Love on Beach Avenue (The Sunshine Sisters #1) - Jennifer Probst Page 0,47
they’d have a glass of punch with me while she looked for her friends. I almost fucking died. But you know what? Those guys patted my shoulder, brought me into their group, and handed me some punch. They made me feel accepted, and by the end of the night, I’d made friends. And I needed friends in Ally’s school. It was hard taking care of her when I wasn’t an official parent, especially at my age. It was almost as if everyone else felt they knew what was best for her.”
“How old were you when you were named her official guardian?”
“Nineteen. She was in fifth grade.” A flicker of pain crossed his features, but was quickly hidden. “Too damn young.”
Avery thought of being nineteen, fresh out of high school, and becoming a parent. Even worse, he’d had his own grief to deal with, and no parental support. “So were you,” she said softly.
“I was old enough.”
“I know your mom died of cancer. Ally told me your father died of a heart attack. She said the grief of losing your mom affected his health.”
His muscles stiffened. A shadow passed over him, dark and ravaged and angry. She sucked in her breath at the glimpse of raw emotion and wondered what had caused it. Something bigger than his parents’ death? A secret he refused to share? Curiosity stirred, and she almost pushed, but the waiter came back and set a plate down in the center of the table.
“Crabby balls,” he practically sang in a falsetto. “Enjoy!”
Their gazes met and locked.
She burst into laughter again, and he shook his head, reaching over to stab a ball with his fork. They ate and fell into casual chitchat, catching up and sharing stories about Ally and their highlights of the good old days. By the time dinner was complete and she was sipping a cappuccino, she’d almost completely forgotten about planning Ally’s bachelorette party.
“Time for work,” she announced, pulling out her files. “This afternoon, I spoke with Ally and the bridesmaids to get a feel for what type of trip they wanted. They requested relaxation, beach, and pampering. No big-city trips, and no one wants to deal with additional airfare, so it needs to be drivable.”
“Wait, I told you they’d given me carte blanche on planning this trip.”
She refused to look guilty for doing her job. “Yes, I know, but I thought it would be a good idea to ask what type of getaway they were specifically looking for to make the job easier. And then Ally suggested I could help you since I know more about the area and options.”
He shook his head. Irritation flickered over his features along with a strange type of amusement. “I should have known you’d try to hijack the bachelorette.”
“Just listen, I did a bunch of research. I looked at dates, cross-referenced them with possible outings with the criteria they requested, and came up with this list right here.”
She whipped out the spreadsheet that detailed her data. The final page showed the top three destinations that had evolved from her research. “As you can see here,” she said, pointing to the picture, “Dewey Beach in Delaware is a popular bachelorette destination if she doesn’t want to stay in Cape May. They have a fun place called Bottle & Cork that has eighties cover bands if they want to venture out.”
“What else?” he asked, flipping through the various printouts and glossy brochures.
“The Hamptons. It’s at the tip of Long Island, extremely popular in the summertime. Plenty of spas, shopping, and pampering. I have a contact there who can get them all a summerhouse for the long weekend. It’s an impressive mansion with a pool, hot tub, and it’s secluded. Close to the beach.”
She waited for his reaction. He just nodded, a slight frown creasing his brow. Impatience fluttered through her. Did anything impress him? For once, couldn’t he be enthusiastic and excited about her choices? “The third option is right here. Cape May. I can book spa appointments and get some fabulous rooms at Congress Hall. Think gourmet dinners, vineyard tours, and complete pampering, plus no travel. I just need to confirm she doesn’t want to go someplace new with the girls.”
He continued perusing the paperwork, as if waiting to be dazzled. “That’s it?”
She narrowed her gaze. “Yes, that’s it. I’m not sure what you expected, but I think these spots cover what everyone is looking for.”