Once We Met Read online

  Avery returned with a purse slung over her shoulder. “Ready.”

  Seeing her dressed more comfortably reminded him of times long since passed. He said little as he led her outside and started toward his truck. What could he say? For so long, he’d had a snarky remark on his tongue in case he ever saw her again. He’d even claimed he hated her.

  For a full year after she’d gone home, he’d wondered how she’d fooled him so much. She saw him as outdoorsy and fun, and maybe that was why she’d been that way with him. Given the radical change in her appearance and clothing, she was probably engaged to someone inflexible and uptight.

  Unless she’d become just like her mother.

  He hoped that wasn’t true, but there was a reason people claimed the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Even when you spent a lifetime trying to prove you were nothing like the man who fathered you.

  He helped her into the passenger seat and then got in behind the wheel. Avery was sitting stiffly beside him, her eyes transfixed on the St. Christopher medal hanging from his rearview mirror.

  Shiiiiit.

  He held his breath, turning his body toward her as her eyes locked with his. “You kept that?” she said, astonishment in her eyes.

  Damn medal. He had thought little about her seeing it, because he hadn’t thought Avery would ever be in his truck again. But he could picture the wide-eyed innocent look of happiness she’d had when she’d pressed the cool medal in his hands years ago.

  “I have something for you.”

  “Oh, yeah? What is it?”

  “St. Christopher. It belonged to my grandfather. To keep you safe. When we go on all those adventures we’ve talked about.”

  Dan tore his gaze from the medal, and he glanced back at her, trying to figure out how to answer. If he’d learned anything in the past few years, it was that honesty was a good starting point out of a sticky situation. He swallowed hard, then nodded. Reaching over, he pulled it free of the rearview mirror.

  She probably had the wrong impression of why he’d put it up there.

  Dropping it in her lap, he said, “I never had the chance to give it back to you. And I didn’t think it belonged in the trash can. When I became a cop, I figured I needed as much good luck with me as possible, so I put it on the dash and just got used to it being there.”

  That’s true enough, right?

  Avery pressed her lips together, as though trying to figure out how to respond as he started the engine. Her hand enclosed around it, and she pressed it to her heart. “Thank you. For not throwing it out. I assumed you had.”

  He shifted into drive. “Family heirlooms don’t belong in a landfill. And I would have tried to find an address, but your mom made it very clear I wasn’t ever to contact you again.”

  Her eyes darted out the window as he pulled out of the driveway, as though she was looking for an escape. “I didn’t know she did that. But it doesn’t surprise me either. I spent my entire senior year grounded after . . . you.” She shifted, setting her purse on her lap and clasping it tightly. “Seeing you here is . . . it’s . . . wow. It’s hard to believe. I never expected you to be the owner of the Serendipity.”

  A strange, defensive feeling curled in his chest. His palm shifted over the steering wheel, his eyes locking on the dappled light of the late-afternoon sun filtering in through the thick foliage on the tree-lined road. “Well, we met there. Just because you were the guest while I was the disposable help, doesn’t mean I didn’t like the place.”

  He cringed inwardly. He hadn’t meant to sound so butthurt about it, but it’d come out that way.

  Avery smiled sadly. “You weren’t disposable, Dan. At least not to me. My mom was awful to you, I know. And I’ve always regretted the way things ended between us. I wondered what happened to you, but after a while I figured it was better to leave the past in the past. Plus, I just figured you might have left Brandywood after high school. Gone off to be a photojournalist, like you wanted.”

  Dan sucked a breath in through his teeth. That old dream. But the way things had ended between him and Avery had set him on the trajectory to becoming a cop . . . proving he was nothing like his asshole of a birth father. “Actually, I was a cop until recently. I got out of that when I bought the Serendipity.”

  “Law enforcement, really?” She gave him an odd look. “What happened to traveling?”

