Ryan held up a glass after he refilled them all. “Here’s to knowing Runt will be taken care of forever.”
“Cheers to that,” Zach said. “And you best not let her hear you call her that.”
We shot another back.
“Hey, Runt!” Ryan shouted, and we all shifted around to see Emma flip him off from across the room.
Someone tugged on my shirt. Phoebe stood there, eyes red and puffy. “What’s up?” I asked nonchalantly.
“Can I talk to you?”
“Yeah, in a minute.”
I filled the shot glasses this time. My chest burned with the traces of alcohol hugging my esophagus all the way down to the pit of my stomach. I’d not been drunk in ages. I held the shot glass high in the air and looked right at Zach.
“Here’s to Emma choosing the right guy for her.”
He nodded, we touched our shot glasses and drank. Then my stare fell to Phoebe. “It’s always telling when a girl chooses the person that’s right for her.”
Her face crumpled. “Don’t, ok?”
I stepped past her and went outside away from her. Away from everyone. Rarely did I lose my shit, but I was damn near close.
“Austin, please.” Of course, she followed. “Austin.”
“What, Phoebe?” When I spun around, the venom in my voice shocked her. I could tell by the injured look on her face. I stuck out the tip of my tongue. “See that?”
She looked at my tongue.
“The ‘fuck off’ that’s sitting on the tip of my tongue.”
The wounded green eyes destroyed me, but I shrugged it off. She had picked Nick. If she was choosing him, I needed to back of anyway.
“Nick’s been that go-to person for a long time. You’re here. He’s there. I panicked. I needed to get to Sloan.”
My shoulders jetted up and down. “Sounds like you found your guy.”
“Please don’t. It isn’t like that.”
“Bullshit, Phoebe. Who was the first person you thought to call to help you? Definitely not me. That says it all, doesn’t it?”
“You don’t understand.” When her hand reached for mine, I held it out of her reach.
Frustrated, she threw her arms around my neck. “I’m sorry. I really am.”
I broke her embrace as gently as I could. “Look. It’s fine, Phoebe. It’s something I needed to know, and this let me know. Better now than later. Let’s go back in and say our goodbyes. Then I’m going back to the house and crashing.”
Back at the house, I intentionally changed in a different room; my buzz rocked pretty good. There was no doubt tomorrow my heart would hurt more than I was allowing it to that night. No way would I allow her to play me. I’d paid her for this, and once the wedding was over, we would call it good. She could explain to the kids exactly why I wasn’t there anymore. Her fear comes true. The thing was…I had absolutely no idea how to start getting over her. There were so many things about her already engrained in my mind and soul. I’d fucking fallen faster than ever.
I crawled into my bed, refusing to let my thoughts wonder where she was then suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder. Shit.
“Austin?” she said softly from behind me.
I flipped over. “What?” I asked gruffly.
“I need your help,” she said, crying.
A slow inhale calmed the heat flooding my bloodstream. Those tears on her cheeks washed my anger away.
“They told Nick no. He couldn’t pick her up.” She hiccupped a cry and collapsed to her knees. “Austin, I’ll give you the money back. I haven’t cashed the check. Please. I don’t need a call to DCF.” Plump tears slid down her cheeks, driving a fucking dagger in my chest. She had to have known I’d help her.
Tossing the covers back, I stood, slid on some shorts and padded to the door. “I’ll be back.”
PHOEBE
Curled up alone in Austin’s bed, I’d cried, stopped, cried, stopped and cried again while waiting for him to come back. I’d sold out and left the kids all because of money. All I was doing was hurting them and hurting Austin too. His lingering scent on the sheets sent my heart racing with just the thought of him. I missed him when he wasn’t near. But I’d managed to end this relationship with Austin before it had really gotten started. All of it my fault. The Nick thing was a deal breaker. I’d fucked up. I had never been good with relationships; I didn’t know how to fix it. Sadness overwhelmed me, sending tears down my cheeks again.
I shot upright when the door opened, light creaking into the room. Austin walked in and closed the door behind him. His coffee colored eyes smoldered with anger earlier and I needed to see them to understand if he was still upset.
