Chasing Bailey, page 7
part #3 of Lake Harriet Series
“I don’t mind. Like you, I’m not sure what happened. I thought we had a great marriage. We traveled a lot, had a beautiful home, and we had the freedom to come and go as we pleased. I thought we were happy. Melissa, my ex, always complained when I’d have to work, but someone had to earn the money. And she said I could be too serious and boring sometimes. Can you imagine that? Me? Boring?” He laughed, and so did Lisa. “So sometimes when I’d work late writing, she’d go out with girlfriends. I never thought anything of it, until she slapped me with divorce papers and said she’d found someone else.”
“Wow. That must have been a shock. At least with Andrew, I sort of saw it coming. We were arguing a lot and he was pulling away. By the time we separated, I wasn’t too surprised. But I was surprised that he already had a girlfriend and was moving in with her.”
“Yeah. Melissa did the same. She found a guy who makes triple what I do, and my income wasn’t that shabby. I began to think that she’d always been in it for the money. That can sour a guy on relationships pretty quickly.”
The waitress brought their food then left again. They both began to eat. Someone started the jukebox and a country song filled the room.
“How’s your salad?” Avery asked.
“It’s good.” She listened to the song a moment. “So, is this your kind of music? Country?”
Avery looked confused. “Why do you ask that?”
“The boots. You’re wearing cowboy boots.”
He smiled. “Oh, those. Yeah, I do like country music. But I like older rock, too. What about you?”
“I’m more of a pop music gal. Older rock is good, too. Country, though, is depressing.”
Avery shook his head. “That’s a shame. I guess that means we can’t hang out together anymore.”
“Is not liking country music a deal breaker?” she teased.
“Could be.”
They ate in silence a moment. Comfortable silence. Lisa liked that. Avery surprised her. Three days ago, she’d thought he was a grouchy, mean, old man. Old! He wasn’t any of those things. He was a good-looking guy with a great sense of humor. And he seemed decent. After all, not many men would let a woman they hardly knew cry on their chest like she had today. Nor would just any guy fix her fence. He kept surprising her.
They talked a little more about different subjects. He asked about her job, and she told him funny stories about the things the kids did. When she asked how his writing was going, he brushed the subject aside. “It’s all really boring,” he told her. He didn’t order another beer but drank water the rest of the night and she was glad. It showed he was a careful drinker.
After their plates were cleared away and Lisa thought they’d talked themselves out, Avery spoke up.
“Ryan gave me a good idea that I’d like to run by you. Would you mind if I took Bailey out with me when I walked? I could teach him how to heel and he could get some exercise. He really needs that at his young age.”
“You wouldn’t mind?” Once again, he’d surprised her with this thoughtful gesture.
“No, not at all. And it might tire him out enough, so he won’t try to come up with another way to escape. Especially since I didn’t put wire on the opposite side of the yard.”
“I figured with all the trees and bushes there, he wouldn’t dig,” Lisa said. “At least, that’s what I’m hoping.” She hated the thought of digging up around that fence and adding chicken wire. It might kill the plants and trees.
“Hopefully he won’t. So, it’s okay if I walk Bailey?”
“Sure. That would be great.”
Avery paid the bill and drove her home. He walked her up to the porch, even after she’d said he didn’t have to. “This was fun. Thanks for going out with me tonight.”
“Thanks for inviting me,” she said. “And for dinner. It was great.” Lisa unlocked her door and stood there. She wasn’t sure what else to say. It had been a wonderful evening and she hated for it to end, which again, surprised her.
“Well,” he said, looking unsure of himself too.
“Thanks for letting me cry on you today. I’m sorry you got pulled into all of that.”
He moved closer, gazing down into her eyes. “I’m glad I was here. No one should ever cry alone.”
His nearness made her nervous. Would he kiss her? Did she want him to? “I can see now why you write romance novels,” she teased. “You know how to say the right thing.”
This brought a grin on his face. She liked when he smiled. His face was much more handsome with a smile on it.
