The Escape Clause (7 page)

Pete found a parking place nearly a block from her parents’ house. He parked, turned off the car, and sat quietly for a moment.

“Is something wrong?” Avery asked.

Pete shook his head and then lifted it to look at her. “It’s going to be strange, living away from everyone, isn’t it? No big Sunday dinners at your family’s or mine. No late nights at the hospital with new babies arriving all at one time,” he said with a chuckle.

“Are you having second thoughts?”

Pete shook his head. “No. I was just thinking it would be different. Not impossible.”

They climbed from the car and walked hand in hand to her parents’ front door. Darcy was just inside bouncing a crying Emily and trying to soothe her.

“Is she okay?” Avery asked as they walked into the house.

“I think she has a little tummy ache. Ed is on a phone call. I need to nurse the baby, but she won’t stop and won’t let me put her down,” Darcy said in a frazzled, lack of sleep voice.

Pete instinctively reached out. “Let me see if this helps.” He took Emily from her mother and rested her on his wide shoulder. A few sobs later and Emily calmed.

“What did you do?” Darcy asked.

“I’m just built right for correct pressure on babies’ tummies. I could always get my nieces and nephews to calm this way.” Emily gave a few more big gasps from her sobs and soon was asleep on Pete’s broad shoulder. “Go feed the baby. She’s fine with me.”

Darcy kissed him on the cheek then looked at Avery. “He’s a gem. You should catch him before someone else does,” she said as she moved into the house in search of her baby.

“It’s a good thing you caught me,” he joked. “I seem to be perfect.”

“She didn’t say that.”

“Yes she did. Don’t mess with my ego. I’ll wake Emily up and hand her to you.”

Avery thought the threat wasn’t worth it. She kissed him on the cheek and they walked into the house where her family all waited for her.

Everyone one but Christian and Victoria were there. Their daughter was still in the NICU, but her Aunt Madeline assured Avery that she was growing by leaps and bounds.

“A few more days until she’s big enough to move home with her parents and her cousins,” Madeline said.

Avery was happy for them. They were raising Victoria’s niece and nephew. They’d lost their first baby and now their daughter was still in the hospital. They were truly a family that proved that love could triumph over all.

Avery’s mother stood in the kitchen, a glass of wine in her hand and a tissue in the other.

“Is everything okay?” Avery asked her.

“I miss you already and you haven’t left.”

Avery pulled her into her arms and held her. “Just think. It’ll be the most wonderful reason for you to visit me in France.”

Her mother nodded. “I know. My mother has been begging me to do that for years and I am sure my father would be cordial enough.”

“He loves you, Mom.”

“I know. Avery, you will just never understand.”

No, she was sure she wouldn’t. But she also couldn’t imagine her grandfather was the same man that banished her mother when she’d become pregnant. However, he’d been nothing but gracious to her. She was willing to move across the world to take what he was offering. Avery figured she needed to give the man the benefit of the doubt.

“How come you’re always the last one to the party?” Spencer walked into the kitchen and swept Avery up into a grand hug.

“I didn’t know I was late.”

“You’re always late, now come out here.” He gave her arm a tug and pulled her to the living room where Spencer had obviously gathered everyone.

Avery moved in next to Pete as Spencer put his arm around Julie.

“This has got to have been the longest week of my entire life,” he began. “Most of you have busted my chops about missing half of my birthday party last week because I ducked out. Fine. I did.” Julie nudged him with a grin. “And then what was with all the babies trying to get in on mine and Avery’s birthday?”

The family laughed and Avery smiled lovingly at her cousin. She hoped the cousins born the day after their birthday would share the same special bond they did.

Spencer kissed Julie on top of her head. “The reason I left early that night was to avoid a black and pink birthday cake.”

Again, the family laughed and Avery coughed behind a disguised, “You’re welcome.”

“But I had something very important to attend to. Julie agreed that night to be my wife.”

Avery was sure that the announcement wasn’t a surprise to any of them, but they all cheered and moved in around the couple to congratulate them and honor them.