“She’s home with Hannah,” he said coldly.
Anxiety deflated my body like a balloon released of its air. Happy tears replaced the dried ones. Keeping his shorts on, tossing his shirt to the floor, he climbed back into his spot on the bed, facing away from me.
“Thank you,” I sighed. “Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome, Phoebe.”
The vibration of the phone on the nightstand stole both of our attention. Austin was closest, and as if out of my worst nightmare, he looked at the phone and handed it to me. Nick. Seriously?
“Nick. This isn’t a good time,” I answered.
“What’s up with Sloan?”
“Austin took care of it. She’s home now.”
“Well, isn’t he a fuckin hero.”
“I’m not going to do this,” I spoke softly, but there was no way Austin didn’t hear everything.
“Did you fuck him?”
“Stop!” I gritted through clenched teeth.
“Put it on speaker,” Austin rolled over and demanded. I clicked the speaker button straight away. I’d do anything to make us better.
“Answer me, Phoebe. Have you fucked him?”
My eyes darted up to Austin’s. The emotions flitting across his face went from anger to frustration to confusion. I didn’t know what to say or what to do. So, I decided to be honest.
“I love him, Nick.”
Austin’s lips parted as he readjusted to sit up with both eyes flickering from my eyes to my lips. Shit. It was too soon to say those words. But I had fallen in love with him. I’d prayed my entire life for him, and I was on the verge of losing him. I had all intent of righting this wrong.
“He’s fucking paying you to be there. Paying to fuck you! You’re no better than a whore, Pheebs.”
Austin took the phone out of my hand, disconnected the call and tossed the phone into a chair next to his bed. The phone started vibrating again.
“That freaked you out. What I said, I mean.” I covered my face with my palms as the phone continued to vibrate. “I know this is crazy. I’ve only known you for like less than three weeks and here I am throwing out the L word… but it’s like…I don’t know. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize.” His chin ticked to the side even though his heavy gaze never left mine. “We need to talk about some things.”
I nodded. “Ok.”
“I don’t wanna talk right now though, Phoebe. All I want is to be inside you.”
A shudder of desire rippled down my body, stirring a hunger that only he could feed. His hands raked roughly through my hair, tenderly massaging my scalp and then drawing me closer to him. When our lips collided, he breathed life into us. Hope and possibilities inhaled, anxiety and insecurities exhaled. He stopped kissing me and those chocolate eyes stared down at me.
“What are you waiting for?” I asked, praying he hadn’t changed his mind.
He swallowed whatever idled in his thoughts.
“Touch me, Austin. Love me like you do, please.”
I still wasn’t sure where we stood in the whole picture of things, but right then I didn’t care. He made me his in the way that doesn’t need words. A way that would linger in my mind for a very long time. He loved every inch of my body and though the words never came from his mouth, he showed me through actions that he lov
ed me. That’s all that mattered.
_______________
The already beautiful beach was breathtakingly decorated with white chairs, white monster bows on the back, a white swath of material down the center aisle. White was everywhere. A gazebo centered at the end of the white material served as the altar. Oversized white lilies mixed with long-stemmed red roses situated everywhere added a dab of red. I’d been so overwhelmed with parenting the kids that I’d never really pictured what my wedding would look like. This image would be seared in my thoughts forever. A lot of my dreams had been put on hold for my four reasons at home, but they were so worth it. Sloan had answered my call this morning only to lash out that this was all my fault. My fault for being gone. My fault for picking money. She couldn’t possibly understand. Refusing to tell Austin about the situation before the big day, I’d decided I could tell him tonight.
I hadn’t seen him since he’d joined the groomsmen to get ready. Two of them were already seating people as I stepped up. I took ahold of one of their arms—I couldn’t recall his name—and he seated me next to Austin’s parents. His mother patted my knee several times as we waited for the ceremony to start. It was weird how much I wanted her to like me. She was absolutely everything my mother wasn’t. Since we’d been there, she’d taken care of us like a mother is supposed to. Austin had the perfect growing up years. Two parents. Two parents that cared. Food. Shelter. Medical care. Love.
