Alone.
Sure, she would make new friends and meet new people if she moved to L.A., but they weren’t these friends and these people. Most importantly, there wasn’t an Austin Blakely in Los Angeles.
Her phone buzzed on the night stand. She rolled over just enough to look at the clock. It was almost two a.m. She grabbed the phone, not recognizing the number, but immediately knew who it had to be. Austin posted his new phone number on her fridge before he left.
Unknown: Home. Wake up.
Magnolia: It’s too early for ice skating. Go to bed.
Unknown: No. Seriously. Wake up and let me in.
A loud knock echoed through her apartment. Someone was at her front door. She sprang up in the bed.
Magnolia: You’re here? Right now?
Two more knocks.
Unknown: Did you think I was spending Christmas Eve at my place? Of course I’m here. Right now.
Magnolia jumped out of bed and ran to the door to open it. Dusty white snowflakes covered his dark jacket, but she hugged him anyway. He was still cold and had his suitcase. She squeezed him tighter, breathing him in. She’d really missed him. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming here straight from the airport?”
He peered down at her, his smile crooked. “Would you have still dressed like that if I told you I was coming by?”
Magnolia glanced down to realize she only had on a t-shirt and pair of giant, fuzzy, yet colorful socks. She glanced back up at him. “Maybe.” Then she tugged the back of her shirt down to cover up the Wonder Woman underwear she forgot she had on. “Maybe not.”
Austin shrugged off his heavy sports coat, and then threw his toboggan on top of it. He opened his mouth to speak, but it was cut short by her audible gasp. Her hand immediately grabbed her heart. “You cut your hair.”
It sounded stupid when she said it out loud like that. As if Austin getting a haircut upset her. However, it caught her by surprise. She’d gotten accustomed to the silky brown drifts of hair that shadowed his face.
Austin stepped back, laughing. “I’m holding a giant box with a big ribbon on it, and you’re concerned with my hair?”
Magnolia looked around, and indeed, he did have what appeared to be a present in his hands, but she couldn’t concentrate. Austin’s new, shorter hair was disheveled. Sleek. Sexy. He ran a self-conscious hand through it. It ruffled in all directions. “That bad, huh?”
She very slowly shook her head. “No.”
She meant to say more, but didn’t. Anything more and she’d incriminate herself. She backed up, butt first, into the kitchen.
Austin disposed of his shoes and joined her at the counter, setting the present down. “My hair kept falling in my eyes during games. Plus, Callen started accusing me of trying to look like Henrik.”
She faked a smile and turned her eyes on the present. If she stumbled into the counter and busted her nose, he’d know it was because she couldn’t focus. She played with the ribbon around the box.
Austin bent down to catch her line of vision. “Do you hate it?”
“I haven’t even opened it yet.”
He grinned because he knew she was avoiding the question. “I meant my hair.”
She carefully studied him, trying not to show too much. “No,” she repeated robotically. “I do not hate it.”
It didn’t matter what he did to his hair. Rugged or clean cut, Austin Blakely would always be handsome.
Austin pointed at the bottle of wine on the counter. “Would you have a glass with me?”
She slid the bottle toward him, nodding to the corkscrew on the table. He popped it open and filled the glasses to the brim. She shot him a look, but he didn’t respond. “It’s been a rough day.” He downed half the glass in one Austin-size gulp.
She thought he was joking until he filled his glass full a second time. She instantly sank onto the bar. “What happened?”
He slid a glass across the counter to her. “My All-Star trip got cancelled.”
She picked it up, but didn’t drink. He looked devastated. “Wait. You made the All-Star team?”
He shrugged. “Yep, I got the call right after we got off the plane. My first time too. Coach asked me not to go, though. He doesn’t want me to risk aggravating my knee for a game that doesn’t count.”
“I’m sorry. That really sucks.”
He nodded. “It’s not so bad, especially when the consolation prize is spending the weekend with you.”
