Always Austin

Always Austin—© Anna Brooks

Copyright © 2022 Anna Brooks

Published by Anna Brooks

Editing by Editing4Indies

 

 

CHAPTER 1

Piper

I had made a lot of mistakes in my life, more than the average woman… at least out of the women I knew. I didn’t want to say getting pregnant at sixteen was a mistake because my daughter was the best thing in my entire world, but the way I acted since I found out had been nothing short of regretful.

Most of my indiscretions were when I was too young to know better, but some more recent events were on the top of my list, and I was ashamed that I reacted on emotion and not reason.

I held grudges, placed blame, and instead of dealing with my issues, I took my anger out on everyone close to me. Over the past fourteen years, I had definitely behaved in ways I wasn’t proud of. But I was working hard to make improvements so I could be someone my daughter looked up to.

The last thing I wanted was for Aubrey to be a mean girl because she was raised by a bitter woman, so I made an effort every day to be better for not only her but also for myself. Living a life of spite was exhausting, and even though facing your flaws head-on isn’t fun, for me, it was necessary.

It had taken a while, but I was finally content.

I had a good job with a steady income, a forgiving and supportive family, and a healthy daughter. There wasn’t much more I could think of wanting… well, there was, but I just wouldn’t allow thoughts of a man to deter the path I was on.

“Piper, hi. I’m glad you’re here. I’ve been meaning to talk to you.”

I lifted my head from staring at mind-numbing sixty-second video clips and smiled at Aubrey’s basketball coach. “Hi. What’s up?”

“Well, we lost one of our sponsors from last year, and the girls really need new uniforms, so I was wondering if you’d be willing to volunteer to get new sponsorship before the season starts. Since you work at the bank and have connections with local businesses, I thought you might know of an interested company.”

“Yeah, sure.”

“Really?” He propped his hands on his hips, the nylon material of his pants scratching against his fingers. “That’d be great.”

I had the time, and he was right. I knew several business owners who would probably jump at the chance to have their company’s logo on display. “Can you email me the details?”

“Definitely.” His attention moved to the court when a girl fell over. “I’ve gotta get back to it, but I’ll send something over tonight. Thanks so much, Piper. I really appreciate it, but the girls’ll be the ones who benefit from it.”

“Of course, it’s not a problem.”

He ran back to the court, and I watched the rest of the scrimmage, mindful that I didn’t want my daughter to look up and see me staring at my phone, even during practice. It was important for her to know I was here and that she was the priority, not some strangers on the internet.

After their huddle, she met me at the bottom of the bleachers, and I took her bag when I noticed her shoulders slumped. She was tall, and over the past year or so, she had lost some of the baby weight and was looking older by the minute. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah. I’m just tired.”

“Me, too. Do you want to go home to eat, or do you want to stop somewhere?”

“Can we stop somewhere?”

I figured she’d say that, and honestly, I was glad because I didn’t feel like cooking or washing dishes. “The Pig?”

“Yeah, sure.”

We got into the car, and she turned the radio station to some screeching alternative music that made my ears bleed. I had listened to the same type of music when I was a moody teenager, so my daughter definitely got that from me. She didn’t have my straight blond hair or brown eyes, though. Instead, she had dark curls and bright blue eyes, just like her father.

I’d learned not to push her to talk, so I drove silently to our town’s diner. We walked in and got a booth, where she immediately looked down at her phone as soon as we sat. “Hey, y’all!” Cricket McBride, the owner, chef, and Aubrey’s stepmother, greeted us from the kitchen, where she was cooking away.

“Hi, Cricket,” Aubrey called back happily, and I waved as well.

Cricket was nice. I was lucky to have a successful, kind, and loving woman in Aubrey’s life. Still, some part of me would always be jealous of her and the fact that Maverick chose her and not me. Or that Aubrey always seemed to have fun with Cricket, whereas with me, she only did what was asked with the bare minimum of enthusiasm, if any at all.

It was rather late, so there weren’t many people in the diner. Aside from Cricket, the only other employee was the waitress, Nova, who was married to Maverick’s father. After she took our order and brought our drinks, I reached across the table and put my hand over Aubrey’s phone. “What?” she sassed.

“Can you put that away during supper, please?”

“I will when the food gets here.”

“I’d like to talk to you for the five minutes before.”

She sighed dramatically and made a point to close out the screen and drop her cell on the table. “What?”

“How was your day?”

“Fine. Just like every other day, Mom. God. Why are you so annoying?”

I ignored the jab. “Mine was good, too. Thanks so much for asking.”

“I need to go to the bathroom.” She got up from the booth and went to the back, and after a couple of minutes when she hadn’t returned, I heard her laughter and looked over to see her in the kitchen talking to Cricket.

Now that jab I couldn’t ignore. My eyes got wet, and I blinked rapidly as I turned away. Damn, that stung. And it wasn’t that I wanted Aubrey to dislike Cricket. I just wanted my daughter to like me as much as she liked her stepmom. I didn’t think that was too much to ask.

“That’s tough.”

I lifted my head to see Austin Donovan studying me from the next booth. “What?”

“It’s quiet in here, kind of hard not to hear.” He angled his head at the kitchen. “And see.”

“Teenagers.” I tried to blow it off as I dabbed the corner of my eyes with a napkin.

“Yeah. My sister was the biggest bitch of them all… not that your daughter is a bitch, but it’s a tough age.”

I pursed my lips. “I was a brat, too, so I guess it’s karma.”

“Or it’s just a teenager being a teenager.”

“Maybe.” I sat up a little straighter, wanting to change the subject. It was hard enough that I was aware my daughter preferred her stepmom over me, let alone a guy I barely knew. “Hey, would you be interested in being a sponsor for Aubrey’s basketball team this year?” His family had their own corporation, and I talked to him when he came into the bank, so I knew he was very business savvy.

His eyebrows knitted together, and his jaw clenched before he answered. “If you want to talk business, you can call the office and make an appointment.”

That was not the answer I expected, but considering everyone talks about how much of a prick he is, I shouldn’t have been surprised. I had my mouth open to respond with something that would ensure he wouldn’t give the team a dime when Aubrey came out, balancing a tray on her hand. She was grinning proudly and set our plates on the table. “Is there anything else I can get you?” she asked as if she was on the clock.

“My daughter likes ranch with her fries.”

“I’ll bring it right out.” She skipped away, and I watched Cricket praise her from the big opening that separated the restaurant from the kitchen, twisting that little knife in my chest further.

Aubrey returned with some ranch and sat down, acting as if she wasn’t just rotten to me five minutes earlier. “Cricket said I can get a job here if it’s okay with you.”

“Oh, well… I think maybe right now you should just focus on school and basketball, but after the season’s over, I don’t see why not.”

“God, Mom. Why do you have to be like that?”

