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Belle, Stormi, Margaret, and Emily were all in the large SUV headed toward the city. Little Bend did not have enough in the way of shopping. With the wedding coming up in a few months, Belle and Margaret were searching for attendant dresses, while Avery and Emily looked for dresses for the big party.
Avery looked over at Emily and noticed she was working her hands together nervously. Overall though, her decision to venture out and even interact this closely with everyone was a huge sign that progress was being made. She was not as jumpy anymore when they worked together, and bit by bit was sharing tiny details of her life.
The conversation for the hour and a half drive had gone in spurts, as it was one of the few moments they all had without work being the driving force.
“Emily, what color dress are you thinking, and do you like super dressy or just casual,” Stormi asked, trying to loop Emily into the chit chat.
“I’ve never had a new dress, so I’m not sure,” she said, with a small furrow in her forehead.
Stormi never missed a beat, or even looked sympathetic, which Avery had come to learn irritated Emily. Emily just wanted to be normal and start having people consider her an adult.
“Yeah,” Stormi said. “That means we can dress you up in all the styles and see what works. I always wear the same thing, and I am not very adventurous. Besides, you are slim, so I think you can do a lot of styles.”
“I’m willing to try anything,” Emily added. “Although I hate the color pink.”
“I always thought most shades reminded me of Pepto Bismol,” Belle interjected from the front seat.
“Definitely, not my shade either,” Margaret chimed in.
“Jake loves me in baby blue,” Belle said. “I’m thinking of maybe trying to find an outfit for the wedding reception in that shade.”
“Hmmm, an outfit for the reception or afterward,” Margaret said, as Avery watched Belle’s face turn the brightest shade of red ever.
“I think we need to change the subject,” Belle said, through her embarrassment. “Avery, what do you think about the very fine Scout?”
Avery was entirely caught off guard by the question.
“Hey, I’m not the only single one here, what about asking Stormi that question?” Avery was hoping to deflect the question and get off the hot seat.
“Oh no,” Stormi said. “He’s not my type, even though I haven’t dated enough to know my type. That man has eyes for only one of us,” she said and deliberately inclined her eyes toward Avery.
“Nothing is going on between us,” Avery insisted.
“He is one fine-looking man, though,” Margaret joined in, “if it wasn’t for Noah already owning my heart, I might have been tempted that way when he first arrived.”
“He’s also really nice,” Emily said softly, causing all eyes to turn her direction.
“So, we all see his better qualities, Avery? Thoughts?”
“He’s very nice looking,” she said, trying to pick her way through an opinion without getting herself in trouble. “He is super sweet to Jayne when we run into him, but he’s only temporarily at the ranch. I don’t need a temporary again in my life, so I haven’t even considered him.”
“He’s not leaving,” Margaret interjected. “Jack asked that we extend his employment, and he agreed last night.”
Avery felt that announcement throughout her entire body; every nerve along the way was zinging with energy. That was not good news because the biggest obstacle she had mentally put on the man was now shattered. If he were staying, she would have to grow some heavy-duty armor around her heart. She was smart enough to know that something about Scout appealed to her. It had only been a fleeting time since Michael, though, and she was not confident that introducing a man into her world again was the right thing to do at this juncture.
“So? Maybe?” Stormi said, elbowing her.
“No,” Avery said resolutely. “I’ve only been widowed a brief time, and I’m not looking for another meaningful relationship. Between the B&B work, Jayne, and just generally putting down roots I am not in a place where that is possible right now.”
“Well, I think you could do a lot worse,” Belle said. “Jake is so excited about his friend sticking around. Scout was actually going to look at a house just up the road from Jake and his parent’s homes.”
“It’s great that your dad also will have someone to depend on,” Avery said, trying to firmly get the conversation out of the personal zone.
“Yeah, he loves Scout. Says he has the work ethic of ten of these millennials,” Belle chuckled.
“Speaking of your dad, do they expect the cast and rehab to be done in time for the wedding,” Stormi asked.
“Yeah,” Belle responded.
Everything else faded a bit into the background as Avery glanced out the window. Scout would find someone else here at the ranch. The women obviously loved him; the men respected him, and soon he would build a support network that would keep him at Living River. She wished she had the nerve and gumption to pursue that, but she had not ever dated as an adult. And relationships were tricky at best, but Jayne made things a bit more interesting to navigate. It just was not in the cards for now, but for some reason, despite her brain knowing this, the region around her heart was throbbing enough to tell her, it might not be on board with her plans.
