Avery
In two weeks’ time, I’ve managed to get this office under control. It’s not perfect, but at least I have a general idea of where the hell things are. After the third day of diving head first into this pit, I indeed figured out Lori’s rhyme and reason. I spent the next two days filing papers and invoices, which I despise. Then I spent another two going through open and closed invoice hell.
She kept “closed and need to file” invoices on the corner of the desk and also by the filing cabinet. Open invoices were in four different stacks representing different due dates. I’m confused as to how Ryan is still in business if he’s not getting paid regularly.
Last year’s invoices are stacked along the wall. Just sitting there doing nothing all the while my brother is oblivious to it. He runs a great company, but he seriously needs the right office help. Miranda tried but admitted she didn’t know how. And honestly, Lori should admit it too. I would help if I could, but when boarding season is in and competitions are plenty, I’m focused on my own job.
“Knock, knock.” Ryan steps in and looks around with awe. “I knew you’d be the right person for the job.”
“No. You knew this would drive me nuts. You tricked me. I’m onto you, butt-face.” I point at him with my pen. “Also, you need to get Lori to start invoicing correctly. Some of these date two months ago.”
“Only certain customers. She’s not organized by any means, but I promise Lori knows what she’s doing.”
I groan.
He chuckles. “I need you.”
“What’s new?” I deadpan.
“Apparently whatever Marco had made its way to Abe. He’s out and I’ve got Lauder’s Winery again.”
“Again? We just did it like two weeks ago,” I protest.
“He’s picky and wants it manicured. Plus, a good dose of rain is always great for growing. Besides, I have a few other projects to knock out for him.”
My sigh is exasperated. “Fine. But I’m stealing a clean hat this time.”
“Why do you enjoy hiding yourself? You could be out there bringing in more business.”
“Are you trying to pimp me?” I jest. “Jesus, Ryan.”
“Not every day do I have a celebrity working for me.”
I absolutely loathe when he starts in on this. It’s instant aggravation that rides down my spine like a stripper on a fireman pole. “Shut up.”
“I can see it now.” He spreads his hands across the imaginary headlines in the sky. “Taylor’s Landscaping, home of pro-snowboarder, Aubrey Neal. Think of all the business, Ave.”
Aubrey Neal—it’s a pseudonym Dad came up with to protect my anonymity. He saw the pro in me before I did.
“Just because I’m pro doesn’t mean I’m a household name. It’s nothing that fancy.”
“Just because you eat from the humble pie and fail to see that you are something doesn’t mean the same pie sits in front of me. I’m proud of you. Even after Mom and Dad died, you kept persevering and never gave up.”
Flicking my view to him, sadness turns my lips. “I needed to focus on my anger and pain.”
“You didn’t quit after having Maddi either. That’s a big obstacle.”
“Mom and Dad would’ve haunted me if I did.”
Ryan wraps his arms around my shoulders and hugs me. “They’d be so damn proud of you. Especially Dad.”
“I know.” And I do. Sometimes I swear I can feel him, especially when my nerves begin to rattle at an event. I can hear him telling me, “Keep your weight over your board. Look where you’re going. Don’t be scared. And you’ll nail all the tricks.”
Dad and I would spend hours at Mamaw’s house as he taught me how to board. He knew I was passionate about it and I knew he was too. He taught me everything he knew and then got me boarding lessons. Then he built a small training area behind the house that came equipped with rails, box rails, slopes, and a mini halfpipe…which was exactly where I fell in love with it.
Mom was my biggest fan, even though riding gave her nothing short of a heart attack. She was there when I landed my first-ever three-sixty and the look on her face was priceless—a harsh concoction of excitement, fear, and sickness. She hugged me and told me how proud she was. Then she laughed and said I was grounded for two weeks for scaring her to death.
My parents got to see me compete in my first competition. I was eaten up with nerves, shaking through every trick, but I came in sixth out of a hundred other kids. In my mind, I won that day.
Unfortunately, they died in a horrific car accident before getting to see how far I’ve come. The night of the wreck, Ryan got the phone call. He was twenty-four, had his own place, but was out on a date with Miranda. I was younger and still lived with my parents. Ryan came to the house, and the look of pain and grief has forever been burned into my memory.