When Avery made it to Spencer she cupped his face in her hands and gave him a noisy kiss on the cheek. “I will always make you celebrate with a pink and black cake. In fact, I want to be in charge of your wedding cake.”

“No,” he said pulling her hands from his face and then looked down at her ring.

Julie looked down as Spencer brought her hand into view.

“What is this?” he asked and the sparkle had left his eyes.

She’d forgotten she’d had it on. Perhaps she should have taken it off.

Pete moved in behind her and Spencer lifted his eyes to him. “Are you kidding me?” he whispered.

“About what?” Pete asked as he wrapped his arms around Avery’s waist.

Spencer leaned in. “What’s going on?” He was still whispering.

“I caught her, Spence. I’m getting a wife too.”

“No shit!” There was no whispering now as Spencer leaned back and Julie pushed in to hug Avery.

Darcy moved in next to her brother. “What?”

Spencer lifted Avery’s hand and showed it to Darcy.

“What is that? That’s a ring! What are you wearing a ring for? Who?” she asked as she looked at Pete. “You and Pete? When did this happen? Where have I been?”

Her voice had risen too and soon Avery’s parents had made their way to the center of the crowd.

“Avery?” Her father looked at her.

Avery looked up at Pete who winced. “Well, this isn’t how I expected this to go.” He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. “Sir, it seems as though in my excitement I missed a step.”

“You missed a step? Maybe you should fill me in.” Her father’s eyebrows raised.

Avery looked around at her family, which had all gathered in close. She was sweating and she was sure that Pete was too.

“Mr. Keller, without your blessing I asked your daughter to marry me. But right now, I sure would like your blessing.”

Her father continued to stare at him a moment too long, Avery thought, before a smile moved across his lips.

“I have no idea how you finally convinced her, but son, you’re the only man I ever would have given my blessing to.”

Her father pulled Pete to him first, before he included her in their embrace. A moment later the entire family was congratulating them.

When Spencer finally gathered her in his arms she whispered in his ear. “I’m sorry. That was supposed to be your moment.”

“I figure we now know why we were all here.”

“I thought you were here to see me off.”

He pushed back and looked down at her. “See you off. You’re still not thinking of moving are you? That’s ridiculous.”

“Avery?” Her mother’s voice broke through the noise of the celebration and she looked at her. “You’re getting married and you’re still moving?”

Could she possibly break the woman’s heart any more than she was?

Pete stepped to her side. “Mrs. Keller, Avery really feels strongly about going to France. I’ll be there to take care of her. I promise.”

Her mother looked at Pete. “I heard you were up for a promotion. You didn’t get it?”

Pete looked down at her and gave her a reassuring squeeze as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

“I did get the promotion. I gave it up to be with Avery. I love her. I have always loved her.”

Tears streamed down her mother’s cheeks. “I knew that part. I’m going to miss the two of you.” She pulled them in and held them as she cried.

Avery let her own tears fall. There were no more secrets, she thought. They could get on that plane on Wednesday and fly away—together.

Chapter Eight

Pete thought he should have been enjoying a day where he wasn’t at work, but it only managed to remind him that he didn’t have a job.

The landlord had dropped by and they had made arrangements for Wednesday’s departure. He was sad to see him go, he’d said. It seemed that Pete was an ideal tenant. The new tenant would be moving in on Thursday.

As they readied to go to his parents’ house for dinner he noticed that Avery had nearly been avoiding him.

Standing in front of the bathroom mirror he watched as she pulled her long, beautiful hair back and banded it into a ponytail.

She looked into the mirror and batted her eyes at him. “What are you looking at?”

“You. You’re just the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

She turned, moved to him, and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’m nervous. What if your mom cries like mine did?”

Pete pulled her in. “She will. Just be ready for it. I have sisters too. They’re going to cry.”

“I feel horrible. I’m taking you away from them.”

“I made my own choice. Besides, by the time they’re done being shocked that I finally convinced you to marry me, they won’t notice we’re in France.”