I sighed, taking a bite of my chicken-fried steak. There was no denying that Cricket was a damn good cook. “Can we talk about it later?”

“Whatever.” She rolled her eyes and chowed down her burger and fries, not saying a peep to me for the rest of the time. “I’m gonna go wait in the car.” She slid out of the booth and shouted goodbye to Cricket and Nova with a joyful voice reserved for anyone but me, apparently.

Whenever Aubrey and I ate at the Pickled Pig, Cricket never gave me a bill, but I still left a twenty on the table and then joined my daughter in the car a few minutes later, avoiding the glare I felt coming from Austin.

***

Three nights later, I was sitting at the bar, alone, sipping a glass of wine. Since Aubrey was at her dad’s for two weeks now, I was meeting up with my sister for a drink. I always hated the night I dropped Aubrey off because even though she was a snotty brat most of the time, I missed her like crazy when she was gone.

For the first ten years of her life, it was just the two of us, and to now only see her half the month sucked. Maverick and I had tried a week on/week off schedule but found Aubrey did better when it was two weeks at a time. She was able to have more consistency, and because we wanted what was best for her, we stuck to that.

“Can I get you another?”

I shook my head out of the daze I was in and smiled at Jeanie, the bartender. “Please.” She went to get me another glass, and I checked my phone to see a missed text message from my sister.

Frankie: Meadow just puked up her supper, and I don’t want to leave Wilder alone with a sick toddler even though he insists he’s got it covered… rain check?

Me: Of course. Aubrey’s with Mav for 2 weeks, so just let me know when you can. Give her a kiss for me. Hope she feels better.

She responded right away, and I took the glass from Jeanie. “You can close me out. Frankie’s stuck at home with a sick kid.” I paid the tab and sipped my wine, chatting with Jeanie whenever she had a minute.

After taking the last swallow, I said goodbye, and when I turned on the stool to leave, I came face-to-face with Austin. “Hey, Piper.”

“Uh… hi.” I slid off my seat, but he stayed planted right where he was, so I rubbed against his chest, which felt more muscular than I’d have guessed. “Can I help you with something?”

“You never called the office.”

“I know I didn’t. Now”—I pushed against him—“if you’ll excuse me.”

He didn’t budge. “Have a drink with me.”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t like you, Austin.”

He smirked, and it took away the harsh edges of his sharp cheekbones. “You don’t even know me, Piper.”

“I’ve heard enough.”

“Probably not as much as I’ve heard about you, and I’m still interested.”

My jaw dropped. “You did not just say that.”

“You’re making assumptions about me because Frankie’s in-laws have beef with my family.”

He wasn’t wrong, but there was more to it than that. I was about to shove him out of the way when I saw a couple of people watching us. The last thing I wanted was to make a scene, so I gave in. “I’ll have one drink with you, but you have to talk to me about the sponsorship.”

“Fine.”

He motioned to Jeanie, then took my hand and led us to a booth in the middle of the room. After I sat down, he slid in across from me. “How much do you need?”

“What?”

“For the sponsorship? What do you need?”

I tried to remember the numbers and what each level of donation entailed. “If you want your name on the—”

“Sure. How much?”

“They need a little over a thousand dollars for just the uniforms, but I’m working on getting some more businesses and—”

“Done. I’ll get you a check. Now that that’s out of the way, tell me about yourself, Piper.”

I pulled my head back, his blunt and confident attitude taking me for a loop. “Um… what do you want to know?” I thanked Jeanie when she set down another glass of wine for me and a drink for Austin. “Since you seem to already have an idea about me, what else could I possibly tell you?”

“I said I heard stuff, not that I believed it.”

“Well, good… I mean, it’s probably not true.” I took a swallow and sighed. “I made mistakes, but I’m learning from them.”

“So have I, but that’s not what I’m talking about.”

“What are you talking about?”

He swirled the ice in his tumbler. “Do you really think I need to be the one who goes into the bank for loan approvals, Piper? Donovan Corp has an entire finance department. I do it because I want to see you, and after months of you not taking a hint, I figured I should just be direct.”

“Months?” I racked my brain, trying to think of when he started coming into the bank, and I guess it has been that long.

“Yes. Months.”

“You like me?” I asked in shock.

He tossed some of his drink back. “Yes. I like you. I’d like to get to know you better. Is that clear enough?”

“But… why?”

“Do I have to have a reason?”

I nodded definitively. “I’m not going to sleep with you.”

His eyes flashed and lips slowly tilted up into a smile, but this one was much more sinister than just a smirk. It was sexy, confident, and cocky as hell, and it made me question my words before he could even reply to them.

 

CHAPTER 2

 

Austin

Something about this woman both infuriated and intrigued me. “I didn’t ask if I could fuck you, sweetheart.”

Her confidence faltered for a moment, and those golden eyes warmed to a deeper brown. “I’m just saying… if that’s your goal here, it’s not gonna happen.”

“I don’t have a goal, Piper. I just want to get to know you. And to answer your earlier question, I want to get to know you better because I think you’re pretty and funny, and we have a lot in common.”

“How so? I didn’t come from a rich family and have everything handed to me growing up.”

What I said was true, but the more she talked, the more I started to question why I was pursuing her in the first place. “Again with the assumptions.”

She raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow. “I know your family.”

“You know of my family. And yes, they’re rich. But to think I had everything handed to me is so far from the truth it’s not funny.” And it’s also a sore topic. I tossed back the rest of my bourbon and grabbed some cash out of my wallet. “I thought since you, like me, were often judged based on nothing but exaggerated truths and rumors, you were different than everyone else who assumed they knew who I was.” I stood and dropped the money on the table. “But I can see I was wrong. I’ll still sponsor the girls, but pursuing you was clearly a mistake, so I apologize for bothering you. It won’t happen again.”

Disappointed, I walked to my car, and my fingers had just grazed the handle when she called out my name breathlessly. “Wait. Wait. I’m sorry.” I heard her running toward me.

“It’s fine. I’m used to it.”

“No. It’s not.” She touched my arm, and I turned around to listen to what she had to say. “I’ve just spent so long being defensive and angry that I sometimes forget everyone’s not out to get me.”

“I understand that.” I really did. But it didn’t change anything. I cupped her face. Such a shame because she was really pretty. “Have a good night, Piper.”

Her lips parted, and she swallowed. “But I thought…”

“What?”

“Just, I thought that maybe you’d come back in, and we could start over or something. Let me buy you a drink and make up for being a bitch.”

“Thanks, but I’m good.” I got in my car, and when I pulled onto the street, she was still standing there, mouth agape, watching me drive away. I almost stopped and turned around to give her another chance… almost.

***

“Mr. Donovan, Ms. Young is here to see you. She’s not on the schedule, so I can have her make an appointment.”