  “People change, right?” He didn’t want to talk about it, especially not with her. She’d obviously changed, too, so she should be able to accept that as an explanation. “What keeps you busy these days? Other than wedding planning.”

  “Graphic design.” Her face brightened. “Mostly, I work with publishers, doing book covers. But I have my own business, so I can set my schedule and be choosy about the projects I take on.”

  “Do you still draw?” When they’d been younger, she’d shown him some of her sketches, and it had blown him away how good she was. She’d even drawn a picture of him.

  “Only with my Apple Pencil.” She shrugged sheepishly. “Not in journals these days.”

  That differed from before, too. She’d railed about technology when they were younger, going on about how people didn’t draw like they used to. How art was getting lost to computers.

  Dan turned onto the street that would lead into Main Street, and the familiar sights of his hometown made him frown. After he’d joined the police force, a new love for Brandywood had taken root in him. But that old itch to pick up and start somewhere new had been nagging him again. Not that it was going to happen now that he’d bought the Serendipity. He pulled into a spot in the main lot at the top of Main Street near Bunny’s Café, then parked.

  “This place never really changes, does it?” Avery asked, looking at the sign for the café. “I swear I have memories of going there with my dad when I was a toddler to get cookies. Does the owner still have some epic rivalry with the guy who runs Yardley’s?”

  “Yeah, that hasn’t changed. Neither have all the theories about why they hate each other. But really, under the surface, a lot has changed. Mr. Yardley has expanded his business, and Bunny’s nearly as famous—she’s got a baking column in a magazine, a new cookbook, and a line of cookware coming out for a big box store. And not everyone in town is happy about it either.”

  The changes had worked out well for his family, but he could picture the snarl on Melissa’s face during their last big fight. “Yeah, I wouldn’t want to say anything against the beloved Klein clan, would I? News flash, Dan—not everyone is in love with your ‘perfect’ family or the way you all and your friends have ruined our town.”

  That and a few choice words about his mom and sister had been when Dan’s delusions about Melissa had worn away completely. One of the only regrets Dan had was that he had stayed with Melissa long enough for her to ruin Jen and Jason’s wedding for him. And losing his dog Milo, of course.

  “Wouldn’t that be fabulous for tourism?” Avery’s voice interrupted the darker thoughts, and he looked at her, strangely relieved that it was her and not Melissa in the truck with him. Guess it just went to show that even Avery Moretti, who also crushed his heart, was preferable to the company of Melissa Rosner.

  “That’s the problem, actually. So many tourists that some locals are frustrated at the lines in their favorite spots, the crowds at events, and the lack of parking on Main Street. It’s definitely the minority, but they’re loud.”

  Dan set his hand on the latch to open the door when Avery said, “Hey, listen—”

  He paused, glancing back at her.

  Before she could speak, her phone rang, and she checked to see who was calling. She held up a finger, turning her body away from him. “Hey, babe.”

  Must be her fiancé. Funny how that word made his gut clench. Dan’s fingers curled against the latch. Should he step out and let her have her privacy?

  She spoke again. “Yeah, I’m here. I tried to call you when we landed, but there was no service at the airport. Did you get my tex
ts? You should be able to use Find My now again if you want to see where I am. Service is spotty in some places around town, though.”

  Find My? To track her?

  “Yeah, it’s perfect. Just how I said it would be.” Avery lowered her voice, glancing out the window. “Nothing to worry about at all. I can’t wait to see you next week.”

  Dan’s brow furrowed. That’s weird. Why would she lie to her fiancé about the state of things?

  “No, babe. The flight was great. No problems at all. But I still think you flying into Pittsburgh is a better idea. That way you can rent a car.” A few beats. Avery looked down at her lap. “Oh. I’m sorry. I’ll update you better. Yeah, no, go ahead. Love you!”

  As she lowered the phone from her ear, she stared at it, her body radiating with tension.

  Dan raised a brow at her. “Your fiancé?”

