“Did your mom?” she fired back. With the words out, she wondered what she was trying to prove.
Walker nodded. “Without doubt. And my buddies were jealous that my mom was so cool. She’d hug them too. It’s funny how alone a teenager feels even as they’re pushing people away.”
His words brought back the pang of her own teen years. “Funny how we forget that feeling as adults.” She brushed her hair over her shoulder. “So, are you two coming to the carnival this week?”
“I’m not sure.”
She cocked her head. “I’m pretty sure you’re going to want to get your volunteer hours in at this event. Otherwise, you’ll end up with gum duty at the end of the year.”
“I can’t show up for everything people assume I should attend. I’ve learned to say no to save my sanity.”
“It’s one evening, and the money raised is going to the nature walk field trip.”
“You’d think that would be covered in the thousands I paid for tuition.”
Avery bristled. “Do you have any idea how much it costs to run a school—let alone a privately funded institution with world-class teachers?”
“No, but I have a feeling you’re about to tell me.”
Savannah waltzed out of the changing room with a bouquet of bras hanging from her fingers. “I’ll take all of them.”
Walker groaned. “Can you buy fifty so we don’t ever have to do this again?”
Savannah shrugged.
Avery snorted. “It doesn’t work like that.”
Walker’s nicely shaped ears burned red. “Thanks for your help. I think we can handle it from here.”
Whoa, what happened to “hug your kid”? Whatever. “Good luck.” Her words came out so full of sarcasm they could have stained the carpet. Not only had he dismissed her like the hired help; he hadn’t apologized for spitting on her.
She left without looking back and with her head held high. It wasn’t Savannah’s fault her dad was a jerk. With any luck, she’d gotten the better selection of genes in the family. Yikes! What if Walker’s were the better selection? The thought sobered her.
Evelyn approached, a shopping bag dangling from her forearm. At least her shopping buddy had been able to cross something off her list today. Avery still needed to find pants.
“Who was that?” asked Evelyn, stretching her neck to see over Avery’s shoulder.
“An awkward evening I’d rather not discuss.”
“No!” Evelyn had wheedled the details out of Avery as she’d stripped down next to the washing machine and thrown her clothes directly into the forget-this-ever-happened cycle. She couldn’t put it behind her, though; it was too good of a story not to share. “He’s handsome, though.”
“Trust me, handsome does not make the man.”
Evelyn linked their arms together again. “You got that right.”
They headed for the escalators that would take them to the boys’ section of the store. As they drifted upward, Avery couldn’t help but go over the exchange she’d had with Walker. Not all of it was horrible. Most of it was, but not all. She’d finally gotten to use theIndiana Jonesline. That was a plus. And he’d quoted the movie back to her. Too bad they couldn’t have started with that on their date. Maybe things would have gone better.
Chapter Nine
Ben
That evening, Ben was in the kitchen with his laptop open. He liked to be where the scent of homemade French bread and lasagna permeated the room. Although, this was the third time in nine days they were eating lasagna.
“Alton, what gives?” He pointed to the pan the chef pulled from the oven, the red sauce bubbly and the cheese lightly browned.
“Miss Savannah requested lasagna, so I make lasagna.” Alton kissed the tips of his fingers and set the pan on the counter to cool as he retrieved the bread from the wall oven.
“I know I gave her permission to plan meals, but we need a limit on how many times she can have something in a row.”