“Say?” he asked huskily.
“Yes?”
“If you’re not doing anything tomorrow, would you like to go walking?”
This completely threw Lisa. She’d thought he was going to ask if he could kiss her. “Um. Well, other than laundry, I guess I’m not doing anything. Yeah. I’d like to go walking.”
“Good. Maybe around one? We could go to Lake Harriet and walk the trail. Maybe bring Bailey, too.”
“Sure. That would be fun,” Lisa said.
“Great. See you tomorrow.” Avery gave a little wave and walked back to his car.
“Goodnight,” she called after him, still a bit stunned. She went inside and closed the door behind her. Bailey came barreling toward her, ready to jump. Lisa put out her hand the way Avery had done, and the dog stopped in his tracks and sat down.
“It works,” she said. Yes indeed. Avery was full of surprises.
Chapter Nine
For the first time in months, Avery felt happy. Not just a little happy but floating-on-air kind of happy. He’d enjoyed spending time with Lisa and felt comfortable with her. Comfortable enough to share about his marriage and divorce, which he hadn’t spoken about to anyone over the past year. She understood him. She was going through the same thing. It was nice to finally have someone he could talk to.
He slipped into comfortable clothes and headed to his office. His great night made him excited about working on his novel again. But as he reread some of what he’d last written, he frowned. The writing was stilted. The story was boring. It was a terrible book.
What was he going to do?
He needed a new story. A better story. A story about loss and anger and redemption. A story in which love came slowly, and the woman wasn’t the one being saved by the man. Instead, the man would be saved by the woman.
A story like the one beginning between him and Lisa.
He closed the current file and opened a new document, then fervently began writing notes, creating new characters, and even adding a dog. The story forming underneath his fingertips was fleshing out. It was strong. It was real. It was so much better than the one he’d been writing.
Avery smiled. He couldn’t wait for tomorrow so he could spend the day with Lisa. But tonight, he wrote.
***
Saturday morning Avery was up and showered early, then headed to his keyboard again. He wrote all morning, not wanting to break the flow of words. The characters were fun and witty and real. He liked how they teased each other, and he felt what they felt when they hurt. It was the most honest thing he’d ever written. He knew it as the words filled the pages. And it felt amazing.
A few minutes before one, he slipped on his sneakers and a sweatshirt and filled a small backpack with water bottles and protein bars. As an afterthought, he grabbed Maddie’s old leash in case Lisa didn’t have one for Bailey. Then he headed across the street to her house.
Lisa opened the front door just as he stepped on the porch. “Hey, there. We’re ready to go.”
“Great. I wasn’t sure if you had a leash, so I brought one,” he told her, dropping his backpack and pulling it out.
“Wow. You’re a serious walker. A backpack and everything.” She looked impressed.
“I wasn’t sure how long we’d walk. It doesn’t hurt to be prepared.”
“No. I think it’s great. And your leash looks sturdier than the small one I have, so let’s use it. Thanks for thinking of that,” Lisa said.
He smiled, pleased with himself for bringing it. As he snapped the leash on Bailey, he thought: This is going to be a great day.
They strolled to the end of the block, turned left, then turned right at the next block. Their homes were only eight blocks away from Lake Harriet and they passed through neighborhoods similar to their own with older homes built between 1920 and 1950. Charming streets with old trees that shaded the sidewalks and an array of house styles from Craftsman, bungalow, and Tudor to Victorian and farmhouse. It wasn’t until they were across the street from the lake that the houses became larger and more refined, mansions built by the rich from the early 1900s who wanted a view of the lake and to impress their peers.
“I love these old mansions on this street,” Lisa said as they moved along the sidewalk, sidestepping Bailey who was darting between them. “They’re so beautiful.”
Avery grinned as he attempted maneuvering Bailey to stay on his left side and walk in a straight line. “And expensive,” he said.
“I’m sure they are. More than I could ever afford.”
