“Thank you so much,” Payton said. “If he’s feeling well, maybe I’ll go to work and then come home for lunch and feed him and see how he does.”

  “I’m sure that will be fine, but if you notice a change at all tonight or in the morning or more vomiting or diarrhea without him eating, let me know.”

  “I will,” Payton said. “Thank you again. I’m so glad Carter pushed for this. He’s always been such a nice guy.”

  “He is,” she said.

  “Carter and me, we dated back in school.”

  “Oh,” she said. She wasn’t going to assume this woman knew she and Carter were a couple.

  “Yeah. I was silly and foolish back then. Such a great guy, but you know. No ambitions. We all knew he’d end up taking over the garage from his father.”

  She hummed in her throat. “I had to bring my car there. Seems pretty busy to me and doing well.”

  “Yes,” Payton said. “He is. I wanted the person I was with back then to be something else. Stupid, I know. He used to get picked on in school because he was always working on cars. The girls didn’t like it.”

  “Teens can be mean,” Avery said. She was trying not to grind her teeth hearing this.

  “Yeah,” Payton said. “I burned that bridge. I know I did. I fell for the peer pressure and one thing about Carter Bond is, he can write you off fast. Not that he’s mean or anything to me. I bring my car there. But he’s cold.”

  “Not everyone likes to be judged,” she said.

  “No,” Payton said. “He’s going to make some woman very happy someday.”

  Damn right, but Avery wouldn’t say that. She grabbed her computer and opened the door. No reason to continue with what was gossip. It didn’t feel right to her, but it did make more sense in terms of Carter.

  He’d said more than once that not many women liked what he did for a living and she found that silly.

  But hearing it firsthand from an ex, that really brought it home more for her.

  She finished up her day, brought Josie to her art lesson, then drove to Carter’s for dinner. He said he’d cook for her and she found that sweet.

  It’d been over two weeks since she’d gone home for Thanksgiving. She hadn’t heard anything more about Mike and figured there wasn’t much going on there. She’d tried to find him on social media and any Internet search she could and came up pretty much empty.

  She’d sit back for now and let it play out. Maybe nothing would come of it, but she wasn’t positive that would be the case.

  She got out of her SUV, grabbed Betty from the back and brought her in. It was nice they could bring their dogs back and forth with them and not worry about crating them. Though it was easier for her to bring Betty than it was for Carter to bring his dogs.

  “You have dinner ready,” she said, coming over to kiss him. “A woman could get used to this.”

  It made her think about Patyon’s comment that Carter would make someone very happy. She sure the hell was right now.

  “I figured you cook enough for me,” he said. “I saw all the work my mother did at Thanksgiving.”

  “Awww,” she said. “And you thought about me cooking for you? I’ve got to cook for Josie anyway. It’s only one more plate.”

  “I know,” he said. He bent down to pet Betty a little, then the poodle went off to play with her friends.

  He was pulling plates out of the cabinet and she took them from him and filled her plate from the food on the stove. Pork chops, rice, and green beans.

  “This is a nice balanced meal,” she said. She decided she wanted to let him know how great he was, but to do that she might have to say she saw Payton. It was a slippery slope, but she didn’t want to feel as if she couldn’t talk to him about things either.

  “Thanks,” he said in his deep voice and then sat down to eat. He didn’t find the humor in her statement even when she was trying to crack a joke.

  “So,” she said. “One of your exes came in today with her dog. The poor thing got into chocolate and was having the normal reaction to it. The owner didn’t know dogs were allergic to chocolate.”

  He snorted. “Guess she isn’t too smart to not know that,” he said, scratching his chin as if in thought. “I don’t have a lot of exes so you know. Not many that wouldn’t know everything they need to about a dog in their care.”

  Avery shrugged. “She was singing your praises about you bringing me here. Well, not me but orchestrating the clinic. Says you’re a great guy and going to make some woman very happy. She didn’t seem to be aware we were dating based on what she said. You do make me very happy though.”

  He looked at her and grinned. “Has to be Payton,” he said after a minute.

  “Glad to know you figured that out and didn’t start throwing all sorts of names out there.”

  He frowned. “Was it a test?”

  “God no,” she said. “I’d never do that. I wasn’t even going to bring it up other than you do make me happy.”

  “I can only imagine the things she said. We were in high school, by the way.”

  “A long time ago and normally a silly relationship that doesn’t mean much,” she said. “No worries.”

  She was regretting bringing this up now.

  “It was one,” he said. “We dated for about six months. She had bigger hopes and dreams. Said she was getting off this island and we broke up our senior year. She’s still here.”

  Avery laughed. “We all have those statements in our lives at that age.”

  “True,” he said. “But me, I wasn’t what she wanted out of a guy. I knew that. She never hid it.”

  He continued to eat. “She said she regrets it,” she said.

  “Her problem, not mine,” he said. “I am who I am and don’t change for anyone.”

  “As you shouldn’t,” she said. Which told her this happened more than once. He acted as if it didn’t bother him, but she wondered how much of that was the truth.

  “I’m not sure why this is coming up,” he said. “I’ve said it before that I’m not what women want.”