A saxophone played softly while Zach and his buddies strolled out barefoot with khaki pants rolled up to their ankles. Ryan’s enormous body next to Zach seemed ridiculous compared to Emma’s. It wasn’t possible to imagine them as siblings. Once the parents were seated, the saxophone began playing the coolest wedding march.
Austin was the third to walk down the aisle, representing Emma’s side. On the short trip to the gazebo, his eyes bore into me. I squirmed at his heated gaze, knowing full well his mother was behind me and witness to it too. I hoped everyone there knew he was mine. Sitting there, at this beautiful wedding, I couldn’t help but picture myself walking down that aisle toward him. I loved the thought of marrying him. The thought of crawling into bed with him every night. The thought of him helping me figure out things with day-to-day problems. Feeling his hand in mine for the rest of my life. I drew in the deepest of breaths with the happy, forever thoughts.
When the guests started laughing, I peeked around the lady in front of me to see what was so funny. Zach and Emma had turned away from us to face the minister and Zach wore a sign on his back that read STOP ME! All of Zach’s groomsman laughed. Emma reared back to see what was on Zach’s shirt, and she pulled off the taped piece of paper and handed it to Ali, who fought a smile of her own. Zach murdered the groomsmen with his eyes, but Emma took his hand, easing him with a smile. THAT, that is what I wanted with me and Austin. When it came time for the exchange of rings, Emma swiveled around to Ali. Ali shrugged and turned to Sam. Sam shrugged and turned to Austin. Austin shrugged and turned to Grant. In the meantime, Zach’s chest began to swell until Emma touched it, shaking her head in laughter and whispering something in his ear. Grant shot his hand up to show the ring resting on his middle finger. The ring was passed up from Grant to Austin to Sam to Ali and then finally to Emma, who laughed at the antics. Both sets of parents laughed too. My parents wouldn’t be at my wedding. As if reading my mind, Austin’s mother patted my leg again, making my doubts and hesitations subside. I couldn’t help but wonder what Austin had told her about us.
The person officiating the service pronounced them husband and wife. I couldn’t help but get lost in them as a couple as Emma fought a smile when Zach lifted her chin and pecked her lips several times and then kissed her so deeply the entire wedding party and some of the guests whooped and whistled. Even the weather seemed in full agreement with what was happening on this beach. There weren’t many places where an August wedding would work, but this beach was one. Texas would never work.
The reception equaled dream worthy too. The white tent was back in place with a dance floor, a DJ, and a table with a spectacular cake. Austin sat at the head table, so I sat with his parents.
“I’ll join you in just a few,” he whispered into my hair and kissed my neck. “You are so beautiful.”
My heart flipped over in my chest. Seriously. It did a complete 360. I knew it was impossible. I knew I’d be dead if it had truly flipped, but God did it feel like it. The hair on the back of my neck stood, and I wanted him by my side. My eyes followed him all the way back to his seat. When he sat, his glance caught mine. Both of us smiled.
The toasts by Ali and Ryan were filled with memories held by lifelong friends. Friends that would be friends forever. I had only a couple of close friends. Austin’s history was full of positive, fun memories. Mine, well, it wasn’t. For the first time in my life, I had hope.
The tap on my shoulder startled me, and when I shifted around, Nick stood glaring at me. He wore his jeans, Harley boots and sleeveless shirt.
Chapter 10
Phoebe
Unexpected Visitor
“NICK!” I GASPED mortified and then immediately ushered him away from the reception so there wouldn’t be a scene. Thank God everyone was preoccupied with the wedding couple at that moment. “What in God’s name are you doing here?” I hissed scrambling away.
How was him being there even possible? This was ridiculous. He had to have hopped on a damn airplane as soon as Austin hung up on him last night.
“I know you don’t love him. This is bullshit. This is about the money, Pheebs.”
He wore the Harley Davidson shirt that I’d bought him last year. I couldn’t stand him.