Magnolia paused with the glass to her lips. She pulled it down slowly. “I won’t be in town for the All-Star break.”
His brows instantly knotted together. It made her want to stick her finger between them and push them apart. That, and take back what she said and change her plans for him.
“Why?”
She rounded the counter and walked toward her couch. She didn’t sit on it. The couch would be too confining. She grabbed a blanket and sat down on the floor. There was lots of room on the floor. “It’s the All-Star break.” She curled into the blanket. “It’s the only vacation I get during the season too.”
He followed her and sat down opposite her. “Where are you going?”
“Georgia. It’s my dad’s sixtieth birthday. My sisters are throwing him a big party.”
“Oh.”
Grumpy. Disappointed. It didn’t matter his mood, he was still adorable. “I’ll be back the following Sunday,” she offered. “Maybe we could hang out then?”
“I’ll have practice all day Sunday. It will be the team’s first day back.”
Magnolia took a sip of her wine and watched Austin think. She could practically see the gears in his head turn and clink, until finally he smiled. “I bet I still have time to upgrade your ticket to a pair.”
Magnolia choked her wine down. Actually, she choked it back out into the glass. “What? No.”
“Why not? You just indicated you wanted to hang out that weekend. We can hang out in Georgia. I’ve never been.”
Magnolia shook her head. “Absolutely not.”
He studied her for a moment, confused, but then his eyes softened. He set his wine glass down and scooted in her direction. “What’s in Atlanta you don’t want me to know about?”
“Nothing.” Rumors. Scandal. Pictures. “Absolutely nothing.”
Austin stared at her harder, his head turning sideways. “Then why can’t I tag along?”
She set her wine glass down too, before clasping her hands together in her lap. He had to be joking.
“We aren’t dating,” she said, shooting him a look as if the reason should be obvious now. He hadn’t managed to even kiss her yet. She wasn’t angry about the gentleman approach, but this was a gigantic leap he was talking about. They were skipping several vital steps in the process.
“I thought we had an understanding that we weren’t going to be just friends.”
“Non-friendship doesn’t mean we’re dating.”
“We’ve been dating all week.” Austin looked around the room, gesturing. “Hell. This is a date.”
She sighed, collapsing against the couch. “I’m eating junk food in my pajamas at two a.m. This is so not a date.”
Austin’s smile spread across his face. “You’re drinking wine, and you’re wearing your diamonds,” he pointed out, reaching up to tip the set of three studs in her ear. “That means it counts.”
She hated when he did that. Those tender moments when he let his brass exterior fade. It caused her insides to go mushy.
Magnolia shook her head fervently He was missing the point. “You can’t come home with me.”
His eyes rounded, wounded. “Why?”
There were so many reasons. Even if no one mentioned her past, that didn’t mean people, especially her family, wouldn’t make assumptions about her future. Particularly her future with Austin.
“Because they will love you,” she blurted out.
His lips parted and she knew she had to explain herself. She had to make him understand.
/> “My dad is a former Georgia football player, and although he will make fun of your accent and the fact that you play a sport that isn’t football, he will love you.”
“Great,” he said, grinning like an idiot. “The NFL playoffs start that Saturday. We can watch the game.”
“And then my mom,” she continued, sucking in a breath. “That woman lives to cook, and after raising three fickle daughters, you will be the pot of gold at the end of her Rachael Ray rainbow. She will do nothing but spend the entire weekend shoving food in your face.”
“Football and good food. Wow. This trip sounds terrible.”
She stared at him. “Austin, this is serious. I don’t know how they do things in southern Canada, but in Georgia, bringing a guy to a family function is a big deal.”
He paused, taking in what she’d said, and then he smiled. It was his just-for-her smile. “Ah, I see,” he said, nodding. He scooted over and slung an arm around her shoulder. “If you wanted me to be your boyfriend, you could have just asked me.”
Her mouth dropped open.
He pulled her into him and kissed her temple. “My answer is yes, by the way.”
