Chapter 1 Avery
Avery
It wasn’t the best start to the weekend.
“You promised you’d be ready,” Bel complained from the doorway and, though her eye roll was indulgent, there was impatience in the tap of her foot. “We’re going to be late!”
“I’m sorry. I was only—” Crouched on the floor and holding one sneaker with two upholstery tacks embedded in the sole, Avery cast her gaze over the rest of the tin’s contents littered across her workshop floor.
Leo cut across her apology with his usual good humor.
“Look, it’s all easily sorted. Don’t start explaining now or we’ll be even later making it to the lake.
” He left Bel’s side and plucked the shoe from Avery’s grasp.
“Give me that and I’ll get the tacks out.
You pick up the rest. Bel, message Gemma and tell her we’ll text when we’re on our way. ”
Avery shot him a grateful smile as Bel left them to it, mumbling about traffic flow, schedules, and herding cats.
In truth, the weekend ahead had Avery a little nervous.
She’d tried to distract herself with a quick stock inventory and ended up making a mess, even though there was no reason to be edgy.
What had Bel said? “It’ll be fun! A joint bachelor/bachelorette party and a whole weekend of hanging out with our friends and playing games!
” But Avery couldn’t help the creeping niggle of tension at the base of her spine whenever she thought about the possibility . . .
Fumbling the upholstery tacks again, she dropped half the ones she’d gathered in her hand and let out a growl of frustration.
“What’s up, Ave?” Leo’s quick glance held curiosity. Solid and relaxed, he soothed her with his presence, as always. There was something so simple about their easy friendship and it helped her get a grip on her emotions.
She could do this; it was just two light-hearted days. What’s the worst that could happen?
“Nothing at all,” Avery assured him—and maybe herself—as she refocused on gathering the pins without getting stabbed. Together, they made short work of clearing up and headed back into the house to find Bel.
It was less than half an hour later when they pulled up outside a pretty yellow Craftsman-style bungalow one road back from Main Street.
Peggy Winterburn stopped watering her lawn, just to make sure they weren’t blocking her driveway, but Gemma, spilling out of her front door in a chaotic whirl, left the Pine Springs busybody no time to form a complaint if they were.
Throwing a bulging travel bag into the trunk, she piled into the back seat, exuding excitement from the tips of her bouncing curls to the base of her ballet flats.
“How fun is this?! It’s been so long since we went away for the weekend.
” Gemma dug into her purse, unearthing a pack of Twizzlers before they’d passed the town limits.
She offered them forward to Leo and Bel, chucked one at Avery, and stuck the end of another into her mouth.
“I’ve packed half my closet. The rest is in a heap on my bed.
” The confession was garbled around a mouthful of candy.
“Same.” Leo shot Gemma a teasing glance from the passenger seat.
“You lie. I know you did Man Packing and only brought two tees and a couple of tighty whities, rolled up in a pair of shorts. But I’ll be the one rocking it by the campfire.” Gemma swept her hair back from her face and struck a pose.
“I don’t wear tighty whities,” Leo protested.
“If you’re going commando on my front seat, I’m pulling over right now.” Bel’s finger hovered over her blinker.
“I’ve got pants on, for Chrissake. I’m not an animal.” Leo chuckled when Bel’s foot came off the accelerator. “OK, OK—and boxers. I’m one hundred percent decent. Keep driving!”
Avery sniggered. This kind of stupid bickering was exactly what she needed to get her mind off work and her mom. And him.
“Have Drew and Johnnie left yet?” Gemma looked between Bel and Avery for the answer.
“Yeah, they’re an hour or so ahead of us. Johnnie said he wanted to be there early to help set up.” Avery accepted another Twizzler. “He’s taking his best man duties very seriously.”
“Girlfriend of the best man is the worst role at weddings. You’ll be lucky if you get to see him at all.” There was sympathy in the dip of Gemma’s shoulders.
With her Twizzler-free hand, Avery spun the small golden leaf that hung from the chain around her neck. “Won’t be my problem. We’re not seeing each other anymore.”
“Since when?!” Gemma searched her face, head tilted as she tried to read Avery’s level of emotion. It wasn’t a struggle to reassure her.
“The other night, by mutual agreement. It was only ever casual anyway. Johnnie’s busy with work and you know I don’t date. Plus I think he quite likes Savannah’s maid of honor.”
“What will you do about pairing up for the activities?” Gemma asked with a troubled frown.
Avery’s shrug was unconcerned. “We talked about that. We’ll still do them together.”
“That’s what Drew said, too.” Bel’s eyes flicked up to the rearview mirror. “So it’ll be me and Drew, Avery and Johnnie, Gemma and Leo. Easy and neat.”
Gemma tapped Leo on the shoulder. “Sad singles sticking together, right?”
He gave her an easy smile. “Fine by me.”
“You should embrace being a sunny and serene single, living a happily unattached life,” Avery said, twisting her hair into a ponytail and fixing it with the band on her wrist. “It’s better than being made miserable by someone else.”
