When she walked away, I watched and wondered what she might think about the situation. What would Avery’s father think of me? They were like a second family to me growing up and were there for me when I needed them.
This is how I pay them back?
CHAPTERSEVENTEEN
AVERY
I walked with my brother to the diner to meet Polly, chatting about the event and some vendors that were set up. This had been a big thing for the town for as long as I could remember. The mobile bar was a new way to promote the lodge and Ciderworks and it was perfect.
I hadn’t spent a lot of time with Jefferson alone working so much at the lodge and I felt off tonight. It made me wonder if he could see right through me and how much he saw at the bookstore. I didn’t know he was there until I heard his voice, just that Charlie stopped trying to kiss me and went pale.
Jefferson didn’t say anything to me about it. He spoke about the lodge and what was happening around it and, of course, his wife and baby.
When we entered the diner, I saw Polly in a back booth with a mug in front of her. She smiled and waved at me, and we made our way through the room to sit with her.
“Hi, Avery! How are you?” Polly greeted me with a warm smile. She looked beautiful with a pink hat pulled over her hair and a glow about her. It must be pregnancy and I wondered what that might feel like.
“I’m great, Polly. I haven’t seen you in so long. How’s my niece doing?” I asked, forcing enthusiasm into my voice. They were having a baby in just a few months, and I needed to focus on that.
“She really wanted chicken and waffles tonight, even though we ate before we came down here.” Polly laughed as Jefferson slipped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. “I ordered already, but she’ll be back if you want to order anything.”
I watched my brother and his wife across the booth and felt envious of what they had. That shook me since I’d almost always been career minded and relationships weren’t something I thought about too much. Even with Beth, I felt happy for her, but never envied what she had with Rueben. I had my job and for a time, Simon. He was just an extension of my career until he pulled it out from under me by losing the restaurant.
The server came by with Polly’s plate of food and I glanced at the menu. I asked for a hot chocolate and grilled cheese with fries and Jefferson ordered a burger and hot chocolate.
“How are the job prospects going?” Polly asked after she’d taken a few bites of food.
“I did get an email about a video interview yesterday. They’re a successful company with a location in Brooklyn and Manhattan and that would be good for me,” I replied, smiling at the server as she brought our hot chocolate. “We’re supposed to talk next week.” I didn’t feel as positive about it as I pretended to for my sister-in-law, but I needed to fake it. I didn’t want them to know that leaving Lake Placid bothered me more than I cared to admit.
“Have you been dating anybody?” Polly pressed, making my heart jump into my throat. I hoped that if I flushed, they might think it’s just the cold weather outside.
I squirmed a little and shook my head. “No, I haven’t met anyone new that stands out.” I stressed the word anyone in my reply so they wouldn’t think anything. “I’ve been working so much at the lodge and that takes a lot of time.”
“You don’t need to be dating here, Avery. Your heart is in New York, and you’ve been talking about living there for as long as I can remember.” Jefferson grinned at me, and I forced myself to nod back. “Not that I want you with a guy like Simon again when you go back there. You need to pick better next time. I wish everyone was as lucky as I was.” He leaned over to kiss Polly’s cheek as she smiled and blushed.
“Not as lucky as I am,” she murmured as I looked down at my cup. They’d always been so sweet together, and it made me think about the three men I had in my life right now.
I felt happy with them as untraditional as the situation was. I cared for each one of them differently and if I did well on the interview, there would be a chance that I’d be leaving Lake Placid.
My brother was right in that I’d always talked about moving to the city. I always knew that it was the place people went to make it and, being in the baking industry, I’d find my dream there.
Jefferson always banked on the idea that I’d move. We were close and spent a lot of time together growing up, but he was the one that slipped into the role of the sibling that would handle everything. Jefferson was the golden boy in the family and among his friends.
He settled with Polly when they were young and did well in school. He had the right friends, including one that I currently was dating. Jefferson went to college after graduation, but it was close by, and he returned to take over the family business when the time came.
Jefferson ran the lodge smoothly and kept up the success it always had. He made everyone proud with the business, his wedding, and now his baby that would be born soon. Jefferson had everything and Mom thought the world of him.
“Avery?” I blinked and glanced at my brother as they set plates down in front of us. “I know you helped to make the beignets for this event, but I thought we could add it to the menu at the restaurant. Your coffee cake went so well, and you can teach everyone how to make it for when you leave for a job.”
“That would be great,” I agreed, dipping a fry into the ketchup I added to the plate. “You know I love working in a kitchen.”
“They love when you show them anything. Everyone thinks you’re talented, Avery.” Polly smiled and bit into a piece of chicken. “You’re going to become famous in New York someday.”
That was all I wanted when I left Lake Placid to go to college and pursue my dreams. I loved my family and growing up here but moving to New York was everything I’d always wanted.
Jefferson knew that when he stepped in with the lodge and even being there for Mom after Dad passed away. I talked to her on the phone a lot during that time, but I was busy with work despite what happened. I often felt bad about that, but my family always assured me it was fine. Jefferson was there and Polly was always standing by him in support.
They sacrificed for me to have my dream, and I couldn’t waste that by giving everything up. I would get a job in New York and be there again. I’d visit to see the baby, Mom, Jefferson, and Polly, but I couldn’t continue to keep dating my three men. It wouldn’t be fair to ask them to wait around for me.