Page 45 of Just One Chance
“If I can just get Avery here, she’ll see for herself what Tucker is doing. She’ll see what Ican’ttell her.”
“It’s a bad idea.”
“Why?”
“Because a million different things could go wrong.”
David huffed, but he couldn’t disagree with her. His list hadn’t gotten quite to a million, but he’d already thought of at least a dozen ways how proceeding with his plan could backfire in his face. But if it all went right? That potential outcome was worth the risk. “If I love Avery, I have to try and make things right for her.”
Lucy froze and her face softened. “You love her? Are you serious?”
David sighed. “I don’t know. I think so. I know I’ve never felt this way before.”
“What if Avery already knows about Tucker’s fiancée and she doesn’t care? What if she likes the lack of commitment, the no-pressure nature of that kind of relationship?”
“Avery’s not like that,” David shot back, fire in his voice.
“Are you sure? Has she told you?”
David thought back through all the things Averyhadtold him about Tucker. He’d always thought she sounded like it was a relationship—a real one. But she’d never really talked about the true nature of their relationship. Probably because David had always been so confrontational whenever Tucker came up.
“She’s a grown woman. And you’re meddling like you’re still in high school.”
David’s jaw tightened. He wasn’tmeddling.He was helping out a friend who needed to learn the truth about someone she needed to be rid of. The sooner the better. “I’ll be in in a minute, okay?”
Lucy shook her head. “What am I supposed to tell Haley?”
“Don’t tell her anything. I’ll be right there.” David pulled out his phone and scrolled through his texts until he found the last message from Avery. When he looked back up, he saw Lucy disappear back into the theater. Glancing at the time, he did a quick calculation of the exact time Tucker’s movie would be out, then tapped out a text to Avery.
Hey. I’m at the movie theater in Mt. Pleasant and I need a ride home. Any chance you can come and get me? Movie will be out at 10:40.He hit send, then held his breath.
She replied almost instantly.That’s soooo late. How did you even get to the movie theater if you don’t have a ride home?
I’ll explain later,David texted back.Please? Just come.He hoped the added gravity to his message would inspire her to make the trip without asking anymore questions, and that when she realized the real reason he’d asked her to come, she’d forgive the lie.
Chapter 15
Averypulledintothemovie theater parking lot just after ten thirty. She’d almost told David no, but something about that text he’d sent—she could tell he needed a friend and was happy he’d called her. She’d been thinking about him more and more ever since her conversation with Melba and had all but decided she’d call things off with Tucker to more fully explore the possibility of dating David.
She pulled out her phone and sent David a text.I’m here. Parked toward the back.
She leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes but opened them right back up when her phone dinged with a text.
Actually, can you come inside? There’s someone I want you to meet.
Avery stared at the text. Someone he wanted her to meet? At the movie theater? What on earth? Why was he being so vague? She looked down at the yoga pants and oversized sweatshirt she wore and sighed. I mean, she still looked decently cute. She’d made a tiny bit of an effort because she was coming to see David, and suddenly that had more significance than it did the week before. But she was still dressed way down.
It will only take a second,David texted again.
“Fine, fine,” Avery mumbled to herself before climbing out of the car. On her way inside, she hesitated when she noticed a black sedan with an Illinois tag that looked a whole lot like David’s car. If he had his car, why would he need her to give him a ride?
She stopped right inside the theater door, looking for David’s blond hair. A bunch of people were funneling out of the hallway that led to the theaters, so she trained her focus there. It didn’t take long for her to find a familiar face, but it wasn’t David’s.
Tucker was walking toward her, his arm around a petite brunette who wore a frightened expression on her face, whether real or imagined Avery couldn’t tell. Tucker hadn’t seen her yet, but he would, any second. A second is all it took for a flood of understanding to fill Avery’s brain. All the semi-weird behavior from Tucker she’d been dismissing and excusing suddenly made a new sort of cruel and ridiculous sense.
He always wanted to stay in. Always came to her house and never brought her to his. He didn’t take her to the yacht club, or to any of the old restaurants or bars they’d frequented back when they were dating.
Because theyweren’tdating. She wasn’t anything but a side piece for Tucker. The woman on his arm? She was the real girlfriend.