A part of me wanted to send her away just because I could, but my curiosity won out. “It’s all right. Let her in.”

The heavy oak door swung open, and Piper walked in wearing the clothes she always did at her job at the bank, a short-sleeved turtleneck tucked into the waist of her pencil skirt, emphasizing her flat stomach and round tits. Her legs were covered in nylons, and she had short, square heels on her feet that were more than likely comfortable. I’d normally find those shoes repulsive because they reminded me of my grandmother, but for some reason, on her, thinking about the blunt edges digging into my back made my dick hard.

She came to my desk and stood there, her eyes bouncing nervously around my large office. I leaned back in my chair. “What can I do for you, Piper?”

“The girls wanted to say thank you.” She handed me a piece of cardstock that was folded in half. I opened it up and read the individual notes of thanks from each of the girls, impressed they took the time to show their appreciation, something that was becoming rarer as the years went on.

“It was my pleasure.” I set the card on my desk. “Thanks for bringing this by, but you could have mailed that.”

“Listen, I’m sorry, okay?”

I steepled my fingers. “Sorry about what?”

“The assumptions I made about you. I’ve had that done to me so much, and I hate it. I feel terrible that I did the same to you when you did nothing to deserve it. So please, accept my apology.”

“Sweetheart, that was over three weeks ago. I’ve been over it.”

“Well, you haven’t been coming to the bank, and I’ve been communicating with your assistant about the sponsorship, so I figured you were still mad at me.”

I shook my head. “That’s her job, and I don’t hold grudges.”

“So if I ask you out to dinner, you’ll come, then?”

It was tempting, but… “No.”

“Why not?” She rolled her lips together and crossed her arms defiantly, and I couldn’t tell if she was genuinely asking or if she was just stubborn.

If she thought being cute would change anything, she was sorely mistaken. I guess I needed to remind her. “When I was talking to you at the diner, you asked me for money. Then when I let that go and attempted to strike up conversation at the bar a few days later, you accused me of only wanting to fuck you and then made assumptions about who I was based on my family.”

“You said you don’t hold grudges.”

“I’m not holding a grudge. I’m saying no to dinner because common sense tells me we’re not a good fit.” Along with self-preservation.

“You haven’t even given me a chance.”

Sighing, I stood and leaned on the desk. “I say this as nicely as I can, Piper, but I did, and I’m not interested in another one.”

Her eyes got wet, just like I saw them do at the diner, and I got a knot in my stomach knowing I was the cause of her sadness. She gave a curt nod and then cleared her throat. “Fine. Goodbye, Austin.”

“Goodbye, Piper.”

My eyes drifted down, and I watched her ass as she walked out. Once the door was shut, I moved to the window and looked down at the sidewalk by the entrance to the building. She came out and was swiping at her cheeks, and when she got into her car, she didn’t drive away.

She gripped the steering wheel with both hands, then dropped her head as her shoulders shook. I shouldn’t have stayed there, but I did, and it took everything in me not to go down there and comfort her, to give her another chance.

I genuinely did like her. I’d seen her around town here and there, and of course, I knew who she was and all about her sordid past with Maverick Ryder, a past I didn’t judge like so many others. It wasn’t until I went to the bank to sign some documents when my assistant was out sick that I talked to Piper for the first time. From then on, I made it a point to go as often as possible because she always made me laugh, and she was easy on the eyes, so I enjoyed every minute. Despite hearing about some of the shitty things she’d done in her younger years, I wanted to get to know her better, and it was hugely disappointing that she wasn’t who I thought she was.

After about five minutes of crying in her car, she finally pulled out of the parking spot and into traffic, and it wasn’t until she rounded the corner and was out of view that I went back to work… very unproductively, since all I could think about was her.

For the next several months, I avoided the bank and only saw Piper a couple of times around town. The first was at the Pig, and when I caught her looking at me, I offered a friendly smile, but she quickly averted her eyes. It was much the same when I ran into her at the bar, but instead of avoiding looking at me, she left as soon as I got there.

I couldn’t believe she was that uncomfortable around me, and I wished it could have been different. The truth was, I wanted to forget about how she treated me, but I’d learned the hard way that when a woman went into a relationship with me under the false pretense that I was a dick based solely on who my family was, there wasn’t much I could do to change their mind, regardless of how wrong they were.

Maybe I was too harsh with her. Maybe I pushed her away because it was easier than admitting how much I liked her and how damn bad it hurt for her not to be who I thought she was. I didn’t have an answer yet, but I’d thought about it every single day since she walked out of my office.

Which was where I was when I was opening my mail and saw a hand-addressed envelope in what appeared to be a young girl’s handwriting, given that the i was dotted with a little heart. After pulling the letter out, I read the invitation to the basketball team’s banquet later in the week.

A little rush of hope flowed through me, thinking that maybe attending the banquet could help Piper and I put our differences aside and move on from the awkwardness she still felt. Maybe we could start over if she’d allow it.

Instead of calling to RSVP, I decided to tell her myself. I canceled my meeting, then drove to the bank and went straight to her office. She was on a phone call, but her eyes widened in surprise when she saw me. “Excuse me, I’m so sorry, but something just came up. I’m going to have to call you back shortly.” She hung up and tilted her head. “What are you doing here?”

“I got the invitation.”

“You could have called to tell me no or, better yet…” She crossed her arms and arched an eyebrow. “Have your assistant call to tell me no.”

Ah, her attitude was back. I liked it. “I’m not saying no.”

She pressed her lips together as she listened to my answer. “You’re not?”

“No. But I have a stipulation.”

“What’s that?”

“That I escort you and Aubrey to the banquet.”

I could practically see the wheels spinning in her head. “Listen, I don’t know what games you’re playing, but I refuse to involve my daughter in them.”

“I’m not playing games.”

“You’re not?”

“No. And I’d never do something to hurt Aubrey. Despite what you think of me, I’m not a bad guy. I feel guilty that every time you see me, you run away and—”

Her shoulders pulled back. “I do not.”

“Sweetheart, you do. And admittedly, I deserve it because I guess I was kind of harsh. So let me make it up to you. We’ll have a good night and clear the air between us.”

“We can just have the air cleared now and be good.”

“Or you can take me up on my offer if you want me to sponsor the team again next season.”

Her eyes narrowed, and she dropped her arms. “How are you going to stand here and pretend this isn’t you playing a game?”

“I didn’t get to where I am by following the rules, Piper. That’s my offer. Take it or leave it.”

 

 

CHAPTER 3

 

Piper

“Aubrey, he’s here!” I yelled to my daughter from down the hall when headlights flashed in the driveway.

Austin’s insistence on picking us up was still confusing to me, but he did donate enough money for the girls to all get new uniforms and matching shoes this season, so the least I could do as a thank-you was take him up on his offer.

