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“You insisted that she stay here. And you know me. You knew that I would end up here at some point. You planned all of this.”
“I…okay, I did. It wasn’t that I forced you. I just thought if I…”
“Threw her in my path so I would fall in love with her.”
She doesn’t say anything for a long moment. Then she clears her throat. “She’s perfect for you, Jon. You need someone in your life to make you laugh. You were always such a serious little boy, and your inability to take breaks, laugh, and later find love worried me. And I always worried that your father…”
“My father, what?”
She sighs. “That your father ruined your outlook on relationships. So, when I met Avery, I knew you two would hit it off. But, if I introduced her to you, you would have had a knee-jerk reaction.”
I hate that she’s right. If she had introduced me to Avery under any other condition, I would have immediately dismissed her.
“So, you didn’t plan for her to tackle me?”
Her lips twitch. “Are you trying to tell me you didn’t like having her fall on top of you?”
For the first time in a long time, I freaking blush in front of my grandmother. She has always been no-nonsense and a bit blunt, so I learned to deal with it as I grew up. Still, having your grandmother talk in those terms is just too much for a guy.
“Oh, you’re blushing,” she says, chuckling. “That’s precious.”
“Estella, quit being mean to my man,” Avery calls out. I glance over and find her watching us from the chair and half with the cats on her lap.
Then I realize what she said, and my entire body lights up. It’s insane how much she can get to me just by calling me her man.
“I wouldn’t think of it, dear,” Estella says. There’s a knock at the door before someone opens it. Liv steps in, her kids running to their aunt. She’s followed by Nancy, Travis, Mason, and Fritz, all of them carrying food containers fromThe Mason Jaron them.
“I brought food for the troops,” Mason says.
My grandmother calls in my mother and Ted, then orders everyone around in the kitchen. I make my way over to Avery. The cats have abandoned her for Callie and Sammy—apparently, Sammy is the only other male Meredith likes. I lift Avery up out of the chair, and she gasps. I smile, sitting in the chair and settling her on my lap.
“How’s your head?”
“Better,” she mumbles, placing her head on my shoulder.
“Hey, Avery,” Liv says. “I got you some potato salad because it is the blandest thing. Mason insisted on bringing it since it’s your favorite. If you’re up to it, I can get you some brisket. Plus, there’s a ton of food in the fridge.”
“There is?”
She nods. “The neighbors started bringing it as soon as the news hit the JSE.”
“That’s nice,” Avery says, taking the bowl.
“Want anything?” Liv asks me.
I shake my head. “I’ll get something in a little bit.”
“You should eat,” Avery says once we’re alone again.
“Nah. I’ll just sit here with you.”
She forks up some potato salad and hums. My entire body responds to the sound, and she smiles at me. “Want some?”
I offer her a smile, knowing that she’s not offering me more than the potato salad. I don’t answer because I know what my answer will be.
“Always.”
She smiles back at me and gives me some potato salad.
