Cheryl Harper - Smoky Mountain Sweethearts

He glanced up at Avery’s window again. Her shadow was gone.

“Tell me your plan,” he said slowly. “Wait. Let me tell you mine first. You both ride up in Mom’s car, and then Janet drives her own car back. Simple enough.” He didn’t know why he wasted his breath. If they were going with the logical plan, they’d already be on the road.

“Or...” His mother scooted forward in her chair, her expression conspiratorial, as if he was being let in on a big secret. She’d used that on him successfully before, so it was easy enough to avoid her trap.

If he wanted to avoid her trap.

“Or you could take Avery up, get her out of the house, drive through town and hit some old familiar spots,” her mother said as she traced an imaginary route with her finger, “and end up at the trailhead.”

Sam crossed his arms over his chest. “Or you could do that.” He pointed at the Cadillac. “In your car. Get lunch on the way up?”

It seemed like a good suggestion. His mother might be the best cook he knew, but she never turned down a reason to eat food someone else cooked.

Avery’s mother reached forward to press her hand to his forearm. “Sammy,” she said, in the same tone she’d used to ask for every favor since he was old enough to haul garbage cans or mow the grass, “she has to get out of that house. I told her that last night. I mean, I made it a threat. Still no change today. She needs time with old friends and people who aren’t old enough to be her mother.” Janet snorted. “And yes, that includes her mother.”

They both watched him closely.

They might be right. If she got out of the house, some of the old Avery color might come back.

That didn’t mean she wanted him to be her chauffeur.

“This is because of the remarks I made about Hendrix last night, isn’t it?” Sam said as he pushed away from the porch, annoyed at himself all over again. He’d known it was an error, but he’d hoped they’d let it slide in the tense aftermath of Avery’s rescue. “You’re matchmaking. You think she won’t see through that?” Since he still hadn’t decided how he felt about the way she’d looked at Brett Hendrix, he wasn’t sure if their plan was bad enough to be safe or bizarre enough to work, so the best option at this point was to destroy it with logic. “She’s a widow. She needs time to figure everything out, and I am going to be leaving Sweetwater soon. I hope.”

Watching his mother’s joy at her scheme fade was painful, but he had to be firm about following his own plans. If not, this restlessness would drive him insane.

“And how many times do I have to say that I don’t need or want a man in my life before you believe me?” Avery said from her spot near the fence separating their houses.

Her mother turned. “I don’t know what either one of you are talking about. I thought someone else might have more luck lighting a fire under you.” Sam had had less opportunity to judge Janet Abernathy’s acting skills, but he almost bought it. “I only want to get my car back.”

Avery shook a key ring in the air, the jingle of keys loud in the peaceful afternoon. “Yeah, me, too. That’s why I came out. Miss Regina, can Mama and I borrow your car or will you give me a ride back to Otter Lake?” Avery smiled. “Then I’ll be happy to treat you both to dinner while Sam goes to do...whatever he’s going to do.”

Sam frowned at her dismissive tone, uncertain how he became the bad guy when all he’d done was return empty dishes in the hope of leaving with full ones. “You afraid to spend time with me, AA? You are falling for me.” He held up both hands. “I get it. I do. But believe me when I say, when I move to Colorado, I can’t be bringing you along. Single guys supposedly have an advantage and I am happy for every advantage.”

The tense silence that followed his dumb words, only meant to tweak Avery’s attitude, was a clue that he’d miscalculated. If he wanted his mother to get with the program and root for him to get this job, mentioning anything that would further delay her plans for his settling down and giving her the grandchild she’d been going on about since before he’d figured out how to talk to a girl without punching her in the arm...that was a mistake.

Did he want her to focus on Avery? He wanted that even less than Avery did.

“What sort of ridiculous policy is that, I’d like to know?” his mother snapped. “That’s discrimination. That’s what that is.”

Sam met Avery’s stare, happy to see the wicked glint in her eyes. She knew his distraction had taken a turn he hadn’t expected.

“I want to speak to your boss about that.” Regina yanked her jacket down. “After you get the job, of course.”

His mother never once doubted his ability to do anything he wanted to do or be anything he wanted to be. Casting doubt on his suitability, even if he had made up most of that, was one way to turn her from worried opponent to supportive ally.

“It’s not a written policy, Mom,” Sam said. It would be illegal even if it was never written. “It’s better, makes the work easier, if the strings are limited.”

Her disgusted huff was loud and clear in the sunny front yard.

“You know, Avery is almost a lawyer,” Janet said slowly. “Didn’t you take a bunch of courses in employment laws or something?”

This time, Sam knew his own eyes held a wicked glint. He’d never planned on dragging her further into the mess, but it was nice to watch her squirm.

“Labor laws, and yes, but I was concentrating on contracts,” Avery said as she limped through the gate in the fence line. “And as you repeatedly remind me, I never finished that degree. Besides that, there’s no way that is a policy, written or unwritten.” She crossed her arms over her chest, feisty in the bright sunshine because she knew his game and was determined to play to win. “He’s reaching for an excuse, Ms. B. If he finds the right girl, he’ll change his tune.”

Sam ran a hand down his nape, off balance and uncertain which argument to make. Avery would shut it down, whatever tack he chose. “Doesn’t change the fact that Avery is about as low on the list of possible suspects as could be. My match? She’ll beat me to the top of Yanu Falls.” He crossed his arms over his chest, a perfect mirror of her annoyed pose. “Fair and square.”

Her face had more color after a full night of rest, but she needed a push. He could push.

The atmosphere of a rousing cat-and-mouse game evaporated as Avery stomped closer to his reserve truck. “Let’s go get the car. Straight there. Straight back. We don’t negotiate with terrorists or matchmakers.”

Before Sam had a chance to agree or disagree, Avery yanked the door open and slid inside.

He propped his hands on his hips and tried to decide how he’d lost control of the conversation and whether or not he was going to take her interference in stride. Normally, his mother was the only managing woman in his life and he loved her enough to go along with it. Every now and then, Janet Abernathy took a step forward and did string-pulling, and he could accept that good-naturedly because she was his mother’s best friend and she loved him almost as much as his mother did.

The last thing he’d want, though, was to sign up for a third bossy female. Avery was glaring at him through the windshield and made a “hurry up” motion with her hand.

“You know, it would tick her off if you go for a drive through town. It’s your day off. Live a little.” His mother picked up the empty containers he’d left on the porch railing. “If your trip takes long enough, I’ll have dinner ready and we can refill these before you go home.”

“Take her by the pie place,” Avery’s mother said. “Girl needs to eat and you remember how she loved it.” The pie place stood across the main street from Sweetwater’s library. Avery had loved both.