Page 87 of One Southern Summer

Oh, if only that were possible. He swallowed hard. Then hesitated. Her eyes searched his face.

“Us. I like the sound of that.”

“Me too.” Her lashes fluttered against her skin. “Now, let’s get to the part where you kiss me senseless.”

Then she leaned in and silenced his worries with a searching kiss.

“The expansion of Imari’s Place will provide additional housing and vocational training for thirty-six women, more than double the number of people initially assisted when the project launched eight years ago.” Smiling, Julene glanced up from the story she was reading in the latest issue ofAlabama Livingmagazine. “Way to go, y’all.”

Avery met Cole’s gaze across Mama and Greer’s dining room table. He gave her a knowing grin and formed a heart with his fingertips. With his hair still tousled from their ride on the lake and his skin flushed from the late afternoon sun, he looked more handsome than ever.

What a gift he was. She’d never imagined when she’d packed up and moved back home that he’d walk back into her life.

Addison had already left the table and gone out onto the porch to host a tea party for her dolls. Hayes babbled in his high chair beside her then blew raspberries before picking up a piece of avocado and stuffing it in his mouth. Avery chuckled. He wasn’t willing to surrender the spotlight for long, not even for a worthy cause.

“Wait, there’s more.” Julene held up her finger. “Well-known documentary filmmakers Max and Charlie Johansen have been in town for several weeks. They anticipate release of their next documentary featuring Imari’s Place early next year.”

“Here, here.” Greer lifted his glass of lemonade. “Congratulations, Cole and Avery. We’re so proud of you.”

“The house really is beautiful.” Mama’s eyes glistened with tears. “Harper showed me the photos online. The women who live at Imari’s Place will feel so blessed.”

“Thank you, Mama.” Avery smiled. That was the part that made her feel the most fulfilled. Wendy and Shayla had shared parts of their story with her already. She couldn’t wait to see the finished film. “Hopefully our plans for the production facility will become reality. Think of the jobs that will add to help more women get back on their feet.”

“That’s the best part of the whole story,” Cole said.

“I don’t know about that.” Avery held his gaze. “There’s other parts that aren’t mentioned that are pretty good too.”

“For once they kept your personal life out of the story,” Harper said. “How ironic is that?”

“Well, I guess the old nana’s still got it, right?” Nana clasped her hands and beamed proudly as if she’d just been elected to political office.

An awkward silence blanketed the table. Avery shifted in her seat and faced her grandmother. That was like Nana to try and take credit for something she had nothing to do with. A small voice in her head counseled her to overlook the offense. After all, they’d gathered around the table tonight to celebrate Nana’s quick recovery. But there was something about her words and facial expression that caught Avery’s attention. And this time she couldn’t let it go.

“What are you talking about, Nana?” Avery handed Hayes his new sippy cup. He banged it against the tray of his high chair. The plastic against plastic was the only sound in the room. Avery let her gaze ping around the table. Why wasn’t Cole looking at her? Greer shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

“Oh, I meant that my helping Cole see how much he needed your expertise on the project really paid off.” Nana’s smile wobbled as she reached for the cloth napkin and its holder. “Darling, you simply must update these napkins and holders. They really aren’t fit for company and—”

“Nana, don’t change the subject.” Avery plucked the napkin and its holder from Nana’s hands and set them out of reach on the table. “What are you not telling me? How did you help Cole?”

“Avery...” Harper’s tone carried a pleading note. As if begging her not to look behind the closed door for fear of what she might find. Her days of letting people sweep things under the rug were over. She couldn’t not pursue this.

“And are you complicit in this too?” Avery’s voice shook as she glared at her sister and then at her new boyfriend. “Cole? What did you do?”

“There are a few things you should probably know.” Cole cleared his throat. “About Imari’s Place.”

“All she needs to know is that the house looks beautiful and those women are all going to be so happy,” Nana said.

“Maribelle.”

“Mrs. Lansing.”

Mama and Cole spoke in unison, both scolding Nana.

Anger and impatience burned a trail to her heart. “One of you had better start talking. Now.”

Nana heaved a dramatic sigh. “Okay, fine. I’ll go first. I offered Cole and his board of directors an incentive to include you in the expansion project.”

Blood pounded in her ears. “What kind of an incentive?”

---