  Avery nodded. “Bryan.” She locked the screen. “Sorry. I missed one of his earlier calls, and then I didn’t have service, and he thought something might have happened.” She lifted her chin. “He has really serious anxiety.” Then she cleared her throat and added, “That’s why I didn’t tell him about the way I found things at the Serendipity. I don’t need him freaking out right now.”

  Even though there was a definite case to be made that Dan wasn’t the most cool-headed person on the planet, her words worried him. And while he might not always handle his feelings about people correctly, he still had good instincts. He’d made a damn good cop. And working in law enforcement had only sharpened his intuition.

  “But what happens when he comes next week and sees that things aren’t so perfect?”

  “Well, we have a week, don’t we? We’ll see how far we can get. If worse comes to worst, if people have a place to sleep and the outside is looking okay, we can just tape off the sitting room.” She sounded much calmer and more confident than a few hours earlier. “I was planning on doing cocktail hour there, but if the weather is good, then we can just do the whole wedding and reception outside.”

  Dan nodded, his neck feeling stiff. If he could find the key to the storage unit. He could not afford to furnish the whole place right now. He gave her a sidelong glance, curious to know more about her fiancé without sounding too inquisitive. “So what does Bryan do?”

  “He’s a doctor. Cardiologist.” Avery twisted her engagement ring around her finger. “He works a lot, so he couldn’t take any time to come beforehand like me.” She didn’t sound thrilled to be out here by herself.

  A rich and successful doctor. Dan’s jaw tensed. If he remembered correctly, Avery’s dad was a doctor, too. It made sense that was the type of guy she’d gone for in the long run.

  Dan normally wouldn’t have commented on any part of her private conversation, but she’d been the one to open up the topic. “What’s the deal with Find My?”

  “Oh, it’s just something we started when we moved in together, so he could track my cell phone location to figure out when I would be home from work and all.” Avery’s smile was taut.

  That sounded reasonable enough. Yet it doesn’t.

  Avery double-checked her phone again, as though to make sure she hadn’t left it on, and then said, “Anyway, I just wanted to say, I know we have a weird history and all, and if we’re going to spend so much time around each other for the next few weeks, I’d prefer we try to put the past behind us. So if there’s anything you feel like we should talk about—”

  “Ancient history.” Dan pushed the door open but didn’t climb out. What difference did it make now? It wasn’t like she’d come back even looking for him. No reason to dredge up those old wounds. “I’m fine. And you seem like you’re fine too, right? Better than fine. Happily engaged and all that.”

  Did he detect a flicker of disappointment in her eyes? Probably not. But maybe she—like him—had thought them running into each other would detonate more fireworks. Good or bad.

  Guess things should have ended when they did.

  Anyway, he was in no danger of letting Avery Moretti affect him ever again. Because he hadn’t forgotten what she’d done to him that summer.

  Chapter Seven

  Dan

  12 Years Ago

  * * *

  Dan had just finished packing the bait fridge with the bloodworms he’d brought in from town. He bent to stack the bait buckets, when cool fingers slid in front of his eyes from behind. “Guess who?” Avery’s voice was in his ear.

  He smiled, his heart giving a thump, and set his hands on her biceps to draw her arms around his neck as he stood.

  She cried out with surprise, laughing, as he reached for her waist, then swung her around his body so she was facing him. She was light. Or she made him feel strong. Either way, he couldn't believe they’d known each other for less than a day. They’d talked long after sunset, then kissed, then spent the entire night texting. He’d come into work early that morning just so he could try to see her.

  His whole body buzzed as he set her on her feet. It was still early, the pink light of dawn on the horizon making the waters of the lake look magical. The outdoor Sports Shack—little more than a shed with shelves organized with outdoor sporting equipment and counter where Dan could handle the rentals for the kayaks and fishing equipment—was still dark.

  Avery didn’t release his neck, and before he knew it, their lips had come together as though they were drawn magnetically.

  She’d obviously been thinking about him just as much.