  “You’re what I want,” she said. “Maybe we both have to hear these things to know it.”

  He put his fork down. “What are you trying to say?” he asked.

  “That I love you,” she said. “I think I’ve been feeling it for a while. Today opened my eyes even more to how truly happy I am here. Not just here, but with you. What we have. How Josie feels about you and how you feel about her.”

  He held his hand out for her and she stood up and moved closer to him and sat on his lap. His arms went around her waist. “I love you too. And I couldn’t get any happier or I’d burst and be a big mess for you to pick up on this floor.”

  “I’d do it,” she said. “Not that I want you to burst, but I’d clean up anything to be with you. That’s what love is about. Just what we feel, not what other people see or want us to be.”

  He kissed her on the forehead. “I couldn’t have said it better.”

  31

  Taste Of His Insecurities

  As much as Carter had hoped he could start staying the night at Avery’s, he hadn’t asked yet.

  A week ago they’d said they loved each other and he couldn’t have been more thrilled.

  Not so thrilled she had that conversation with Payton and got a taste of his insecurities, but he didn’t think he was hiding all that much from her either.

  “Hi, Carter,” Josie said, opening the door on Sunday morning.

  He’d left at around nine last night. Josie was in bed; he and Avery were watching a show after they had a family movie night. It was the second Saturday they’d done it. He found he was looking forward to it again. Even the dogs got in on the action, everyone getting movie snacks because Josie said, “It’s only fair the dogs get snacks too.”

  “Hi, Josie. Hey, Betty,” he said to the puppy that was bouncing around his feet. He picked her up and gave her a little cuddle. Dopey and Doc were used to it and didn’t get jealous. Then he handed Betty back to Josie and he came in stomping some snow off his feet on the porch and taking his boots off, his two dogs right next to him.

  “Avery said I can make a snowman if we get enough snow. I can’t wait.”

  “I don’t know if we’ll get enough for that to happen. It’s supposed to stop soon.”

  “Only an inch or two, I told Josie,” Avery said, coming forward.

  “Betty might get lost out there,” Josie said, giggling. “Or we might lose her because she’s the same color.”

  “Winter has been pretty mild so far this year,” he said. Just flurries here and there and nothing sticking to the ground. “Do you have someone set up to plow for you at the clinic and here?” he asked Avery.

  “I do,” she said. “Dr. Mullins had given me the name of the guy that did it and then I asked if they could do it here. I can handle the sidewalk, but the driveway is too much for me to shovel.”

  “A snowblower makes it easier,” he said. “But I’ve got a plow I put on my truck. I need it to clear my business off. I would have taken care of the clinic and your house for you.”

  “Thanks,” she said. “I’ve got it covered, but now I know who to call as a backup.”

  He wouldn’t say anymore. He knew how much she hated to ask for help and she did manage to deal with it on her own. He had to remember that. Not all women needed someone to take care of them.

  “Can we watch another movie today?” Josie asked, moving into the kitchen. The little girl grabbed a banana off the counter. He had to say he rarely saw her eating anything bad.

  “We are going to watch football today,” Avery said. “Carter likes football and I enjoy it too. You know that, Josie.”

  Josie was grinning. “I don’t mind it a little, but not all day. Can I paint another mural upstairs on a different wall?”

  “Of course you can,” Avery said. “I didn’t know you settled on what you wanted to do.”

  “I did the other day. Do you want to see the picture I’m going to use?” Josie asked them both.

  Carter nodded and Avery said, “Yes.”

  Josie ran to her room and came back down with a piece of paper in her hand that she lifted for both of them to see.

  He wasn’t surprised to see a drawing of Dopey and Doc sitting side by side like they always did when they wanted a treat. This time Betty was in front of them sitting the same. He hadn’t been aware of the three of them doing that for a picture.

  “Did you draw Betty in there?” Avery asked, laughing.

  “I did,” Josie said. “Laine says it’s creative license.”

  “Oh,” Avery said. “It really is. I can’t wait to see it when it’s done.”

  “Can I go start to draw it now on the wall as Laine taught me to outline? It’s going to take me a long time, but I need to make it bigger than they are in real life and make sure they are...what’s the word?”

  “Proportionate,” she said. “Hang on a minute.”

  Avery left him and Josie in the living room and went to her room. He wasn’t sure what she was doing. Then she came back with a box in her hand.

  “Oh my God,” Josie squealed. “It’s the projector I wanted.”

  “Consider it an early Christmas gift,” she said. “That is what it’s supposed to be. I guess one week early isn’t that bad. I know you, you’ll be upset if you start to draw that and then open this up.”

  Josie ran to her and gave her a big hug. Avery picked the girl up and gave her a kiss at the same time, then put her down.

  “What’s that going to do?” Carter asked.

  “I can put this picture on the projector and then it enlarges the size evenly and then I can trace it on the wall. I don’t consider that cheating since I drew the picture first. And this will make it perfect.”

  “No,” he said. “That isn’t cheating. Plus you’ll have to paint it anyway.”

  “That’s right. But now that I’ve got this, I’m going to draw an outline without the colors and then use that to make it cleaner for the projector. Will you set it up for me, Carter?”

