Dropping the pencil on the desk, I grabbed the bottle of amber liquid and lifted it out by the neck. “Whiskey?”
“Not my favorite, but desperate times call for desperate measures.” Avery plucked two paper cups out of her purse, separated them, and dropped them on the desk. “Fill ’em up.”
“You always have those?” I gestured to the cups.
“Never know when the urge to get tipsy will arise.”
I grinned, pouring a healthy dose into each cup. “Why am I not surprised that my daddy—the man leading the charge against The Willow Tree openin’ in town—has liquor at work?”
“Because he’s predictable. Thou doth protest too much.”
“We drinkin’ to forget something tonight?”
Whiskey wasn’t my favorite either, but beggars couldn’t be choosers.
Avery picked up her glass, knocking the edge against mine before bringing it to her lips. Over the rim, she met my gaze. “You tell me.”
“Tell you what?”
Avery blew out a frustrated breath and rolled her eyes. “Cut the shit, Mac. I’m not Will. I get if you don’t want to talk to her about whatever is going on with you and Hudson—she and Finn arenauseatinglyin love—but I’m single as fuck, and I give damn good advice.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but instead found the whole story spilling out. I recounted everything that’d happenedbetween Hudson and I—both in the weeks since he’d been home, and in the years he’d been gone.
Well, almost everything.
I couldn’t quite manage to rehash the cutting words Hudson had said at my place. When he’d told me I wasn’t— Well, it didn’t matter because I wasn’t thinking about that right now. Crying in front of Avery would be highly inconvenient.
With her gaze connected to mine, she demolished the entire container of lo mein while I talked. She interjected her humor every so often, but for the most part, she listened quietly.
Too quietly.
“Are you just gonna stare at me, Ms.Damn Good Advice?” I finally asked after long moments of silence.
“Just trying to figure out how to approach this.”
“No approachin’ necessary. Just spit it out.”
Avery hummed and leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs, one high-heeled boot swinging. “You know, Will had this same problem. Had to talk her out of being an idiot, too.”
I rolled my eyes, remembering Will mentioning something about that back when Hudson had first arrived in town. “She told me.”
“Looks like it got through,” Avery said dryly.
I exhaled long and low, shaking my head. “Her and Finn’s situation was completely different.”
“Maybe.” Avery shrugged, tossing back the rest of her whiskey. “But the regrets would still be the same. And they’re a real bitch to live with. That something you want for the rest of your life? What-ifs and what-could’ve-beens?”
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
HUDSON
I waiteduntil there were only a handful of people left at my going away party before I approached Kenna. She had her back to me as she listened carefully to Carol Ann’s plea to use the Square for the school’s annual bake sale without paying for a permit. Kenna listened as the other woman detailed what the money would be used for, and how beneficial it would be to have one hundred percent of the funds going toward it.
Acting mayor really did suit Kenna, despite her insistence otherwise. She truly cared about the people of this town and had their best interests at heart. Not only that, but she was a hell of a lot more approachable than her old man, and the residents had begun to notice.
I’d been wrong—shewasneeded here. She had a place in Havenbrook that no one could dispute. Shoes no one else could fill. And despite this not being what she’d set out to do with her life, it fit her and it fit her well.
Carol Ann got pulled away, and Kenna stayed rooted in place, turning her head slowly as if she were scanning the room. For me? I sure as hell hoped so. Otherwise, I was about to make a fool out of myself.
