The Escape Clause (8 page)

“He just collapsed.”

Avery placed her hands on his father’s shoulders and shook him as if to wake him. “Mr. Grant, are you ok?” she shouted at him.

There was no response.

She checked his pulse and then lowered her ear to his nose and mouth.

“He’s not breathing. We need to do CPR. Do you remember how to do this?” She looked at him as she positioned herself above his father.

Pete nodded. Curtis had given multiple classes on CPR and he’d demanded she be at every one of them. Pete had been to a few, but under her direction he knew she could walk him through it.

He looked up at his mother who was as white as a ghost.

Avery averted her attention to her as well. “Mrs. Grant, I’m going to start CPR. Kacey is calling for an ambulance. Perhaps you can let them in. Gather his identification and anything he might need.”

His mother nodded and Pete knew it was as much a tactic to keep her calm as it was to get her out of the room.

Swiftly, Avery moved into position. “I’m going to do compressions. You’re going to do breaths.”

He watched as she placed one hand over the other and interlaced her fingers. Placing them on his chest, her elbows stiff, she began to administer compressions. She counted each one.

Pete positioned himself next to his father’s head. When Avery gave him the signal he pressed his hand to his father’s forehead, tilting his father’s head back, and opening his airway.

“Check for breath,” she reminded him.

He listened, but there was nothing. She gave him a nod and Pete administered the first of two breaths, watching his father’s chest rise as he did so. Then he gave another breath.

Avery checked for a pulse, but when she shook her head she began compressions again.

Pete felt as though the process had gone on for hours, but it was a mere four minutes before he heard the sirens from a fire truck followed by the ambulance.

Soon they were spectators as the professionals stabilized his father and pushed him out of the house and into the ambulance.

His mother had gathered all the items Avery had told her to and she rushed out with him.

“You all go, I’ll stay with the kids,” Avery said, as Kacey, Sean, and their spouses seemed to stand frozen watching the commotion.

Kacey gave her a nod. “Thank you,” she said, sobbing now.

Avery looked toward Pete. “Go with them. Keep me informed.”

She still hadn’t broken. Fully in control she reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze. “He needs you with him.”

He could feel his muscles begin to shake. On this evening of celebration, he and Avery had just saved his father’s life. Oh, who was he kidding? Her level head, her strong will, her preparedness had saved his father.

Now here she was taking care of what needed to be taken care of so he could be with his family.

Indeed, he loved this woman to the moon and back.

Pete moved to her, gathered her in his arms, and placed a kiss against her lips. “I love you. Thank you.”

She gave him a gentle smile. “Go. He needs you.”

He nodded and a moment later was piling into his car with his sister, brother, and their spouses as Avery stayed behind to care for his nieces and nephews.

Avery gathered the kids around the TV and found them a movie to watch. Luckily there had been a
Frozen
DVD. That seemed to capture their attention.

When they were all calmly watching the movie, she made them a snack, and then sat just out of earshot and called her mother.

The moment she heard her mother’s voice her strength crumbled.

“Avery, what is it, darling? What is wrong?” Her mother’s voice rose in pitch.

Avery gripped the phone trying to keep her hand from shaking.

“Mom, I need you. Can you please come over to the Grants’?”

“Is everything alright?”

Avery shook her head and closed her eyes trying to hold in the tears so they wouldn’t fall. She was losing the battle. “Pete’s father had a heart attack.”

She heard her mother gasp. “Oh, Avery.”

“Pete and I did CPR. They’re all at the hospital now, but, Mom,” the tears finally burst through. “I need you.”

“I will be there as quickly as I can,” she promised and then the phone went quiet.

Avery went to the bathroom and cleaned herself up. The kids didn’t seem to be shaken and she wasn’t going to rattle them by crying. Though the moment her mother walked through the door she couldn’t promise herself she wouldn’t break down.

~*~

Machines beeped and another machine pushed air into Pete’s father’s lungs. Even in a dimly lit, quiet room, it was noisy.

