We hang up and I leave the clothes as they are. I’ll start it later. Getting ready doesn’t take me long, but I do find myself checking the time. Where is Avery? We could have left already. Exactly thirty minutes after she called, there’s a knock on the door. Who’s here and where the hell is Avery?
My questions are answered when I open the door to find Avery. She knocked?
Avery smiles, like it’s completely normal for her to knock on her own door. “Hey, Jax. Are you ready for our date?”
“Um, yeah. Let me grab my keys.” I reach from them on the table near the door.
After locking the house up, we walk to where our cars are parked and over her shoulder, just as I’m about to turn towards my Mustang, Avery says, “I’m driving.”
Okay then. I try to keep my lips in place and not smile. I like this side of Avery. “So where are we going?” I ask as she drives.
She glances over at me. “Don’t try to ruin my surprise.”
“Okay, I won’t.” Even though I already know where we’re going, I wanted to try and make her say it anyway. We share small talk as she asks about my day and I ask about hers. Thanks to traffic, it takes us a little longer to arrive at the rink. I brought her here for our second date because I thought it would be fun, she could try something new, and I could easily find ways to impress her.
Much like that day, there are two pairs of skates waiting for us when we go inside. We start to switch out our shoes for skates.
“You’re the pro here, so would you tie my laces for me please?”
I laugh because she can never get them tight enough. “Of course.” Once I finish with mine, I quickly tie hers for her.
Avery stands, takes my hand, and leads us to the ice. “I’m a little rusty,” she starts, glancing over her shoulder at me. “It’s like riding a bike, right?”
Laughing again, I nod. “Yeah, sure.” She’s a little wobbly when we start, but only for a moment. “You’re not trying to show off, are you?” I ask from next to her.
“I’m not the show-off type.” She shrugs, but picks up speed. “So, if you’re the type of person to have a bucket list, what’s one thing that’s on it?”
I skate just ahead of her, turn to grab both her hands so I’m skating backwards. When I start to go a little faster, thinking about my answer, she gives me a serious look.
“If I fall–” she starts.
I laugh. “You’ll be fine. You won’t fall. But, to answer your question and keeping up with your love of danger, I want to swim with sharks. You?”
“Um, I’m sure that you don’t want to hear it. It’s kind of girly and silly.”
“Sure, I do. Tell me, Avery.”
“Well, before, it was to see a Broadway musical in New York City, but now,” she pauses and looks down. “It’s you. I want you.”
Her answer catches me off guard as I stop skating and just glide over the ice. I stare at her, not paying attention to anything else and I bump right into the boards. Bump is a nice word for it, really. My footing almost slips completely out from under me and it doesn’t help that Avery runs into me and I’m trying to keep her from falling. I regain my balance, trying my damnedest not to tense up at having Avery leaning into me with my hands now on her hips.
My lips part, but I don’t say anything. Softly, Avery says, “Do you remember this date, Jax? You took me skating, I fell, and,” she pauses, “you kissed me for the first time.”
I remember all too well. Best first kiss of my life and I’m not exaggerating in the least. I still love her, but I can’t imagine kissing her right now. “I…” I stop, close my eyes, and take a deep, almost painful breath for what I’m about to say, “I can’t. Not yet.”
Chapter Twelve
Avery
I sit in the restaurant waiting for Regina and my mother. Today is my mother’s birthday and I’m waiting for them at her favorite place to eat. I came early to have a large glass of wine to get myself prepared for this evening.
I stare down at my phone, letting Jax know where I am this evening, since he’s out on the road. His reply? ‘OK’. That’s it. I close my eyes think of our date yesterday. I wanted him to kiss me so badly. I want the connection back, but it isn’t happening. It’s been almost a month since I told him I cheated, and our anniversary is coming up fast. I don’t want to still be fighting with him on that day. I want our life back.
“There’s my baby.” I open my eyes to see my mother coming to me. My mother is unique. That’s the only way I can describe her. Well, maybe the best way is that she’s the poster child of Las Vegas Plastic Surgeries. Even when she kisses my cheek, I can feel her taut skin against mine.
“Hello, Mom. You look... lovely.”
Regina rolls her eyes behind our mother, and I do my best not to laugh.