The Magnolia Sisters (Magnolia Sisters #1) - Michelle Major Page 0,78
this Avery—”
“Mom.” He pushed away from the desk. “I’m not discussing my private life with you.”
“I worry.”
“You don’t need to.”
“Could you turn off your concern for your daughter?”
“She’s five.”
His mother chuckled. “Trust me, things don’t change that much when a child grows up.” She glanced around the office “You’re a wonderful father. I know your job gives you a lot of satisfaction, and it’s not my place to judge.”
He counted in his head, waiting for the inevitable but. One...two...
“But it was difficult to watch your sorrow after the divorce. I was heartbroken for your heartbreak. I don’t want that again for you.”
“My heart is fine,” he insisted. “Well insulated, protected by many layers of scar tissue.”
“I want you to be happy.”
“What if Avery Keller makes me happy?”
“I knew Niall, of course.”
“Everyone in town knew Niall.” He sucked in a breath. “Please don’t tell me that you—”
“Slept with him?” She made a face. “No. Although, it wasn’t for lack of trying on his part. He tended to be drawn to women who were alone or unhappy. That man had more than his share of demons. He had horrible boundaries and hurt a lot of people despite all the good he did for Magnolia.”
He walked over to the window that looked out onto the street front. “You make him sound like a predator.”
“He hurt a lot of women.”
“Yeah, I think we can all agree on that.” He lifted a hand to the warm glass. The sidewalk in front of the station was empty at the moment. The leaves on the big maple that shaded the building fluttered. In a few weeks, the calendar would usher in another temperate autumn in North Carolina. It was Gray’s favorite time of year. He liked the change of seasons, even if it wasn’t as dramatic along the coast.
He couldn’t help but wonder if Avery would be there to see it.
“I’m not sure what that has to do with Avery.” He turned to face his mother. “Or Carrie or Meredith for that matter. You aren’t suggesting they be blamed for the literal sins of their father.”
“Of course not.” His mother wrung her hands together in her lap. A sure sign that he wouldn’t like whatever was coming next. “But she’s damaged. All those girls are.”
“Christ, Mom.”
“Don’t swear at me.” She rose and took a step toward him. “I have sympathy for her position. The three of them have a long road to healing. But my concern is you. You’re in a better place now. A good place.” She offered a smile, and he knew he should return it.
Instead, he simply watched her, waiting for the next blow.
“If you’re lonely or you want to meet someone, there are plenty of nice women around. Women who are stable.”
“You don’t even know her,” he said through gritted teeth.
“Neither do you,” she countered.
He closed his eyes for a long moment, counted to a full ten in his head. His mother meant well, but this was why he didn’t often involve her in his life. He was a grown-ass man, and she wanted to treat him like a kid.
As if sensing that she’d overstepped some invisible line, Lila came forward and gave him a hug, careful not to squeeze too hard. “If you need anything, call me. I’m here for you, Grayson.” She pulled back, lifting a soft hand to his cheek. “There’s a new English teacher at the high school this year,” she told him. “I met her when she came into the library. Good taste in literature and very pretty. I could invite her for dinn—”
“I appreciate the thought, but no.” With a sigh, he dropped a kiss on the top of his mother’s head. She loved him, even if her skepticism about his capacity to manage his own life chafed. Sometimes he wished his perfect brother would make some monumental screw-up in his life. Take some of the focus off all the ways Gray seemed to stumble.