7
On Friday, Avery had an actual fight with his uncle, the first in a long time.
“We are accountants,” Uncle Theo said from behind his desk.
“Accountants who don’t make money!” The way they were going, they’d have to let Meredith go by Labor Day.
“It’s a downswing. We’ve been through them before. It’ll work itself out.”
“It won’t. We’re losing clients. We need to evolve, or we’ll both be out of work by next year.”
“I’ve been running this business for twenty-seven years. I know what I’m doing.”
“But if you’d just let me try to—”
“Avery.” Uncle Theo leaned back in his chair, hands on his stomach. “If you think it’s time to move on and work somewhere else, I’ll understand.”
That shut him up. “Are you firing me?”
Uncle Theo swore he wasn’t, but the damage was already done. He didn’t want Avery. Avery was being a nuisance. Why couldn’t he just trust Uncle Theo to run the business? Why did he have to mess everything up?
He was still upset when he got home, and the anxiety of his argument was compounded by the anxiety of having actual plans on a Friday night for once. He was going with Linc to his roommate’s birthday. Well, notwithLinc. But sort of. Because Linc was coming to pick him up at the apartment, which meant they would be arriving together. Well, nottogether, but still better than arriving alone and not knowing anyone and—
He showered until his skin was flushed and pink, and the whole bathroom was so steamy the water practically dripped down the walls. Avery washed his dishes. Since he still had a few hours to kill, he also cleaned out the fridge and mopped the kitchen floor. Not that Linc would see the inside of his fridge...or probably care about his floor, but Avery was too full of nervous energy to sit down.
Which was how he didn’t hear his phone ring, or even the knock on his exterior door.
“Hello?”
Avery froze. Aunt Brenda stood in the doorway.
“Uh. Hi. What are you doing here?”
She lifted two large plastic shopping bags. “I brought you some things.”
He sighed. “You talked to Uncle Theo, didn’t you?”
“Well, he is my husband. We talk all the time.” She bustled around his apartment, unpacking paper towel and air fresheners.
“Yeah, but he told you, didn’t he? About what he said?” He pulled a toilet brush out of the bags she’d set on the counter.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
He stared at her, and she smiled innocently back until he finally dropped his gaze. “Can I get you something to drink?”
She patted his hand. “A cup of tea would be lovely.”
He set the kettle on, and they pretended to keep busy, putting away housewares and making small talk about the goings-on in town.
“The Activator League is missing a few bachelors for the auction.”
“The what?”
She swatted at him. “You know. We’re fundraising for the new animal shelter.”
“With a bachelor auction?”
“Don’t underestimate the appeal of a handsome man.”
