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Avery

“Dude, you really fucked up.”

Gloomy, I stared at the TV on the wall behind the bar. “Yep. I surely did. Opened my mouth too wide and fell right in.”

Fletcher clapped me on my shoulder. “Bring her flowers. Make it up to her.”

“It’s too late, man,” I said, then drank from my beer bottle. “I leave tomorrow for Atlanta. Jacy and I haven’t spoken a civil word since, and she won’t accept my apologies. And it’s hurting Declan bad.”

“You can’t lose her, Avery. Look what she’s done for you.”

“I know.”

Fletch had listened to my tale of the balaclava masked intruder, showed him my still healing arm, and told him of Jacy hitting the dude with the Taser. “She’s got guts, Fletch, I’m telling you. I wish she was one of us.”

“How do you know she isn’t?”

I gaped. “Uh.”

“Right. We can’t go around asking one another if we’re fully human or not.” Fletch chuckled into his beer. “Hey, man, we should create a secret sign. Like the Masons. You know, flash a sign only we know and if the other responds, we’re cool.”

“Suggest that to the council.”

“No way. I’ll have nothing to do with those assholes. You do it.”

“Why would they listen to me?”

“I dunno. I don’t even listen to you.”

“Yeah, yeah, eat me.”

“You said you weren’t gay.”

“You said you were.”

“I ain’t,” he protested. “I just want sex without the risk of making babies. That’s not gay.”

“Give yourself a hand job.”

“What do you think I do every morning in the shower?”

I rolled my eyes. “I really don’t need the details.”

“So, I’ll give ‘em to you.” Fletch leaned towards me, his expression conspiratorial. “First, I –”

I slapped my palm over his mouth. “Don’t. Just don’t.”

“I thought I’d give you instructions.”

“Don’t think, Fletch. You might hurt yourself.”

“Yeah, that’s a possibility.” He drank his beer, watching the game on the TV. “You can do my thinking for me.”

“I’ll just fuck up your life along with mine.”

“I say bring her flowers, offer them from your bended knee.” Fletch smirked. “Guaranteed to melt her heart.”

“I checked her browser history on the laptop,” I replied. “She’s looking for jobs in Montana.”

“Hoo, boy, you are really and truly fucked.”

“Don’t I know it.”

The one most hurt by all of this drama was Declan. I ached for him, knowing full well he loved Jacy as he would his mother. Not just was she good for him, the knowledge of her departure upon my arrival home had him moping and crying frequently. Nothing I did or said made any difference at all.

I have to convince her to stay. Somehow.

“I could fall in love with her,” I murmured over my bottle.

“I know, man.” For once, I heard no laughter in his voice. “Don’t give up, Avery. You found a good one in her. Don’t let her go.”

“Right.” I drank from my bottle, feeling the beer go to my head. “Flowers and groveling.”

“I mean it. Make her listen to you.”

I eyed him sidelong. “Maybe I should let her leave, man. Like she says, she’s bringing her evils into our lives. It might be Declan who gets hurt next.”

Fletch scowled, an expression so rare on his countenance I looked twice to see if it was really real. “You also promised to protect her. You have the means to do so. Letting her be killed by this asswipe will stain your honor. If you have any, that is.”

“What do you care? You haven’t even met her.”

“Now I see why she wants to leave,” he growled. “You’ve become a real asshole these days.”

“That’s true enough.” I drank a gulp, my head beginning to swim. “Just shoot me. Put others out of their misery.”

“Can’t. If I did, I’d be responsible for raising Declan, and I don’t want a kid.” He brightened. “But then, I’d have a shot at Jacy, wouldn’t I? Might be worth having Declan and her both.”

“Now who’s the asshole?” I groaned. “You have to drive me home.”

“Why should I? You might hurl all over my leather seat.”

“What a pal.”

“I am, huh.” Fletcher grinned and drank his beer.

“Bitch.”

“You’re mine.”

In companionable silence, we drank another round. I tried, through the growing fog in my head, to ponder life without Jacy. Declan would grieve for a time, then get past her. And me? I supposed I’d do the same, and often wonder about the one that got away.

***

I watched her beautiful face.

Jacy knew I stared at her from the passenger seat of my car. Her skin flushed a deep pink, and her mouth thinned. She drove steadily, driving the exact speed limit, flicking her gaze at me self-consciously. Declan, in his safety seat behind me, slept.

“Stop staring at me,” she snapped under her breath.

“Why? I should enjoy the last sight of you. Or, one of the last.”

“You’re making me angry.”

“It’s not my intention.”

“Then quit it.”

I didn’t. Instead, I murmured, “I’m sorry. I was an ass.”

“The only truthful thing you’ve said.”

“Please. Give me, and Declan, another chance. I’ll beg on my knees if I must.”

“Why? You don’t trust me. And this job depends on trust. Right?”

“I put both feet in my mouth the other day. I’ve earned your anger. Is ‘forgiveness’ anywhere in your vocabulary?”

She snapped a glare in my direction, then returned her gaze to the road. “Don’t lay this on me.”

“I’m not. Have you never made a complete ass of yourself, never needed a second chance?”

Jacy’s hands on the wheel tightened. “That’s not fair.”

“It is indeed,” I replied quietly. “We all do stupid shit, say stupid shit. I am heartfully and deeply sorry I implied through my stupid mouth that I didn’t trust you with my son. I do. More than you know.”

Jacy said nothing, nor looked at me, for the next ten miles. I know, because I counted the mile markers. Patient, I studied the scenery rather than her face, removed some of the pressure I’d put on her. Though I didn’t precisely hope she’d change her mind, a small part of me rooted for her to say yes. She’d stay, and we’d work things out.

