Page 69 of More Than Anything

Shannon’s cheeks turned scarlet and her eyes almost glowed. “That’s not going to happen. I was hoping you’d be reasonable, Avery, but I see that’s not going to be the case. So I’ll take care of this myself.” She turned on her heels and headed back to her car, trying to walk as seductively as possible, but it was lost on Avery.

Danette was the first to speak. “I don’t like this, Avery. There’s something wrong with her.”

“Oh, there’s a lot wrong with her,” Jason chimed in. “Unfortunately, it would take the better part of a week to completely fill you in.”

Danette wrapped her arms around Avery’s waist and leaned into him, and he wrapped his around her shoulders. Her warmth did a little to soothe him?not enough, but a little. He was glad that she and Jason were there. They’d bear witness to everything Shannon had said. “You know, you guys get whatever you want for lunch. I’m not very hungry,” he murmured down toward Danette.

“You’ve got to eat, bud,” Jason told him. “I know you don’t feel like it, but this’ll all be resolved soon.”

“I hope so. I’m going upstairs, take a little nap. If you bring something in, just wake me up when it gets here.” Avery turned loose of Danette and gripped the banister as he climbed the steps slowly. It was almost too much effort.

It was several hours before Danette woke him and told him to come down to pizza. When he’d sat down at the table to eat, she announced, “I saw her. She’s staying over at the bed and breakfast.”

“So?” Avery couldn’t imagine what good that information was.

“So we should keep an eye on her. I don’t like her, and I definitely don’t trust her,” Danette answered.

“Oh, you most definitely shouldn’t trust her,” Jason offered.

Avery finished his pizza and threw his paper plate in the trash. “I’m going in here to watch whatever sports shows are on. Join me if you want; don’t if you don’t.” He settled on the sofa with the remote and flipped from channel to channel, not caring if he watched anything or not. He could hear Jason and Danette talking in the kitchen, but he didn’t know what they were saying and he really didn’t care.

“So I’m going to go on home,” Danette said when she appeared before him. “But I’ll be checking on you.”

“Thanks,” Avery said. He hoped she had some idea how much he appreciated her friendship. “And please,” he added, “check on Lydia. Tell her I love her. I’m going to try to call her in a few minutes, but I doubt she’ll talk to me.”

“At least try. Love you, Avery. Bye, Jason!” she called back into the kitchen. “See you soon, I hope.”

“I’ll be around,” he called back.

Danette took Avery’s chin in her hand. “Call if you need me,” she told him and kissed his forehead.

“I will. Love you, Dan.”

“Mwah!” she called out as she closed the door and blew him a kiss at the same time.

“Think I’ll go to the farm store and check out the boots and clothes. If I’m going to live in Texas, I suppose I should look like a Texan, huh?” Jason said, giving Avery a lopsided grin.

“Yeah, sure. Knock yourself out.”

“Want to come with me?”

Avery shook his head. “Nope. Think I’m going back to bed until it’s time to feed the cows again.”

Jason shrugged. “Suit yourself. Back in a bit.” Avery heard the door close behind his friend and he snuggled back into the sofa. There was a throw over the back of the sofa, and it might’ve been the middle of July, but there was a chill in the air around him.

When he hit her contact on his phone, it rang and rang but she didn’t answer. The voicemail prompt asked him to leave a message, and he hoped it wasn’t too rambling.

“Lydia, it’s Avery. Baby, I love you. I’ve never loved anybody the way I love you. All the light’s gone out of my life without you. Please, talk to me. Please? I didn’t do any of this on purpose. I didn’t lie to you. All I want is for things to be the way…”

BEEP.Her voicemail cut him off. He thought for a few seconds about calling back and starting again, but there wasn’t any point. She wouldn’t answer the next time either.

Avery set the alarm on his phone to go off at four o’clock, then lay down and covered himself with the throw. He’d sleep until time to feed the cows again, then he’d take care of them, clean up, and go back to bed. Nothing mattered anymore. Nothing but Lydia.

* * *

At least hewas feeding the cows, but that’s all he’d managed to do. Avery saw to them just like always, then lay in the bed the rest of the time. He’d fed Dixie and Buttercup too, but that was a chore. Seeing the palomino only made him think of Lydia, like he wasn’t already.

Three days had passed and Avery hadn’t bothered to shave. He’d barely showered. Sometimes he just stood under the water, unable to pick up the soap. Everything seemed pointless. Jason tried to get him to eat, but he didn’t want to. Nothing tasted good.

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