Bel’s glance held a well of understanding. “Not all relationships end in disaster, my little cynic. Just like not all singles are sad.”
“Very true—and it’s tempting to look on the positive side,” agreed Avery, “but then I remember how that worked out for everyone who boarded the Titanic . . .” There was reluctant amusement in Bel’s snort and Avery grinned.
“Being single works best for me. I trust myself more than anyone else. Except you guys, of course.”
“Goes without saying.” Leo turned to smirk at her. “We’re the best.”
“Better than all the rest,” Bel added dryly, reaching down to turn up the music.
And just like that the sing-a-thon began—loud, enthusiastic, and tuneful only on Leo’s behalf.
The playlist was a road-trip staple; they’d traveled together, belting out a selection of the same songs, for years now.
As Avery leaned forward and gave her all to a slightly shrieky duet with Bel, she embraced the crazy pleasure of the carefree drive and the company of people who had her back.
Who else did she need when she had friends like these?
Stopping once for a bathroom break and again for coffee as they headed steadily north, the Twizzlers were long gone and they were all a little hoarse by the time Bel signaled to make the turn signposted “Shiverley Lake and Cabins.” They weren’t the first to arrive, and the parking lot was already half full.
While Avery’s bare arms had grown chilled from the air con in Bel’s RAV4, the moment she threw open the door, the heat wrapped around her like a heavy woolen blanket.
Cozy log cabins nestled in the shade beneath a canopy of leaves. Through the gaps between tree trunks, sunshine dazzled off the surface of the lake. Naturally serene, quietly peaceful, the setting held a promised whisper of good times ahead.
They unloaded the car, splitting temporarily with Leo while he tracked down the cabin he was sharing with some of the guys, and found their own accommodation, which comprised two bedrooms off an open-plan central living area.
In one corner, there was a miniature kitchen set up with a sink, some cupboards, a small fridge, a microwave, a toaster, and most importantly a decent-looking drip coffee maker.
The rest of the room was given over to seating.
Poking her head into the other bedroom, Avery noticed Drew had bagged the double for him and Bel already.
His weekender was on the bed, zipper open and clothes spilling out like intestines from a fatal gutting.
Avery and Gemma’s room was cute and compact. Matching quilted comforters covered twin beds, with simple wooden furniture filling the rest of the space. Dumping her duffel bag onto the floor by the window, Avery decided to unpack later.
Hearing male voices, she wandered into the living area again to find Drew sprawled in the armchair by the picture window and Leo handing out bottles of beer as Gemma pulled them from a cooler in the kitchen area.
When Bel emerged from the bathroom, Drew reached out and dragged her down onto his lap with a grin.
As she cuddled in close, he murmured something into her ear and she laughed.
Her candy pink shorts and crochet tank top wiped any remaining traces of lawyer from her appearance and turned her into Weekend Bel, Avery’s favorite version of her best friend.
Teeth peeking through sinfully plump lips, she looked happy and relaxed as Drew’s hand toyed affectionately with one of her neat afro puffs.
“Welcome to the party—took you long enough!” Drew’s greeting was a tired drawl. He had bags under his eyes from the grueling shifts he pulled as an ER doctor but his smile still sparkled.
Avery tossed a pillow at his head in reply, then caught it when he chucked it straight back. “It’s a nice day for a drive. Why hurry?” she said. “We had songs to sing.”
“Leo said his ears were bleeding.” Drew shot him a look of deepest sympathy.
“I didn’t hear you complaining when we all nailed the bridge in ‘Bad Romance.’” Avery turned, narrowing her eyes at Leo with a mock scowl.
“Did you nail it though?” he replied, stretching long legs out from his slumped position on a bright orange couch. “Or did it nail you?”
He’d pulled back his hair, twisting the long strands into a messy topknot, and his scruffy shorts and washed-out tee had him looking more like a teenager than a high-school teacher.
Only the man bun and his neatly trimmed beard gave the nod that almost a decade had passed since their own schooldays.
Back then, Principal Harris would have pulled him to one side with some strong words the moment his hair curled over his collar.
But Avery didn’t want to think about her right now.
Checking her phone, she was relieved to find no new messages waiting for her. No missed calls from her mom. So far, so good.
Maybe her luck would hold.
But, as Avery twisted the top off her beer, she had to admit she wasn’t quite sure what she was hoping for—that he would be here or wouldn’t be here?
At a guess, she probably had until the wedding to steel herself against seeing him again.
Tanner Stone was a success now. A household name—at least among sports fans. He was dating an influencer. Even though it was the off-season, she’d bet good money he had better things to do this weekend than rough it in a rustic cabin. He’d be traveling or training for sure.
Taking a cool, refreshing sip, Avery told herself to embrace the change of scenery.
The cabin was comfortable, the weather was gorgeous, and the lake lay just a short walk away through the trees.
It was Friday afternoon; the weekend stretched ahead.
No responsibilities, no bar shifts in the Rusty Barrel.
Two full days of silliness and relaxation were hers for the taking.
Bring it on.