I was putting on the back of my earring when there was a knock on the door, and I rushed to the front to open it. And when I did, my normally chaotic mind went completely still. Because Austin stood there with two sets of colorful flowers in his hands. He was in a suit with his normally messy light brown hair slicked back, giving him a sexy allure that made my breath catch in my throat. He eyed my black dress that stopped mid thigh as he walked past me into my house like he was invited, and a slick black limousine came into view. “You look beautiful,” he said, breaking the silence.

“That’s a limo.” I stated the obvious like a complete moron.

“I know.”

“I’ve never been in a limo before.”

He grinned. “I’m glad I can be your first.” Holding out the flowers, he added, “These are for you.”

“Thank you.” I reached up and took the offered bouquet.

“You’re welcome.”

My cheeks felt hot, and I looked away from him when Aubrey came down the hallway. She stopped dead in her tracks as she assessed her surroundings. “Wow, Mom, you look great. Hi, Mr. Donovan.”

“Call me Austin. And hi, Aubrey. These are for you.” He held out her bouquet, and she hesitated before taking them because she was not used to getting flowers from anyone other than her father.

“Oh, cool. Thanks.”

“I’ll go put these in water really quick.”

I took her flowers and hurried to the kitchen, and while I was filling a vase, I heard their voices happily chatting, which made some of my nerves fade away. After taking a quick whiff of the intricate arrangement, I returned and grabbed my clutch off the entry table. “Y’all ready?”

“If you are.” Austin motioned for us to go first, and Aubrey squealed before she darted down the steps. “Oh my God! A limo!”

He waited for me to lock the door, then held out his arm for me to take as I walked off the porch in a pair of high black platform wedges. Aubrey was already in the back seat, marveling at the color-changing lights. The driver held the door open, and Austin helped me inside. I had to whisper-shout Aubrey’s name to get her attention. “You’re in a dress,” I reminded her with a laugh.

“Oh, yeah. I forgot.” She moved off her knees to sit on her butt and cross her legs. The girls all decided they wanted a fancy banquet since they never dressed up for anything, but despite a face of makeup and a sparkly pink gown, my daughter still wore a pair of Jordans on her feet.

It was cute, though, because it was her. I loved that she didn’t sacrifice who she was for anyone. If there was one thing I could take credit for and that I was really proud of, it was raising her to be confident and not care what other people think.

“Can I listen to music?” she asked excitedly as we drove away.

“Sure.” Austin flipped a panel to expose a radio, and Aubrey scrolled through the channels and stopped on her favorite alternative station. “Nice choice,” he complimented.

“You like this band?”

Austin nodded. “I do.”

“Cool.” She smiled to herself and brought out her phone to take a bunch of selfies.

I bumped shoulders with Austin. “Thank you again. This was really nice of you.”

“It’s nothing.”

“You didn’t have to come, let alone do something so extravagant. She’s going to talk about this forever now.”

“Good.” He dipped his chin. “That’s the point.”

“What do you mean?”

He glanced over to make sure Aubrey wasn’t paying attention. “I wanted to give you a memorable night with her. Something fun.”

It took me a second to remember that he witnessed my little moment at the Pig, and my immediate reaction was to be defensive. “Everything’s fine.”

“Why settle for fine when you can have great?”

I shrugged. “I wouldn’t know.”

“That’s a shame.”

“That’s my life,” I said flippantly, but his expression turned serious, and I brought my hand to his chest. “I’m just messing around, Austin.”

His eyes moved over my face. “I’m not finding that very amusing.”

“Mom, can we take the team for a ride after we eat?”

I cleared my throat as my hand fell back into my lap, happy for the interruption. “I don’t know, honey, I—”

“Sure.” Austin interrupted. “If it’s okay with their parents, then it’s fine with me.”

“Sweet!” She did a fist pump, then typed away on her phone, and I was thrilled that she was so happy… and for once, it was because of something I did right, or at least because of someone I knew.

We arrived at the banquet, and Aubrey must have told all the girls about the limo because they stood outside waiting for us. Austin and I got out, and a set of giggles could be heard as they checked out the interior. I stuck my head in and told them to come back inside soon, and Austin held his arm out for me. “You’re very formal.”

“I was raised to be a gentleman, not a Neanderthal,” he replied defensively.

He was right… we did have a lot in common. I leaned into him. “I didn’t say it was a bad thing. You don’t have to be so defensive, at least not around me.”

The tension in his shoulders dropped away, and we stopped just inside the banquet hall. I gulped nervously when I saw Maverick and Cricket looking our way. He narrowed his eyes in our direction and then started coming toward us. “Piper.” He nodded, then turned to Austin. “What are you doing here?”

“He was invited,” I answered. His attitude was exactly why I didn’t tell him. “As the highest donating sponsor, the girls wanted to say thank you in person.”

“I love your dress,” Cricket said, trying to deter her husband from being a jerk.

“Thanks, yours is really pretty, too.” I was thankful for her interruption, but I should have known that wouldn’t be enough.

Maverick’s and Austin’s family had a long and bitter history, and apparently, Mav just couldn’t let it lie. “I don’t want you around my daughter.”

“That’s not up to you, Maverick, and now is not the time or place.” I defended my choice to come with Austin.

“I don’t need you to defend me, sweetheart. Why don’t you and Cricket get us seats at a table, and Maverick and I will go have a conversation outside.”

“Absolutely not.” I stood my ground. “This isn’t about you, Mav. It’s about Aubrey and her team, and if you can’t act right, then just leave.”

Cricket patted her husband’s arm. “She’s right. Come on, let’s go to the table.”

Maverick glared at Austin and then involuntarily followed Cricket to his seat. It wasn’t my place, but I apologized for Mav’s behavior. “Sorry about that.”

“I’m used to it, but it’s not your fault.”

I brushed a piece of fuzz off his sports coat. “You shouldn’t have to be.”

“I’m not worried about it, and you shouldn’t be either. Let’s get something to drink and have a good night.” He led me to the table that had sports drinks and bottled water, and we each grabbed one before the coach came over and struck up a conversation.

Aubrey sat at a table with the rest of her teammates, and the ceremony was a huge success. Austin was presented with a plaque from the girls with a team photo, and he seemed almost shy about accepting it. After the awards were given out and everyone ate a delicious meal, Aubrey ran over and asked Austin if they could go for a ride.

Maverick and Cricket said goodbye to Aubrey, and while the girls were all on a ride, Austin and I chatted with the rest of the parents. Most everyone knew who each other was, and not one person acted badly against Austin the way Maverick did, which led me to believe their feud was meaningless.

When the girls returned, Aubrey begged to go to her friend’s house for the night because her mom was a photographer with a studio, and they wanted to do a photo shoot in with their dresses. Of course I couldn’t say no. So that left just Austin and me alone on the way back to my house.