I shake away the sorrow and paste a smile. “Let’s go.” Too much talk of my parents will throw me for a loop with sadness that tries pulling me into the depths of depression.
Wrangling the thoughts of my parents and the worry of running into Max, I scroll through my social media again. My notifications are insane as my agent, Celeste, preps my fans for the Kid’s Bazaar in a few months. It’s a charity competition where all the proceeds go to help children with special needs and their family’s financial woes. It even allows free ski or snowboarding lessons or sledding for the children who are unable. I adore this fundraiser and even though it’s not a serious big-time competition, we all treat it as one to bring in more people. More people means more money, and more money means more help for those babies. Also, the bragging rights of who can shred better is always a plus.
Ryan pulls up to the winery and I slide out of the truck, drawing my hat down low.
“You’ll be with me,” he says as he stretches. “There’s an area behind the veranda terrace that Mr. Lauder would like stone crowns placed. Then there’s a small garden he wants defined with bluestone. And while I’m here, I need to quote a stoned seating area.”
“You don’t want me to mow?” I hide the panic rushing me. “Marco can handle the stones better than I can.”
He nudges me with his shoulder. “Scared you’ll get dirty?” he teases.
“No,” I huff. “I’m just saying man muscles.”
“You need a refresher course anyway so you don’t rust up on me.”
My mouth quits working as I stare at his back when he walks away. My protest is stuck in my throat. I want to stomp my foot and demand I be allowed to mow, but I’m too busy feeling the dread soaking into my bones.
This sucks.
It’s hotter than hell as we border the garden and fight off the stupid bees attracted to Ryan’s neon orange shirt. He and I take turns lugging the heavy slates and it doesn’t go unnoticed that he chuckles every time I come back with three instead of his eight. Asshole. I tried telling him.
“Mr. Taylor.”
His voice melts me, warming my soul until the cold dread follows in its wake. I freeze, keeping my back toward him.
“Mr. Lauder.” Ryan gets to his feet. “We’ve gotten the stone crown you requested laid down and as you can see, we’re halfway complete here.”
Desperate to look too busy, I keep working, putting in extra effort. It’s a shit thing to do. I should be more polite and professional, and I would if it weren’t him.
As I edge out the next area for stone to be laid, my skin prickles with unpredictable suspense. He’s right here. A few feet from me. The pull is there, my body eager to feel his hands on me again. If he only knew the woman he was hard for is in front of him on her knees in the dirt. I can’t breathe.
“Hey, Ave. You got this under control for a minute?” Ryan asks and I flinch.
“Of course.” I keep my head down.
“Alright. I’ll be back in a few.”
The breath I was holding whooshes out of me as they walk away. My body sags as relief releases the tension in my muscles and washes away the fear. I take a breath, lifting my chin slightly to see if the coast is clear before grabbing more stones.
Ten slates later and one serious as hell conversation with a wasp to value his life and leave me alone, I can hear the distant rumbling of deep voices. Quickly, I grab several slates, almost dropping them as I trip over my own feet, and place them on the ground before kneeling beside them and busying myself again.
“Avery. You hungry? Mr. Lauder said he’d have lunch fixed for us.”
I’m starving, but I shake my head. “No. Thank you.”
Ryan sighs. “Excuse my sister. She can be quite hardheaded.”
Max’s deep chuckle washes over my skin and I fight off the shudder it causes. “My sister is the same. She also works with me, so I can relate.”
Limb by limb, the restlessness slips away as they begin to walk away. My arms are weak and shaking as I get back to laying down the slates. Just then, the stupid wasp slams into my arm and stings the hell out of me.
“Sonofabitch!” I cry out slapping the asshole dead and springing to my feet.
“You alright?” Ryan rushes back.
I jerk around and instantly lock eyes with Max. His left brow twitches as his eyes narrow slightly. I drop my view, holding my arm. “Yeah. Yeah. I’m fine. Go grab lunch and I’ll finish up.”
“There’s bee sting spray in the truck. Want me to get it?”
No. I want you to leave me alone and let me drown in humiliation.
