The Magnolia Sisters (Magnolia Sisters #1) - Michelle Major Page 0,11
Gray patted her cheek. “I expect you to be polite.”
“I said thank you and told her she could drink your coffee,” his daughter replied. “I have to get dressed for school. Margo is going to be so jealous of my crisscross.”
He straightened as she skipped toward the house.
“I don’t know what your deal is with kids,” he told Avery. “But you made her whole morning and got me off the hook.”
“Braiding is easy.”
“Tell that to the American Girl doll with knots in her hair after a night with me.”
“You’re into sleeping with dolls?” Avery asked, deadpan. “That’s a super creepy fetish.”
He chuckled at her dry humor, and the sound felt rusty in his throat. “The offer for coffee was real. I can even throw in a banana nut muffin to sweeten the deal. My mom brought them over yesterday.”
It was obvious she wanted to refuse, but then she nodded, making Gray feel like he’d won some sort of neighbor lottery. “Banana nut is my favorite,” she said as they walked toward his house, like she wanted him to understand her acceptance had nothing to do with him.
Fine.
“I’m Gray Atwell, by the way.” He held the screen open with one hand and offered her his other.
“Avery Keller,” she murmured but moved into the house without shaking his hand.
“You and Carrie are sisters?”
“Half sisters.”
“She’s a good person.” He moved toward the cabinets and took out two mugs. “Always has been. The whole town loves Carrie. We went to school together from kindergarten through high school graduation.”
“But you two aren’t dating?”
He frowned as he poured the coffee, not quite understanding her preoccupation with his and Carrie’s relationship. “We’ve always been friends, but never anything more.”
“Did you know Niall?”
He handed her a mug and grabbed the container of muffins his mom had left. “Sure. Magnolia’s a tight-knit community and Niall was our most famous resident, even after his art fell out of favor. He gave a lot back to the town during the height of his fame. He funded the revamping of the main park and a walking trail along Indian Creek, which runs through downtown.”
“A real stand-up guy.” Avery grabbed a muffin. “He turns himself into a local hero while ignoring the fact that he has two extra daughters, one of whom grew up in Magnolia.”
“You have a point.” Gray massaged a hand over his neck. “He left all three of you in a bad position.”
“Meredith didn’t seem to be in any hurry to create long-lasting family ties.”
“Are you?” He took a drink of coffee as she pondered her answer. It would be better if she said no. Better for him anyway. He wasn’t sure where this strange connection he felt toward her came from, but he knew enough at this point not to trust it.
She might be beautifully rumpled at the moment, but he guessed that yesterday’s cool perfection swept closer to the truth of Avery Keller. He’d been there and done that with a sophisticated woman out of his blue-collar league. It had left him with a broken heart and a daughter to raise almost exclusively on his own.
“We need to work out some things with Niall’s assets.”
Gray nodded. “He owned a big chunk of downtown.”
“I own that chunk now,” she revealed, biting down on her full lower lip. “But his finances are in bad shape according to the attorney.”
“And Magnolia is long past its heyday,” he added. “But why you and not Carrie?”
“You think she’s more entitled?”
“To the gallery?” He inclined his head. “She’s dedicated most of her adult life to her father’s legacy, completely giving up her own art along the way.”
Avery’s blue eyes widened. “Carrie’s an artist?”
“She was back in high school, but I don’t think Niall approved. Probably because she was more talented than him.”
He watched her mull over that information and regretted that he’d shared it. If Avery had as much in common with his ex-wife as he suspected