Page 62 of The Bachelor

That made her want to bawl her eyes out, but she fought back the tears as he stood up. She rose and let him give her a loose, brotherly sort of hug. Which was the best thing she could have ever imagined. It was the last puzzle piece clicking in to place.

“What the hell is going on here?”

Avery jumped back, startled to hear Shane’s voice. He and Jolene both looked not-best-pleased to see her and Chance hugging.

“Hey y’all,” Chance said as he stepped away from her. “Have we got a story for you. Though you might already know this, Shane.”

Oh, shit. He didn’t know. Because she hadn’t worked up the courage to tell him. That suddenly felt like a huge misstep.

“I definitely don’t know what is going on here,” Shane said, gesturing between her and Chance. “Avery, baby, are you crying?” He glared at his brother-in-law. “What did you do to her?”

“I didn’t do anything to her. It turns out Avery’s mother met Buck at a house party and nine months later along came Avery. She’s my half-sister.”

Both Shane and Jolene’s eyes widened.

“What do you mean she’s your sister?” Jolene turned to her. “Are you telling me Buck Rivers is your father?”

Avery nodded. “My mama said it was a good house party,” she added.

Jolene snorted. “I’d say so. But damn, that explains a thing or two, including your eyes. Buck had the same.”

“I wasn’t really planning on telling Chance, truly. But it just kind of spilled out.”

“Wait, so you’ve known this whole time?” Shane asked Avery.

She nodded, throat tight. His expression was hard to read.

“I’m surprised I didn’t figure it out sooner, but I guess I don’t go around thinking about who my dad was fooling around with back in the day.” Chance gestured to Avery. “But it seems obvious now. Look at how much she looks like Buck. It’s crazy.”

Jolene reached out and gave her a hug. “Oh, my word. That means you’re my sister-in-law!”

That hadn’t actually occurred to Avery before and the very thought of Chance and Jolene accepting her as family had her emotions all rise right to the surface, eyes flooding with tears. She hugged Jolene back tightly for a brief second, before stepping back.

“Why wouldn’t you tell me?” Shane’s voice was low, confused as he stared at her.

“Well, it really wasn’t anybody’s business but my mother’s and mine. I didn’t want anyone to think I was just trying to take an industry shortcut.” She stood by that. “I wanted to stand on my own two feet.”

“You don’t think it was my business?” he said softly.

She hesitated. She wasn’t sure how to explain. “I wasn’t sure how Chance would feel and I was worried no one would believe me.” Because no one ever had. Because she was scared. Because she didn’t want to see Shane’s expression change. She had a lot of reasons for not telling him, but now, seeing his face, she regretted that she hadn’t.

“I would have believed you. I’m not your ex. Who was here, by the way. Looking for you.”

That caught her off guard. “Ben was here?” she asked him in astonishment. “When?”

“He was in the waiting room just now,” Jolene told her.

“Why was he here?” She didn’t want to see him. She had exactly nothing to say to him. But even more so, she didn’t want him at her place of employment. That was super embarrassing.

“He wanted to use you to try to get a job,” Shane said disdainfully.

“What did you say to him?” She was mortified. Her business with Ben was also hers, not Shane’s or anyone else’s at Rusted Truck.

He just shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I told him to leave you alone basically.”

“Maybe next time you can just let me handle it.”

“Wait, so now you’re upset with me? I’m not the one who failed to communicate something really fucking huge. Like oh, who your father is. What the hell, Avery. I told you all about my father.”

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