His mother sat holding his father’s hand and he sat at the foot of the bed trying to keep from falling asleep.

The doctor said that the chances of a full recovery were good since he and Avery had jumped so quickly to save his father’s life. Pete couldn’t take the praise though. It was all Avery.

Once again he was watching another morning arrive in a hospital. If his mother had wanted to go home, he’d have taken her. But she wanted to be by his father’s side.

In time, she’d have to go, but for now, he’d appease her and he’d stay with her.

He’d sent his sister home in his car. His brother was in the waiting room sleeping with his feet propped up on a chair.

Once his father had been admitted, he’d called Avery. Though her voice was as steady as she’d been when she’d sent him away, he knew she’d broken down. After all, she’d told him her mother was there with her.

Pete rested his head back against the wall. Things had changed when his father fell to the ground. Not only had Pete’s own life flashed before his eyes as he watched him, but all plans were off now. There was no way he could go to France. Avery was going to have to call her grandfather and let him know that she wouldn’t be moving.

Chapter Nine

Avery had her mother take her back to Pete’s when his sister had arrived to relieve her. She was exhausted and the moment she fell into the bed she was swiftly taken by sleep.

She woke to soft kisses on her cheek and sunlight beginning to peek through the curtains.

“Pete,” her voice was still full of sleep as she sat up next to him.

His face was shadowed by a day’s worth of whiskers and his eyes were darkened with circles from lack of sleep.

“Your dad?”

Pete let out a deep sigh. “He’ll recover. He has a long road ahead of him, but he’s alive.”

Avery reached toward him and pulled him to her. He clung to her, holding her tightly, and then sobbing.

She wasn’t sure how long she held him in her arms. But when she felt her arms go numb and his body grew heavy she shifted.

“You need to lie down and get some sleep.”

Pete nodded.

Avery moved so that Pete could lie in the bed where she had slept. She noticed the clock on the nightstand. It was six o’clock. For a moment, she considered curling up next to him, but it wasn’t but a moment later and he was fast asleep. She’d let him be. She had emails to answer and phone calls to make. There was so much to do before tomorrow morning.

Pete found her hunched over her laptop with a half eaten sandwich on a plate next to her. She had a notepad next to her and was jotting down something she’d looked up on the Internet.

He moved to her and rested his hands on her shoulders.

Avery jumped. He’d startled her.

“Sorry,” he said softly as he kissed the top of her head.

“I was absorbed.”

Pete sat down in the chair next to her. “What are you studying?” he asked as he picked up the paper next to her. “These are kinds of wine grapes.”

“Right. I figured if I went in with a little knowledge, Grandfather would be impressed.”

Pete dropped the notebook on the table. “It’ll all have to wait, Avery. We can’t go now.”

Her eyes open wide and her lips parted. “Excuse me?”

“My father is going to be in the hospital for a while. They are talking surgery. That means recovery. He needs me right now and we’re just going to have to wait on this trip to France.”

“Trip to France? This isn’t just a trip.”

Pete gritted his teeth. “Regardless of what you’re calling it, I can’t go to France right now. My family needs me here and damn it, Avery, you’re part of that family.”

“All of my belongings are there. Pete, I’ve set up everything to leave on Wednesday.”

He shoved his chair back and stood to pace the kitchen. Everything inside of him wanted to explode. What was she thinking? Was she seriously considering going to France when he was in the middle of all this? This whole plan to move to France was ridiculous anyway. Avery had lost her damned mind.

“I have savings. We can get your stuff shipped back here. We’ll have to move into your place. This one is…”

Avery pushed back her chair and stood erect. She pushed her shoulders back and tossed that long dark hair behind her. She was gearing for a fight and Pete was ready. She’d made all the decisions their entire life. It was time for her to understand that his decisions meant something too.

“My grandfather already has a plane coming for us.”

“Then I guess we’ll have to pay him back for his lost expenses.”

The color in her cheeks reddened. “I’m leaving on that plane in the morning, Pete.”

“And when did you become so selfish?”

