accountant for a big firm in
Portland, and she worked long, busy hours and traveled a few times a month.
Avery was pretty certain that Lindsay could easily afford her own place, but
she guessed that Lindsay got lonely and she liked the company when she was
home.
“Is Lindsay home” Avery asked, changing the subject away
from herself.
Molly shook her head. “She left this afternoon for
Vancouver. She’s there until Wednesday,” she bit her lip, “or maybe Thursday.”
Avery vaguely remembered Lindsay mentioning going to
Vancouver, but she had been so caught up in going back to Russet Falls, that
she hadn’t paid any attention.
“Did you eat?” Avery asked, standing up and stretching.
Molly was pretty bad when left to her own devices. She was known for having a
dinner of popcorn and an apple when she was home by herself.
“Nope,” she said, shaking her head. “I was waiting for you.
Want to walk down the street and grab a pizza.”
Avery nodded. They loved the small pizza shop down the
street and a walk would be a good way to clear her head.
She grabbed her purse and she and Molly headed out. Avery
debated telling Molly about Drew, but she decided not to. Molly didn’t know
much about Drew to start—only a little bit of info that Avery had shared back
during their freshman year when they lived on the same dorm floor. It had been
so fresh back then, but even then, Avery had been hesitant to share.
If she talked about Drew, then it made things real. If she
never spoke of him, then she could pretend they had never happened.
Which is what she tried to do now.
She arrived at work Monday, and her room full of
Kindergarteners kept her busy and she only had fleeting thoughts of Drew. She
stayed at work late, catching up from being out on Friday and then
lesson-planning for the rest of the week. She was so exhausted when she got
home, that she barely ate dinner before crawling into bed.
That was part of what she loved about teaching elementary
school. She could stay as busy as she wanted—it was simple to arrive at school
before seven in the morning, and stay until nine at night.
Tuesday evening she actually had plans to go to happy hour
with some of the other teachers, and luckily that kept her mind busy too.
However one of the teachers mentioned Lake Oswego, and Avery’s head snapped up.
She knew now that Drew lived there, and she realized that
every time she heard the name of that neighborhood, she would think of Drew.
After that, Drew was on her mind the rest of the evening, and she shouldn’t
have been at all surprised when an unknown number popped up on her cell phone
as she was getting ready for bed.
“Hello?” she answered tentatively.
“Avery,” the familiar voice breathed, and Avery sighed,
feeling as if she had wrapped an old familiar blanket around herself.
“Hi Drew.”
“I was wondering if you would pick up.”
“How could I not?” she asked honestly.
It was quiet for a moment. “How are you?” he asked. “Are you
getting settled back home?”
“I’m fine. I’ve been busy catching back up at work. How
about you?”
He sighed. “I had a run-in with my brother and mother before
I left, but I guess it was to be expected.”
“Thank you again for literally saving me when that tree
crashed down,” she shuddered remembering the freaky event.
“Of course,” he said darkly, “I’m just glad I was there.”
The line was awkwardly quiet for a moment and Drew cleared
his throat. “So there was something I wanted to ask you,” he said carefully, “I
have to attend this gala charity event next weekend. And I wanted to see if you
would like to go with me.” He sounded nervous over the phone. “These things can
be kind of stuffy, so if it’s not your thing, I won’t be offended.”
Avery sucked in her breath as she listened. She was
flattered, excited and nervous all at the same time.
“And besides wanting to see you again, I thought you might
enjoy it because it
Portland, and she worked long, busy hours and traveled a few times a month.
Avery was pretty certain that Lindsay could easily afford her own place, but
she guessed that Lindsay got lonely and she liked the company when she was
home.
“Is Lindsay home” Avery asked, changing the subject away
from herself.
Molly shook her head. “She left this afternoon for
Vancouver. She’s there until Wednesday,” she bit her lip, “or maybe Thursday.”
Avery vaguely remembered Lindsay mentioning going to
Vancouver, but she had been so caught up in going back to Russet Falls, that
she hadn’t paid any attention.
“Did you eat?” Avery asked, standing up and stretching.
Molly was pretty bad when left to her own devices. She was known for having a
dinner of popcorn and an apple when she was home by herself.
“Nope,” she said, shaking her head. “I was waiting for you.
Want to walk down the street and grab a pizza.”
Avery nodded. They loved the small pizza shop down the
street and a walk would be a good way to clear her head.
She grabbed her purse and she and Molly headed out. Avery
debated telling Molly about Drew, but she decided not to. Molly didn’t know
much about Drew to start—only a little bit of info that Avery had shared back
during their freshman year when they lived on the same dorm floor. It had been
so fresh back then, but even then, Avery had been hesitant to share.
If she talked about Drew, then it made things real. If she
never spoke of him, then she could pretend they had never happened.
Which is what she tried to do now.
She arrived at work Monday, and her room full of
Kindergarteners kept her busy and she only had fleeting thoughts of Drew. She
stayed at work late, catching up from being out on Friday and then
lesson-planning for the rest of the week. She was so exhausted when she got
home, that she barely ate dinner before crawling into bed.
That was part of what she loved about teaching elementary
school. She could stay as busy as she wanted—it was simple to arrive at school
before seven in the morning, and stay until nine at night.
Tuesday evening she actually had plans to go to happy hour
with some of the other teachers, and luckily that kept her mind busy too.
However one of the teachers mentioned Lake Oswego, and Avery’s head snapped up.
She knew now that Drew lived there, and she realized that
every time she heard the name of that neighborhood, she would think of Drew.
After that, Drew was on her mind the rest of the evening, and she shouldn’t
have been at all surprised when an unknown number popped up on her cell phone
as she was getting ready for bed.
“Hello?” she answered tentatively.
“Avery,” the familiar voice breathed, and Avery sighed,
feeling as if she had wrapped an old familiar blanket around herself.
“Hi Drew.”
“I was wondering if you would pick up.”
“How could I not?” she asked honestly.
It was quiet for a moment. “How are you?” he asked. “Are you
getting settled back home?”
“I’m fine. I’ve been busy catching back up at work. How
about you?”
He sighed. “I had a run-in with my brother and mother before
I left, but I guess it was to be expected.”
“Thank you again for literally saving me when that tree
crashed down,” she shuddered remembering the freaky event.
“Of course,” he said darkly, “I’m just glad I was there.”
The line was awkwardly quiet for a moment and Drew cleared
his throat. “So there was something I wanted to ask you,” he said carefully, “I
have to attend this gala charity event next weekend. And I wanted to see if you
would like to go with me.” He sounded nervous over the phone. “These things can
be kind of stuffy, so if it’s not your thing, I won’t be offended.”
Avery sucked in her breath as she listened. She was
flattered, excited and nervous all at the same time.
“And besides wanting to see you again, I thought you might
enjoy it because it
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