There was so much space in the limo, but it was still somehow suffocating. I felt the back of my neck dampen and my palms get sweaty. “Thank you for everything. I had a good night, and I know Aubrey did, too.”

“You’re welcome.” He answered without even looking at me.

The rest of the ride home was quiet, but we were close together, so our bodies touched with every bump or turn. My ankles were crossed, and I recrossed them three times, feeling antsy and a little bit turned on for some reason, despite the cold shoulder from him. It had been a while since I’d been alone with a man like this, so I assumed that was why. I fought to keep my mouth shut but ultimately couldn’t because if I didn’t ask him something, then I’d throw myself at him. “Why did you insist on coming tonight?”

“I like to see where my money’s going.”

“That’s such a lie.”

“It’s the only answer you’re gonna get from me.”

I appreciated his blunt personality, but at the same time, it drove me crazy. I thought that maybe something was going to happen between us tonight, but when he simply walked me to my door and kissed my cheek, I had to pretend my pride wasn’t stung as I watched the taillights fade away.

After pouring myself a glass of wine, I went to my bedroom and took my bra off, then changed into a nightgown and pulled on my favorite fluffy robe. I remember making fun of my mom when she’d wear hers all the time, but as I’ve discovered, I was easily turning into my mother.

I contemplated between my bed and the couch but decided on the couch since it was only nine o’clock. I had just pressed play on the next episode of a series I was watching on Netflix when Maverick called. I begrudgingly answered it in case it had something to do with Aubrey. “Hello?”

“Hey. Am I interrupting anything?”

“No. Austin just dropped me off.”

“Okay, good.”

He hesitated, and I had to pause my show. “What’s up, Maverick?”

“Are you seeing him?”

“If I was, it’s not your business.”

“If he’s around my daughter, it is.”

I didn’t want to do this because things between us had been so good, but I was about to get petty. “I seem to remember this conversation being the other way around and you getting offended when I questioned Cricket being around Aubrey.”

“That was different. I’ve known Cricket forever, but also I’ve known Austin forever.”

“If you have a legitimate reason he shouldn’t be around Aubrey, then I’ll hear you out, but if this is just you and your family holding on to some stupid generational feud, I’m not listening.”

“He’s a prick, Piper.”

I rolled my eyes. “That’s not reason enough for me, and I’m not going to continue this conversation. Have a good night.” I hung up and groaned in frustration as I tossed my phone onto the coffee table.

It was hard trying to date as an adult with a child, let alone in a small town. Most of the guys were already married, and the ones who weren’t were single for a reason. Since I moved here so Aubrey could be closer to her father, I’d barely been out, and getting dressed up tonight made me realize how much I’d been keeping myself secluded.

My twenties were spent with a little girl to raise, so I didn’t have fun like all the other women my age, and now that Aubrey was with her dad half the month, I was lonely. I needed to figure out a way to put myself out there before I turned into an old shrew.

“Not tonight, though,” I mumbled to myself as I pressed play and grabbed my glass, snuggling into the cushions. The opening credits had just stopped when my doorbell chimed, and I jumped about three feet. “Who could that be?”

I peeked through one of three glass triangles on the door and gasped when I saw Austin. I unlocked the locks and turned the knob. “What are you doing here?” I glanced behind him and saw the limo pulling away.

He closed the door and flipped the deadbolt, then grabbed my face and kissed me. I was so startled that I wobbled, and he moved an arm around my back to hold me steady. His tongue swept across my lips, and I reached up and held on to his jacket, then tilted my head so he could get deeper.

And when I felt his tongue in my mouth, that was it; I was gone. It was like there was only the two of us, and I forgot about everything and everyone else. There was no fucked-up past or a lonely future. No mistakes weighing me down, and definitely no regrets immobilizing me.

I tugged at the material that was fisted in my hands, and when his surely expensive suit coat fell to the floor, I went straight for the buttons on his shirt, tearing half of them off as I desperately worked to get him naked.

He ripped my robe off and grunted as my breasts bounced freely behind the silk of my nightgown, and then put his hands on my butt and lifted me. I kept my mouth on him, moving from his lips to his neck, while he walked us down the hall, where he somehow knew which room was mine. I landed on my bed and watched as he whipped his belt off, then got to his pants.

My legs rubbed together, and the silky material slid to expose the upper part of my thigh. Austin kicked off his pants, then crawled on top of me. I tore his shirt down his arms, and he cupped my breast from outside my nightie, then sucked my nipple into his mouth.

My back arched, and I hooked my toes into the waistband of his tight boxers, but he sat up. “Not yet.” Then he pulled down the strap of my nightie, then the other, and with his eyes on mine, he tugged down until my breasts were exposed. His gaze burned as it trailed down, and he muttered, “Damn.”

And then he toyed with me for several long, delicious minutes, alternating between kissing and sucking, nibbling. I squirmed beneath him, needing more, and he finally moved down. He sat up on his heels and took the end of the nightie in his long fingers, then peeled it off me. My bare skin pebbled as the cool air hit it, and I faintly heard the material land on the floor with a soft swoosh, and then… then he used both hands to spread me open.

I closed my eyes, feeling vulnerable under his scrutiny, but then his fingers were there, and it was nothing but pleasure. Gently pressing, circling, worshipping me in a way I wasn’t expecting. I felt my thighs shaking, and my belly got tight. Austin kept his rhythm steady, and I wordlessly came, my body trembling from head to toe.

“There it is.” I barely had my eyes peeked open when I saw his head disappear, and I screamed when he closed his lips around my still throbbing clit.

“Austin, oh my God.” I grabbed his hair, not sure if I was pushing him away or pulling him closer, and I wrapped my legs around him, moving my hips and feeling a vibrating sensation that shook me to my core.

He reached up, palming my breasts and tweaking my nipples. He moved his body with mine, and another climax was building so fast that when it hit me, I actually felt my spine arch as sensations took over and brought me to a place I’d never been before.

I’d never come so hard, twice, so close together, and I almost didn’t know what was happening. I was shaking and could feel the wetness dripping down my legs, and when he flipped me over to my stomach, I moved like a rag doll.

He had complete control over me, and I didn’t mind one bit. In fact, I liked it. Loved it. He pulled me up by my hips, slapped my ass, and slid inside with one hard thrust. And then he did what I accused him of only wanting from me; he fucked me. It wasn’t soft or sweet, but I loved it. Every second of his cock inside me any way it could be was like euphoria, and by the time we were finally done, I could barely move. I did manage to snuggle up next to him right before I passed out from the number of orgasms I had, and before I drifted off to sleep, I felt his lips press a gentle kiss to the top of my head.