  “Of course,” he said.

  “I can do it,” Avery argued.

  “But you said you were going to make me sugar cookies to decorate today. You can start that,” Josie said.

  He looked back and forth between the two of them and knew not to overstep himself.

  Avery sighed. “If you don’t mind, Carter, that would be very helpful.”

  “I know the perfect spot for it,” Josie said. “I’m going to make room for it now.”

  Josie left the room. “That was hard for you to say, wasn’t it?” he asked her.

  “It was, but I’m telling myself that it’s not a bad thing to accept help.”

  “No,” he said. “Why is it so hard for you?”

  “It’s a long story. It goes back to my father that isn’t in my life now. Or I haven’t talked to him much. He never helped my mother at all.”

  “You said that before.”

  “That’s right. I’ve watched my mother do it all and told myself that I can do the same. It’s not much more than that.”

  “But you don’t need to do it all. Colleen did, didn’t she?”

  “I knew you were smart,” she said, squinting at him. “She did do it all. Or she tried to. I was the only person she wasn’t afraid to ask for help from.”

  “Then don’t feel that way about me,” he said, giving her a quick kiss, picking up the box and turning to go to Josie’s room.

  “There is no place for that that she needed to clean,” she said. “It’s on wheels and moves around.”

  “I see that,” he said.

  “Unless she is cleaning out a spot to store it. She’s pretty neat, but she had Adele here yesterday for a few hours and they made a little bit more of a mess than normal. Not horrible and she was supposed to clean it all up today.”

  “You can get started on cookies then,” he said. “Because I like sugar cookies too.”

  She laughed at him and went into the kitchen and he continued upstairs to put Josie’s projector together for her.

  Thirty minutes later, he came back downstairs with the box broken down to go into the recycling.

  “What’s she doing?” Avery asked. There were ingredients on the counter, not only for cookies but what he assumed was going to be sauce and meatballs for dinner today.

  “Drawing the picture first. I showed her how to turn it on and off. I’m sure she’ll be up there for a bit. Is there anything I can help you with? Lots of cooking for eleven in the morning.”

  “The sauce takes time. I’m mixing the meatballs to drop in there now and they will slow cook. Then I’ll make the dough for the cookies and chill that before I roll and cut them. You can relax,” she said.

  He pulled a chair out to watch her cook. He figured Josie was busy and they could chat. Might be a good time to bring up the holiday next week and see what was going on. He wasn’t one to do much or think of it, but his mother had asked him three times already.

  With Christmas being on a Sunday, he thought for sure Avery would go home again for a long weekend, but she hadn’t said anything about it.

  “What are you doing for Christmas next week?”

  “Not much,” she said. “I decided not to go home again. It upset my grandmother’s routine having us there and though Josie had fun with her friends the one day, she was bored the rest of the time. I should have realized that. Not to mention, I think she needs to get used to spending the holidays here. And I didn’t want to bring all her gifts on the ferry or let her open them early.”

  “That’s a mouthful,” he said.

  “I know. And I did give her one gift early. But that is the long version of me saying I’m staying on the island and chilling. What are you doing?”

  “Not much,” he said. “I go to my mother’s on Christmas Day. If you’re going to be here, I’d like you and Josie to come with me. Or maybe you and I can spend it together?”

  He’d already gotten gifts for Josie and her.

  “I’d like that a lot,” she said. “Josie would too. She’s never really been part of a big family holiday before. Me neither. It could do us both good. And if you don’t have plans on Christmas Eve, being a Saturday and all, I’m sure Josie will want movie night again.”

  “I wouldn’t be anywhere else,” he said and meant it.

  That was easier to plan than he thought it would be. He got up to get a bottle of water while Avery started to mix the meatballs and form them.

  Her phone rang that was on the counter. “Crap. I can’t answer it with my hands a mess. Hold it up to my face and swipe it and put it on speaker if you can.”

  He looked at the number and didn’t see a name. It looked to be a West Virginia number, but he knew that didn’t make much difference where people actually lived now. She was on call all the time like he was.

  “Here,” he said, swiping it and then hitting the button.

  “Hello,” Avery said before he set it down.

  “Is this Avery Keegan?” he heard a male voice say.

  “Yes, it is. It’s Dr. Keegan. How may I help you?”

  “I want my daughter,” the man said.

  Carter turned his head sharply to look at Avery. Her face had paled and her hands stopped rolling the meatball, it dropping back into the bowl. “Who is this?” she asked.

  “It’s Mike Coffey. You know damn well I’m Josie’s father. You’ve always known. I found out Colleen is dead and I want my kid.”

  “You signed those rights away before she was born,” she said. “You know it and I know it. I’ve got all the legal documents. Not to mention I am Josie’s guardian.”

  “It’s my kid,” Mike said. “I want her.”

  “Get a lawyer,” she said and hung up the phone, her messy fingers smearing all over the screen.

  “Sit down and tell me what that was about,” Carter said.

  “You heard it,” she said.

  “But you didn’t seem as surprised as you should have been,” he said. He noticed that right away. First, her face got white and then it got red. Like anger.