Page 6 of The Worst Kept Secret

Lust flashes in his eyes and he lowers his gaze to stare at my mouth. His eyes flick behind me to his house and then back to me. “Are you sure that’s what you want?”

“Yes.” I lean down to purr in his ear. “I definitely fucking want.” I nibble on his jaw, dragging my teeth along it gently before pressing a kiss to his lips. “Don’t you want me?”

“You just fingered yourself in my lap while you dry-humped me, of course I want you. I want to fuck you into the middle of next week.” He groans and I giggle as I move off of his lap and back into my seat to get out of the car. I’m reaching for the handle when my phone begins to ring and I frown when I see it’s my dad.

“Fuck,” I hiss and Theo’s eyes immediately dart to my house which still looks dark except for the dim lights that my parents leave on for me when I’m out late.

“Hi, Dad,” I answer nonchalantly.

“Avery, where the hell are you and why is it not in this house?” he asks in a tone that’s not quite mad but not quite pleased with the fact that I’m out this late. I’m twenty-one years old, so I don’t exactly have a curfew but I usually tell them when I’m not coming home and I hadn’t done that. I’m preparing to speak the lie that started forming the moment his name flashed across my phone when Theo takes the phone from my hand before I can speak.

“Shawn,” he says, “I was down atThe Cloverand figured I’d take her and Rory and some of the other kids home so they didn’t have to Uber in the snow.” I can’t hear what my dad says but Theo chuckles and I cross my arms over my chest angrily at the thought of tonight absolutely not going how I want it to and more importantly where it was headed just moments before. He’s off the phone a few seconds later, after telling him I would be homesoonand I turn to look at him as he hands me my phone. “Don’t look at me like that.”

“What happened to fucking me into the middle of next week?”

“Ummm, your father called?” He gives me a look. “Kind of lost my hard-on when I remembered you’re my friend’s daughter which also reminded me that you’re my son’s best friend.” He taps my cell phone screen which is a picture of Lucas and me from earlier this semester in front of The Metropolitan Museum of Art when I visited him in New York.

He points at my phone and when I turn to look at him there’s hurt all over his face. “I can’t do that to him.” His eyes dart away from my phone to my house. “Either of them. They both trust me and…fuck, I don’t deserve it.”

Present Day

I’ve been dreading tonight for weeks. The second her father Shawn told me where they were having her graduation party, followed by the invitation that her mother Camille sent over with all of the details, I’ve felt uneasy. I’ve beentryingto avoid all things Avery Summers for what feels like three fucking years and yet she’s been able to embed herself into every aspect of my life effortlessly. Her parents still live next door and my son can’t go the length of a conversation without bringing her name up so I’ve been forced to have her name or her face flash through my mind at least once a day and it’s driving me fucking crazy.

I tried to tell myself those nights didn’t feel as good as they did. That she didn’t look as good as she did. That I’m not attracted to the girl that I watched grow into a woman. The woman that my son has or had feelings for—I’m uncertain of where he currently stands. I do believe that if there are feelings, they’re not reciprocated on Avery’s side. She has always been very clear about where that line was except for their freshman year of high school when I think they spent more time making out than anything else.According to her, though, that was just for fun or practice or out of boredom, and she’s never had feelings for him.

My eyes find her instantly in a forest green dress that hugs her body like it was custom-tailored for her, and I’m instantly irritated by all the people here because all I want to do is pull her into a corner and run my hands all over her.

Her eyes meet mine despite the dozens of people between us and a sweet smile finds her face. Her parents are pillars in the community, kind and well-liked by almost everyone. Her father is the number one children’s dentist across multiple counties and her mother ownsthebakery in town,Avery’s Café,named for her daughter with pastries and macarons that are so delicious they make you feel like you are actually in Paris.

Just as quickly as our eyes meet, she turns away, back to an elderly couple that look like older versions of Shawn. I am surprised that I don’t see my son or my daughter but I also don’t see many of Avery’s friends, making me wonder if they are somewhere else reminiscing about their high school days. I start moving towards her to say hello.Maybe if I just say hi, I can slip out in an hour.Our eyes lock again as I make my way closer, and the couple moves away. She drains the glass of champagne in her hand and I don’t know if I’m disappointed or intrigued by her sudden need for alcohol as I approach her.

“Theo! When did you get here?” I hear when I’m only about ten feet from her. I turn to see Shawn standing with some of his friends and a few men I recognize as Avery’s uncles. He waves me over, holding a cigar between his index and middle finger and assumedly a glass of scotch in the other. All dressed in suits without ties, the six men summon me over despite something pulling me towards Avery.

I give them a nod and a smile as I move towards them trying my best to ignore the temptation in the green dress in the form of his daughter. “I just got here,” I say, answering his question.

I approach them and he slaps me on the back as the rest of the guys nod their hellos. “Why don’t you have a drink?” He waves over a member of the waitstaff walking around with a tray of champagne.

I grab a crystal flute from the tray, contemplating ordering something stronger but decide against it before I know just how many drinks Avery has consumed. She could get me to do just about anything when she’s had a few drinks and even more when I’ve had a few as well. “Can you believe we have kids that are college graduates?” He scratches his jaw and lets out a sarcastic chuckle. “God, when did we get old?” He looks at me and smiles. “Well, I guess you’ve been old with Raegan having graduated last year.” He takes a sip of his drink and I narrow my eyes at him.

“Okay, more importantly, what can you tell us about the Eagles offensive line this year? Because those draft picks have me worried,” one of the men speaks up. I’ve met him a few times when Shawn and Camille had parties, but I don’t know him well enough to start talking about anything I know,which isn’t much.

Talk of football goes on for a considerable amount of time and before I know it, it’s been an hour, I’ve had two glasses of champagne, I switched to a scotch, and I still haven’t talked to Avery. I turn my head as our group breaks up after Camille drags Shawn away to talk to someone and I scan the room in search of her. I see her in the corner with Rory and a few other girls I recognize from their high school.

This is good. This is safe. She’s not going to try and tempt me in mixed company.

I begin making my way towards them and as I get nearer, I see they all have shot glasses in their hands with a lime wedge in the other.Oh fuck.

I watch as Avery licks the salt from her hand and my dick immediately hardens thinking about her tongue licking up my shaft that same way.

I grip the glass in my hand harder as I approach them and all of their eyes light up when they see me.

“Theo!” Rory smiles and I feel like she’s gotten older just in the last six months since I’ve seen her. Her jet-black hair is cut into a short sleek style just above her shoulders with bangs that frame her coal colored eyes. She’s worn glasses the entire time I’ve known her, but I remember Lucas mentioning something about her getting Lasik over spring break.

“Ladies.” I nod at all of them, trying my best to keep my eyes off of Avery. “Congratulations.” I scan the group of four. “I assume all of you have graduated?”

“One more semester for me.” One of the girls blushes as Rory and the other girl I don’t recognize nod.

“Thank you and thank you for coming,” Avery says.

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