 

CHAPTER 4

Austin

I woke up before Piper and watched her sleep for a minute, thinking I hadn’t been this content in a long time. Last night was great. It was fantastic, the best night I’d had since I could remember. And not just what happened in Piper’s bed. It had been a long time since I went to any kind of event where I didn’t have to pretend to be someone I wasn’t.

Last night, I was just a guy, I wasn’t a cutthroat businessman whose sole purpose was to make money no matter who was affected, and it felt good. I almost forgot what it was like to just have fun.

Piper rolled to her side and flung her arm over my bare chest. “Hey,” she mumbled half asleep.

“Mornin’, sweetheart.”

Her weight got heavier, and she dozed off again, and although I wanted to stay and hold her all morning, I slid out and went to the bathroom, then pulled on my pants and headed to the kitchen.

We didn’t spend a lot of time talking last night, and we pretty much just stayed in her bedroom, so I took my time walking down the hallway to the kitchen. I studied the pictures on the walls, most of which were of Aubrey and then the other members of her family.

When Aubrey was a baby, a toddler, there was an innate look of sadness in Piper’s eyes that I recognized from that night in the diner. It was the same look that I couldn’t get out of my head, despite how angry I was at her for doing what everyone else did and jumping to conclusions about who I was as a man because of who my family was.

I wandered to the kitchen and opened the fridge, looking for something to make for breakfast. She had some eggs and a half of a green pepper in a plastic bag, so I grabbed those and then slid the drawer open to find some ham.

She was very organized and had the minimum of everything, one cutting board, a single set of pots and pans, a knife block. There was nothing wrong with that. In fact, I found it cute for some reason, but being a young mother likely meant she had to be frugal.

I lived in a world where extravagance was expected, expensive things defined who you were, and the company you kept said more about you than how you treated strangers. I didn’t think Piper was beneath me in any sense of the word, but she wasn’t who my family wanted me to be with. Deep down, I knew they wouldn’t accept her, so I think that was why I so easily rejected her at the first available excuse, even though I didn’t want to.

I’d just flipped the first omelet when I heard her moving around. After grabbing a plate and putting a few strawberries on it, I slid the eggs off the pan and set a fork next to it at the table.

“What are you doing?” she asked, standing just inside the kitchen in a pair of cotton shorts and a tight T-shirt that left half an inch of bare skin showing just below her belly button.

“Making breakfast.” I got my omelet going and rinsed the bowl I used to mix and put it in the dishwasher. “You had ham and peppers, so I assumed you liked that.”

She glanced at the table and then back at me. “I do.”

“Good. What do you want to drink?”

“I’ll get it.”

“Sit down, Piper.” I touched her arm when she went to open the fridge. “Let me serve you breakfast.”

Her tongue darted out, and she licked her lips almost nervously. “Okay. I just want one of my coffees.”

I angled my head at the table. “Go start eating before it gets cold.” She moved to the table, and I got a sugary, prepackaged flavored coffee out of the fridge and poured it into a glass.

After filling a glass with water from the sink, I got my food and joined her. “This is delicious, thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

We ate in relative silence, and once she was done, she cleared our dishes. “What’s happening, Austin?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean”—she flailed her arms out at me—“what’s happening? Why are you here? Why did you come back last night and then stay and make me breakfast?”

I thought all of that was self-explanatory. “It wasn’t a secret that I liked you, Piper. I showed you, and then when you didn’t get the hint, I told you. I’d like to say that you pissed me off, but the truth was that you hurt me when you jumped to the conclusion that I just wanted to sleep with you and already had these preconceived notions about who I was since you knew who my family was.”

“I apologized for that.”

“I know. And I stewed for a while, then a little longer, and no matter how much time passed, I couldn’t get you out of my head. So when I got the invitation, I used that as my excuse to see you again.”

She wiped her hands off and propped a hip on the counter. “Okay, but why’d you come back?”

“I wasn’t going to because I saw how much shit Maverick was giving you, and I didn’t want to be the cause of any issues. But then I realized that I was sick of other people dictating who I dated, so I turned around and well… figured out pretty quickly that we were good together.”

“Last night was pretty great.”

“I know.” And damn, it was. “So I guess the question you should be asking me is where do we go from here?”

She smirked. “Where do we go from here, Austin?”

“Wherever you want, sweetheart.”

***

I was sitting at my desk on Monday morning, staring at my emails, unable to focus because all I could think about was Piper. She decided she wanted to take things slow because of Aubrey. So we were going to talk on the phone, and I’d come to her house next weekend, where we’d order in and just get to know each other even more.

I respected her wishes because I also wanted to make sure things between us were strong before my family found out.

Speaking of my family… My door swung open, and my father and sister stormed in. Before they said a word, I already knew what would come out of their mouths. “What’s this I hear about you dating a woman who has a child with a Ryder?” Dad thundered.

I glared at my sister, who I knew was responsible. She was friends with one of the moms at the banquet, so naturally, word spread like wildfire. “I don’t understand how that’s any of your business.”

“It’s my business when my son gets involved with a connection to the enemy.”

“Enemy? Oh my God, Dad, seriously?” I shook my head. “Listen to yourself. There was some feud over land generations ago. Paris tried to trap Hunter into marriage, and you didn’t care about that, but because I’m dating a woman who has a kid with Maverick, you suddenly care that there’s a connection to a Ryder?”

“Your sister was doing what was asked of her, which is more than I can say for what you’ve done for our legacy.”

I stood, so over this shit, it wasn’t funny. “Just stop. There is no goddamned legacy for either family. The Ryder’s own a shit ton of land, and we own a shit ton of businesses. Nobody gives a fuck about bad blood between us but you and you.” I jabbed my finger at Paris. “And it’s well past time both of y’all grow up and get over it.”

Paris glared, and my father balked. His neck and face got red, and he pointed at me. “If you continue to see that girl, you won’t like the consequences.”

“What are you gonna do, Dad? Cut me off?”

“For starters.”

It was honestly pointless to argue with him. If he didn’t think I wasn’t smart enough to invest in money outside the company, he thought I was a bigger idiot than he already did. I lifted a shoulder. “Do your best.”

Paris gasped in shock, and my father stood still. I was accustomed to his anger so I wasn’t the least bit intimidated. “Last chance,” he warned. He’d do it too. I knew he would.

“Goodbye, Dad.” I sat down and moved my mouse to wake up my computer, then lifted my eyes to see him walking out with my sister right behind. Before the door closed, our eyes connected, and she gave a very subtle shake of her head. In her own way, she was trying to warn me.

We both knew what was going to happen. Our father didn’t make idle threats. He was probably going to go straight back to his office and change the will and then start to remove me from the company, but I didn’t care. I’d lose it all if it meant I gained Piper.