She focused those dark chocolate eyes on his. “Pete, you’ve always been my dearest friend. And I won’t lie, I thought about us a few times, but I thought you only loved me as your friend. When did you decide I was the one?”

He tried to control his grin, but it pushed through. “About the seventh grade.”

“No,” she laughed. “Be serious.”

Pete lifted her chin with his finger. “I’ve never been more serious.”

He wondered how she never could have known how he felt. Surely he hadn’t been able to hide it as hard as he tried. Obviously he hadn’t done too well. The entire Keller family knew how he felt about her and how many times had his sisters and his mother asked when he was going to finally make his move on her?

“Do you think your mother will be okay with me? I mean as a daughter-in-law.”

“Avery she loves you as much as she loves my sisters.”

She rested her head against his chest. “I love them, Pete. I just want them to be happy.”

Because he knew his own voice wouldn’t be steady enough to convey it, he didn’t tell her they’d be fine with it. His mother and father adored and loved Avery. However, deep inside he knew that his mother would have reservations about them moving, though she’d never think about sharing them in front of Avery.

Avery stared at the overfilled plate in front of her. As usual Pete’s mother had over done herself. On the short notice, only his sister Kacey and his brother Sean, and their families, had made it. That was all the better, Avery thought. The moment Kacey had seen her ring she’d started to cry. Then his mother cried. Sean’s wife cried and that sent his daughter into hysterics because everyone else was crying.

Avery did have her confirmation on how much his mother cared for her though. She’d immediately pulled to her bosom and held her there for a long time. Then she hurried her through the house to show Avery her well-preserved dress and her own wedding album.

It was a bonding moment for the women. No longer was Avery just Pete’s best friend and the woman he took care of. She was to be his wife and it seemed as though that thought made his mother very happy.

“I should have lunch with your mother,” Pete’s mother said as she turned the page to her wedding album. “I haven’t had the pleasure for years.”

“She’d enjoy that. She loves to lunch,” Avery laughed. “I suppose that stems from her
old life
.”

“I wondered if she ever missed that jet set life.”

Avery had always assumed she missed it a little bit. The trade off, however, had been greater. True love was abundant around Avery. She’d seen it in her parents, her grandparents, and her aunts and uncles. Now her cousins had all married and they were absolutely all smitten with their husbands and wives—just as she was finding she’d been with Pete for years. Well, she was known for being stubborn. She figured having taken so long to realize she was in love with the man proved it.

“Do you suppose you’ll honeymoon somewhere?” his mother asked as she pulled a photo album out of the chest where she’d collected so many memories.

“I’ve never been to Monte Carlo.”

His mother’s eyes widened. “Oh, I think of Grace Kelley when I think of Monte Carlo. She was such a beautiful bride and don’t you think Kate Middleton’s dress was just as classy? What kind of dress are you thinking of?”

Avery didn’t know what to say. She hadn’t really thought about anything that had to deal with the wedding. She was just thinking about getting on that plane Wednesday morning and having Pete right next to her.

“I don’t know. But knowing my mother’s love for fashion I’m sure…”

Both women turned their heads toward the door when they heard something crash to the floor in the other room. Before they could get to their feet, she heard Pete’s voice yell, “Dad!”

Pete fell to the floor next to his father. One second he’d been putting a covered dish in the refrigerator and the next moment he was grabbing hold of the shelf and then falling to the ground, taking the shelf full of items with him.

Quickly, he pushed away everything that had fallen around him as his sister fell to the floor next to them. Her husband grabbed for their children and escorted them out of the room.

“Avery!” Pete shouted. “We need you!”

“We need to call 911,” Kacey said as she stared at their father.

Pete shot her a look. “Do it!”

Avery and his mother skirted the wall into the kitchen at the same time. Avery dropped down right next to him as her father had trained her to do. His mother gripped the counter and his brother moved in and steadied her.

He watched Avery assess his father while he heard his sister on the phone.

“What happened?” she asked, her voice calm and stern.