She instantly jerked away. “I didn’t ask you out.”
His grin covered his entire face. “Yeah, you sort of did.”
She threw a pillow across the small space separating them. “You insufferable—”
He was quick. His hands faster than lightning. Austin closed the space between them, moving the glasses of wine on the floor with ease before wrapping his arm around her waist and heaving her into his lap. She was nose to nose with him. His firm embrace held her steady as she caught her breath. He could have kissed her. His lips were so close. Except, he didn’t. He smiled, brushing his nose across her cheek. “Magnolia Cross, will you be my girlfriend?”
She hesitated, and he placed a single chaste kiss just under her chin as if that would help her get words out. “Say yes. Say yes and take me to meet your parents.”
She opened her mouth, but still no words escaped.
Austin shook his head, laughing. “You must really enjoy torturing me.”
Again she tried to speak, but instead of words, she laughed too. He had no idea of torture.
“Fine.” His fingers barely touched the soft part beneath her chin, tilting it down. “Take me with you and think about the rest.”
She could kiss him. Finally end this insane stalemate between them. It would be so easy. Complicated and sensual, but definitely easy. She leaned her cheek against the side of his face, her fingers curling through his new shorter but still perfect hair, fighting the temptation. It was impossible to deny him, especially now. “Ugh. Upgrade the tickets to two. But we are flying coach.”
His arms clenched around her, the smile exploding on his face. “Two V.I.P. tickets, coming right up.”
He sat her back down and hopped up to grab her laptop off the coffee table behind him. “No V.I.P.,” she growled back. “It’s coach, or no deal. You already bought me a gift, apparently.”
He sat back down with the computer. He quickly started typing, not bothering with a response.
She shoved his shoulder. “Don’t ignore me, Austin Blakely. I said we are flying coach.”
A small smile formed on his lips. “Fine. We will fly coach. You can wear those magnificently fascinating Wonder Woman panties you’re teasing me with, and you can sit in my lap for four hours.”
Her mouth was open when he looked up, and she quickly snapped it shut.
“If you haven’t noticed,” he said, smirking while he gestured at himself, “I take up a lot of room. If you want to try and squeeze me into one of those seats, you’ll have to suffer the consequences.”
She eyed him. Actually, she mentally measured him. He was definitely huge. She probably would have to sit in his lap. Again she groaned. He won.
“V. I. P.,” he spelled out with a laugh.
She huffed, sinking in her blanket against the couch. “Only because I want to take pity on the passenger who would get stuck sitting next to you.”
Austin pulled his wallet out, grinning. “Whatever works.”
She absolutely hated giving in so easily. Mostly, she wasn’t ready to have him thinking he could take care of her. She had things to prove.
“I’m not sleeping on their pillows or eating any of their fancy food,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. She was being unreasonable, and she knew it. “Or drinking their wine. Definitely no wine.”
Austin snorted, but agreed, running his hand along the diamonds in her ear. “Whatever you say, Diana Prince.”
She sank back down.
Geez. How many people actually knew Wonder Woman’s real name? Of course Austin did. Of course he would use his nerdy knowledge to steal another piece of her heart for his own. There wasn’t much left. He had it all.
“That’s it. I’m going to go find pants.”
He placed a hand over hers. “Don’t. Your panties are cute.”
She pulled away, rolling her eyes at him.
“Baby.” He grabbed her hand, intertwining their fingers. “Please. What is my poor ego to think if I show up unannounced, all romantic-like, and my soon-to-be girlfriend goes and puts on more clothes?”
Yes. He just called her baby. Yes. She died a little inside.
“Maybe your ego should have told you not to tease me.”
His lips were near her again. This time on her shoulder, tapering along the edge of her collar. “Teasing is my form of affection.”
“It’s your form of torture.”
He put his hands on her hips and guided her back closer to him. “It’s Christmas.” He stuck his lip out, pouting. “And I brought you a present.”
