Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Brody
T he Alps were putting on a show that could make even the most jaded Instagrammer bust a nut.
Those snow-capped peaks were reaching for the heavens like they were auditioning for a Ricola commercial, all majestic against a sky so blue it could make a Smurf jealous.
I glanced at Avery, expecting to see her usual wide-eyed wonderment, but instead, her face was doing its best impression of a constipated gargoyle, her usual spark dim.
Something was definitely off, and it wasn't just the altitude messing with my head.
We reached a viewpoint so fucking breathtaking it could make a corpse sit up and whistle. I decided enough was enough. I grabbed her hand, half expecting her to yank it away like I was offering her a handful of live spiders.
“Hey, Spark,” I said, trying to keep my voice gentler than I felt. “What's going on in that beautiful noggin of yours? You seem distracted.”
Avery's eyes met mine for a split second before darting away. Christ, those eyes. They could make a man forget his own name. “I'm fine, Brody. Just taking in the views.”
Yeah, and I'm the fucking Pope. But I bit my tongue. Maybe she just needed time to process everything—our new business venture, our relationship that was heating up faster than my temper, the fact that we'd eaten enough chocolate to give an elephant the shakes.
We continued our hike, descending into our Swiss village that was so quaint it made fairy tales look like gritty crime dramas. Cobblestone streets, flower-boxed chalets, the whole nine yards.
It was perfect for the new venture, but Avery's enthusiasm level was hovering somewhere between “DMV line” and “root canal.”
I pointed out a flower shop, bursting with all kinds of colorful blooms. “Wouldn't that make a great backdrop for a couple's photo?”
Avery's response was as animated as a sloth on Valium. “Mm-hmm,” she mumbled.
My concern was growing, but I decided to give her space, hoping she'd open up on her own. We had a cheese factory tour scheduled next, and I was determined to melt that icy exterior of hers.
I couldn't help but think about how much Avery had changed my life. Before her, I was a lone wolf, roaming from place to place, never putting down roots.
But now? The thought of anyone else even looking at her made my blood boil. I'd tear apart anyone or anything that hurt her… but how could I protect her from whatever demons were on the inside?
As we worked our way through Switzerland's finest dairy offerings, I couldn't help but marvel at how fucking perfect Avery looked, even under the harsh fluorescent lights of the cheese factory.
Her skin was smoother than cream, and I had to fight the urge to claim those soft lips right then and there. I smeared a bit of Gruyère on her cute little nose, my fingers lingering just a second too long. Damn, even her nose was sexy. How the hell did she do that?
“Oh no, Spark,” I teased, wiggling my eyebrows like a vaudevillian villain. “Looks like you've got a little cheese crisis happening. Want me to take care of that for you? I promise I won't enjoy it… much.” I wiggled my eyebrows, imagining just how good she'd taste.
But instead of the sassy comeback I was expecting, Avery wiped it off like she was cleaning up after a dog with the shits and walked away. I stood there, feeling like I'd just been cockblocked by a wheel of fucking Emmental.
Back at our hotel, a place that settled around us like a favorite flannel shirt, I suggested we review our notes and footage from the day. As we sat side by side on the bed, laptops open, I couldn't help but notice Avery sneaking more glances at her phone than a teenager with a new crush.
“Everything okay?” I asked, trying to keep the growl out of my voice.
“Yeah, just checking emails,” she replied quickly, tucking her phone away like it was contraband.
I wanted to believe her, but my gut was screaming bullshit. Still, I pressed on, determined to salvage our trip.
The only problem was, I couldn't figure out what the hell had changed. Had I done something to piss her off? Was she having second thoughts about us? The idea of losing her made my chest tighten like I was caught in a fucking vise.
I pulled out all the stops for a romantic dinner at a mountaintop restaurant, the candlelit table intimate and inviting. It was the perfect setting for romance, but Avery was like a hermit crab with social anxiety.
“So, I was thinking,” I began, like I was defusing a bomb made of awkward silences, “maybe we could do getaways based on romantic traditions around the world. You know, like how in some cultures, they express love by gifting live chickens. Or how in others, they show affection by aggressively ignoring each other in picturesque locations.”
I paused, waiting for a laugh that never came. Fuck me, this was harder than trying to piss with a hard-on. “What do you think? Too much poultry?”
“Sure, sounds good,” she muttered, sounding about as invested as I was in learning the intricacies of Swiss tax law.
What in the name of Heidi's goats was going on with her? Had my attempt at yodeling in the shower this morning finally driven her over the edge?
She pushed her food around her plate, my mind racing faster than a coked-up hamster on a wheel. Whatever was eating at her, I had to get to the bottom of it. Because Avery wasn't just some fling or a business partner. She was everything.
