Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
AVERY
I awaken to the sun streaming through the window.
The storm has passed, but Nicholas and I found an incredible way to keep ourselves occupied.
Leaning over his sleeping form, I press a kiss to his cheek. “You certainly did blow that ‘really good’ kiss out of the water.”
His only response is an unintelligible grumble, so I slip from the bed and throw on the sweats before heading downstairs.
I toss another log on the fire and stroll to the window. Mother Nature wasn’t playing around last night. At least eight inches of snow decorate the ground, the tree boughs heavy beneath the weight.
“It’s beautiful,” I breathe, tracing a heart in the windowpane.
Funny how everything looks brighter this morning.
Maybe this is the new beginning I’ve been waiting for all these years.
As the smile cuts across my face, I pad into the kitchen to wrangle up some breakfast. I’m no gourmet cook, but I want to take care of Nicholas.
I don’t think anyone else bothers and he’s far too good a man to go without the love and affection he deserves.
He’s also the greatest lover I’ve ever experienced. His kisses awakened every part of my body, illuminating areas I assumed were permanently out of order.
Parts my former flames never touched.
After putting on the coffee, I search his cabinets for the sugar. Figures it would be on the top shelf. Rising on tiptoe, I inch it toward me, until it falls into my hand. “Gotcha.”
A small tin falls out with it, landing on the counter with a clang.
And then the lid falls open. Curiosity wins and I peek inside, thumbing through photos, a wedding band, and a newspaper clipping. Unfolding the article, I gasp when I read the title.
Roadside Tragedy: Father, Daughter Die in Devastating Car Wreck
“Oh my God,” I whisper.
“What are you doing?”
I jerk my head up to see Nicholas in the doorway, glowering at me. “Sorry. I was looking for sugar and this fell out.”
He grabs the newspaper clipping from my hand, shoving it and the other items back into the tin. “You have no right to go through my things.”
“I wasn’t. I didn’t mean to pry, Nicholas. I didn’t know …”
He cuts me off with a bitter laugh. “That’s the thing, Avery. You know nothing about me.”
I feel him shutting off, pulling away from me, but I’m not going down without a fight.
There’s no way last night didn’t mean something to him, not when it meant everything to me.
I grab his hand, closing my fingers tight. “But I want to know. There’s nothing you can’t tell me.”
“Maybe I don’t want to tell you the details.”
“I think it would be good for you. Good for us both?—”
He jerks his hand free and tugs it through his hair. “Just stop pushing me, Avery. Hell, I’ve known you for twelve hours. I don’t owe you access to my life. I don’t owe you a damn thing.”
Tears sting my eyes, but I bite my tongue against the sharp retort waiting in the wings. This man is in pain and inflicting additional wounds is not the answer. “You’re right. You don’t, but I want you to know you can trust me.”
“This was a mistake,” he mutters, his eyes focused out the window, his breathing heavy.
His mouth says one thing, but his eyes beg for someone to listen. For someone to stay long enough to understand.
So, I keep pushing, determined to turn this morning around. “No, it wasn’t. It was beautiful and perfect. I realize it’s offbeat how we met, but looking back, I believe I was led here for a reason.”
Nicholas scoffs, his eyes hard and cold. “You mean your imaginary friend? Jesus.”
“He was real, just like this is real.”
He faces me, any warmth from last night a distant memory. “This never should have happened, and for that, I’m sorry.”
That does it.
So much for remaining calm. “You’re sorry? You make me feel something and then you’re done? That’s it? I don’t get a say?”
Nicholas doesn’t respond, which gives me all the answers I need.
I storm from the kitchen, stripping off his wife’s clothes and pulling on my dry duds. “You know what? I’m sorry about your wife, but that doesn’t excuse you for being an asshole.”
Nicholas walks over, his face rigid with anger. “Excuse me?”
“You were there last night. You wanted it, too. Blame the snow or the booze or whatever the fuck makes you feel better, but you wanted it just as much as I did.”
Once again, he ignores my question, leading with one of his own. “Where are you going?”
I yank my jacket off the hook. “I’m leaving. Just point me toward Hickory Trail and wish me luck.”
