“No, Syd. I don’t want you fighting this battle for me. Hell, I don’t even want the battle. Whatever … it’s just stuff.”

Sydney takes the serving tray from me and rinses it. “Um … who are you? It’s just stuff?”

“Yeah, I don’t want it. I don’t need it. I don’t need …” I close my eyes, rolling my lips between my teeth.

“Dad said we’re going to the beach.” Ocean and Deedy come in the back door.

“Yes, sweetie pie. We are.” Sydney drops the towel on the counter and hugs her daughter.

“Is Aunt Avery coming?”

I pin a stiff smile onto my face and turn around. “Actually, I’m going to stay here with Papa and the De—” I clear my throat. “Deedy. I’ll take you to the beach next week. Just the two of us for girl time. Does that sound okay?”

Ocean rubs her red eyes and nods. “Okay. I guess …”

“Let’s go get changed.” Sydney runs a loving hand through Ocean’s long, dark hair and guides her toward the stairs.

“I’m going to have a cup of tea. Can I get you one?” Deedy asks, filling the electric tea kettle.

I shake my head and return to the sink filled with dishes. “Where’s my dad?”

“He said he had a quick errand to run, but he had this mischievous look in his eyes, so I’m not sure what he has up his sleeve.” She takes over Sydney’s job and dries the dishes while waiting for her water to heat up. “I talked to Jake last night.”

“That’s nice.”

“He seemed really distressed.”

The Deedy doesn’t understand that “that’s nice” is code for I don’t want to talk about Jake.

“I’d gathered something might be going on between you two … Sydney leaked that much to your dad and me. But after talking with Jake, I now realize it was something quite serious. I’m sorry, Avery. You must be emotionally exhausted. If you want to talk about it.”

“What’s there to talk about? Jake makes everyone think he’s amazing, while I’m just the whore he screwed on a road trip. Does that about sum it up?” I scrub the shit out of the glass pitcher.

“You’re going to etch the surface.” Deedy takes the abrasive scrubber and the pitcher from my hands. Then she rinses it off. “Coffee more your taste?” She holds up the half-full coffee pot.

Resting my hands on the edge of the sink, I close my eyes and nod once.

“Cream? Sugar?”

“No.”

“Please, have a seat … just for a few minutes. The dishes can wait.”

On a defeated sigh, I surrender, taking a seat at the kitchen table. Deedy sets a red mug of coffee in front of me and sits across from me with her hot tea.

“I met Gavin in college.”