The Escape Clause Read online

  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.

  “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 w
here 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.