Avery hadn’t expected this to turn into a life lesson and knew she’d have to address it all another time.

  Some of what Josie was saying was a wakeup call though. That kids see things you wished they didn’t.

  “Everyone gets tired in life,” she said. “That isn’t a bad thing. And yes, we should be open to accepting help from other people if the time is right, but not to rely on it. Does that sound better?”

  “I guess,” Josie said. “When is Carter coming so I can tell him I’m excited he’s your boyfriend?”

  Thankfully it didn’t take long for Josie to be distracted from this conversation. She’d have to deal with the other topics another day.

  “He’ll be here with Dopey and Doc within an hour. Time enough for us to make brownies for him.”

  “Yay!” Josie said, running to the kitchen. “Do you need to change? Should I change? I’ve got old jeans and a shirt on. Maybe we need to dress up more.”

  She burst out laughing. “You are so much like your mother at times, it’s wonderful.”

  Josie laughed and hugged her again. “I miss my mom all the time. It’s nice you think I’m like her.”

  “You always will be, Josie. Keep her strong in your heart like you are.”

  “I can because you help me,” Josie said and then ran to get the brownie mixture. She didn’t want to start bawling, so she blew her nose and they got to work on the brownies.

  The time flew by now and it wasn’t long before there was a knock on the door.

  Josie ran to get it before her and she let the little girl go.

  “Hi, Josie,” Carter said.

  “Avery said you’re her boyfriend. I’m so happy,” Josie said, launching herself at Carter’s waist for a hug. Avery hadn’t been expecting that move and saw he wasn’t either.

  But his hand went down to the top of Josie’s head, almost like he was going to pet her as he would his dogs.

  She started to laugh and he looked up at her and smiled.

  “I’m happy you’re happy,” he said.

  “Why don’t you let Carter in with the dogs,” Avery said.

  Josie stepped back and then once Dopey and Doc were in the house, she turned her attention to them.

  “It went well I see?” he asked.

  “Better than well,” she said. “I’ll fill you in later.”

  “I made you brownies again,” Josie said.

  “You did?” he said. “They were really good last time.”

  “I put peanut butter cups inside them this time. It’s too cold for ice cream, but if you warm up peanut butter it's all gooey and you can pour it over the top. Would you like that?”

  “I would,” he said.

  “Good because we had a lot of peanut butter cups from trick-or-treating,” Josie said. “Avery said this way I can eat them faster. She only lets me have two pieces a day, but I get more in the brownies.”

  “Sounds like it’s a win to me,” he said.

  “Chocolate is serious business in this house,” Avery said.

  “And we are making burgers for dinner,” Josie said. “Because men like beef. I remember and you liked steak last time. We need to make you happy so that you keep coming back.”

  Avery felt her face flush over that comment. She wasn’t sure what to say either. She knew it was a simple remark out of an eight-year-old, but she didn’t want Josie to think she had to bend over backward for people for them to be her friend.

  “I’ll come back regardless of what you feed me,” Carter said. “Once someone is your friend, they don’t care about those things. They only care about you and how you make them feel.”

  For a man that never said much in his life, he sure the hell knew what to say at the right time.

  “My mom always said that too,” Josie said. “But sometimes in school, you have to say or do things to get people to like you.”

  “Don’t,” he said. “Be you. Don’t say and do things for other people if you don’t want to. If you need to do that, then they aren’t your friends.”

  “That’s right,” Avery said. “What Carter said is so true.”

  And she wondered why he said it. Or if it’d happened to him.

  Men didn’t normally seem to have the same petty issues that women did, but the truth was she didn’t know all that much about Carter and his past. It’s not like he talked about it.

  “Adele told me that too. She said that Layla and Livi are mean and I shouldn’t do what they say to be their friends.”

  “What is going on?” Avery asked.

  “Nothing,” Josie said. “This was earlier when school started. That is how Adele and I became such good friends. She stuck up for me.”

  “Were you being bullied?” she asked. This was all new to her.

  “No,” Josie said. “I wanted to fit in, but I like being me. Life is easier that way.”

  “Yes,” Carter said. “It is. Remember that. It takes adults years to figure out what you said now. Don’t forget it.”

  More things for her to think about, but tonight wasn’t going to be the time to do it.

  “How about we go get Betty and let her play with Dopey and Doc again?”

  She’d put Betty in her crate right before Carter came so that she could introduce them slowly again. Not that she thought it’d be an issue, but better safe than sorry.

  Which was what her life seemed to be turning into.

  Playing it safe so she wasn’t sorry.

  26

  Dilute The News

  “You look nice,” Carter said to her two weeks later.

  Avery was trying to figure out how she let herself be talked into going to Bode Bond and Sam’s wedding. She would have figured two weeks before wasn’t enough time to change his RSVP, but she’d been told, nope, not in the Bond family.

  Laine had told her all about The Retreat and she was going to experience it firsthand after two months of living on the island.

  “You think I look nice,” she said. “Wow, you take my breath away.”

  He blushed and she found herself laughing that she’d embarrassed him.

