Love Resolution

The next morning, through mirrored sunglasses, Marcus watched Avery from across the plane. She’d once again transformed into her standard garb.

Thank God.

She still looked sexy to him. He found himself imagining what she might be wearing underneath.

Without disengaging from her conversation with Sam, her gaze flicked toward him. If he hadn’t been watching her so intently, he surely would have missed it. Opportunistically, he lifted his sunglasses and winked at her.

She immediately shifted, drawing her long legs up on the sectional and tucking them beneath her. ‘Hail to the Chief’ suddenly emanated from her cell phone. She glanced at it and frowned. “Hello, Mary,” she answered.

The airplane lounge suddenly went completely quiet.

“No, I haven’t seen the pictures…That won’t be necessary…Yes, Mary…ok…ok…Yes...No, I won’t wear it again.” Blushing, she ducked her head down and lowered her voice.

Marcus leaned forward to listen.

“Yes, I am seriously considering it, but for now I just want to focus on getting through the rest of the tour. Ok… Will do.” She hung up and leveled her gaze at Sam. “Did you know Mary was going to call me this morning?”

“I wasn’t sure.” Sam shrugged. “But with those pictures of you in the bar floating around I knew it was only a matter of time.”

Avery sighed. A different ringtone trilled from her cell. “Crap,” she muttered.

“Who is it, now?” Sam asked.

“Marcus’ mom,” she whispered.

“Shit,” Dwight exclaimed.

Marcus cringed.

“Hello, Rheta,” Avery started. “Yes…No, are you sure? …I didn’t think after all that’s happened…Ok, Mom…I know…I want…It is. I’m sorry.” Her voice went thready at the end. She plucked at the laces on her sneakers. “I wish things had turned out differently, too.” A tear tracked down her cheek. “Thank you. I appreciate that…I do… I love you, too.” She sniffed, placing the phone down on the cushion.

Sam put her arm around Avery and handed her a tissue.

“Dammit!” Avery exclaimed as the cell began to ring again.

“I’ll get it for you,” Sam offered. “Hello? No, it’s Sam. We’re just getting ready to take off for Dallas…Oh, ok. It’s Justin.” She handed the phone to Avery. “He won’t take no for an answer.”

Avery took it from her. “Hey…No…I’ve already had two uncomfortable calls, thank you…No, I’m ok,” she said in a small voice, glancing around uneasily. “Hey, I’m not alone. Can I call you back later? I promise…I miss you, too…I wish you were here…Love you, too. Bye.”

The last conversation sparked an idea in Marcus’ mind. He’d meant it when he’d told her that he was going to pull out all the stops to get her back. He typed an email to Beth while continuing to eavesdrop on Avery and Sam.

“I miss my sister, too,” Sam said softly, dabbing at one of Avery’s tears. “She’s on the road a lot. I wish you could meet her.”

Marcus noticed JR’s mouth curve into a knowing smile.

“What’s she like?” Avery asked.

“Larger than life.”

“Pain in the ass,” JR finished.

“She and JR have some history.” Sam smiled. “She’s sharp tongued and brash, but no one has a bigger heart than she does.” She reached for her cell, pulled up a photo, and showed it to Avery.

“She’s with Chris Alex?” Avery exclaimed.

“Yeah,” Sam replied. “They may get married this spring.”

“That’s great, Sam. Chris is a wonderful guy.”

“Yeah. I think so, too.” She picked up a magazine and flipped through the pages. “I can’t wait to take you around the metroplex once we land. We’ll go shopping at NorthPark. They have a Neiman Marcus store. And then head to Cavenders and get you some authentic Texas boots. We can grab some Tex-Mex at Mi Cocina.”

“Whoa,” Avery cautioned. “That’s an ambitious itinerary. I’ve got sound check at two. And don’t you have a lot of concert prep stuff to do?”

“JR and Trevor are taking care of that for me today.” She smiled. “We’re on our own until your sound check.”

“Thanks, guys.” Avery smiled at them. A genuine Avery smile. One that reached all the way to her eyes.

Marcus feasted on it, wishing it had been directed at him. Remembering a time when it would have been. He typed in a text to her.

Marcus: I could taste you on my tongue after I left your room last night. I couldn’t sleep.

Avery glanced down as her cell pinged with the incoming text.

“Who’s that?” Sam asked as the captain came on the intercom alerting them to prepare for takeoff.

“It’s nothing,” Avery said evasively, but loud enough to be heard over the rumble of the jet’s engines.

Marcus persisted.

Marcus: Remember that weekend in Tofino?

She read the message. Her cheeks blossomed with color.

Oh, yeah. She remembered.

The time after the proposal had been sublime. Avery had been shy and tentative at first, but not after Tofino. They’d checked into the hotel on a Friday and didn’t leave the room once until they checked out on Sunday. The entire weekend had been spent in their oceanfront suite. In front of the fireplace, in the bed, in the garden tub and in the rain shower. He’d gotten her to open up and tell him exactly what she liked and then he’d set out to fulfill her every desire. He’d quickly discovered that whatever made her hot made him equally if not more so. The results had been exhilarating and explosive for both of them. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and texted her again.

Marcus: I love you, Avery. I miss you.

“I need to lie down.” She tossed her cell on the coffee table as if it had just bitten her.

“We haven’t leveled off yet,” Sam cautioned.

“Oh, well,” Avery fired back, glaring at Marcus as she stepped over JR’s legs and headed to the bedroom.

The door slammed behind her.