by Marika Ray
Austin insisted this was his and his sister’s new favorite spot to grab some food. We’d made arrangements to meet here for lunch, allowing us all time to get ready. Abi didn’t have a car yet, so Austin chose the restaurant because it was walking distance from their shared apartment.
It was hard to believe someone as young as Austin had custody of a teen. Most twenty-two-year-olds were still partying late at night and half-heartedly seeking jobs to pay the bills. Austin had his own place, a steady high-paying job, and a sixteen-year-old to look after. Kind of embarrassing to admit I’d attempted having a pet once, only to have the damn goldfish go belly up a week after being in my care. It was easy to forget the ten-year age difference between us when Austin was so responsible.
We sat across from each other at a table for four. I sipped my glass of ice water, leg bouncing up and down as we waited for Abi.
Austin grabbed my hand and held it on the table, his thumb sweeping across my skin. “Hey, she’s gonna love you. Don’t worry.”
I gave him a shaky smile and then his gaze went over my head, his dimples reappearing in full force. Showtime.
Austin stood and hugged the girl who came up to our table in a cloud of PINK perfume and ripped jeans that should be illegal on a minor.
“Abi, I’d like you to meet my girlfriend, Elle.” Austin pulled back, his arm around his sister while he gestured over to me. I stood and extended my hand, the nerves of meeting her overpowering the pleasure of hearing him call me his girlfriend for the first time.
The blonde bombshell didn’t even glance at my hand, just rushed forward and pulled me into a hug. I was shocked for a split second before my brain kicked into gear. Of course she would hug me. Her brother was the king of huggers. I wrapped my arms around her and gave her a big squeeze in return, the butterflies leaving immediately.
We all had smiles as we sat down, Abi between us.
“So. Girlfriend, huh?” She winked at Austin, but turned back to me, her blue eyes sparkling so very much like Austin’s.
I nodded, figuring honesty was the best avenue. “Yes, he accepted my apology and we’re together now.”
She pointed back and forth between Austin and me. “So, how exactly is this gonna work? You’re on the East Coast, right?” Then she spun to Austin, her jaw dropped open. “We’re not moving again, are we? School starts next week!”
He sat forward and grabbed her hand. “No, we’re not moving.” Then he looked at me. “We’re not really sure how this is going to work, but we’ll figure it out together. Date long distance. Take things slow.”
I agreed with him. “My new restaurant still needs me, so I’ll be there quite a bit, but we’ll fly back and forth as opportunity allows. But I want you to know, Abi, I have no intention of uprooting you. I know you’re just getting settled here and that will always be a priority.”
Abi stared at me, her blue eyes wide. She seemed to be assessing me, maybe determining if what I said was the truth. Then her eyes filled with tears and she blinked rapidly, nodding. “Okay,” she whispered.
The server came to take our order and we settled into easy chatter for the rest of lunch. If there had been any sort of test, I’d passed with flying colors. And in all honesty, Abi was a darling. She was spirited and lively, her hands and face expressive while she listened and especially while she talked. She was an interesting combination of both wildly confident and completely naive. I wanted to shelter her and be a big sister to her, if she’d let me.
“Excuse me.” A young couple approached our table, the woman clutching her hands under her chin. “Are you guys the chefs on that new show, by any chance?”
Austin looked at me bewildered and I stared right back. Could she be—was she talking about Taste Test? My brain took a while to catch on, but then I remembered the commercials and the debut airing tonight.
“Yes, hello. I’m Elle Fierro.” I stood and shook her hand. She was positively giddy to meet me. “And this is Austin Cox.” I gestured to Austin and he stood to shake her hand too. His dimples were out, so the woman couldn’t help but gush over him, her poor husband standing by awkwardly.
“Here! Let me get a picture of you all.” Abi hopped up and waved to the woman for her cell phone. I moved next to Austin and he put his arm around both me and the woman and smiled. This whole situation was so incredibly bizarre. Were we considered some level of celebrity now?
The woman squealed after Abi took the picture, positively beaming to have us on camera.
We thanked her for watching and she walked off, leaving us in a bubble of awkward silence. The three of us sat back down and looked at each other, our eyes a little glazed over.
“You think that’s going to happen more often?” Austin asked me.
I shook my head. “I have no idea, but I guess so. I kind of forgot the premiere is tonight.” I looked over at Abi. “Should we have a watch party at your place?”
She nearly bounced out of her chair, her face split with a grin. “Yes! This is great! Let’s get a bunch of food and we’ll watch it together! What do you say, Austin? Pajama party?”
I tossed my head back and laughed. What could he possibly say to that? He was going to have a tough two years on his hands. Saying no—ever—to that face and that enthusiasm might be impossible.
Austin was looking at me from across the table while I laughed, his gaze intense. His look made me shiver even though I was plenty warm on the inside. I sobered quickly and smiled back shyly.
“I love you,” he said, voice low and gravelly, meant just for me.
“I love you too.”
“Oh my God, you two are ridiculously cute!” Abi squealed, breaking our moment. “And kind of gross, I have to admit. Can we go now?”