 

CHAPTER 5

Piper

The past month and a half was great—better than I expected. Austin and I talked almost every day, and even if we didn’t speak on the phone, we texted often. I really got to know him as a man, and I think barely seeing each other helped us build a strong foundation.

The workweeks were busy for both of us, so he came to my house only on the weekends I didn’t have Aubrey, including last weekend, despite me being on my period and in pain with awful cramps. He brought me chocolates and a bag of different snacks and sat with me all night while we watched movies and ordered Chinese food. We had such a good time, even though we didn’t fool around.

I was the one who wanted to take things slow, not because my libido agreed but because I had a child to think about. I wanted to make sure Austin and I were solid before we took our relationship to that next level. And it took me a lot quicker to get to that point than I thought it would.

Every single day that passed, I liked him more and more. As the weeks went on, I got upset when I didn’t see him, and when I had Aubrey and had to go almost three weeks without spending any time with him, I knew that meant something… it meant everything. I was falling in love with him, and I could tell he felt the same about me.

I was excited to tell my sister and was finally meeting her at the bar. After I got a drink for us both, I sat at a table and waited for her, and my phone beeped with a text.

Austin: Can’t wait to see you tomorrow.

My belly did a little somersault as I replied and told him I couldn’t wait either.

“What’s that face for?” Frankie asked as she sat across from me. “You’re all flushed.”

She startled me, and I fumbled with my phone as I set it down. “First, hi, how are you? Second, I am not.”

She reached over and squeezed my hand. “Hi. But you are. Who are you texting?”

“So that’s kind of why I wanted to meet you.”

“I knew it.” She clapped her hands together excitedly. “Well… spill!”

“I’ve been seeing Austin Donovan. For like, almost two months.”

Her jaw dropped. “Shut up.”

“You didn’t know?”

“No. I mean, I heard you went to the banquet with him, but nothing after that, so I just assumed that was it.” She settled in and took a sip of her drink. “I want to know everything.”

So I told her. From him coming into the bank for months just to see me, to me being dumb, and everything else that led us to me texting him back when she walked in tonight. I wasn’t sure what to expect, and when she didn’t respond right away, I got nervous. “What? Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“You seem happy.”

“I really am. I haven’t felt this way about anyone in forever. I know Maverick doesn’t like him, but he didn’t give me a tangible reason I shouldn’t see him, so I think… no, I know I’m going to tell Austin tomorrow that I want to take our relationship to the next level. Then I’ll sit Aubrey down and talk to her, but I already know she likes him, so I’m not worried about it.”

My twin sister, who looked nothing like me, smiled. “I’m happy for you, Piper. I really am. You deserve to be happy, and when you’re ready, we’ll have to do a double date.”

“Thanks, I’d like that.” I loved my sister, and even though I was kind of rotten to her in the past, I appreciated that she forgave me, and we’d moved on. “Can I ask you something?”

“Anything.”

I hated that I even felt the need to, but I didn’t have anyone else I could ask. “Do you think I need to worry about the Ryders being upset with me about this? I know they don’t like Austin and his family, but I don’t want it to cause a problem because he’ll be coming with me to things for Aubrey, so everyone’s gonna have to be around him and stuff.”

“I don’t think so.” She took a sip of her drink. “Maverick is just like that because it’s who he is, but I know Hunter and Wilder have gotten over whatever tiff they had with Austin. Now Paris… she’s another story. That woman is vile, and if anything, she’s the one you should be worried about.”

“I can handle her.”

“I hope so.”

Frankie and I had another drink, and after ending the night by setting up the next date we were going to meet, I went home and got ready for bed. Just like every other night this week, I crawled under the covers and called Austin, but this time, he didn’t answer. I didn’t leave a message, but almost as soon as I hung up, a text came through.

Austin: Hey, a work thing came up, so I’ll call you later if I can. Otherwise, we’ll talk tomorrow.

I reread the message several times and tried not to take it too harshly because I thought it was rather cold for him.

Me: Hope everything’s okay!

He didn’t reply after that, and all night I tossed and turned, having a sinking feeling in my stomach. In the morning, I woke with a gasp and grabbed my phone right away, only to find there still wasn’t a response or his usual good morning text.

I didn’t want to be the kind of woman who played games, so I sent him another message, letting him know I couldn’t wait to see him tonight, and then I went on with my day. Since it was Friday and football season, I was able to wear a Lone Star jersey to work, so I put on my pink Tyler Tate jersey and a pair of dark-wash skinny jeans and pink kitten heels.

I missed my daughter a lot, but I didn’t ever want to burden her time with her father, so I sent her a message when I knew she was on the bus to school, and she replied as I was getting into my car.

My stomach was in knots on my way to the bank because this was the first morning in almost two months that I hadn’t communicated with Austin in one way or another. I was worried that something had happened to him, so I dialed his office.

“Donovan Corporation, Austin Donovan’s office, this is Cheryl speaking. How can I help you?”

“Hi, Cheryl, it’s Piper Young. Is Austin in?”

“He is, but he’s unavailable. Can I take a message?”

My mouth got dry. “No, thanks. Have a good day.”

I hung up and held my phone in my hand and tried not to let my mind wander to the negative place it wanted to go—he was fed up with waiting, he was going to end things, he was cheating on me. Every negative possibility I could conjure up came to the surface. All of it swirled around and around until I was dizzy.

I turned up the air-conditioning in my car and saw I was running late, so I tried to shove my feelings aside as I drove to work. I never thought of myself as a 9-5 girl, but my options as a single mother were limited. This place ensured I’d be at every one of Aubrey’s games, and they promoted me without a degree, so I was grateful to them.

Even though I was distracted, I did my job, and it wasn’t until I saw Paris walk in that I knew something was really wrong with Austin. She marched right to me and slammed the door behind her. “I’m only here because my brother is an idiot and too hungover to function.” She plopped down in the chair.

She was baiting me. I knew she was. “What can I help you with, Paris?”

“Austin sent me.” She set her ridiculously large purse on my desk. Everything she wore was clearly designer and probably cost more than my entire month’s salary. “He said something about an account that needed to be closed or something.”

“What account?”

“I don’t know.”

I sighed. “Paris, I can’t help you unless you tell me what account you’re talking about.”

“Fine, I’ll ask him.” She pulled his name up on her phone, and I diverted my attention to the window that faced the lobby. When I realized she was FaceTiming him, I moved my eyes back to the screen. And when a woman answered, my stomach flipped. “Where’s my brother?” Paris asked snottily.

The mystery woman was sitting on a bed… a bed that I assumed was Austin’s. One that I hadn’t even been in yet. “He’s getting out of the shower.” And just then, the door behind her opened, and I saw him walking out as he was pulling a shirt over his head.

“Who’s that?” he asked.

“Your sister.”