He rolls his eyes at my words. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
He’s treading on my last nerve. I cross the few steps to where he stands, jabbing my finger into his chest. “Leaving doesn’t make me ridiculous. Believing any of this was real is what’s ridiculous. I have gone thirty-six years without ever feeling anything remotely like this. Then the one time I think, hey, maybe I got it right, I’m completely wrong. So unbelievably wrong.”
“Will you stop? You’re not hiking through a foot of snow.”
“Watch me.”
“Courtney—”
There it is. First time I’ve been called another woman’s name. That it’s his dead wife is the icing on the shit cake this morning.
“My name is Avery. Not that it matters. You can forget it the second I leave.”
Time to go, because I’ve definitely overstayed my welcome. I grab my hat from the hook, but something catches my attention.
With trembling hands, I reach for a tiny, framed photo hanging by the door.
Nicholas stands smiling at the camera, his arm slung around an older gentleman’s shoulders. A gentleman named Walter.
“I knew he existed,” I growl, shaking the photo at Nicholas.
He strides over, taking the picture from my hands. “What do you mean?”
“This is my friend, Walter. The man who led me here.”
“Avery, this is my father-in-law.”
“Okay. Where is he?”
Nicholas shoots me a wary glance. “He’s dead. He died the same day as Courtney.”
That’s it. I’ve either lost my mind or … well, there is no other option, really.
“Walter can’t be dead,” I argue, fully aware of how cuckoo I sound. “He knew these woods like the back of his hand. And he had all these sayings about life being what you make it. I dubbed him the Appalachian sensei.”
Nicholas traces his finger along the glass, a hint of a smile on his lips. “Not far off. But he died two years ago.”
“So, I’m officially off my rocker. Let’s add that to an already crappy morning.” I rub my eyes, feeling a headache brewing. “Sorry for everything.”
“You’re not leaving.” Nicholas blocks the exit. “You’ll end up dead on some trail.”
“So?”
“Not happening. Not on my watch.”
“Your watch is done, remember? I’ll be fine. The sun is shining, and I have several hours to figure it out.” I sniff the air. “Besides, the bacon is done. You better get it off the stove before it burns.”
He points to the floor. “Stay here.”
So not happening.
The second he disappears into the kitchen, I yank open the door and head outside. Glancing around the snowy landscape, I find a hint of snowmobile tracks leading into the trees. “Seems as good a starting point as any,” I mutter. “Walter, I could really use your help right now. Wherever you are.”
“Are you kidding me?” Nicholas bellows from the porch, but I ignore him. I have a lot of ground to cover.
“Avery, get back here right now.”
“No thanks. I’m good.” I’m tempted to flip him the bird, but he did save my ass last night. Right before he stomped all over my heart.
I don’t hear or see Nicholas moving through the snow, but one minute I’m walking and the next I’m tossed over his shoulder as he hauls me back to the cabin.
Suffice it to say, neither of us is happy now. I pound my hands against his back, demanding he put me down.
He sets me to rights in the entryway, grabbing me when I attempt to bolt through the door. “Will you stop? I’m chasing you in my bare feet.”
“Never told you to run after me,” I mutter.
He groans, scrubbing his face with his hands. “What choice did I have? You won’t listen.”
“Oh, but I did. I heard everything you said. You regret last night. You regret me. It was a mistake and terrible and?—”
Then, to my horror, I start crying.
Nicholas moves toward me, but I jump away. “Now, I need a shrink and a lobotomy because I’m seeing ghosts, too. Fuck peace and quiet. It’s so overrated.”
I wipe my nose with the back of my hand, fully aware of how awful I look.
Not that it matters.
“Please don’t cry, Avery,” Nicholas whispers, daring to glide a gentle hand along my spine. “I’m just so mixed up?—”
“Join the club,” I snap, shirking his touch. “Will you grant me one last favor?”
“Anything.”
I shake my head as the anger builds again. “Don’t say that. You don’t mean it.”
He relents, breathing out a sigh. “Fine. What do you need?”
“Take me back to my cabin. I just want to go home.”