“You bet, Abilene. Gotta go get our pajamas ready for the big watch party, huh?” Austin stood, putting his arm around his sister and rubbing the top of her head. I winced, seeing her cute bun slipping to the side of her head, knowing no woman appreciated a noogie in the middle of a restaurant.
“Oof!” Austin let go of her and grabbed his ribs where Abi had elbowed him.
The glare on her face while she fixed her bun made my heart literally sigh in my chest seeing how much they loved each other. Which just made me love Austin even more. I wanted to be part of their circle. I wanted to tease them and for them to feel comfortable teasing me. They were a family of two and I’d give anything to make it a family of three.
We exited the restaurant and started walking down the sidewalk to their apartment, Austin and I hand in hand. A man in sweats jumped out from a car and heaved a huge black camera in front of his face and started clicking. We skidded to a stop and then Austin dropped my hand and put it on my low back, urging me to walk faster.
“Wha—” I felt like a fish, my mouth flopping open but no words coming out.
“Come on, Elle. Just part of the deal.” I swiveled my head in a daze, seeing Austin’s jaw clenched tight and his other hand pushing his sister to keep walking.
“Wait! We just want to know about your show! Airs tonight, right?” the camera guy yelled after us and my brain finally caught up to what was happening.
I planted my feet, which wasn’t easy in heels—yes, of course I wore heels to lunch—and turned around to face the paparazzi.
“Wait, Austin. We shouldn’t run away. Let’s give them a nice picture.”
Austin looked at me with questions in his eyes, but I gave him a confident smile. If they wanted a picture, we should give them a good one. The way I saw it, this was the perfect time to come out about our relationship.
“Hi! Yes, the show starts tonight. Can you send me a copy of our picture?”
“Oh, you bet. Thank you for stopping. Here’s my card.” The guy dug in his pocket and handed me his business card.
I looked down at the white square and then pulled Austin to my side, wrapping my arms around his waist and snuggling into his side. “Well, Harry, you’re my first paparazzi. Make sure you get my good side
, no?”
He chuckled and lifted the camera again. “You don’t have a bad side, Ms. Fierro. Are you Austin Cox?” Click, click.
Austin’s hand curled around my shoulder. “Yes, nice to meet you, Harry.”
“So, are you two a couple?” Harry’s gaze flicked between the two of us.
“Yes, aren’t they adorable?” Abi came up next to Austin and beamed at Harry. “I’m Abi, Austin’s sister. I can’t wait to see their show tonight. Are you going to watch it?”
Harry looked stunned by Abi. She seemed to have that effect on people. Hard to believe she was in foster care for almost two months and yet seemed to have no ill side effects from the experience. “Um, well, sure. Now that I’ve met you guys, I’ll be sure to check it out.”
“Awesome! Here, let’s get a shot of all three of us, huh?” She tucked her arm through Austin’s and we all smiled for Harry.
A few more pleasantries, and we were again on our way to Austin and Abi’s apartment.
“Did that just happen?” I asked no one in particular.
Austin kissed the side of my head while we walked. “Are you sure you’re okay? Everyone’s going to know we’re together now.”
I squeezed him tighter. “I’ve never been so sure of anything before. I love you and I don’t care who knows.”
His eyes flared with a light I’d come to recognize. He nuzzled in closer and whispered in my ear. “Any chance we can get my sister out of the house so I can strip you naked? Pretty please?”
I giggled, my heart light, the world in full color, and my passion fully restored. I’d gotten it wrong, though. It wasn’t Austin who changed it all for me, it was love.
Epilogue
Austin
Elle’s flight was landing any minute. I’d taken the night off work in preparation for her arrival. Abi was staying the night at a friend’s house and I had plans to make tonight special for Elle and me.
True to her word, Elle had put in effort all year to make sure we spent as much time together as possible, even with our restaurant responsibilities and my vow to make Abi a priority. Elle had embraced our relationship like a duck to water, empowering her executive chef to run her restaurant without her most of the time and integrating into our life here in California.
Most surprising was that when the public heard about us right before the premiere, they went nuts over the cute new “it” couple. Much to Elle’s embarrassment, I “accidentally” dropped our name to the press and we were permanently dubbed “Team FieryCox” in all news articles.
The studio loved us even more, seeing how we brought in more press to the Taste Test show. Tom was asked to bring the show back for a second and third season. Elle was invited to return as one of the celebrity judges. When she heard that Michael Fin was not also invited, she agreed—with a pay increase—and spent most of her time in Southern California, which suited me just fine. The camera loved her, and with her happier disposition, the television audience loved her too. My El Jefe was world famous.
Two months ago, we agreed that my apartment was too small for all three of us, what with Elle there almost all the time. So we went in together on a new condo not far from the beach in Santa Monica. Abi kept all her same friends since we stayed near her high school and she loved having them over to our new place, showing off the gourmet kitchen we’d renovated before we even moved in.
Speaking of Abi, she was “living her best life” as she put it. She’d made friends easily her junior year in a new school. Elle and Abi had become instant friends, Elle being like a big sister to her. In fact, Elle had started taking her to the studio in Burbank on occasion, which Abi loved. I’d had a talent agent call me to see if he could get Abi on his roster as he just knew he could get her onto a television show. I hadn’t made a decision on that yet. Right now, Abi was on her best behavior trying to win my favor and that was behavior I could live with for a while, even if it kept her in limbo.