“I have done stupid shit,” she said at last. “The mistake that brought me here is just an example. While I don’t exactly crave forgiveness for it, since it’ll never happen, I suppose I see your point.”

“That’s a start.”

“Is it?” She shot me a fast glance. “You hurt me, Avery. You wounded me. Right to my core. I’ve done nothing over the last few days except wonder why you’d do that.”

“Because I’m a male with testosterone and that makes me as stupid as hell.”

Jacy snorted laughter before she could halt it, then frowned imperiously. “If I’d done or said something that dumb, how would you have reacted?”

I sighed but answered truthfully. “Gotten pissed. Yelled. Made threats. Got over it.”

“Gotten over it that easily?”

“It may have taken me a day or two. That’s not that easily.”

Jacy again went into silent mode, driving, watching the mirrors, passing slower vehicles, occasionally eyeing Declan, still asleep, behind us. The tension left her mouth, however, and her grip on the wheel wasn’t nearly as tight as it was. The white departed her knuckles, anyway.

We’d reached the city limits and the teeming traffic when she said, “I’ll think about it.”

“Think about what?”

“Forgiving you. Not moving away. Keep working for you.”

“I’ll call you.”

She flashed me an almost humorous glance. “You’d better. Declan needs to talk to you.”

“What about you? Will you need to talk to me, too?”

“Maybe.”

“It’s a start.”

Unintimidated by the ever-thickening traffic, Jacy expertly drove, following the signs, to the International Airport. Declan woke as she slowed to a stop at the departure gates of the airline I was taking to Atlanta. I stepped from the car and opened his door, then unbuckled him from his seat.

Yawning, Declan hugged me around my neck. “I miss you, Dad.”

“I’ll miss you, too, little man.” I kissed his cheek. “You take care of Wendy and Pete, okay?”

“Uh, huh.”

“Feed Max for me while I’m gone.”

“Kay.”

Lowering my voice, I whispered in his ear, “Take care of Jacy, too. She doesn’t know it yet, but she needs us.”

Declan shot a look over his shoulder at Jacy, who stood watching from near the car’s right front tire. So much for subtly. “Okay.”

Setting him down, I opened the trunk and took my suitcase from it. After shutting it, I stepped closer to Jacy, half expecting her to make a dash for the driver’s seat. She stood firmly as I set my case down and slowly enfolded her into my arms. Her stiff body gradually relaxed, then her arms crept around my neck.

I kissed her tenderly. “I’ll call.”

“Okay.”

After another hug for Declan and a kiss to his cheek, I picked up my suitcase and strode toward the airport’s doors. Turning, I grinned and waved, grateful to see both wave back. Then I went inside, whistling, to fly to Atlanta.

***

In between meetings with potential investors, I called home. I also called just before Declan’s bedtime. Though I craved to also call in the morning before the meetings began, I shoved the urge aside. On all the calls, Jacy sounded cheerful, Declan more so. As he seemed to be a gauge measuring Jacy’s demeanor, I took his happiness as a good sign.

“Have your damn cats scratched up my sofa yet?”

“Daaad.” Declan’s exasperation made me laugh. “Jacy bought them a scratching post. We’re teaching them to scratch that.”

“Oh, good. I don’t want to have to turn them into mittens this winter.”

“Dad!”

I laughed. “I’m kidding, little man.”

“That’s not funny.”

“Just think. They’d be with you always as tiny little kitten mittens.”

Declan took the cell from his ear to yell, “Jacy! Dad’s gonna make mittens out of Wendy and Peter.”

Jacy must have grabbed the phone from him. “Not funny, dude. You apologize right now.”

Declan sounded more peeved than upset when he returned to the phone. “Dad, you be nice to my cats.”

“I’m sorry, little man. I really was just joking.”

“When will you be home?”

“Tomorrow night, baby. Miss me?”

“No. You’re mean to my cats.”

I chuckled. “When I get home, I’ll kiss them, and tell them I’m sorry. They’re good kitties. They look after you, don’t they?”

“Wendy smacked Max today. But she didn’t hurt him.”

“I’m sure Max deserved it. Will you put Jacy back on the phone?”

“Yeah. Bye, Dad.”

“Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

Jacy came back on the line. “Avery?”

“Can you pick me up tomorrow night? My plane gets in around eight.”

“Sure. Did you make the deal?”

“Still working on it. But it’s looking good. I’ll call you when my plane departs, okay?”

“Sure thing. Bring Declan a present. Maybe something for his cats. He adores them so much.”

I laughed. “I can do that. Get them stoned on catnip.”

“Good luck bringing that through security.” Jacy chuckled, then hung up.

***

I made the deal.

The commissions brought by these investors would fatten my bank account by nearly double. High on the triumph, I called Jacy from the cab taking me to the airport. She didn’t answer. Her voice mail kicked in, inviting me to leave a message.

“Hey, it’s me. Call me back.”

I reached the airport and my gate. With an hour to kill, and darkness settling in, I called Jacy again. Again, I reached only her voicemail. “Hey, I thought you were working on forgiving me. I got catnip for those damn cats. Is everything okay? Call me.”

During the two-hour flight home, I fretted. Why didn’t she answer? Did that balaclava dude come back? Were Jacy and Declan dead on my floor? Were they forced to run, but left the cell behind? What was going on?

Upon landing, I tried her cell again.

And reached her voicemail.

Nor was she, and Declan, waiting for me outside the airport in my car.

Oh, fuck.