Page 59 of One Southern Summer

“Hey.” Avery’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “How are you?”

Better now that you’re here.

Maybe this wasn’t the time to be quite so honest. That probably didn’t meet Hemby’s definition of heroic. “I’m hanging in there. This is a nice surprise. Do you usually attend the second service?”

“First time visitors.” Avery set the diaper bag on the ground then shifted Hayes to her other arm. “I heard there’s a strong children’s program and lots of families with little kids.”

“We’ve worked hard to make this a place that families want to attend.” He smiled and rocked back on his heels, like he could claim responsibility. He couldn’t. He had nothing to do with the programming. But now that she’d visited, he wanted her to come back. Hoped it would become a regular occurrence. If she sat beside him next time, he’d be thrilled.

“Cole, how about a boat ride?” Greer asked. “It’s a beautiful day.”

“I don’t want to impose on your family time.”

“You’re not imposing,” Greer said. “I just invited you. Come on, you bring the sandwiches. We’ve got plenty of chips back at the house, and I’ll ice down some sodas. Avery, it’s about time we take that boy on his first boat ride.”

Avery’s brow furrowed. “What about Nana? She’ll be miffed if no one picks her up for Sunday lunch.”

Cole palmed the back of his neck. He’d never get tired of spending time with Avery or her family, but he’d defer to her preferences.

Harper ended her call. “That was Julene. She’s going to pick up Nana and bring her out to the house. They’ll have lunch together.”

“See? Nana’s all taken care of. The weather is perfect and the water’s like glass. We ought to get out there before a thunderstorm rolls in.” Greer reached for Addison’s hand. “C’mon, pumpkin. Let’s get in the car.”

Evidently Greer wasn’t backing down. He and Mrs. Huntington were already steering Addison toward a vehicle parked nearby. Harper gave him a polite smile and followed her mother, Greer and Addison.

“If you’d rather not, feel free to decline his invitation,” Avery said.

“Do you not want me to come?”

“Of course I do. I’m also aware of how much getting involved with my family will cost you.”

“Involved?” He frowned. “I thought we were friends.”

“We are. And I don’t want myfriendsto be tomorrow’s headline news.”

Oh. “Too late for that.” He shrugged. “Greer had me at the weather is perfect.”

“All right. We’ll head home and get ready. It’s going to take us a while.”

Doubt that. With her curls exploding everywhere and her eyes the exact color of her dress, she looked incredible. Cole tamped down the compliment. Probably best if he kept comments like that to himself. She didn’t need anything complicated in her life right now. Besides, she’d clearly established his place with her friends comment.

An hour later, Cole stood on the dock, passing Greer plastic bags of ice for the boat’s cooler. Per his instructions, Cole had arrived with bags full of chicken salad sandwiches from the deli, a six-pack of bottled water and a dozen chocolate chip cookies. Blue-green water lapped against the fiberglass hull of the twenty-six-foot boat. Greer’s prediction had been mostly right. Except for white billowy clouds gathering on the horizon, the weather was almost perfect.

A warm breeze swirled around him. After he carried the groceries on board, he claimed a spot on the buttery soft bench seat facing the house. The rumble of a boat’s engine sliced through the silence. Greer straightened and waved to a neighbor cruising by on their ski boat.

“I’m glad you’re coming with us.” Greer dumped the last bag of ice in the cooler underneath the boat’s bench seat then added the bottled water and cans of soda.

“Thanks for the invitation.”

Greer shoved the empty plastic bag in the trash can stowed in a compartment. “You’re good for her.”

“Pardon?”

“You heard me, son.” Greer’s smile creased his weathered skin. “Pax is all about Pax. But you—you are a man who sees the bigger picture.”

Cole winced then slid his sunglasses in place. He saw the bigger picture all right. But was he any better than Pax? He’d accepted a bribe from Nana to further his cause. And buy him time with Avery.

“I’ve known Avery since we were children.” Cole accepted the water Greer offered. “I’m pretty sure she sees me as the brother she never had.”

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