Say You Will (The Alexanders 5)

“Yes, you are,” she insisted. “You've always been so strange about girls. Remember when you liked that foreign exchange student during freshman year of high school? You were so funny. Every time she talked to you, you’d turn beet red and act like you couldn’t understand what she was saying. Even though I was friends with her, you never asked for an introduction.”

Trent laughed. “I don’t even know who you’re talking about.”

Avery smirked. “Sure you don’t. Well, I remember perfectly. Her name was Genevieve and she wore sweaters so tight you could practically see her rib cage. And you blushed whenever she talked to you. If you’d wanted to impress her you could have easily. Your French was better than mine even back then. But you never did.”

For a moment, she looked pensive then her gaze came back to rest on Travis. “It’s amazing how much has changed since then. But you’re still the best friend I’ve ever had.” She hugged him and he tried to pretend he didn’t feel her shoulders shaking as she cried quietly.

“I am so sorry.” Sorry that his brother was an ass. Sorry that she had to sit in this hospital and watch her baby struggling to breathe. There were so many things that he’d fix for her if he could but just like always, he was forced to watch it all unfold. Everything out of his hands. He felt almost as helpless as he’d felt as a freshman struggling to find the words to tell Genevieve Marchant that she was pretty.

“I’m so sorry. I swear I would kick his ass for you if I only knew where he was.”

“It’s okay. None of this is your fault. And I feel so bad every time I have to call you. Every time I have to take you away from your life to help me out. I should be able to deal on my own.”

Trent squeezed her arms gently. “I don’t want you to do that. I love you and Travis and you know I’d do anything for you. You shouldn’t have to do all this stuff alone. Don’t worry about things for me. I’ll deal.”

“Why don’t you just bring her with you? I would love to meet her.”

"I'm planning to bring her home soon," Trent hedged.

Suddenly her eyes narrowed and her fingers tightened around his forearms. Painfully. “Trent Townsend. What are you not telling me?”

He didn't meet her eyes. Ever since they were children Avery had the uncanny ability to suss out when he was lying about something. She'd corner him and badger the truth out of him if necessary. "It's nothing. I just haven't introduced her to the family yet."

“What do you mean she hasn't met the family? I’ve been hearing about this girl for years. You’re getting married.” She stared at him, her gaze penetrating until he felt like he was being held under a laser beam.

“She doesn’t know about the money,” he admitted finally.

Avery’s mouth fell open. “Um… okay? What the hell does that mean?”

He grabbed his hair with both hands, tugging on the strands as if pulling his hair out would lessen the sudden pressure behind his forehead.

“You know about what happened with my father after high school, right?”

She shrugged. “Yeah, James told me about it. Your father told you that there was no way you could make it in the world without your family’s influence. You walked away and didn’t come back.”

He nodded along at her summary. “Basically. However, the most important part of that story is that when I left, I created a new life for myself far away from Manhattan. I could have gone to school any number of places but if I’d chosen any of the Ivy Leagues there would have undoubtedly been someone who connected the Townsend name with our family. I would have never been able to escape it.”

“That’s why you chose Virginia?”

“Yes. I wanted someplace small with access to the water so I could surf in the summer. I was checking out college campuses and just stumbled across the perfect fit one day.”

“That still doesn’t explain why you haven’t brought Mara home yet.”

“Avery, when I’m in Virginia, my life is completely different than it is here. I live in a two-bedroom townhouse. If we want to take a vacation, we can’t just go. She has to ask for permission from her boss.”

Her eyes had gotten bigger and bigger with every word. “Well, okay. I understand that you think this would be overwhelming for her.”

He shook his head. She still wasn’t getting it. “We have a mortgage that we pay every month. If Mara lost her job, she’d worry over how to pay it.”

Then he spoke the words that he knew would drive the point home.

“She drives a Honda, Avery. Your last spa weekend cost more than her car. It’s an entirely different world. The people there don’t know how much money I have. Apparently, they like me for no reason at all.”

Avery blinked. It appeared that for the first time since they were children, she was speechless.

“James said you were going rustic but I didn’t really know what he meant.” She peered at him curiously. “And you’re happy?”

He thought back to his last argument with Mara. The way they’d been over the last few weeks. He’d been keeping this from her for so long, hurting her with lies of omission. The past few years had been some of the best of his life and had literally made him into a man. He’d had valid reasons for starting over and keeping his life in New York a secret had been a necessity to that.