“No. I’m fine. Really.”
“At least come inside and get some water, Avery.” The way Max says my name knots my stomach. “Cool off a bit.”
I’m going to puke. I hate myself right now. I hate my plight. I hate he’s seen me. I hate this entire situation I didn’t want to be in in the first place. I swallow every bit of my dignity and lift my view to him. “Thanks, but I’m fine.” The words burn out of my throat but cross my lips smoothly.
He shows no emotions as I’m dying a slow death of chagrin. I blink away and drop back down to edge out the next area. I’m silently cussing that stupid wasp, cussing the damn universe for making me the butt end of its horrible joke, pissed at my brother for making me come, and resenting the fact that I’m actually hungry and thirsty.
I blow a vanquished breath through my nose. “Let me finish this line and I’ll be in.” This way Max won’t be around to further my embarrassment.
“Okay,” Ryan says and leaves.
Fifteen minutes later, I walk down the corridor heading for the entrance. My arm burns, the sting throbbing, and I rub it. Funny how the universe enjoys throwing curveballs straight to the face…
Suddenly, Max steps in beside me with his hands in his pockets. My heart is in my throat as his gorgeous brown eyes pierce me with questions. “Should I call you Avery or Cinderella?” His tone is laced with displeased amusement.
The entrance feels like it’s backing away from me and my feet feel twenty pounds heavier. “My carriage ride was about to turn into a pumpkin.”
“Why did you leave?”
His feet stop and like an invisible rope is tethered around my waist, it seizes my steps. I look to the ceiling, willing myself for strength. “Because I needed to.”
“That was clear, but why?”
“I owe you no explanation, only an apology.”
Maddi is and will always be what I protect. No way I’m telling him that my babysitter’s time was up. Men find out who I am and they want what they think my life is about. They’ve used me, tried swindling me into a date for bragging rights, inadvertently putting my daughter’s emotional well-being in danger. I keep her so deeply private, not even the papers know. She’s my world, and if anything were to ever happen to her or she got her heart broken over my mistakes, I’d never forgive myself.
“I searched for you,” he says simply.
“I’m sure not for long.”
His eyes roam my body from head to toe.
“Not as fascinating now, am I?” Well, that was bitchy.
He smiles. “Actually, yes. You are.”
I expel an incredulous snort through my nose. “My brother is waiting on me.” I throw my thumb over my shoulder.
When he begins to walk, that invisible rope tugs me again, and I fall into step beside him. He pulls open the door, gesturing for me to enter first. The place smells divine, the scent of delicious foods triggering my stomach to growl.
Ryan and Marco are sitting at a table in the back, close to where Max and I danced. They’re already eating as I make my way to them.
Max pulls out the chair and flashes a sweet smile. “I’ll have Marcy take your order. It’s good to see you again.”
His stare lingers briefly before he strides away. And it’s just in the nick of time. I’m a bundle of pent-up sexual energy, my body about to explode from the lust he has me experiencing.
“Again?” Ryan says suspiciously.
I nod. “Your wife dragged me here about a month ago. Remember? I met him then.”
“Please tell me he’s not the one you stood up.”
Rolling my lips between my teeth, I cock my head to the side. “Then what type of lie would you like for me to replace the truth with?”
Pained, he closes his eyes. “Shit. I bet you just cost me this job.”
“What happened to pimping me out? Not such a grand idea after all?” I deadpan. He glowers at me and it causes me to giggle. “You do high-end properties all the time. What are you so worried about?”
He levels a brotherly look on me, one where he’s serious as ever and really wants to reprimand me, but can’t because…well, I’m the baby sister he loves so much. “Nothing quite as notable as Lauder Wineries. This place is incredibly popular and to have my work showcased here is a privilege.”
“Calm your titties, Ryan. I talked with him outside. He didn’t seem upset. You’ll be fine.”
He opens his mouth to say something but abandons the idea and shoves a bite of his sandwich in his mouth.
The rest of my lunch goes by without seeing Max.
Ryan and I finish the garden, still without seeing Max again.
However, driving to get Maddi from school, Max shows up all over my thoughts.