“Selfish? I planned on this long before you decided we should get married.”

“Me?” Oh, now he was furious. He moved swiftly toward her, stopping before he grabbed her arms. “Are you not part of this relationship? Are you telling me you didn’t want to marry me?”

Her shoulders dropped and so did her gaze. “No. I didn’t mean that.”

“Avery, I gave up everything to move with you and marry you. Don’t you think you could give me a little consideration when it comes what I need?”

She moved in and wrapped her arms around him. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Pete gathered her in his arms. “Without you he wouldn’t still be here,” he said. “You saved my father’s life.”

“I did what I’m trained to do.”

There was more to it than that. He knew it.

A great deal of tension still brewed between them. In the morning, all decisions would be final. A twist in his gut told him he needed to be prepared for the moment she stepped on that plane and flew away—forever.

~*~

Avery had paced every inch of Pete’s house. He’d taken his mother back to the hospital and Avery had refused to go.

Her heart was breaking and there were moments she’d thought she could actually die from the pain.

No one in her life made her feel the way Pete made her feel. It was no wonder she’d kept him by her side for so long. She loved him. She truly loved him.

But a part of her had to go.

Her entire life she’d absorbed all the stories of her mother’s life before she’d run off with her father. There were parties all over the world. She’d known princes and kings. There were clothes, cars, and a lavish life that Avery wanted to taste and to feel.

Everything about her screamed Parisian debutante. She looked like her mother and her mother had trained her to be accepted in every social circumstance.

Being the daughter of a well-respected doctor had given her some fine lineage to work with in Nashville. Her mother had also kept many of her high-class friends. So Avery was no stranger to what could be.

Maybe Pete was right. Maybe she was a little selfish, but she needed to be. She didn’t have musical talent like Clara or a physical talent like Christian. She couldn’t design and build buildings like Ed and Spencer. Her mother had raised her to give back and to fundraise for charity, but it was her cousin Tyler that thrived at it. Avery was good at nothing.

Her grandfather thought she had some potential though. He was willing to bet a lot on it too. Wouldn’t it be a waste if she didn’t go? What if it was her calling in life? What if she belonged in France?

Love should make her stay in Nashville, she thought as she fixed the pillows on the couch before plopping down on them. Love should make France dull in comparison to what could be if she stayed.

It had been a longing of hers longer than wanting marriage, a house, and a family of her own. There was a wanderlust burning inside of her. She ached to be someone—and to be more than just Pete’s someone.

The thought, though empowering, shattered her. If she walked away, she’d lose him. Lover or not he was her best friend. Would he be that again? Would she want him to be?

Her chest ached and she could taste the tears before they began to stream down her cheeks.

Avery owed this moment of self-discovery to herself. Chances were she’d know right away if moving to France was right. Pete had always been there to see her fly and to catch her when she fell. He’d be there again—right? There was no reason to think differently.

Pete could stay in Nashville and see to his father.

Avery could go to France and see if it settled her.

It wouldn’t be forever that they’d have to be apart. Soon they could be in each other’s arms again when he felt as though he could leave his father’s side.

She looked down at the ring on her finger and gave it a twist. Pulling it from her finger, she looked it over. It was the right thing to do, she decided as she set it on the coffee table. Someday they’d laugh over it. It would be a story to tell their grandchildren about.

Through the tears, she managed to get up and find a piece of paper in a packed box by the door. She wrote him a letter and left it under the ring. In less than twelve hours, she’d be on a plane. This was for her. Selfish as it did seem, just like he said it was, it was for her.

At some point, she’d feel the joy she knew it would create. But it was going to take some time. Right now she ached so badly she thought she might die.

~*~

Pete stumbled in late and exhausted. Guilt nearly incapacitated him. He’d driven his mother home three hours earlier and then went back to the hospital to sit with his sister just so he could avoid Avery. To be honest, it wasn’t Avery he wanted to avoid. It was the conversation they’d have to have. She was hell bent on leaving for France. He was hell bent on staying in Nashville.