Her gaze rose, and in that moment, she looked so much wiser than her eight years. “Even when shewashere, it kind of felt like she wasn’t. Honestly, I miss Sadie more than I miss Mom.”
Cody frowned. “Sadie left to get married, right?”
Avery nodded. “Yeah. She’s engaged to Scott, and he had to move to Atlanta for his job. But she stopped looking after me even before she left to get married. I think Mom didn’t like her. Or maybe Scott didn’t like her working for Mom.” Her nose wrinkled at the other man’s name.
“You didn’t like Scott?” Cody had seen the guy but never met him.
She lifted a shoulder. “He was okay. I just thought she could’ve done better.”
Very astute words from a very little person. “I’m sure she’ll come visit, especially because her grandmother lives here.”
“I hope so. Mrs. Hanley next door is nice, but she’s not Sadie.” Avery glanced up, mischief suddenly in her eyes. “I like Harper.”
Interesting change of topic. “I like Harper too.”
“If you marry her, will she be my auntie?”
He laughed. “Yeah, she would, but let’s not mention that around her.”
“Why not?”
How did he explain to an eight-year-old that some people scared more easily than others? “Because I need to convince Harper I’m the right guy for her first.”
“Mrs. Hanley said women fall all over themselves for Daddy and his brothers.”
Well, Mrs. Hanley just became his new favorite person. “I don’t know if I believe that, but if it’s true, then I’ve found the one woman who doesn’t.”
The bar door opened and the second Eastern walked in, Avery’s eyes lit up. “Daddy!”
She ran straight into his arms, and he threw her into the air before hugging her. “Hey, princess, you have a good time with Uncle Cody?”
“Yes, he let me fold napkins and eat pretzels.”
“Pretzels?”
“Mm-hmm, and he let me drink apple and orange juice mixed together.”
Cody rose from the table, grabbing the folded napkins. “We went a bit crazy.”
“I’m glad you had fun.” Eastern met Cody’s gaze. “Thank you.”
“Anytime, you know that.”
The two of them stayed for a few more minutes, chatting—well, mostly Avery talking—before Cody waved them goodbye. He was stacking the napkins behind the bar when the door opened again. “Forget some—”
He stopped at the sight of a tear-stained Vanessa standing just inside the bar.
Cody frowned. “What are you doing here?”
She crossed the space between them, the tears freely rolling down her cheeks. “Miles and I had a bad fight, and I just…I didn’t know where to go.”
“Vanessa, you shouldn’t be here. You and Miles are not my business.”
She didn’t stop. She rounded the counter and stopped right in front of him. “You don’t understand. The things he said…they were awful! Then he grabbed me. And he…hehurtme.”
Cody’s brows tugged together. “He hurt you?”
Was that even possible? He’d known Miles for a long time, and he didn’t think the man was capable of hurting anyone physically, especially a woman. But then…he hadn’t thought his best friend was capable of sleeping with his girlfriend either, and he’d done that.
