I wore the tux I’d bought years ago for an occasion like this. I was accustomed to these kinds of events even though I hadn’t been to one without my ex. As beautiful as Lorelai was, she had a glossy almost perfect look, whereas, Avery was real. Emotion simmered in her eyes, whether it was anger, uncertainty, or defiance. There was nothing fake or contrived about her.
Avery’s eyes darted around the room as if she couldn’t settle on one single thing.
I wondered if she was anxious. She’d mentioned not liking events like this. I resolved to make her feel more comfortable.
She drew in a sharp breath before finally looking up at me. “Do you want to walk around, see the items up for the silent auction?”
“Sure. I’d love to see how everything came together.” We’d talked on the phone a few times over the past week to get the items for the auction. I normally would pawn something like that off to an assistant, but I didn’t have one here. Instead, I used it as an excuse to maintain contact with her.
She’d kept things professional since our Friday night phone call. I hoped to break through her emotional defenses tonight. I let her lead me to a side room where people were milling about checking out the items.
“I can’t thank you enough for doing this.”
“I spoke to the front office about it. It’s not like I called the athletes personally.”
She smiled. “However, you did it, thank you.”
I stood taller, rolling my shoulders back at her praise. We walked around the room scanning the items, tickets for a cruise to Bermuda, signed footballs and jerseys, season tickets. I paused at one that offered a date with one of Baltimore’s football players. That wasn’t one of the auction items I’d discussed with Avery. “What’s this?”
Avery looked away as if she was embarrassed. “That was Dylan’s idea. She called the contact you gave her and spun her magic.”
“Did you bid on it?” The question was out of my mouth before I thought about how it looked to her. Was it a good idea to show how much it would bother me if she won a blind date with a professional football player?
Before my eyes scanned down the list of bidders, she placed a hand on her chest. “Me? No. Definitely not.”
I relaxed slightly. “You don’t want to date an athlete?”
“First of all, it’s not a real date. It’s more of a publicity stunt to raise money.” She was rambling again, her cheeks pink, her hand tightened around my arm.
The desire I felt for her coiled tight in my stomach. I wanted to find out if she was as attracted to me as I was to her. “Good to know one date with me doesn’t have you bidding on other options.”
She glanced up at me, her expression shy. “Thank you for making this happen.”
She’d already said that. She was deflecting. Every time I tried to get close, she’d change the subject, push me away, removing herself from a potentially intimate moment. “Why do you do that?”
“Do what?” Her eyes shifted to the side then back to me.
“Why do you push me away when we get close?” I kept my voice low.
She shook her head slowly as if trying to figure out why I was asking. “I don’t. That’s not what’s happening.”
“Isn’t it? Every time I get too personal, you change the subject.” I held my body still, waiting for her response.
She licked her lips. “I told you I’m awkward in public. This is no different.”
“No. It’s not awkwardness.” I remembered our conversation in her conference room, when she’d revealed a little of her family but stopped short of telling me why she’d sympathized with my situation. Or when I’d mentioned being drawn to her, she’d immediately gotten off the phone.
I touched her cheek, wanting to ground her in this moment, stopping her escape mentally and emotionally. She looked up at me, her eyes wide and uncertain.
I made her uncomfortable. I hoped it was a good sign, that whatever she was feeling was different, maybe more then she’d felt for anyone else.
“Avery? Thank God. I’ve been looking for you everywhere.” Dylan appeared next to us, her gaze pausing on my hand on Avery’s face. “I’m sorry if I’m interrupting something—”
Avery smiled tightly, taking a step back. “You’re not. What can I help with?”
“If you’re sure? I could use your help with the silent auction.”
“Of course. I’ll find you in a bit, Griffin.” She walked away without meeting my eyes.
Was Avery not into me or was she fighting it? I hoped for the latter but wanted to know why she was fighting it. What was it she didn’t like? Was it that I cared for my nephew? It wasn’t something I’d thought about before. After Lorelai betrayed me, I hadn’t thought I’d be interested in dating anyone for a long time. I’d never contemplated dating when I had a child to consider.
“You’re the one behind all of this?” A blond man stopped in front of me, tugging on his collar.
“I helped.” He clearly knew me, but I hadn’t met him.
He held his hand out to me. “Cade Morrison. I’m with Hadley. Kids Speak is her thing.”
“Griffin Locke.”
“I’m not going to pretend I don’t know who you are.”
“My life has been public. I went to a lot of these events when I lived in California.”
“Thanks for helping the women with this. They are worried about Kids Speak being a success here.”
I’d researched the organization after I saw the pictures in their conference room. From everything I’d read, it was a success in New Orleans, a well-respected, well-run organization. “I’m sure it will be. Anything worth doing takes time.”
“I think so too. I run my own nonprofit. Did Avery tell you?”
I tensed, worried he’d hit me up for a donation. “She mentioned something.”
“Morrison Rebuilds. We renovate homes to make them handicapped accessible. Dylan’s helping to raise funds so that I’m not personally covering as much of the costs.”
“Dylan seems to have a knack for getting people to do what she wants.” Although in this case, I was happy Avery asked me to help with the silent auction. I was here, getting to know her better.
Cade shook his head. “She does. That’s why I appreciate her help. I don’t like handling the financial side of things.”
“That’s great.” It was nice not to be asked to back the program. No one led me to the donation table or asked me to pledge money.
Cade pointed at the bar. “Want to get a drink? I don’t think the women will need us much tonight.”
“Sure.” I followed him to the bar.
I asked for a beer, scanning the room as I leaned against the bar top. When I found Avery, she was talking animatedly to Hadley, her hands flying in time with her mouth. I liked her like this, confident in herself.
“Avery doesn’t like these things, does she?” I asked before taking a sip of the beer on tap.
“You know, Hadley mentioned something about her not wanting to come. I think Dylan convinced her.”
The room was full of people mingling by the items up for auction, reading the captions below the Kids Speak pictures outlining the success of the program. “Everything looks great.”