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Looking between the two of them, I asked, “You wanted to talk to me?”
“Right,” Morgan said, closing the sketchbook. “We were wondering if you wanted to live in the apartment on the third floor.”
My eyes went wide. “What? Are you being serious?”
They both nodded. “We figured with you living away from home so long, it must be hard living back with your parents, and the apartment is only used for extra storage. It’s just sitting there,” Georgiana explained.
I jumped and clapped my hands. “Yes! Yes, I’ll take it!”
Morgan frowned slightly. “You don’t think Uncle Dirk and Aunt Merit will be sad that you’re moving out so soon?”
Crap. I hadn’t thought of that. I hadn’t even been home for two weeks and I was already moving out. “How about this. Can I move in maybe in like…two or three weeks? That way, it doesn’t look like I’m trying to get away from them.”
Georgiana chuckled. “That’s sweet of you. And you can move in anytime you want. Just let us know when and we’ll get the boxes we’ve got up there hauled out.”
I walked over to Morgan first and hugged her, then Georgiana. “Thank you for everything. For the job, the apartment…all of it.”
“You’re welcome, sweetie,” Georgiana said as she hugged me tight. “We’re just so happy you’re home.”
“Speaking of home, we’re closed for the rest of the day, and that window display is perfect. Get out of here, Avery, and try to spend some time with Beck. Won’t he be heading back to Texas soon?”
It felt like something inside my chest cracked open. I nodded. “Yeah. He hasn’t said when, but I know he was only supposed to be out here for two weeks. He’s been here ten days already.”
Morgan reached for my hand. “It’s all going to work out, Avery. I know it will.”
I forced a smile. “I’m sure you’re right.”
After cleaning up my mess, I left with my two cousins and decided to head to the Shaw Ranch instead of home. I knew Beck was spending time with Uncle Ty today. I’d called him, but his phone went to voicemail.
Less than a minute later, my phone rang. It was Aunt Kaylee.
“Hey, Aunt Kaylee! I was just heading to the ranch to see where Beck is.”
“He’s here, so head on over to our place. Brock and Tanner came over and they all went out for a ride.”
The temperature had been warmer than normal, causing a good portion of the snow to melt. Beck had been dying to get out on the ranch on horseback, but one thing after another had stopped him. Yesterday, for instance, literally as he was putting his foot in the stirrup, his grandfather called with some work emergency. He’d ended up spending a good portion of the afternoon in Tanner’s office on the phone.
In fact, his grandfather seemed incapable of letting him vacation in peace. Two days before that, when we’d managed to sneak away to the hotel room, Beck was about to slip inside of me when his grandfather kept calling over and over. He cursed and called his grandfather back. It turned out he wanted to know if Beck would be home for a charity dinner that their company was hosting because he had to give a final head count. Like one person would make or break the whole thing. I’d heard his grandfather say, “I’ll put your name and a plus one.”
“I’m so glad he’s finally able to go riding,” I told Aunt Kaylee.
“What’s your ETA, and if they come back I’ll let them know?”
Glancing down at the dress I was wearing, I replied, “I need to stop by my place and change, then I’ll be out that way. I’m only about five minutes from home.”
“Okay, sweetheart. I’ll see you soon. Be careful.”
“Will do. Bye.”
Once I pulled up to my parents’ house, I raced in, praying I wouldn’t run into them and get delayed, and changed into jeans and a Montana State sweatshirt. I pulled on an old pair of boots and took down the fancy French twist I had in my hair, letting it fall loose. I grabbed my purse and headed back downstairs.
Stopping at the front door, I listened for any sounds of my parents. I heard muffled noises coming from my father’s office. Feeling guilty, and deciding I needed to at least say hello, I started down the hall—and as I grew closer, I knew exactly what the sounds were. A memory assaulted me: I was eight…and had walked in on my parents having sex in their bedroom.
My hand flew up to my mouth and I quickly spun around and started to walk fast. But not fast enough. As I was about to turn the corner, I heard my mother call out my father’s name, and I tried really hard not to throw up.