I negated his words with my head shake. “No. You’re wrong. This has nothing to do with the money. You need to leave. Now,” I gritted through clenched teeth so scared that Austin and I were only in the middle of working through this. It was too soon for something more to happen.
“I’m sorry,” Austin growled from behind me. “You’re who the fuck?” he spat out at Nick. God, how was this happening? I wanted to cry. I wanted to run. I didn’t look at Austin.
“I’m Nick.”
“I had a feeling. May I see your invitation?”
A confused expression crossed Nick’s face.
“Oh, you don’t have one?” Austin asked. “In that case, get the fuck outta here. We are not gonna do this here. Not tonight.”
Nick stepped closer, expanding his chest like this was going to come down to a pissing match. “I’m not goin anywhere, pretty boy.”
“Trust me, you do not want to do this,” Austin threatened.
“You touch him or her, and you will not walk away from this town.”
I spun around to see Zach glaring at Nick. Zach! The freaking groom was out here dealing with my shit. Grant, Ryan, Connor…they were all there behind Zach and Austin. Ryan towered over all of them, then stepped next to Austin and crossed his arms, clearly sending a message. Through mental telepathy, I begged Nick to walk away.
Nick’s eyes didn’t leave me. “Will you please come with me so we can talk?”
Honestly, I thought Austin might answer for me, but he simply looked at me, waiting for my answer. I think he was trying his own mental telepathy. There was no way I was going to screw this up again.
“No, Nick. I’m here with Austin.”
Austin glanced back at Nick.
“I came here to talk with you. Please Phoebe.”
Taking another step toward Nick, Austin threw his arms out to the side. “What the fuck are you not understanding?”
The pleading look on Nick’s face turned to anger in a flash. “This isn’t over.”
“It’s as over as this goddamn conversation is,” Austin said, holding his hand out to me. I took it instantly, but guilt curled in my stomach. Nick had traveled all this way to see me, and I had turned my back on him. For months, I’d asked, begged and demanded to be left alone. Our paths only crossed when Sloan’s drama took front and center.
Even so, with each step I took away from him holding Austin’s hand, I heard his heart crack. In his own messed up way, I knew he loved me, and I hated to hurt him. I replayed the night he raised his hand to me to keep me motivated.
“You ok?” Austin asked as the rest of the guys walked past us to rejoin the reception.
I stared at the people in the tent. The camaraderie, the fun, the lifetime of memories, the money…God, all of it…that these people had together. Those guys had left the wedding celebration—not to protect me—but to have Austin’s back. Because that’s what friends do. They go through fire for each other. That’s why this felt so wrong. I was choosing someone I’d known for a month over someone who’d had my family’s back for years. Yes, Nick had his faults. He’d hit me for Christ’s sake, but still, we had a history.
“Phoebe?” Austin stepped in front of me, blocking my view. My gaze latched with his.
No part of me wanted to lie. No part of me wanted to tell the truth. The differences between our two worlds collided as we walked away, but I wondered if I was on the right side.
AUSTIN
The vacant stare in Phoebe’s green eyes alarmed me. The wind had done a number on her hair, making it a perfect mess. She was the most beautiful thing I had ever laid eyes on. She had trekked halfway across the country for me—granted, it was for a substantial amount of money but that seemed insignificant as we stood there. The night before on the phone, I heard her tell Nick she loved me. Yet, seeing him stirred something inside of her, and it scared me. Being there at Zach and Emma’s wedding hadn’t given me closure. Closure had already happened when I had chased after her to southern Cal to find her in Zach’s arms. Deep down a part of me always knew she was going to end up with him, but a small part of me had hoped she might choose me. As I stood there with the redhead that was meant to be mine, I couldn’t help but wonder if she needed some sort of closure, as well. For the briefest of moments, I considered tracking Nick down and allowing Phoebe to have that conversation, ending this shit once and for all.
Placing her hand in mine, a slow swallow moved down her throat. “Dance with me.”
Finally...My Forever (Just One of the Guys Book 4) Page 11