They continued down the block and Avery suddenly stopped. Bailey and Lisa stopped short too. Avery had been staring at one of the big houses and he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
“What’s the matter?” Lisa asked. She glanced around, confused.
Avery felt his blood boil as he stared at a For Sale sign in front of the house. “I can’t believe it! How dare she?”
“How dare who?” Lisa asked, still looking around.
Avery pointed. “That ‘For Sale’ sign. That conniving little witch took my house and now she’s selling it. Can she get any lower?”
Lisa’s gaze followed to where he was pointing. She turned to Avery and suddenly her face showed comprehension. “Was that your house?”
“Yes. It was. Until she took it from me in the divorce settlement even though I was the one who earned the money to buy it. She swore she had to have it. And now, she’s selling it.” He mumbled some four-letter words, then remembered who he was with. “Sorry. Let’s keep walking.”
Avery took off at a fast clip, turned toward the walking path along the lake, then continued his angry stride.
“Avery. Wait up. This was supposed to be a fun walk, not a sprint,” Lisa called, running to catch up with him.
He stopped walking, trying hard to push down his anger. He couldn’t believe it. He’d loved that house. He’d worked hard to have a home that nice. And now some stranger was going to get it.
When he saw the exasperation on Lisa’s face as she caught up, his anger abated. Instead, he felt remorseful. “I’m sorry, Lisa. I shouldn’t have acted like that. I’m just so shocked at seeing my old house for sale. I know it’s just a house, but it was my house. And she’s tossing it away like old garbage.”
Lisa moved closer to him and placed a hand on his arm. “I get it. And it’s not just a house. It was your home. You have a right to be angry.” She turned and looked at the house again. “It’s beautiful. I’d be angry if someone took it away from me.”
He softened as he stared at Lisa. She looked so cute, with her hair up in its usual ponytail, her skin soft and pink from rushing after him. She was beautiful. He wondered if she knew just how beautiful she was. “Thanks for understanding.” He glanced down at Bailey, who was sitting next to him, watching other walkers pass them. “Come on. Let’s keep walking. I’ll burn off my aggravation.”
“Are you sure? We can go back if you’d rather,” Lisa said.
“I’m absolutely sure. I’d rather be out here with you and Bailey than sitting in my house, stewing.” He wrapped an arm around her waist as if it were the most natural thing for him to do.
Lisa smiled widely. “Sounds good.”
The day was beautiful. The sun was shining, and the temperature was cool enough that they didn’t get overheated. The leaves on the trees were just beginning to turn color, but it would be a few more weeks before they peaked. Avery put his energy into teaching Bailey how to heel as they strode along the path. He shortened the leash at first so Bailey would stay close to him, then said, “Heel,” as they walked. Bailey, however, was too intrigued by the other walkers, runners, and bikers, and didn’t listen very well.
“It’ll take a while before he gets the idea,” he told Lisa. “But it’s a good start.”
The trail was nearly three miles long, so they strolled at a leisurely pace so as not to tire out. Halfway along the trail, they sat on a bench to drink water. Avery offered Lisa a protein bar.
“Wow. You do think of everything,” she said, accepting it.
He pulled a small bowl out of the pack and filled it with water for Bailey. The dog happily lapped it up.
“I used to run with my dog on this trail,” he told Lisa. “So I was always prepared with water for her.”
“You had a dog? What happened to her?” Lisa asked.
Avery sighed. “My ex happened. She got the house, the dog, and pretty much everything else. She didn’t even like the dog. She took Maddie to hurt me.”
“That’s terrible! She does sound like a witch,” Lisa said, her face growing red with anger.
Avery chuckled. “Yep. I’m not just making it up. So, you can see why I was so unsociable this past year. After what she did to me, I didn’t trust anyone. I wanted to wallow in my misery.”
“I guess we all have our issues. Andrew changed his mind after we’d settled on custody for Abby when he found out how much he had to pay for child support. Now, he’s taking me back to court to get joint legal and physical custody so he can pay less. I’m hoping that he doesn’t really want to take Abby more than every other weekend, but I also can’t live on less money. It’s scary.”
