Maybe Just One More

Chapter 14. Apologize

Mason and Avery started spending more time with each other, so whatever suspicion Mason had, it was gone. Things between Avery and me were tense, but we didn't talk about it. Neither of us seemed to know what to say to the other. 

I did the best I could to pretend I wasn't as upset with Avery and the truth was I wasn't. Why would Avery want to listen to Mason and me complain about our parents when he only had one left? I wasn't upset with Avery nearly as much as I was with myself. This is how I knew we could never work. I was an insecure, immature, cranky, overly-sensitive sixteen-year-old girl. On the other hand, Avery was a confident, sexy, funny, smart eighteen-year-old and more mature than most forty-year-olds in the ways that it mattered at least. 

Avery had made no attempt to talk to me. He watched me often and didn't care that I would catch him doing it. I, on the other hand, stared at him from afar like a stalker. I hated the girls who paraded around him and groped him on a daily basis. I saw that the most, and it was a big part of what kept me away from him. 

He could have any girl in Texas, and one day, I wasn't going to be his choice anymore. Avery Prince wouldn't want me forever, and God only knows why he wanted me now. Maybe it was an adrenaline thing because had we been caught, shit would have hit the fan. Who the hell would want to put up with me? My own damn family doesn't want to even deal with me.

"Stormie." 

I turned at the sound of my name. "Oh, Ryder, hey," I stuttered. "What's up?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to catch a movie tonight?" he asked.

My lips parted in surprise. I bit down on my bottom lip and looked down at my feet as I tried to gather my thoughts. My thoughts had been centered on Avery most of the day because I knew he would be coming to my house after school. 

"That's not a good idea," I said and looked back at him.

"Why?" Ryder asked.

"Um, my brother," I said. Shouldn't that be obvious? "I don't date Mason's friends."

"Really? Not even Avery?" Ryder asked.

How the hell does he even know that? "What?" I scoffed and chuckled. "That's ridiculous."

"Is it? You two were always talking to each other, and then suddenly, it stopped a few weeks ago?" Ryder challenged. He raised both eyebrows.

"Of course we talk," I said and shrugged. "Avery is Mason's best friend. He's practically like my other annoying older brother."

"Right. Who are you trying to convince you or me?" Ryder smiled. "Give me a call sometime if you change your mind. The difference between Avery and me is I wouldn't try to hide you." Ryder slipped me his number and walked the other way.

I stared at the number in my hand for a long moment before I looked up and saw Avery staring at me. I swallowed hard. Oh boy. How much of that did he hear?

"Are you coming?" Avery asked nonchalantly. 

"Yeah," I said and sighed.

Avery and I walked to the truck in silence. We climbed into the cab and waited for my brother. As much as I didn't want to, I knew that I had to speak to him. 

"Avery," I started.

"Hmm?" he hummed.

"I'm going car shopping soon. I found a few in my price range so that you can have the Plymouth back. I can have Mason run me to work in the next couple of weeks. I want to save up a little extra."