“I’m Ryker, sir. Nice to meet you.” I shook his hand firmly.
“Son, you just missed Heather. She went to the pool.”
“I’ll just meet her there, then.”
“Nonsense. Come in and have a drink first. You must be tired,” Mrs. Prescott said.
She was right. I was tired, but not because of the journey. I’d been up with my siblings until late. Then I headed home, packed a small bag, slept a few hours, and after I got up and showered, I went straight to the airport. I called in sick at work.
Following the Prescotts inside, I dropped my luggage next to the entrance and then went into the kitchen.
I took the glass of lemonade Mrs. Prescott handed me, gulping it down. I didn’t want to sit, though. I wanted to see Heather, but first I wanted to talk to them both about their daughter and Avery before doing anything else.
“Is Avery with Heather at the pool?” I asked.
“No, actually Avery just woke up. She’s in the back yard,” Mr. Prescott said. “We’re going to pick up a friend of hers and then go to the fair.”
“I’d like to talk to her before, if there’s time.”
“Sure,” Mr. Prescott said. “We weren’t planning on leaving for another fifteen minutes or so. Come on, I’ll take you to her.”
He led me to the back of the house, out the door where we stepped onto another large porch that spilled into a huge yard, with a doghouse on the side. Three golden retriever puppies were poking their heads out, looking at Avery.
Avery was sitting on the steps
of the porch, sorting out straws.
“Hey, Avery. Look who’s here,” Mr. Prescott said.
“Ryker!” Her eyes were wide and probing. She also gave me a smile, but it was small and tentative, as if she wasn’t sure she should smile. Damn it!
“Avery, Ryker wants to talk to you.”
“Okay. You don’t have to stay, Pops, I’m a big girl,” Avery replied, gathering her straws closer to her.
Mr. Prescott opened his mouth, closed it again. He gave me an encouraging look before going back in the house.
“Can I sit next to you?” I asked Avery.
She nodded, shifting a little to make space for me. The second I sat down, she asked, “What are you doing here?”
“I came to talk to you and your mom.”
She looked down at her hands, playing with her thumbs. One of the puppies came running out of the doghouse, straight into Avery’s lap.
“But why? You didn’t want to see us at the office.”
“I couldn’t, Avery. I was in a meeting. I’m sorry I forgot you and your mom were coming for lunch.”
“But that man said that you don’t have time for children.” She hugged the tiny furball tightly to her.
Her voice was wobbly, and it fucking slayed me.
“He was wrong.”
She glanced up at me warily. “But it has to be true. He’s an adult. Adults always know best.”
“Well, some adults think they know everything and like to speak even if they don’t know all the facts. Owen didn’t know how much I love you and your mom.”