Chapter 35


    Avery


    I sob for all the lost time, the memories that we’d never create, the mother that abandoned me as a


    baby. I cry for a life that could have been. For the choice my mom had to make and at such a young


    age, and for the circumstances that led to that decision.


    Life is a crapshoot. We’ve all been dealt a hand that we have no choice but to y – my mom by


    getting pregnant too young, me with simply the circumstances I was born into.


    After meeting her face to face, seeing how normal she is, I’m not immature enough to believe she’d


    given me up because I was a bad baby. No. She’d made the best decision she could for me and for


    herself. But that didn’t make this any easier. She’d done the most selfless thing she could do. She’d


    given me to two loving parents who desperately wanted a child. It broke my heart. There’s grief and


    loss mixed in with happiness and joy. It’s all too much.


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    Jase just holds me. He lets mepletely fall apart. He doesn’t say anything, other than making


    calming sounds meant to soothe. He rubs my back in slow circles and rocks me silently against his


    chest. I can’t even let myself hope what his presence might mean. He’s here now, all solid and warm,


    and holding me. It’s not nearly enough, but it’ll do. For now.


    By the time I’m all cried out, my throat is raw and Jase’s T-shirt is soaked with my tears, but he doesn’t


    seem the least bit concerned about this shirt. His hand continues its soothing path, rubbing slow circles


    between my shoulder des while my breathing returns to normal.


    Jase


    When her tears finally stop, little unsteady hups continue to rasp in her chest for several minutes


    more. Avery eventually lifts her head from my shoulder and blinks up at me, wiping away the remnants


    of her makeup.


    “I’m sorry,” she croaks, her voice raw from crying.


    “No. Don’t be. I’m d you let it out, and I’m d I could be here for you.”


    She nods. “Thanks, Jase.”


    “Anytime, Whistle.”


    Confusion crosses her face at hearing the nickname I haven’t used in a while. She’s wondering the


    same thing I am – about us. About where we stand now.


    She sits up on the bed,pletely disentangling herself from me. The loss of warmth from her body


    next to mine is unwee, but I resist the urge to tug her back to me.


    “I’m gonna take a shower,” she says.


    Her face is red, her chest splotchy and her hair is a tangled, matted mess--the strands framing her face


    slightly damp from her tears. “Yeah, okay.” The warm water will soothe her some, I hope. “I’ll go out and


    pick us up dinner. We can eat here in bed if you’re okay with that, and watch TV.”


    She climbs from the bed. “Yeah, low key sounds great.”


    I didn’t figure she’d be up for going out somece. I take the keys from the bedside table and watch as


    Avery disappears into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. When I hear the water turn on, I have


    to fight the urge to go in after her.


    I return a little whileter with bags of Chinese takeout. Dressed in a white tank and pink cotton pants,


    Avery sits cross-legged in the center of the bed. “Hi,” she says.


    Her smile is back, so I can only assume the shower helped. Her hair is still damp, butbed neatly


    and secured in a braid across her shoulder. It makes her look younger. Beautiful. Food is suddenly the


    “What’d you get us? It smells good.”


    I set the bag on the bedside table and begin unloading the paper cartons. “Chinese. Hope that’s okay.”


    “Yeah, that’s perfect.”


    We eat spicy noodles, spring rolls and almond chicken while watching a mindlessedy on cable. By


    the time we’re full, Avery is openlyughing at the movie. I throw the leftovers away in my adjoining


    room and close the door. I’m hopeful we’ll share a bed tonight. Even if nothing else happens, I just want


    to be near her. And I figure we won’t want to breathe in the smell of old Chinese food all night.


    Avery has stacked all the pillows from my bed and hers up against the headboard and is lounging


    against them when I return from brushing my teeth. “You’re looking quitefortable there.”


    She crosses her legs at the ankle and smiles, like a princess perched on her throne. Now that we’re


    done eating, the room is too quiet, too full of her. Suddenly I don’t know what to do with myself. Avery


    just continues watching me with wide green eyes.


    I hesitate at the end of the bed, and rub the back of my neck, waiting for her to give me some indication


    she wants me to stay. Although she’smandeered all my pillows so…. “You’re holding my pillows


    hostage… does that mean you want me here?”


    “Maybe I just really like pillows…” She wiggles against the mountain behind her, making herself


    comfortable. “Kidding. Of course you’re staying.” She pats the bed beside her “You being here means a


    lot.”


    I wish I knew what she’s thinking. I cross the room to sit beside her on the bed. “You doing better?” I


    ask, though I can see she is.


    The glow in her cheeks is back, her eyes are bright and happy. Whatever she has worked through in


    thest couple of hours, I can only hope has been helped by my presence. The feeling is addicting. I


    just like being near her, and I’m not going anywhere as long as she wants me here.


