“Okay, good.” He breathed in a deep breath and blew it out slowly, the tension in his body draining with it. “We’re safe.”
“If we were safe, I wouldn’t know they know. One slip leads to another.”
“No, doesn’t count. She’s his other half. He just doesn’t know it yet.”
“Wow, that’s the most romantic thing I’ve heard you say. I thought you didn’t believe in love and commitment.”
“I never said that. Just that I wasn’t ready for it.” He glanced over her shoulder. “We’ll finish this later. My mom is heading this way, but before she gets here, I should tell you she saw me shove you into Giselle’s van. She knows everything.”
“What?” Panic shot through her like a bullet in a submarine, picking up speed with nowhere to go. “What do you mean everything?”
“You, me, Tits, everything that happened that night.”
“Did you really just say tits?” Was that really what mattered? Air mattered, but she couldn’t think, much less breathe.
He leaned close and lowered his voice. “I assured her nothing happened, but she—”
“I hope I’m not interrupting.”
No, I’m not ready to face you yet.
Connie Preston sank onto the seat at Jo’s back.
Jo slowly swiveled in her chair to face her, trying to smile, but her face wouldn’t cooperate. “Not at all.”
“Jo,” Connie said softly, reaching out only to pull back short of touching Jo’s hand.
“Mrs. Preston—”
“Connie, and please hear me out.”
Jo nodded.
“When you and Avery showed up, I immediately recognized you from Marcus and Charlotte’s party, and I’m not sure if Avery told you, but I’m aware of what transpired that night. I just didn’t know you’d been terminated.” Her disapproving gaze shot to Avery, then softened as it returned to Jo. “So, when you told us you were between jobs, I read between the lines, and all I could think of was that my son was responsible, which makes his family responsible, and… Well, in my clumsy way, I was trying to assess what your circumstances were without embarrassing you. I did that anyway, and I just want you to know how very, very sorry I am.”
Jo laid a hand on hers, closing the gap between her and a woman she’d assumed would be snooty and unwelcoming. But Avery’s mother was neither.
“I should be the one apologizing, for overreacting.” For so many things, lying not the least of them. “I’m afraid my pride and my nerves got the best of me.”
“And rightly so. I was rude.”
“You were concerned. And I was nervous.”
“And you thought I was accusing you of dating my son for his money.”
Heat bloomed in Jo’s cheeks.
Avery chuckled. “Can’t get anything past you, Mom.”
“And don’t you forget it,” his mother said, encompassing them both with a wink. “Actually, Melody and Charlotte figured that out. They were horrified and embarrassed. They’ll tell you all about it next Saturday.”
“Next Saturday?” Jo hadn’t seen anything for next Saturday on the event schedule Avery had sent. In fact, she was sure the weekend was open.
“We’re gathering to discuss the wedding. I’m preparing lunch and Laine is barbecuing for dinner. We’re making a whole day of it. Please say you’ll come.”
That sounded like a family thing. He never mentioned family things. “I’m not sure that I won’t just be—”
“It’s a date,” Avery piped in from behind, his warm breath teasing her ear and promising another big fat payout.
