“Her poor assistant.”
“Oh, she’s not bad. Vic has eczema, so she’s careful with skincare.” Miles tested the waters. “Admit it, you’re irritated because you’ve never liked her.”
Avery grimaced and concentrated on adding more dressing to her side of the salad.
“Wanna tell me why?” he asked.
“I imagine it’s a lot like the reason you don’t like Paulson,” she said. “Hard to explain, but something doesn’t sit right.”
Touché. Paulson grated on him, even though everyone else loved the guy. Come to think of it, he had never called Miles about the retreat. Miles gritted his teeth and held back a growl.
“It’s okay,” she said. “Once I survive Queen Victoria’s visit, and I will, I get to meet Hayes and Anna Catherine, and we can all have fun on the Fourth of July. After that, it’s smooth sailing for the rest of the summer.”
“I’ll be in Wyoming the third week in July to observe another bereavement camp. I get back the day before the Camp Luciole fundraiser in the City.”
“Do you have a lot to do? Fundraisers are a lot of work.”
“Nope. Anna Catherine and Hayes put together a party committee, and all I have to do is show up and give a speech.”
He’d been thinking about whether he should take her. She’d have to find a dress, fly to the City, and get all done up. If Victoria’s requests were too much, who knew how she’d feel about an over-the-top Manhattan charity gala. He didn’t want the stresses of his life to become an inconvenience to her.
Avery stabbed her fork into a cucumber, then a tomato, and scooped a crouton on top.
“After that, I have Lily’s bachelorette, and you have the bachelor party.”
“Are you sure you don’t mind overseeing the furniture delivery while I’m on the river?” he asked. The earliest possible delivery date had been the Friday he returned from Nate’s canoe trip.
“Not a problem. The next available day they had was in late August, and I want to see the new furniture in your house before I leave for Hanover.”
“Wait,” he said. “When do your classes begin?”
“Assuming I get around to signing a lease, I’ll move in the tenth for orientation. The landlord is taking forever to email it to me. Classes start on the fifteenth.”
Miles gulped a bite of salad. He’d assumed she started around Labor Day.
“That’s so early,” he groaned. “You’ll miss the Perseid meteor shower.”
She seemed so laid back for someone who had so many events coming up. Hearing it all laid out made his head spin. Adult summers were nothing like carefree college summers. Their obligations were stacked like dominoes. Ready to topple. Calendars that didn’t mesh would grow more complicated in the fall when she was five hours away.
Avery let out a long sigh and put down her fork.
“I know,” she said.
Miles mixed the remaining salad around in the bowl. He’d been so hungry a minute ago, and now he’d lost his appetite. His chest felt tight, and the warm wood table prickled under his forearms.
Avery took his hand back in hers.
“Miles, tell me what you’re thinking?”
He focused on the salad. That night on the boat, she’d been so honest about what she wanted. A relationship. And he wanted one too. In the Boathouse, she’d mentioned that people who made a commitment to one another tackled their obstacles together to make the relationship work. He now stood at one of his emotional roadblocks and he owed it to her to try.
He squeezed her hand and met her gaze.
“When did summer become so busy? I just want to spend time on the lake with my girlfriend.”
Girlfriend. It had slipped out naturally and somehow, he felt a shift. Miles and Avery. They were a couple now. Avery’s gorgeous smile almost knocked him over.
“We will make the most of this summer, I promise.” She threaded her fingers through his and rocked their hands side to side. “Most of our commitments for the next month are two or three days each. That leaves four or five days in the week to be together.”