Life was so good, I almost had to pinch myself on a daily basis. My heart had returned to my chest the instant Elle came back into my life. And then I’d subsequently handed it over to her for safekeeping. I’d never regretted that decision. Which made my decision to move forward with my plan tonight an easy one.
I heard the door crack open and Elle dump her suitcase on the tile floor by the front door. “I’m home, ¡mi amor!” Her voice carried all the way into the kitchen where I was putting our huge Dutch bakeware into the preheated oven. I was trying out a new Cornish hen recipe, which wouldn’t be done for two hours.
I wiped my hands and met her at the door to the kitchen, picking her up and spinning her around. She yelped and clutched my shoulders, her surprise turning to smiles.
“That’s quite a welcome home. I was only gone two days,” she teased.
“Hell yes, woman. I’ve got a whole date night planned for you and me. I intend to woo your dress off you tonight.”
She lifted an eyebrow, making that face that always turned me on and made me want to lasso the moon for her. Right before throwing her on the nearest surface and having my way with her.
“Oh, really? That must be some grade-A wooing.”
“Wait and see.” I set her down and grabbed my keys. “But first, we have to take a quick trip.” Snagging her favorite flip-flops from the bin by the door, I set them on the floor for her to change into. Where we were going, high heels wouldn’t do.
I tugged her behind me and folded her into my car. Running around the hood, I slid behind the wheel and sped off to destinations unknown.
“You going to tell me where we’re going?”
“Not a chance.” I grabbed her hand and held it on my thigh, loving having the control. It drove her nuts not to know what was going on. Which made me do it more, of course, just to hear her curse in Spanish.
We pulled up to the curb and I cut the engine. I brought her hand up to my mouth and kissed the back. “Promise to keep an open mind?” My heart was tripping over itself, not from nerves, but from excitement.
She narrowed her eyes, but a smile tugged at her lips. I climbed out of the car and went around to open her door. When she stood up, I clasped her hand in mine and moved out of the way so she could see where we were.
Directly in front of us was a decrepit old red brick building. It had seen better days—and not recently—but it was located right on the water. You could hear the waves lapping onto the sand from here.
“What is this place, Austin?” Elle was staring up at the building, not moving nor making any kind of facial expression to clue me into her thoughts.
“This old wreck right here is my little slice of heaven. I found it not too long ago and asked around. It’s abandoned, owned by a trust somewhere on the East Coast. I have paperwork at the house just waiting for our signatures. If you want it, it’s ours.” I couldn’t look away from her. Even in the condition it was in, Elle looked at home here.
She took a deep breath and held it. When she finally blew it out, she asked the right question. “Ours to do what with?”
“You and me, sweetheart. It’s time we opened up our own restaurant together, don’tcha think?” I squeezed her hand and she whipped her head to look at me, eyes wide. “Do you trust me?”
“With everything,” was her immediate answer.
My heart soared. “Then let’s do this. Together.”
She finally moved, her grin dazzling in intensity. She jumped into my arms and wrapped her legs around my waist. If I wasn’t so taken by the moment and her acceptance, I would have teased her about her ability to jump so high for such a short, little thing.
As it was, her kisses peppered my face and I staggered back to bump into the brick wall. We proceeded to make out like teenagers up against the sturdy wall of our shared dream.
When a whistle from a passerby broke my consciousness, I set her down and pushed her away before I was arrested for public indecency. “Temptress...”
She licked her lips and smirked at me. So I did the only thing a
hot-blooded male could do with that kind of temptation. I picked her up and tossed her over my shoulder. She whacked at my backside feebly and yelled unrepeatable things at me to put her down. Instead, I twirled us around right there on the sidewalk until I was in danger of dropping the most precious thing in the world. Then I put her in the car and raced us home.
She mistakenly believed that was the end of my wooing.
She was so very wrong.
I lit the candle on the dining table and served her my Cornish hen recipe to which she moaned and begged me to include that on the menu at our new restaurant. When I had her stomach full and satisfied I broke out the big guns.
“Go get into something more comfortable and meet me in the living room, would ya?” She knew I was up to something, but for once she kept her mouth closed and obeyed. Bossing around The Boss was always a tricky thing.
When she came back out in sexy lingerie I hadn’t seen before, I nearly abandoned my plan like I’d abandoned the dirty dishes after dinner. But I had my eyes on the end game: making her mine forever.
“Sit down, love. I have to serve you dessert.” I motioned toward the couch and made to go back into the kitchen.
“Wait, is this going to be like the pancakes where I need an industrial tarp and a hair net to sustain the onslaught of liquids?”
I barked out a laugh, looking over my shoulder. “That sounds so dirty, but no. Just you and the couch are needed.”
When I came back out with my oversized plate, she was seated on the edge of the couch, her gorgeous body wrapped in lace like a present under the Christmas tree, ready for me to rip off and get my hands on what lay underneath.
“Focus on the end game, focus on the end game...” I muttered under my breath.
“What was that?”