    Avery scoots over, making room for me on the bed, and moves closer to sink against the pillows. We’re


    half-sitting, half-lying side by side.


    “Should we talk about my past … indiscretions?” she asks, staring at the ceiling.


    I hate how she’s had to live with so much on her shoulders. But she’s right. We do need to talk about


    that. I wonder if she’s going to start, because I have no clue what to say. She grips her hands in front of


    her looking nervous.


    I take a deep breath and start. “Listen, Avery, I can get over the pictures. We’ve all made stupid


    mistakes. But I don’t like feeling lied to.” She doesn’t say anything, just keeps looking straight up at the


    ceiling, her expression neutral. “The main thing holding me back is that you’re not who I thought you


    were. I can’t escape the feeling like I’ve been fooled by you. Do I even know the real Avery? Was it all a


    carefully constructed cover up, or did I see the real you?”


    Her shoulders straighten, and she seems to draw some inner strength. “You saw the real me. The


    messy, scared shitless me trying to figure out a way to move past it.”


    “When I first met you, you were running and I just wanted to help. Seeing you crouched behind that


    dumpster…shit, Avery.” I take a deep breath, letting it creep out of my lungs slowly.


    “It’s fine, Jase. You don’t need to exin. You needed a little project to distract you from the issues with


    your mom – fine. Mission aplished. But guess what? I don’t want to be someone’s project. I’m


    done being broken. And I’m done hiding from my past. I’ve made mistakes. I’m not perfect. I need


    someone who can deal with that.”


    “You were never a project, and we both know it. I wasn’t involved with you for some noble purpose. I


    loved watching your eyes light up, seeing you let go, making you blush when I made dirtyments. I


    made it my mission to see you smile.”


    “Well, I’m officially done hiding. It didn’t do me any good anyway. And when I dated Brent, I wasn’t the


    same girl that I am now. He was my first crush; I wanted to impress him, to fit in and be a little


    reckless…obviously you can see how well that worked out for me. It was a stupid mistake that I can’t


    take back, Jase.”


    “Fuck your past. It won’t own us. I can’t think straight without you. I miss you. I want you back, babe.”


    I’m sorry about all she had to endure. I’m sorry about her fucktard ex. I’m sorry she’d taken those


    pictures. But I can push it all aside. I want this girl. I want her for my own. End of story. The world can


    fuck off for all I care. She’s mine.


    “Whistle, I’m going to kiss you now.”


    The tightness across my shoulders lessens for the first time in weeks. I lean in and kiss her, soft and


    tenderly, my lips skimming across hers. I nip at her bottom lip, drawing it into my mouth, and she lets


    out a soft exhale at the sudden contact. I’m torn…I want her, have wanted her for so long, and now


    she’s mine and we’re alone together in a hotel, but I don’t want to rush her.


    Avery, having not gotten the memo about my decision to take things slow, pushes her hands under my


    shirt and rubs them along my chest and stomach. Even the simplest of touches from her are amazing.


    Finding her courage, she climbs onto myp and straddles me. I grip her waist and continue kissing


    her, not wanting to rush things, but also not willing to give up this moment. Her hands stop at the


    waistband of my jeans, and with trembling fingers, she begins working at the button. It takes every


    ounce of self-control I possess to find her hands and stop her.


    “Avery.” I breathe against her mouth and she pulls back just a fraction, her eyes searching mine. I hate


    that just when she finds herself and initiates physical contact between us, I have to stop her.


    I press my palms to her cheeks, give her a firm kiss on the forehead and remove her from myp. Her


    eyes betray her confusion and hurt.


    “As badly as I want this, I want to do things right with you. I’ve never even taken you out on a proper


    date.”


    “Are you turning me down?” She pouts.


    I question myself for the briefest of moments. Especially since my pants have grown considerably


    tighter. “I will possess you baby, and when I do, it’ll be worth the wait.”


    She chuckles softly, a faint blush coloring her chest. “This is quite the role reversal. I’m ready for sex,


    and now you’re not.”


    I groan and adjust my erection. “Behave.” I move the pillows into ce and pull her down against me


    so we’re lying side by side, looking at each other. I don’t even want to turn off the light to sleep, so I can


    just watch her, but I know I should. Once we’re plunged into darkness, her hand slides into mine, and


    she lets out a soft sigh.


    The journey we’re on together is rocky, but I think it’s led us to the right ce. Avery is stronger, more


    sure, and I’m not the guy I was. The partying scene, meaningless hookups – I’d wanted more all along


    and now I’ve found it. Avery is my more. I want to be better for her, be her everything. A twinge of


    regret pinches inside me as I realize I’ll have to find a way to tell Avery that I was with Stacia when she


    and I weren’t seeing each other. But I’ll worry about thatter for now I just hold her.