What is he, like an old high school sweetheart or something?" Avery took a bite of her salad.
"Or something. Is it weird that I asked him over?"
Avery thought that over. "Not really. Why would it be weird?"
"Because..." Avery couldn't think of a reason. Why would it be weird? Because they'd slept together? That wasn't the kind of thing she felt comfortable bringing up to her teenage daughter. "I don't know. I've never invited any guy over to meet you."
"So is this the backward version of meeting the parents or something? Do you like him?"
"I guess. And..yes. I do. But we haven't seen each other in a really long time..."
"I think it's sweet. Plus, it's not like this is the first time I've been introduced to a friend. I met Dad's friend Pam a few weeks ago." She kept emphasizing 'friend'. Avery almost found it funny.
"Your dad's been seeing somebody?" It surprised her. She didn't know why. Jack was a handsome, successful guy. He deserved to find somebody and be happy. And so did she.
"Yeah. Was it supposed to be a deep dark secret?" Emily laughed. "She's nice. She doesn't let Dad work when she's around."
"Oh really? She must be something." Avery said with a laugh.
"And I don't mind meeting this Mark guy. It'll be fun. You should go out more."
"People keep telling me." Avery said. But part of her was very relieved. She had worried that Emily would be upset about bringing some stranger into the house. But she should have known. Emily's outgoing nature meant she didn't really know a stranger.
When Mark showed up promptly at 6, Emily was the one who answered the door. She grinned up at him, flashing her dimple. "Howdy, Mom's friend."
He smiled back at her, cautiously. "Howdy yourself. I'm Mark."
"Emily. Come on in. Mom's in the kitchen." She led the way.
Avery smiled at him from where she was setting the table. "Hey."
"Hey. Smells great." He seemed to relax a bit. Avery had made fried chicken, another one of Emily's favorites. "I should have brought a dessert or something."
"We've got it covered." Emily said, taking a seat at the table. She watched Mark pull out a chair for Avery, smiling to herself. No matter what her mom might say about being friends, the guy was obviously smitten.
They spent a long leisurely time over dinner, talking, catching up. Mark told them a few of his funnier stories about being a police officer. Avery could match him story for story. Working around kids gave her plenty of ammunition.
Emily volunteered to clean up so the two of them could sit outside. Avery raised a brow at that; Emily would clean her room, do laundry, vacuum, and mop but had never been a fan of washing dishes. She really must have sensed something between the adults.
Avery led Mark out to the porch swing. The rain from the night before had moved on. It was another warm night. "We'll do dessert in a little bit." Avery said once they had gotten settled.
"I don't know if I can eat anymore." Mark said with a chuckle.
"You'd better make room. We got you a birthday cake."
He looked surprised at that. "I forgot about that. Never really celebrated my birthday to begin with. Had even less reason after mom passed." Mark got quiet and looked at her. "That was a bad day that you made better."
"Technically it was the next day." Avery pointed out with a smirk.
"Yeah, yeah." Mark shook his head.
They got quiet. Avery rested her head against Mark's shoulder. She wanted to ask him about the rumors, about the questioning by the sheriff, about all of the years they had missed. But she also didn't want to break the quiet between them. It was comfortable. She couldn't remember ever being able to sit comfortably and quietly with a person.
And maybe she was afraid of what she might find out.
Ellie's thoughts from the day before had stuck with her. It was just rumors of course but the years Suzanne had spent making Avery doubt herself were not easy to overcome. She wasn't the same kid she was back then, but somewhere inside that kid still lurked. Avery thought if she was smart she'd probably start seeing a shrink and work out her issues for real. She was letting 20 year old rumors cloud everything.
"What's on your mind?" Mark's voice was a low, soft rumble. Avery shook her head against his shoulder.
"Nothing that won't keep until tomorrow." Or the next day, she added silently.
"You sure? If it's something I can help with..."
"I just don't want to deal with it right now. Tomorrow, for sure. It'll keep." Avery soothed him.
"All right." Mark gave up. He shifted so he could wrap an arm around her shoulders. "You kid is somethin' else. Smart like you. Pretty. You're lucky."
"Yeah, I am." Avery snuggled against his side. "Did you ever get married?"
He snorted a laugh. "Nah. Nothin' seemed to stick. Dated one woman for a while but she wasn't too interested in becomin' permanent. No kids either. Never could figure out what it was I was lookin' for."
"I thought I knew." Avery admitted. "Which is why we're divorced I guess. Jack felt safe. I thought I needed safe. But I did get Emily out of it. I wouldn't trade her for anything."
"Was...is he a good guy?" Mark asked.
Avery could tell there was an underlying question there. "Yeah. We're still friends. Just didn't mesh well married." She sighed. "We should go cut your cake."
Mark chuckled. "If you insist."
"Emily might. I'm surprised she hasn't come out here looking for us."
"I think she was giving us time. Smart kid." Mark said wryly. Avery laughed and got up. She didn't complain when Mark reached out for her hand and pulled her close. He ducked down and brushed his lips over hers, kissing her lightly. "Been wantin' to do that all night." He said when he pulled back.
"Come on. Don't get distracted." She pulled him along behind her into the house before they both forgot where they were.
Avery dropped Emily off at the dance studio the next morning. Instead of going to work, which she should – she still had a lot to do – she headed for the motel where Mark was staying. She wanted to talk to him about things of course but after their pleasant evening yesterday she was interested in a little more than that.
She probably should have called first.
His room was on the first floor, toward the back. Avery knocked and looked around, waiting. He could have still been sleeping. She sometimes forgot that not everybody got up at 7 in the morning like she tended to.
The door opening broke into her thoughts. The smile that had formed on her face faded. A woman stood in front of her. She was gorgeous, tall, long auburn hair, deep brown eyes. She was wearing a towel. Avery could hear the shower running from somewhere deeper in the room.
"Sorry..." Avery looked at the number on the door. She could have sworn this was the room Mark said was his. Maybe she misheard the number. "I think I have the wrong room."
"Ok." The red-head smiled uncertainly. "Oh. Are you looking for Mark? He's in the shower." The smile turned into a grin. She gestured in the direction of the bathroom. Avery looked from the woman, over her shoulder, to the closed door across the room.
"He sounds busy." Avery said, stepping backward. "I'll just see him later."
"You can wait..." The woman was gesturing at the bed. Singular. Avery hadn't even noticed it. It wasn't a double room.
"That's all right. I have to get to work." It was hard to not run back to her car but Avery managed. She heard the door close behind her. And breathed a huge sigh of relief. That had been awkward.
And then the anger hit her. What the hell? Mark had failed to mention he was sharing his room with some woman. Among the many things they had talked about the night before, somehow the redhead had slipped his mind. Avery tried to tell herself it might not be anything but what the hell was she supposed to think when a half-naked strange woman answered a guy's motel room door?
Instead of going to the school, Avery went back home. Today would not be the day for getting work done. And Mark could find her there. And she honestly did not want to even look at him at the moment. She did something she rarely had to do – Avery parked her car in the garage at the back of the driveway. And then she locked all the doors to the house and drew the blinds. The best hiding spot of all, in her opinion, was at home.