“Tell him I’ll call him later.” Paris hung up, and I knew she could see it on my face. Heartbreak. Disappointment. She got to her feet and dropped her phone into her bag, then tilted her head. “I just thought you should know.”

And when she walked out, I held it together long enough for it not to be obvious that she’d just delivered that blow. He was cheating on me. There was a woman in his house, a woman who was comfortable enough to answer his phone while he was in the shower. Was that his real girlfriend, and I was the other woman? No… he wouldn’t do that, would he?

I took my lunch break early and left a voicemail for my boss that I was taking the rest of the day off. Then I drove to Austin’s because I needed answers.

I’d never been to his place, but I knew where he lived, and I didn’t think the first time I saw his home would be because of this. There were a couple of other cars in the driveway, and I parked in front of his two-story home and took in the pristine yard, thinking it didn’t look like the guy I knew. Sure he wore a suit, but he was easygoing, kind of messy, funny, and he was really caring. At least I thought he was. Maybe he had me fooled this whole time.

I knocked on his door and didn’t even think about the fact that he might not still be here, but after several long minutes, the door finally swung open. He looked at me, and his face said so many things that I couldn’t begin to comprehend them all. “Aubrey.” He glanced behind him and then shook his head. “It’s not a good time, sweetheart.”

“Who is that?” I heard a female voice boom from inside.

“Who is she?” I asked softly. A part of me didn’t believe it, especially because it was Paris. Frankie had warned me how vile she was, but I didn’t want to think someone would actually be that… gross.

His head tilted. “Who’s who?”

“The woman who answered your phone when Paris called?”

“Paris hasn’t called me today.”

But there it was… I watched her call him, so he was lying to my face. “Damn, this is a shame.”

“What?”

“I was going to tell you that I was falling in love with you tonight, but I guess it’s better to have my heart broken before I say the words to you out loud.”

When I took a step back, he grabbed my arm. “Piper, I don’t know what you’re talking about, but if you…” He sighed, and it was like something dawned on him. “Fuck it.” He tugged me into the house, and I didn’t look at anything other than the three people standing in the living room. The older couple was clearly his parents, and the other woman was the one I saw answer his phone. He must have sensed me tense up because he cursed under his breath. “What the fuck did you do?”

“Son, watch your mouth,” his dad said.

“Who was it? Just Paris, or were y’all in on it, too?” Austin asked. “Mom?”

She swallowed and took a step toward her son, but he backed away, bringing me with him. “I don’t believe you.” He shook his head. “What did she do, Piper?”

I wasn’t exactly sure what was happening, but I knew that my gut was wrong, and I wanted to sob in relief that he wasn’t cheating on me. “Paris came into the bank about an account, then FaceTimed you to ask about it, but she answered.” I pointed at the other woman in the room. “Then Paris hung up and said she thought I should know, implying that you were cheating on me.”

“Of course she did.” He laughed. “Ya know what, I’m done.” He pulled me next to him even closer and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. “I’m in love with her, and the fact that you’d all be in on something so fucking juvenile and vindictive because of some money is truly disgusting. Nothing you could say will make me stay with the company, and the fact you went to such lengths to make Piper think I was cheating on her to break us up would change that is comical.”

“You’ve already been written out of the will, Austin. Don’t make this harder than necessary,” his father threatened.

I gasped and looked up at Austin, but he was staring at his father with such disdain it almost scared me. “I don’t want anything from you. All I need is right here. Unless and until you can grow the fuck up, I don’t want to see either one of you. And when you see Paris, you can tell her the same because I don’t ever want to speak to her again.” He dropped his arm and took my hand, then led me outside. “I hope you meant what you said.”

“About what?” I asked, trying to keep up, both physically and mentally.

“That you’re in love with me.”

I stopped at the passenger side of my car when he did. “Yeah… I do. I mean, I did, but—”

“No buts. I love you, too, and you know that whatever bullshit they orchestrated was just that. That woman was the daughter of one of my dad’s friends, and they brought her here to discuss some dumbass business thing, but she spilled her wine on me. I had no clue she was going to follow me to my room when I changed, but now everything makes sense, including why they came to my house in the first place.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Say you’ll let me come home with you.”

I glanced up when I saw movement out of the corner of my eye, and when his dad started coming down the stairs, I yanked my door open. “Let’s go.”

He grinned and ran around to the driver’s side and pulled out of the driveway as he adjusted the seat. “Holy shit.” He looked in the rearview mirror and then laughed as he peeled out onto the road. “I wasn’t expecting to do that.”

“What just happened?”

“I gave it all up for you.” He glanced at me. “And for Aubrey.”

“I can’t ask you to do that.”

He pulled over and turned to me. “You didn’t. I’ve been slowly distancing myself from the company anyway and starting new projects on my own, so I’ll be fine in that regard. That’s why I’ve been so busy lately. I just… I couldn’t take it anymore.”

“Take what?”

“Them not accepting you.”

I was confused. “We haven’t even told anyone.”

“They knew. When they heard about me going to the banquet with y’all, they knew you were it for me, just like I did. I was only waiting for you to get on the same page as me.”

My heart did a happy little flip, and I grinned. “It didn’t take me that long.”

“It feels like it. Now, can we finally tell Aubrey so we can all go out together in public, and I can spoil you like you deserve?”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

“Good. Because there’s a new restaurant I opened up on the other side of town, and I’d like to show you.”

“You opened a restaurant?”

“I did. I’ve been working on that for a while but more recently started investing in other opportunities outside of Donovan Corp.” He reached over and took my hands. “I want to make this work with you, and I refuse to let my family be a reason we’re not together. As my sister demonstrated today, that’s exactly what would happen, so I’m done with them. But I’m so fucking excited to start my life with you.”

I started to cry, so happy and relieved and excited that finally something was going good in my life. “I don’t want you not to have a relationship with your family.”

He wiped my tears away. “We’ll reconcile eventually.”

“I hope so.”

He cupped my jaw. “I love you.”

“I love you, too. And I want you to stay with me, but I think we need to ease you into Aubrey’s life.”

“I know.”

“Okay.”

He kissed me softly. “Okay, now let me go feed you so we can get back to your place, and I can have my dessert.”

“Why don’t we have dessert first? It’s always better that way.”

“Always?”

“Yeah.” I leaned over and kissed him. “Always, Austin.”

His thumb brushed across my cheek, and he smiled. “Whatever you want, Piper. If I can give it to you, it’s yours.” He got back on the road, and I couldn’t take my eyes off the man I knew I was going to marry, thinking I’d do everything all over again… all the struggles, the heartache, the pain, if it meant I’d eventually end up with him.

***

Thank you for reading Always Austin.

Can Paris redeem herself? You can find out in her story, Protecting Paris.

Start the Small Town Saviors series today with Guarding Georgia.