Page 98 of Close to Heaven

Jax didn’t have time to respond before Carl opened the back door and stepped inside.

“Hello,” Carl said, looking from Avery to Jax and back again. “Is it lunchtime already?”

“Hi, Dad.” She had to dig deep for a modicum of calm that she didn’t feel. “This is—”

“Jax Sawyer, right?”

She felt a flicker of relief that her dad had remembered his full name.

“Yes, sir. It’s nice to meet you.”

The two men shook hands. Then Carl looked down at his damp socks like he’d just realized he was shoeless. “Guess I forgot my shoes today,” he said, frowning.

“And your coat too. You need to be more careful, Dad,” she gently scolded.

Carl flapped his hand. “Ah, a little cold air won’t hurt.”

“I’ll go get you a dry pair of socks. Be right back.” Avery didn’t wait for a response. She simply turned and fled the room as tears pricked her eyes. She was afraid of things like this. Today he’d forgotten his coat and shoes, but what would he forget next time? What if he wandered off somewhere and got lost? He often forgot to take his cell phone with him. If he wandered too far, how would they ever find him?

The last time she’d been over, she’d done some of his laundry, and the basket of clean clothes was right where she’d left it. She dug out a pair of socks, took a deep breath, and then returned to the kitchen.

Jax and Carl were sitting at the table, quietly talking and searching for puzzle pieces together. The scene made her heart ache with gladness and remorse. She was happy that Jax was there but also sad that he hadn’t met Carl before he’d been stricken with this horrible disease.

“Here you go, Dad,” she said, handing him the dry socks.

“Thanks,” he said, but he set the socks aside and continued working the puzzle.

Jax glanced at her and gave her a subtle nod as if to reassure her that everything was okay. Even though it wasn’t, she played along. “How about if I make us some lunch?”

“Sounds good to me. You hungry, Jax?”

“I can always eat,” Jax replied.

Carl chuckled. “Me too, son.”

Son? Whether her dad had meant to call him that or not, she liked the sound of it.

She eavesdropped on their conversation while she made sandwiches.

“How’s business this time of year?” Carl asked.

“Hectic. We’re completely booked through the new year.”

“I haven’t been up to Sawyer’s Ridge in a long time.”

“You’re welcome anytime. In fact, why don’t you join us for dinner on Christmas Day?”

Avery paused what she was doing. Jax hadn’t mentioned this beforehand, so she was caught off guard. She held her breath as she awaited Carl’s response.

“Maybe I’ll do that,” he said.

Maybe was better than a flat-out no. “I could come over and pick you up, Dad,” she suggested.

“I’m perfectly capable of driving,” he said, his stubbornness still intact. “But we’ll see.”

The three of them ate lunch in the living room. Avery and Jax sat on the couch together, and Carl sat in his favorite chair. He seemed perfectly fine now, and it was almost like the birdfeeder incident hadn’t happened.

While they were eating, he asked Jax more questions about the resort, and then the men moved on to talking sports. Avery zoned out at that point, but she was happy to just sit there and enjoy the company of her two favorite men.