  “I do clean up well. Or so I’ve been told,” he said drily.

  Her hand went out, her fingers running down the black and silver tie he had on. His shirt was gray, his suit was black, the same as his shoes. He’d keep it simple, she knew that about him.

  “I can tell you are about as uncomfortable in your fancy attire as I am in mine,” she said.

  His hand went to her ass and he pulled her close, then kissed her. “But this dress does look mighty nice on you.”

  She didn’t own a lot of dresses and if she was going to rub elbows with the heirs to the founders of this island she wanted to make sure she looked the part as a business owner that would do them proud.

  She’d gone to Boston last Saturday with Josie and they shopped together. She let Josie show her some of the things she liked in toys and clothing and then bought her a few things, but for the rest she took notes and ordered some to put away for Christmas.

  She knew she had to start now. Thanksgiving was next week and then Christmas would be here before she knew it. She wanted to make sure Josie had a great holiday on the island.

  “I was lucky to find it,” Avery said. She’d gotten new shoes and sexy undergarments too.

  “Josie get off okay?” he asked. She’d picked up her purse and her jacket and was going to lock up.

  “She did. She is excited to be staying at Laine’s. Both her and Betty.”

  “You get to see my house,” he said. “Not that it’s anything special.”

  “Please,” she said. “You own it. I’m renting.”

  “True,” he said.

  They got to his SUV to drive the twenty minutes to the south end of the island where The Retreat was located.

  “Everyone knows you’re dating me, right?” she asked.

  “Yes,” he said. “It gets around the family fairly fast. More so since you met Hailey.”

  She laughed. She’d heard about that and how there was always one couple on the hot seat beside the bride and groom. Carter told her it’d be his cousin Duke this time, as most of the family had yet to meet Hadley who Duke had been dating for several months.

  At least it took the pressure off of her.

  “How many people are going to come talk to us?” she asked, her hand going to his thigh.

  She was smirking when she said it. “Pretty much everyone that is a family member,” he said. “It will travel fast. They will probably loop around. Before the bride and groom show up, Duke will get it and then they will come to me.”

  Avery knew Duke Raymond owned two restaurants on the island. One on each end. She’d yet to try either but wouldn’t mind taking Josie one night. Maybe to the pub since it’d be more up to an eight-year-old’s taste.

  It didn’t take long for them to get to The Retreat.

  “I’m sure you’re used to it,” she said.

  “Not really,” he said. “But since the last wedding there had been several babies born and a few engagements. So I might have timed this right to dilute the news.”

  She started to laugh at how serious he was when he’d made that comment.

  “There is always that. But I’ll get to meet your immediate family other than Grayson,” she said. She’d talked to Grayson a few times and things were coming along smoother than she thought.

  “My mother is looking forward to it,” he said.

  That dry tone again and she shook her head.

  She was going home for Thanksgiving next week and her mother had wanted her to bring Carter with her, but he’d said he was open on Friday and Saturday and was busy so she didn’t bother to ask. No reason to when she knew he couldn’t walk away from his business.

  It’d been easy for her to tell the staff not to schedule people on Friday and nothing after one on Wednesday. She and Josie were going to be on the two o’clock ferry and then drive the two and a half hours back to Danbury. She missed her mother and her grandmother.

  She knew Josie was looking forward to going back too. She’d promised the little girl they’d go see Colleen in the cemetery also.

  “I can’t wait to meet her,” she said.

  They parked and got out, then made their way inside. She tried not to gasp at the white marble everywhere. The place was the oldest resort on the island, the biggest in terms of sprawling, and a wedding destination featured in magazines.

  Celebrities had been married here, she knew. Professional athletes too. A little slice of heaven on the East Coast.

  They walked through the hotel lobby and toward one side that she assumed was where the wedding and reception were taking place.

  “This way,” he said.

  “You’ve been here before for weddings?” she asked.

  “Yes. A good handful. Hunter, who owns the place with his father and grandfather. Drew, who is Bode’s brother. Ava, who you know, and now Bode. They all got married here.”

  “Hailey didn’t get married in her family’s resort?” she asked.

  She heard laughter behind her and turned to come face to face with the lady in question.

  “No,” Hailey said. “I should have considered it, but both Rex and I have large businesses and clients in Boston. When the numbers were down on paper we were over four hundred guests. Considering the logistics of getting people here on ferries before or on time with that large of a group, it was decided it was going to be too difficult. Besides, I grew up in Boston. It didn’t hurt my parents’ feelings any.” Hailey leaned in close. “The hotel I got married in is a Bond hotel and restaurant. Just owned by Scott and Mitchell, only it doesn’t have the Bond name on the front. One of their many acquisitions over the years.”

  “Sorry,” Avery said. “I shouldn’t have voiced that.”

  “No reason to be sorry,” Rex said. “You weren’t the first nor will you be the last that was shocked by it. I told Hailey it was her choice and to just tell me where and when to be there.”

  “Isn’t he wonderful?” Hailey asked, batting her eyelashes at her husband.

