“That’s rough. Were they married?”
“No. They’d divorced a year or so after Everett was born.”
“I know you’re not close but why didn’t Mason consider you as a possibility to watch his son?” I wanted to know this answer for selfish reasons. I wanted to know if she’s said no, if she didn’t like children.
She bit her lip. “I barely know Everett. That’s partially my fault, I suppose. I didn’t try to get to know him. I didn’t visit because Everett lived with his mother, Darlene, most of the time, and I don’t know her. Mason only has every other weekend visitation when he’s not deployed.”
She paused as if deep in thought, so I waited her out, watching Declan circle the statue, then stopping to talk animatedly to another child.
“Maybe I should change that.” She bit her lip as if the thought worried her.
I turned my attention to her, happy she was interested in making a connection with her brother and nephew. “I think that’s a good idea.”
“You do?”
“It’s never too late to make the effort. I’m so grateful I moved back even if it was only a month before Julian died.”
Her face softened. “That’s true.”
I wanted to know more about her, what shaped her, what influenced her. “Did you grow up in Virginia?”
Her gaze was trained on Declan. “Yeah, in Virginia Beach. I met Dylan in law school in Baltimore, got a job, and stayed.”
“You didn’t want to go back?” I watched her to see her reaction.
Her face pinched. “There wasn’t anything for me there. This is my home now.”
The sun filtered through the leaves, patches of sunlight on her hair, and face. “I’m glad we ran into you.”
“You are?” Her face lifted to mine.
“Yeah. We can walk around together.” I didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to spend more time with Avery.
Her gaze drifted to Declan, then back to me. “Okay.”
Her expression was soft.
I wanted to see her like this more often. As much as I liked the feisty side of her, I liked this soft and sweet side more.
She gestured at the building the midshipmen marched into, then to the chapel. “You already know this is Bancroft Hall. We can’t go inside while they’re eating, but the brochure says we can tour the chapel as long as there aren’t any weddings or services going on.”
“That would be great.”
I approached Declan. “Hey, buddy. Want to check out the church?”
Declan dropped the stick he’d picked up to play with, brushing his hands off on his shorts. “Sure.”
“We can’t stay too long. I don’t want him to be too tired to bike back,” I whispered to Avery so Declan couldn’t hear.
“No problem. We can see the church, then maybe check out the visitor center. He might like the model planes.”
Declan perked up. “Model planes?”
“Yeah, but let’s see the church first, okay?” I told him.
Declan nodded in agreement.
We walked across the manicured gardens of the quad to the church. It was an imposing stone building covered with a green dome.
“It doesn’t look like there’s a wedding today.” The large black doors were propped open, inviting us inside.
We walked up the steps inside the building. Large stained glass windows lined the walls, depicting what looked to be various Naval stories, the walls curved into a dome in the ceiling.
“It seats twenty-five-hundred people and the organ is the largest in the world,” Avery continued to read from the brochure.
“Neat.” Declan walked ahead of us.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “I think I have only a few more years of him being interested in things like this before teenage boredom takes over.”
“That’s probably true. Are you enjoying being with him?” We’d stopped at the front of the church.
“I am. I’m enjoying getting to know him better. The reasons I’m here suck though.” I kept one eye on Declan who was respectfully taking in the grandeur of everything, and another on Avery. I was proud that Declan was the kind of kid I could trust to be out of reach and not cause any trouble.
“You’re doing a great job with him.” Her lips curved into a smile.
“I think the credit goes to Julian in this case. I’m glad I ran into you.” I wanted to reach out and touch a strand of her hair like I had at the fundraiser, but my words sat in the air between us.
“You are?” She tilted her head back to look at my face.
“Yeah, I like to see you like this, relaxed, happy.” I placed my hands in my pockets to stop my compulsion to touch her, rocking back on my heels.
She grimaced. “I can be a little uptight at work.”
Declan started walking back down the aisle toward the exit, so we followed.
I bumped her shoulder playfully with my arm. “I’m intense when I’m working too.”
We walked to the visitor’s center where Declan ran from one exhibit to another, talking me into a model plane from the gift shop. I didn’t usually enjoy museums, but I stopped at each exhibit pointing out interesting facts to Avery. I enjoyed her company. I didn’t want our visit to end.
“I’m starving,” Declan said as we exited campus.
“I have snacks in my bike pack but we’d better head back for dinner.” I allowed my voice to fill with regret.
“Where did you park your bikes?” Avery paused on the sidewalk outside the Naval gate.
“At the marketplace.” I was curious where she lived. If she’d driven or walked.
“I can walk with you. I’m going in that direction.”
I smiled, hoping she’d agreed to walk with us because she wanted to spend more time with us. We walked side-by-side, Declan ahead of us. “Where do you live?”
“The old firehouse. I live in the apartment above it.”
“I know the one.” It was a tiny historic building with a red door. Only one engine must have fit in there.
“Cool! You live in a firehouse? Is there a pole?” Declan called over his shoulder.
Avery laughed. “Yeah, no. It’s been renovated, so it’s just a regular apartment. I have a little balcony with a tiny table and chairs. It’s nice.”
I wanted to say it sounded cute like her but I couldn’t, not with Declan watching us.
We continued in silence, enjoying each other’s company, or at least I hoped she was enjoying being in mine. That she wouldn’t decide a man with a child to care for was a complication she didn’t want.
The crowd thickened the closer we got to the marketplace. I slowed my steps, reluctant to part ways. Stopping in front of our bikes, I said, “Thanks for spending the afternoon with us.”
“It was a nice surprise. If I hadn’t run into you, I would have toured it by myself.”
Normally, I wouldn’t have thought anything of that statement, but it made her sound lonely. It made me think she was grateful she’d run into us. “If there’s anything else you want to see, we’d be happy to go with you. When I lived here, I didn’t appreciate everything that’s here to see.”