We took a short hike to a scenic overlook, the tension thick.
As the town got smaller behind us, so did my patience. I'd had enough of this bullshit. It was time to lay it all out, consequences be damned.
“Avery,” I growled. “What the hell's going on with you?” I couldn't keep the frustration from my tone, but fuck it. I needed answers. “You've been a million miles away this entire trip.”
Avery, caught off guard, fumbled for an excuse. “I'm just tired, Brody. It's been a long week.”
Bullshit. I'd seen her work eighteen-hour days and still have energy to ride me all night. This was something else.
“It's more than that. You've been distant, distracted. If something's eating at you, you can tell me. We're supposed to be in this together.”
Avery went quiet. The view was breathtaking, but all I could focus on was the woman in front of me. My woman. The one who'd set my world on fire and was now threatening to burn it all down.
“Look,” I began, my voice low and intense, like a not-quite-as-bad-ass James Earl Jones, “I need you to be straight with me. And I mean really fucking straight, not that 'sure, honey, your jokes are hilarious' bullshit.”
I took a deep breath, mentally preparing myself for what could either be the greatest speech of my life or the prelude to the world's most scenic breakup. Either way, I plowed on.
“These past few months working together, and then building this business, it's been fucking incredible. I've never felt this way about anyone before, Avery. Never.”
I paused, searching her face for any reaction.
“But if you're having second thoughts, if this isn't what you want, if you've suddenly decided to go write the great American novel or some shit and leave me behind, just rip off the Band-Aid already. Because I'm standing here feeling about as welcome as a steaming pile of dog crap on a white carpet.”
My heart was pounding, my palms sweaty. I'd never laid myself bare like this before, but for Avery, I'd do anything. She had me wrapped around her little finger, and the thought of losing her made my gut churn.
Tears welled up in Avery's eyes, and fuck if that didn't make my chest tighten. Finally, she cracked. “Brody, I… I'm scared,” she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Scared? Of what?” I asked, my rough hands enveloping hers.
Avery sucked in a shaky breath. “Of this. Of us. Of how real it feels. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, for you to realize that I'm not worth sticking around for.”
My heart clenched at her words. “Why the fuck would you think that?” I demanded, my voice a low rumble.
“Because that's how it always goes,” she choked out. “People leave. They get bored, or they find someone better. And you're a drifter, Brody. You're not the type to put down roots. I've been holding back because I'm terrified of falling for you completely, only to watch you disappear when the wind changes.”
I felt like I'd been gut-punched. “Jesus, Spark, is that what you think? That I'd just up and leave when shit gets real?”
Avery shrugged helplessly, and I had to fight the urge to shake some sense into her. “It's what I'm used to. I never even knew my dad. Every serious relationship I've had has ended with the guy moving on to someone else. I guess I just… I don't know how to trust that this is real, that you'll stay.”
I cupped her face in my hands, forcing those big, beautiful eyes to meet mine. Fuck, I could drown in those eyes. “Listen to me, Avery. Yeah, I've been a wanderer. But that was before you turned my world upside down. This isn't some fling or a pit stop. I'm all in, one hundred fucking percent.”
Hope flickered in her eyes, battling with the fear. “Really?”
“Really,” I said. “I know we haven't been together long, but you're it for me, Spark. The finish line. The grand-fucking-prize. I'm not going anywhere unless you kick my ass to the curb. Or unless Switzerland suddenly bans cheese, in which case we might need to make a hasty exit.”
Tears spilled down her cheeks, and I wiped them away with my thumbs. “I'm sorry I've been so distant,” she said. “I was trying to protect myself, but all I did was push you away.”
“Hey, it's okay,” I murmured, pulling her close. “I get it. But from now on, we lay all our cards on the table, okay? No more hiding. We're in this together, come hell or high water.”
Avery nodded, a small smile finally breaking through. “Together,” she agreed.
I crushed my lips to hers, savoring her taste. It was like coming home after years on the road, like everything in my fucked-up life was finally making sense. But as we parted, I caught something in her eyes—a shadow I hadn't noticed before.
“Brody,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “There's… there's something I need to tell you.”
My heart, which had been soaring higher than this fucking mountain, suddenly plummeted. “What is it, Spark?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady even as my gut twisted.
Avery took a deep breath, her eyes darting away like a spooked animal. “I haven't been completely honest with you.”
My heart stopped. “What do you mean?” I managed to choke out, my mind racing through every worst-case scenario.
I braced myself, feeling like I was being chased to the edge of a cliff with nowhere to go but down.