A glance at the clock told me I needed to get to the resort’s restaurant for the group breakfast Des had planned. She and Drew would be honeymooning there, but the rest of us were leaving, and she wanted to do one last thing with the whole wedding party before we all headed back to our respective homes. I took a quick shower, which brought back memories of Avery’s hands— calloused and slightly rough from his years as a mechanic — washing me with a gentleness that bordered on reverence. I tucked that into my memory bank and pulled on a simple sundress and sandals before packing the rest of my belongings into my bag so that after breakfast, I could grab it and go.
I got to the restaurant as everyone else — with the exception of Avery— was arriving. I was a little worried he would oversleep, but he rushed in as the waiter came to the table. He was relaxed, and looked handsome in white cargo shorts and a pale blue polo.
“It’s about time, Sleeping Beauty,” Des teased as he greeted her with a hug.
He laughed as he turned to shake Drew’s hand. “Whatever Des, I’m here!”
I pretended to look at the menu, but really, I was watching him as he greeted Deidra and Wes, then turned his sights on me. He didn’t smile, but his eyes did as came my way. The seat beside me was the only empty one, so he took it, immediately taking advantage of the opportunity to rest his hand on my thigh, hidden under the table. The intimate gesture surprised me. After what Des had told me about him blowing women off, I had half expected him to pretend I wasn’t there. I rested my hand on his, amused by the secret smile he shot my way.
“Hey, what’s going on over there?”
Crap.
Des and Deidra both were staring our way, while Drew and Wes looked at the table, the ceiling, the window, and anything other than us.
“Nothing,” I said, the first to speak up. “You brother is doing his usual flirting, exactly like you warned me.”
Des shot him a warning look. “Avery, please leave Tori alone, I don’t want you—”
“I’ve got it, Des.” Under the table, I entwined my fingers with Avery’s, squeezing his hand as I brought it onto my lap. “I’ve explained to Avery there’s no chance of anything between us. He’s having a hard time accepting it, but I’m sure he’ll get over it.” I smiled at him, giving him a playful wink.
“Yeah, we’ll see.” He gave me a wink of his own, playing along with my little game as the waiter came back with our drinks.
“I don’t know, cousin, if Tori says it’s not gonna work, she’s probably right,” Deidra said, taking a sip from her mimosa. “I mean, she would know, she’s the matchma— OW!”
The withering look Deidra shot her cousin let me know Des had kicked her under the table, in an attempt to get her to shut up, but why? What was wrong with what she said?
“A matchmaker?” Avery’s lip curled in disgust as he snatched his hand away from mine. “So, you’re what, like a Madame? You’re the women’s handler or something?”
I lifted an eyebrow, alarmed. “What? Avery, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He scoffed. “Yeah, right. That’s your angle, you’re gonna play dumb?”
Excuse me?
“Nobody is playing dumb, I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, asking me if I’m someone’s handler.” What the hell was his problem?
“Avery, please. It’s not like that at all,” Des said, standing up from her chair. Avery ignored her too, turning back to me.
“Answer this,” he said, clenching his jaw. “Is that what last night was about to you? A set up? Securing another mark for your little escort service?”
“Escort Service?” I was pissed off now. How dare he compare what I did to something like that? I opened my mouth to speak, but he cut me off.
“Is that how you met your husband? What, was he another mark, and you worked your way up through the ranks to become a boss, while he started sleeping with the younger, prettier girls?”
That’s when my I saw red. I don’t remember standing up, but the next thing I knew, my open palm was connecting with his face, hard, then reeled back for a second blow, this time with my fist, and it landed right in his eye.