Under her hand, his chest felt solid. She’d loved the boy he’d once been, but all indications were that Miles was much different as a man. Lily said his life had become a red-carpet step and repeat of gorgeous women. If he’d wanted to contact her, he would’ve. And he hadn’t.
Miles lowered his hands and gave up on the hug. She backed up a step to make sure he knew she’d drawn a line on the dock. One he shouldn’t cross.
“It’s great to see you.” He rubbed that dark stubble on his jaw, as if things weren’t going the way he expected. “The Coopers appreciate you coming. I’m not sure if you’ve heard the latest, but Sam’s stable and in New York, at one of the best hospitals in America. He’s scheduled for a quintuple bypass Monday morning.”
“Sounds like he’s in excellent hands,” she said. “It’s been a whirlwind few days. How’re you holding up?”
“Good, thanks for asking. I’m worried, but he’ll be fine. No more drawnbuttahwith hislobstah, but fine.”
Like her southern accent, Avery wondered if uncomfortable situations brought out Miles’s New England accent. Or maybe it had been an attempt at humor. It had been so long since they’d joked about anything, she didn’t know.
“It’s scary,” he said. “We’re all…”
Miles shook his head and cleared his throat.
Avery regretted refusing the hug. As the only child of only children, Miles had little support. Sam’s son, Nate, had been Miles’ best friend since preschool. Which made Sam Cooper almost like an uncle to Miles. Miles probably needed the comfort of an embrace.
“You were nice to send your jet to take the Coopers to New York,” she said.
It came as no surprise Miles owned a jet. He’d created CashCache, an app that taught a world of spenders how to get themselves out of debt and start saving. News of its sale to a large financial institution for an undisclosed sum had been hard to avoid. Undisclosed sums typically had a lot of zeros and commas.
“Oh, I don’t own a jet.” He waved off the idea. “Flying commercial creates less of a carbon footprint. I chartered one to get Sam to the best cardiologists.”
Deep down, Avery knew he hadn’t hired a jet to show off. If Miles loved someone, he’d go to great lengths for them. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t so much as call or text. How he’d treated her was proof of that.
“Miles,” she said. “I’m looking for Lily. Have y’all talked today?”
The second she said “y’all,” he cocked his head to the side and smiled—a sign he’d caught her accent too.
“No, I’m not sure she knows I came up last night. But you know Lily, she’s always late.” He laughed a little too loud. “I came over to check the waterfront and saw you standing here. Like a vision.”
Funny he called her a vision when he’d done the ghosting. Nothing good could come from broaching that topic today. Avery frowned and resolved to keep everything on the surface.
“I’m sorry you drove all this way to work at the front desk.” Miles rubbed his stubble again. “I hoped you’d return for something happier, like a vacation.”
Avery shook her head, surprised he couldn’t see why she hadn’tcome back here until now. Vacations were for making new memories, not reliving painful ones. She’d taken trips with Lily almost every summer, but never to Maine.
“I’m not here on vacation,” she said. “I’m here to open the resort.”
“So am I.”
For a split second, the world fell so quiet she could’ve heard a pebble drop clear across the lake. Lily hadn’t mentioned Miles being here. Seeing him at a wedding was one thing. Working with him sounded like hell on earth. One of them needed to go, and she had the summer off. Given his active social life, she’d let him off the hook.
“I’m sure you’re busy.” Avery straightened her shoulders. “I’ve got this. Go back to New York and your red carpets.”
She waved him away like he’d vanish and become a ghost again. Instead, he widened his stance and crossed his arms. Miles wasn’t going anywhere. She felt a tingle of attraction at his big dock energy.
“Nate and his mother are staying at my apartment in the City, and he asked me to get the waterfront ready,” he said.
They stood there in silence, and Avery stared down into the crystal-clear water. She could see every rock on the bottom.
“I’d already planned to be here most of the summer. At my new house,” he said. “I’m working on a project.”
Miles hooked his thumb over his shoulder, across the cove. He must have bought a house on the other side of the point.
“If you need anything, I’m a paddle away.” He pushed up the sleeves of his shirt.
“Paddle?” Avery stole a peek at his forearms, more rippled than the lake and just as inviting. When she lifted her head, he smiled. He’d caught her ogling. Heat rose in her neck.