  Dan groaned, hardening immediately as he pushed her back against the wall. He hoisted her up, and her legs wrapped around his waist, settling tightly against him. Her lips were soft, warm, her tongue brushing against his without an ounce of timidity or girlish hesitation.

  “God, you’re such a good kisser,” she whispered as they pulled apart for a breathless moment. His lips roved toward her neck, trailing down from her jaw toward that soft spot below her earlobe. “I kept dreaming about kissing you all last night.”

  “Me, too,” he managed, feeling as if he could hardly get the words out.

  He pulled away and then checked his watch. “Hang on—come with me for a second.”

  “Now?” Her eyes were wide.

  “It’s worth it.”

  He took her hand and led her out the side door. Within a few seconds of walking through the dew on the early morning grass, his flip-flops were soaked, so he left them by the first wooden planks of the dock.

  The sunrise was just creeping over the horizon behind them, since they were facing west. A foggy haze hung over the water, which would grow thicker the closer they got to autumn. He tugged her to the end of the dock, and they stood there, hand in hand, watching as the sky filled with streaks of pink and orange and violet.

  She gave him a sidelong glance. “Is this . . .?”

  “Shhh.” He winked, then pointed at a rowboat that came through the fog, slowly gliding across the water. The old man rowing it was trailed by at least thirty ducks and geese, who followed him like a mother duck leading her ducklings.

  Avery broke out into a wide smile. “Oh my gosh, why are they doing that?”

  He shrugged. “They know him by now. His name is Mr. Jenson. He and his wife lived in the house closest to the lodge, but she died a few years ago. She used to feed the ducks, and when she died, he took over. He comes out here and feeds them every morning. To be close to her, Mr. Jenson says.”

  Avery’s eyes sparkled in the soft hues of the morning light as she watched Mr. Jenson. She raised her hand over her heart. “That’s so sweet.”

  “Yeah, but”—he squeezed her hand—“last night when we were talking, you said you didn’t know if love like the movies was just a big lie. And I don’t know, maybe it is. But old Mr. Jenson seems like he found whatever those movies are talking about.” He gave her a crooked grin. “Both with his wife and the ducks.”

  Avery swallowed hard. “Now I’m going to cry.” She pulled her hand from his and held her hands over her cheeks. Then she sat on the dock
, hanging her legs over the side, watching the ducks and Mr. Jenson with a reverent look.

  He sat beside her, and they watched until Mr. Jenson was out of sight and the sun was brightening the water, the faint ripples of fish and insects some of the only sounds of the quiet morning. She leaned her head against his shoulder. “I’m glad you found me in the boathouse.”

  “I’m glad I did, too.” He glanced back over his shoulder. “I was hoping I would get the chance to talk to you when I brought your bags up.”

  “I remember you from last year, actually. There was this one time I watched you wrangling these canoes for this lady and her husband who kept changing their minds about which ones they wanted to take out. And you were so nice to them, kept taking the new one out, dragging it into the water. I would have probably lost my temper and told them to make up their frickin’ minds already.”

  Dan laughed lightly. He remembered that couple and how annoyed he’d been by them, even if he hadn’t said anything. “You saw that? Why didn’t you come up and say something?”

  “Well, to begin with, you clearly didn’t notice me.” She gave him a pointed look. “Not that I blame you. I spent most of last year’s vacation with my head buried in a series of books I was reading because I caught mono—not from kissing, but from sharing a drink with my friend—and I had no energy to do anything. And also, I was way too shy. I’m not the best at making friends with people.”

  “You’re shy?” He raised a brow. She didn’t seem shy. And he should know. He was well known for his introversion. “You sure about that?”

  “Yes, I’m sure. Don’t give me that look.” She swatted at his forearm playfully.

  “Yeah, real shy, this one. So, Miss Shy, why is it you aren’t good at being friends with people? Because somehow, I doubt it’s because you’re shy.” At least, she hadn’t been with him.