“Does anyone even bother to go steady anymore?” Ben muttered beside us as Jack shot him an amused look. I’d heard that his ex-wife might have been seeing someone else, so I understood that Ben might be a little bitter.
“Go steady? How old are you?” I teased him as Jack laughed with me. I knew Ben was a few years older than I was, but not by much.
“Yeah, Ben. Settle down,” Jack urged him as he looked at me. “So, I’m cool with it. Are you?”
Thinking about it, I nodded. “I am.”
“We just need to agree right now that there’s no way that Jefferson finds out. He’d shit himself and kill us,” Jack reminded me, making me nod hard.
“I’ve known the guy since high school, and he hasn’t changed all that much when it comes to his sister. You don’t need to tell me twice.” I agreed wholeheartedly, taking another sip of the peach cider, which was my favorite.
“Hell, since the two of you are there, I’ll go for it. I do work with her part of the week.” Ben’s words caught me off guard as I stared at him.
“You’re into Avery?” I pressed him as Jack looked on.
“She’s got her appeal, but I wouldn’t say I’m into anything more than the two of you are. We might as well have a fun winter here, right? Avery seems the type to keep it quiet, especially from her brother.” Ben made sense once the adrenaline stopped rushing through me.
Would Avery agree to see all of us at the same time? I’d never known her to be all that wild in the past, but she was in high school the last time I knew her at all. Maybe the big city changed her.
“Okay, so we all get a shot, assuming she’ll go for the idea. I already know she’s into me and it’s just a matter of time.” Jack sounded confident and leaned back with a smile.
We talked longer until it got too cold out and I left to go to my cabin. The snow was thick on the ground, and I thought about the conversation again. It sounded crazy in theory, but it was possible, wasn’t it?
I sensed something from Avery that day at the gas station that felt like more than surprise on her end. There was a time or two in high school I thought she might have a thing for me, but then forgot about it. Jefferson was always a threat to that idea, but now we were all consenting adults.
We could do whatever Avery would be willing to do.
I felt the snow under my boots as I walked the distance to my cabin, coming up with a plan. It wasn’t an enormous place by any means, but I could have a small party there next weekend. It was my thirty-third birthday and having a few friends over sounded like a great idea.
I could get some drinks and order some food and just party the night away. I would invite Jefferson, of course, and probably wouldn’t think much about his sister attending something for his birthday.
I didn’t even know if anything would happen there to begin with. In a perfect world, I’d get her first that night and finally feel myself buried in Avery. I admitted I wasn’t jealous of Jack and Ben with some thought, but being first would be great.
I had a long history with Avery and being with her like that would just be incredible.
I unlocked my cabin and stepped inside, shivering. Pulling out my phone, I found Avery’s number and considered my next move.
I composed a message telling her I’d be having a small birthday party over next weekend for my weekday birthday. Just some friends, food and drinks. I mentioned I hadn’t had a chance to see too much of her and I’d like to change that.
I read through it, deciding it sounded good before I sent it to Avery along with her invitation. I lit a fire as I waited for a response, looking around to gage how many people could comfortably fit inside of the house.
As I started the fire, I heard my phone chime and walked over to the table.
A: Your 33rd? That sounds great. I’ve been working so much that I’ve barely done anything else. A party sounds good. Can I bring anything?
Me: I think I’ll be good. Just yourself.
A: I’ll see you then!
I went to the kitchen for a water, dropping to the couch with a grin on my face. I set my plan into action and now I needed to put together a party.
CHAPTERSEVEN
AVERY
I worked hard the week before the party, getting the lights up around the back of the lodge and helping Mom inside. I only saw Charlie in passing and managed a wave, but looked forward to spending some time with him at his party.
I’d been to several of his parties when he was a kid and couldn’t believe he’d be thirty-three now, along with my brother soon. Where did the time go?