“Get in,” he said.
Avery slumped into her seat, the scent of her shampoo filling the Jeep. What flower was that? Something southern and delicate.
“Sorry to text you so late and thank you for coming. I couldn’t find anyone in the staff dorm. I guess they’re all asleep. And Nate is at Lily’s. I left Casper in the lodge after dinner while I watched a movie and grabbed a shower,” she moaned. “We do it every night. When I went to let him out at bedtime, the front door was open, and he was gone. I’vebeen searching for a while. I even brought hotdogs. His favorite.”
The last thing that dog deserved was a hotdog, but Miles kept his opinions to himself.
They drove up the driveway, calling for Casper. Nothing.
“Let’s take the other fork where the driveway splits and check the Cooper compound,” he suggested.
Past where the Montressa property ended, the Coopers owned three winterized houses that reminded Miles ofGoldilocks and the Three Bears. Sam and Laurie lived in the big house. Beyond it was a little guest cabin. Nate had recently purchased the medium-sized house from his parents. It sat directly across the cove from the Red House but needed some updating to becomejust right.For now, Nate and Lily lived in Lily’s apartment, close to the high school.
Miles parked the car outside Sam’s house and pulled a flashlight out of a milk crate behind the seats.
“Come on, let’s check every door,” he said as they got out.
She called for Casper a few times. Nothing.
“Dammit, Casper,” Avery muttered.
“He’ll be back,” Miles said. “I’m sure he has a plan.”
Miles wasn’t sure Casper would be back, but Avery needed reassurance. If Casper had a plan, it was to ruin quiet moments, like the ones everyone had been enjoying earlier in the night.
“I thought I had a plan,” she said. “Get an MBA. Be ready for any career. But my first semester classes will be everything I hated doing at the Peppered Page. I knew this going in, but now that it’s real, I’m second-guessing myself. If I’m honest, an MBA was the simplest answer to the question, ‘what’s next?’ after I sold my business—”
“For a lot of money,” Miles added, trying to give her the credit she deserved, which he had not done that first day on the dock.
She swept her flashlight’s beam along the tree line at the edge of the property.
“Thank you, but sometimes I feel like when I hit my professional peak, my personal life fell apart,” she said. “I put my parents through a lot when I canceled my wedding. I don’t want them to have to worry about me anymore, but I also don’t want to make a mistake. Dad suggested an MBA, and he made it sound so sensible.”
That first day on the dock she’d been so sure of herself, but maybe she’d been afraid to be vulnerable. It was funny how Avery could be so attuned to what others needed, but out of sync with herself. Miles desperately wanted her to recognize her own value and feel good about her accomplishments.
“Tell me what to do.” She pressed her hands together, begging him. “I was living on nothing and putting all my money back into the Peppered Page. Before I sold it, I only had two hundred dollars in my checking account. These big checks arrived, and everyone suggested, ‘invest in yourself,’ which sounded like code for ‘do something more impressive.’ You sold CashCache and started your camp. You keep outdoing yourself. Tell me what to do next.”
Miles pressed his lips into a thin line and spun to face her. It hadn’t been easy, but he could see how it appeared seamless. He hated seeing her lose trust in herself, but he wouldn’t tell her what to do. Listening to other people had brought her to this point.
“I can’t do that,” he said. “You’re the one who has to live your life. Whatever you do next, don’t let someone else pick it for you. Deep down, you know what makes you happy and energizes you. That’s where you’ll find your answer. Envision the life you want and make that happen.”
Avery stood silently, lit by the automatic flood lights that illuminated the back of the house, her gaze elsewhere, as if something were clicking inside that gorgeous head. She studied him and parted her lips. He wanted to kiss her to make it all better. But she hadn’t asked for that. He headed to the unlit side yard, shining his flashlight from side to side.
“I didn’t mean to unload on you,” she said, trailing behind. “ButCasper taking off like this… Everything feels so out of control. I need a friend.”
“I’m here.” Miles nodded, the wordfriendsinking like a rock from his heart to his stomach. He flashed his light in the crawl space under the side stoop. “Tell me what got you thinking like this.”
“I was watching13 Going on 30, and it made me assess every choice I’ve ever made.” She lifted a hand to her heart. “The end made me sad.”
He made a mental note to thank Anna Catherine later.
“The dollhouse?” he asked, furrowing his brow.
“Yeah.” He could make out her shoulder shrug in the dim light. “That’s my favorite part.”
He wished he could think of something like that dollhouse. Something that would magically answer all of her questions from the last decade. Something he could hand her so she’d know they still belonged together. Despite what Anna Catherine and Hayes said, life was nothing like the movies.
“Nate constantly says he has always loved Lily. Which is amazing.” Avery followed him to the water-facing side of the house. “No one says that about me.”