She let him move her into his lap. “No more jokes.”
“Agreed.” His hand ran up her thigh. “As long as you keep those fuzzy socks on. Those are sexy as hell.”
She slapped his shoulder. “You’re such an asshole.”
He laughed, sitting her back down in the spot next to him. “Maybe. But I’m an asshole with a present for you.”
He got up and grabbed the fancy box from the counter, brought it back, and set it between them. “It’s not much, but I wanted you to have it.”
She eyed the box. It was almost too pretty to touch. “You wrapped this yourself?”
“Yes.” He scoffed like he was offended, but then he grinned. “Leila might have helped. A little.”
Magnolia laughed as she carefully untied the gigantic bow and tore through the wrapping paper. In the box was a shirt. Actually, it was a lot of shirts. Jerseys, t-shirts, and sweatshirts. All different sizes and all different kinds.
She pulled them out, turning them around. Some of them had different numbers on the back, but always the same name. Blakley.
“Are these yours?”
“Yep.”
Magnolia held up a red t-shirt with a giant falcon on it that looked small enough to actually fit her.
“That’s a small. It’s from my high school team in St. Paul.”
“Wait.” She turned the shirt around again. “You actually wore this in high school?”
“I was kind of a runt back then.” He grinned. “You liked my sweatshirt that night at painting class, so I thought maybe—”
She glanced up, pulling the shirts tight to her chest. “I love it, Austin. All of them. Thank you.”
He breathed like he’d been holding in a breath. “Merry Christmas, Magnolia.”
She buried her face in his chest, holding him close. She might be wearing Wonder Woman’s colors, but she was far from resistant to the flame that burned inside of her now.
Chapter Eighteen
MAGNOLIA’S PROMISE
Despite quite a bit of turbulence in the beginning, the plane flew a steady path, placing them somewhere over the countryside of Pennsylvania. As of yesterday at four, it was officially the All-Star break. Everyone went their separate ways. Henrik and his family flew to Nashville for the Al
l-Star game, Sam and Drew planned a trip to Thunder Bay to hopefully introduce Drew to Sam’s parents, and Magnolia’s friends all stayed in the city. Stella’s family was coming in from New Jersey to visit, and Cressida planned to sleep. That was it. Just sleep.
Maybe that was what she should have done. This entire trip, taking Austin home to meet her family, still felt crazy. It was barely thirty minutes into the flight and Magnolia felt drunk. First she was nervous, but now she was definitely drunk. She wanted to blame Austin. She still couldn’t believe she let him talk her into introducing him to her parents. It was ridiculous. They weren’t at that stage yet, and nothing was even official between them.
She really wanted to blame him. Then she looked at the glass of sparkling strawberry wine in her hands and took another drink. “Oh. My. God. This tastes so good.”
“I can see that.” Austin grinned, taking a sip of his bottled water before adjusting the back of his seat into position. “That’s your third glass. On an empty stomach.”
“We have to find out what it’s called.” She took another drink. Smooth. Rich. It was perfect. She hummed with pleasure. She could blame Austin for everything some other time. It wasn’t every day she got to enjoy the luxury of first class.
“Oh, trust me. I’m gonna find out.”
She took a drink, then giggled. Yeah, she was definitely feeling it.
“Are you okay?” His face was serious. It had been that way since he picked her up three hours ago. As if this trip meant something. That was what started the relentless flutter in her gut she tried to drown. “You look a little nervous.”
She smiled over the rim of her glass. “I’m smuggling a Canadian into Georgia. I’m terrified.”
“Very funny. I meant nervous about me meeting your parents.”
She reflexively looked away. “Why would I be nervous? I mean it’s not like you’re the first guy I’ve ever brought home. You’re not even my boyfriend.”
He leaned closer, his shoulder skimming her arm. “I asked,” he reminded. “All you have to do is say yes.”
The Girl With Diamonds (Midtown Brotherhood Book 2) Page 14
