“Is that why you haven’t torn that raggedy motherfucker limb-from-limb for putting his hands on Avery?”
“Correct. If I didn’t think there was a chance of getting out of this without anyone getting hurt, he’d already be in the river.” I turned around, picked my wallet up off the tool bench, and headed towards the open bay.
“Where are you going?” Jack asked.
As I walked past him, I plucked the stubby joint from between his fingers. “I’m going after our long shot.”
***
ME:If you are feeling up for it, I’d love to take you out to dinner.
AVERY:I would love that! ???
ME:I’ll pick you up in 20.
I was pretty sure Avery would agree to my date night idea, so I had stopped by Ross and picked up a collared shirt to change out of the one I’d worked in all day. I could have just gone home and changed first, but that would have taken away some of the magic.
I stopped at the bottom of the porch steps and fidgeted with the hem of my shirt, making the last-minute decision to untuck it, and then pulled out my phone.
ME:Meet you outside?
Avery must have been waiting for me, because my text flipped to ‘read’ two seconds after it had been delivered.
It took no more than another minute for me to hear the doorknob turn and for Avery to appear in the doorway. When he spotted the roses in my hand, his mouth fell open, and he took a step forward as his mouth morphed into the biggest smile.
“Are those for me?” he asked.
“They are,” I replied. “I tried to find something as good-looking as you, but I’m afraid even roses pale in comparison.”
Avery laughed as he stepped off the porch steps and stood in front of me. “How long have you been working on that one?”
I handed Avery the bouquet, and he carefully brought them to his nose as I answered. “About four years, give or take.” Avery looked up from the flowers and I took the opportunity to soak in his handsome features. His high cheekbones. The golden flakes glinting in the green of his eyes. His expression was hard to read, and I found myself starting to get a little nervous. “How was your day? Is everything okay, baby?”
Avery broke our gaze as he nodded. “Yeah. Everything is… awesome, actually.”
“Have I told you how amazing you look wearing my clothes?”
That got me another smile, and I leaned in to taste his lips.
“Your shirts are… a little big, though.”
I nodded. “I think you’re just so handsome that you look good in anything…and nothing,” I finished, covering my mouth as if I was coughing out the words.”
“So, where are we going?”
“I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve been craving a good steak with all the fixings for longer than I can remember. I’d love to take you to a roadhouse, or something like that. You know, steaks as big as your head? Peanuts on the floor?”
“There’s a good one out on 84. They have the best mac and cheese!”
“Have I ever told you that you’re my favorite human?”
Avery’s fingers were intertwined with mine from the moment I pulled out of the driveway until I parked in front of Smokey’s Roadhouse. As I killed the engine, Avery unbuckled and opened his door,
“Wait!”
Surprised, Avery paused and looked over at me.
“I was gonna get it for you.”
