“I want to be just like you when I grow up,” I admit and she laughs out loud.
“What? You’re crazy! I’m a mess.”
“No,” I say, shaking my head. “You’re remarkable. Really, a great mom, a successful business owner, a great sister and daughter—you’re superawesome.”
She waves me off. “Hardly, but thank you. You know I have my demons, Avery. Everyone does, but you just gotta grow from them.”
“I hear ya,” I say and I do. I need to grow.
“Now, if I can only apply that logic to relationships, I’d be great.”
I smile. “Trouble dating?”
She shrugs. “I have trust issues, obviously. And also, I don’t want to bring anyone around her,” she says, nodding her head toward Angie. “It’s not only how I feel about someone, it’s about how she feels.”
“Yeah,” I say, tucking a curl behind Angie’s ear. She grins at me and then goes back to work.
“One day, though,” she says softly. “I think. I don’t know.” She laughs. “I’m getting used to be alone, but I want to have that one person who gets me. Who holds me at night, and no matter how bitchy I’m being or how bad my day is, his kiss will make it all go away.” I exhale with a grin on my face as her lips curve in somewhat of a smile. “You know all about that. I see how you two look at each other.”
My cheeks warm as I shrug. “He’s great.”
“He is,” she agrees. “He wouldn’t hurt a fly, and he loves with all his heart. No sixteen-year-old wants to babysit a baby, but Jace did, and he did it perfectly. But he’s loyal to a fault, which is why we are all so worried about my dad and him.”
“Yeah,” I agree. “We’ve talked about that a lot. That came up today after he told me he’s declining in hockey.”
She rolls her eyes. “He’s insane.”
“That’s what I said.”
“Good, and believe me, I don’t want to sound like one of those crazy, overprotective sisters, but…” She pauses when I meet her gaze. Her eyes are dark, serious, and a little bit of fear settles in my stomach as she holds my gaze. “He is my favorite, really, and I would do anything for him. So please don’t make me kill you, because you seem like a great girl and Angie loves you. But if you hurt him, I will be that crazy, overprotective sister everyone is afraid of.”
I don’t want to smile, but I can’t help it because it’s just all so amazing and cute. Jace is so lucky. Nodding my head, my lips curving, I say, “I won’t hurt him.”
“Good, and he won’t hurt you. Believe me. He won’t.”
“I hope you’re right.”
She gives me a deadpan look. “I’m always right.”
“My uncle Jude says she isn’t, though,” Angie pipes up and that has us both laughing as Angie giggles along with us.
I’m glad I came.
But most of all, I hope she is right.
Because I can’t handle being hurt again.
I wake to the sound of someone climbing into my bed.
Alarmed, I sit up quickly just as Avery pauses, a grin on her face as she looks at me. “Hey, just me, killer.”
Letting out the breath I was holding, I reach for her and she falls on me, an airy giggle leaving her sweet lips. I nuzzle into her chest, and she wraps her arms around my head as I close my eyes. “Hey.”
“Have a good nap?”
“Yeah,” I admit and it really was. I feel recharged, like I could take on anything. But then, I could probably sleep until tomorrow with no problem at all. I got lucky because Markus had to go out to dinner with his dad, so there were no distractions at all as I slept. It was glorious, but being in her arms is ten times better. Holding me tightly, she kisses the top of my head and I melt against her. I don’t know how I missed her during my exhausted state but I did, and I’m so glad she’s here. Moving my head out from the middle of her chest, I ask, “How was your day?”
“Busy,” she whispers, her fingers moving through my hair. “But I had a blast with Angie and Lucy.”