  “Happy wife, happy life,” Rex said, putting his arm around Hailey and pulling her close.

  “Speaking of happy, Carter,” Hailey said. “Look at you with a smile on your face and not even a dog in sight causing it.”

  Avery laughed when Carter almost blushed over that. “Guess a woman can do that to a man,” he said.

  Hailey grinned. “Carter cracked a joke. Keep that attitude, you’re going to need it today.”

  Avery smiled and they moved into the room, found their names and table and went to sit down. Grayson was already there with an older couple. She was assuming it was Carter’s parents.

  “Mom, Dad,” Carter said. “This is Avery Keegan. Avery, my parents, Joe and Vanessa Bond.”

  “It’s so nice to meet you,” she said, reaching her hand out to Carter’s parents. He looked a lot like his father, even the stiffness in the suit was present, but she found it adorable.

  “We’ve heard so much about you,” Vanessa said.

  “Dopey talks more than people realize,” Carter said.

  “That’s the second joke you cracked,” she said, bumping her shoulder into his.

  “Just another thing that isn’t normal for Carter and showing that you’re good for him.”

  He snorted next to her and then pulled out her chair for her to sit. He sat next to his brother and there was an empty chair beside her.

  Or it was until a woman came rushing over and pulled it out. “I’m Natalie, Carter’s sister.”

  “My sister too,” Grayson said.

  “I can be your sister when you’ve got a date. For now I want to meet Avery.”

  She smiled at the woman that she knew was the youngest of the siblings and also worked at The Retreat.

  “Hi, Natalie,” she said. “It’s so nice to meet you too.”

  “I want to say we’ve heard a lot about you, but that would be a lie. Carter never really says much.”

  “Not much to say,” Avery said. She turned and put her hand on his arm. “I’m sure you know how I ended up here?”

  “We do,” Natalie said. “Carter has been pushing for a full-time vet on the island for years and fate finally worked in his favor. You know, like it happens on this island.”

  Oh dear. She had no idea this might come up. She heard almost a growl next to her that made her think of one of her patients when they didn’t want to come in for a visit.

  She wouldn’t be offended though. She wasn’t silly enough to fall for what they said about this island. Or at least that was what she was telling herself.

  “I’m not so sure about fate as much as the right place at the time in my life. I’m thrilled to be living here. It was always my dream to have my own practice, but it’s not easy to get off the ground. The help of the island made it possible.”

  “And we are happy to have you,” Vanessa said. “Now I don’t have to take my cats on the ferry anymore.”

  “How many cats do you have?” she asked. She hadn’t known Carter’s mother would be coming to the practice, as he’d never said a word.

  “I’ve got three. Chester, Carl and Chuck,” Vanessa said. “I’ve been thinking of getting a fourth. Maybe it’s time for a little girl.”

  “Are those three neutered, I hope?” she asked.

  There was a lot of laughter at the table and she wasn’t sure what she was missing, but Joe Bond was squirming in his seat.

  “They are,” Grayson said. “My mother insisted and my father fought it. He said it wasn’t fair that the cats had no say in the matter.”

  “Joe said the same thing after I gave birth to Natalie and told him it was time for him.” Vanessa held her hand up, her fingers clipping like scissors.

  “Dopey is fixed,” she said.

  “He pouted for weeks too,” Joe said. “I know. I saw him and I don’t care what Carter says.”

  She grinned over this and turned to look at Carter. “It’s the responsible thing to do,” he said. “I don’t need him out there with any illegitimate little Bonds on the island.”

  “You mean like good old William had back in the day,” Natalie said.

  She’d heard that too about their side of the family. But she believed every family had liars and cheaters in it. It was human nature.

  The conversation stopped after that as one by one people came over to get an introduction.

  They were saved by the fact that the wedding was going to start. It was happening right in the reception room and when the music started, everyone found their seats.

  “It’s so nice that it’s family only standing up with Bode. Those are his brothers and Sam’s sisters,” Natalie said.

  “That is nice,” Avery said. Being an only child, that would never happen in her life. She always saw Colleen standing beside her when the time came. She’d thought it would have been Kurt.

  None of those things happened. And though she felt things were going strong with Carter, weddings were the last things on her mind.

  She was more interested in getting through this wedding, then going back to Carter’s house and spending the night in his bed. Waking up with him in the morning. Maybe even snuggling a little if he was into that.

  Now she had to hope time did fly when you were having fun.

  27

  Hold His Own

  “That could have been much worse,” Carter said when they pulled into his driveway. He had a one-car garage attached to his house and pulled his SUV in. His truck was on the side of the garage. Though it was newer than his SUV he wasn’t going to pick Avery up in that for the wedding.

  As uncomfortable as he was in his suit, he was getting used to it. At least he felt like he could hold his own a little next to Avery when they were on the dance floor.

  She’d pulled him out there for a few slow songs and he didn’t fight it. No reason to when he wanted her in his arms.

  “Thanks,” she said. “I think. Do you say that about all of your cousins’ weddings?”