“Oh, I see. And what if I said she just walked through the door?” I gestured in that direction.
Avery’s eyes widened as she looked over to the door and held her hand up in case she needed to hide behind it. “You tricked me!”
I laughed, but I felt a little sting that she might not ever tell her sister about us. I knew it was a touchy topic, and Clara’s health was part of the reason. “It’s okay. I get it. You care about your sister’s feelings.” I shrugged, knowing if it were me and Bryan, my brother would be over-the-moon happy for me. What if Clara never accepted us, and what if the rest of her family felt the same?
“You scared me.”
“You’re scared of your sister?” I didn’t get that part of it.
“No, not of her, but of hurting her, yes. She wouldn’t take this well. And she doesn’t need a shock to her system. Not with a bad heart.”
“I see. I didn’t realize she was so bad off.” I’d heard that she had some problems but thought the worst was behind her.
“Yeah. She’s fragile, and I don’t want to kill my sister.” She laughed it off, but I could tell it really bothered her. I thought of Bryan and how I hadn’t really told her anything about him.
I guessed we both had our secrets. I just still wasn’t sure when to tell her about him and how. I figured that proving myself to her first might be the best course of action.
Chapter 15 Avery
I watched Seth lean over the table. His cue stick was lined up perfectly for the shot, and his tongue was stuck out from the corner of his mouth as he concentrated on making his final shot. With a quick motion, he struck the cue ball and sent it quickly into the eight, which took a hard hit at the bank and stopped just shy of where he needed it.
“Dammit,” he said.
“You hit it too hard,” I said.
“Yeah, well, it’s not often anyone gives me a run for my money on the table. You’ve played before.”
“My dad had a table in the basement when I was younger. When he and Mom divorced, he left it down there. His new place was too nice for an old bar relic, but I spent a lot of time down there playing while working out my feelings.”
“Well, you still have one shot to make. Let’s see what you’ve got.” He sat and watched as I lined up the next shot. I knew exactly which English to use and the light touch needed to bank a side pocket.
“You’re making me nervous,” I said, looking back at him.
“Don’t mind me. I’m just enjoying the view.”
I gave my ass a wiggle, and while still looking back at him, I made the shot. Seth rose up from his stool and watched the ball go in. I didn’t even have to look back to know I’d won the game.
He looked down at me with a grin. “Showoff.”
I laughed, knowing it was an easy shot. “I’m actually surprised it worked. I’m never that bold, but it was worth it to watch your face.”
“I haven’t lost a game in a while, and never to a girl. Although I can’t remember ever really playing with anyone but Layla, and she could barely make a straight shot.”
I felt my cheeks warm as he walked over and put his arms around me to draw me in close for a kiss.
I wondered what he had on his mind. He had opted to take me out again instead of going to the night’s victory party at Omega House. That made two wins and two no-shows, and while it showed me how much he cared, I had to wonder how long it would take before he missed his friends.
I’d enjoy it while it lasted, but I knew it was only a matter of time before the party-animal Seth reared his gorgeous head. And what then?
But maybe I was just afraid of it ending so much I wasn’t giving him enough credit for how much he’d changed. Maybe he wouldn’t ever want to go back to another victory party? That would be fine with me, but I just didn’t know if Seth could be happy without it.
Things had been going so great between us, and Seth was really going out of his way to prove to me that he was a better man than anyone had ever given him credit for.
When he pulled away, he brushed my hair behind my ear. “I guess I should take you home and tuck you in.”
I checked the time and realized it was nearly one thirty in the morning. “Wow, I didn’t realize it was so late. I’ve had so much fun.”
“Yeah, me too. Even though I got my ass kicked repeatedly.” He took out his keys and drank the last sip of his beer, which had to be warm by then.
“Hey, you beat me the first few games fair and square.”
We walked out to the Jeep, and he opened the door for me and made sure I was in before he closed it and went around to the other side. When he got in behind the wheel, he checked his phone and put it in the console.
I didn’t want the night to end, but I didn’t want to suggest that Seth stay another night so soon. Not that I didn’t want him to, but I felt I needed to take things a little slower, especially now that we’d been so intimate.
When we arrived at the apartment unit, he found his usual spot next to my car and shut the Jeep off to walk me to the door. After a long kiss goodnight, he said his goodbyes and left without even a suggestion of staying a while.
Maybe he was waiting for me to ask him to stay? I wasn’t sure. I just knew that