Avery frowned. “That’s awful. Does your lawyer think Andrew will win?”
Lisa shrugged. “My lawyer works pro bono. He’s swamped. He said because Andrew hadn’t asked for joint custody when we divorced, the judge will see his motives and not grant it. I’m not so sure.”
He leaned in closer to Lisa. “I’m sorry. I hope it works out.”
She gave him a small smile. “Can I ask you about your house? Is that where your home gym was?”
“You remembered that? Yeah. I had a great home gym. And the house is beautiful. It was built in 1922 and has all the original woodwork, hardwood floors, and light fixtures. There’s amazing stained and leaded glass windows and cool little nooks and cubbies. There’s even a back servant’s staircase from the kitchen to the upstairs, and servant quarters off the kitchen. It has a big yard, too. I just love that house.”
“It sounds amazing. You should buy it back from her. I mean, if you can.”
“That’s the problem. I don’t know if I can afford it now. My divorce was expensive. She not only got half my money and the house, but she gets thirty percent of royalties from any books I wrote while we were married. That’s all my books up to this point. It cuts into my income quite a bit.”
“Wow. I’ve never heard of that. That’s terrible.” Lisa looked appalled.
“I agree.”
They threw away their garbage then continued their walk. Bailey was getting tired, so he didn’t pull on the leash as much and Avery used that as an opportunity to praise and reward him for heeling. Soon, they’d made the complete circle and had crossed the street, heading home.
Avery stopped once more in front of his old house and stared up at it.
“You should call your ex and find out why she’s selling it,” Lisa suggested. “And you should try to get your dog back. Now that she’s selling the house, she may not want Maddie anymore.”
Avery thought about that a moment. Lisa was right. He should talk to Melissa. Maybe, after all these months, she’d at least give Maddie back. “I think you’re right. I’m going to call her.”
Lisa smiled. She took his free hand and held it and they began walking again toward home.
Avery liked how her hand felt in his. He’d been right. Today had turned out to be a good day after all.
***
Lisa couldn’t believe she’d taken Avery’s hand and held it all the way home. But it had seemed like such a natural thing to do. And she’d liked it. It felt good to hold someone’s hand again. She wasn’t sure what was going on between them and didn’t want to analyze it. She just wanted to enjoy the warmth of her hand in his.
As they walked to her house, they passed Kristen and Ryan’s home. Ryan was outside with little Marie, pulling her around in her wagon as Sam and Kristen watched from the porch.
“Hey, there,” Ryan called, waving. “Nice day for a walk.”
“It is,” Lisa said. She went up their sidewalk with Avery and Bailey in tow. “What are you two up to?”
“We just got back from a walk around the block,” Ryan said. “Now we’re trying to figure out what to do for dinner.”
“Where’s Abby?” Kristen had come down from the porch with Sam at her heels. Sam and Bailey greeted each other. Bailey had known Sam since he was a small puppy and the two got along well.
“She’s with Andrew this weekend,” Lisa said. “Avery was teaching Bailey how to heel.”
Ryan chuckled. “How did that go?”
“It’s a process,” Avery said with a grin.
“We were thinking of going to Gallagher’s for dinner. Do you two want to join us? Mallory said she’d pack up Shannon and come along too,” Kristen said.
Lisa eyed Avery to see his reaction. She wasn’t sure if he was ready to join in on a crowd of neighbors and little children for dinner. He was great with Abby, but a table full of people might be too much for him. Especially after seeing his old house for sale today.
“I’m game if you are,” Avery said after a moment.
“Are you sure?” she asked softly.
“Yeah. Why not?”
Lisa turned back to Kristen. “That sounds like fun. What time should we meet you there?”
The group planned to meet downtown at six. Since they were bringing their little ones, they had to be home early to get them to bed. Lisa told Avery she wanted to change before going, and he agreed he needed to clean up, too.
