by Rayne, Piper
Five
Austin
“Austin!” my sister Savannah screams when she walks in the front door of the house.
Jesus, does she ever not sound like she’s in a panic?
No, not really, but that’s Savannah for you. She’s younger than me by two years, and when my parents passed nine years ago, we took the reins and equally divided the family duties between us to try to get our seven brothers and sisters into adulthood in one piece. I took the bulk of the domestic duties, and she took over learning the family lumber business. She lived with us for a few years at first, but she’s had her own place for a while now.
I don’t know if it was the weight of that kind of responsibility at such a young age that turned her into the type-A, always serious and doesn’t seem to know how to have fun anymore woman she is today, or whether she would’ve been that way anyway. But suffice it to say that on most days, Savannah is wound tight.
“In the kitchen,” I say in my regular voice because she’s only one room away.
I hear her make a pit stop in the family room, where Sedona and her boyfriend, Jamison, are watching TV.
“I don’t think the two of you should be sitting so close,” Savannah says then walks into the kitchen. “Did you see those two? They have a blanket over their laps. Come on, Austin, you remember being a teenager, right?”
I point a knife in her direction. “You stick to your responsibilities and I’ll stick to mine. Jamison is harmless. They aren’t in her room. They’re in plain sight where I can surprise them and pop into the room whenever I want.” I turn my attention back to cutting up the chicken.
“I’m starving.” She picks up a piece of broccoli, pops it into her mouth, and rests a stack of papers on the counter.
“What’s that?” I eye the pile with disdain. There’s a reason she took over the business and I became Mr. Mom.
“These are the numbers we need to figure out. With Phoenix and Sedona heading to college next year, we need to look at the finances.” She saddles up in the stool across from me.
“I thought we’d already set the college funds aside and we were good?”
My dipshit of a brother decided after he graduated that he wanted to risk his life and jump out of planes and fight forest fires as a smoke jumper. Savannah and I told him he couldn’t touch his college fund until he was twenty-one. It’s a sore subject around here.
“We did, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t papers to sign. And… I’m not sure Phoenix is going to college.”
“She’s going.”
Another sore subject in the Bailey house.
“We can’t force her, and I’m not letting her waste that money by sending her to college and paying for it when she doesn’t even want to be there.” She grabs another piece of broccoli but heads to the fridge where she grabs the ranch dip and cracks it open.
“Help yourself,” I say.
“Thanks.” She smiles with a full mouth of broccoli.
I concentrate on the chicken, knowing Savannah and I are going to argue about Phoenix.
“How is she doing in school?” Savannah asks.
That’s the thing with Savannah—she knows how to manipulate. She learned from Grandma Dori, who taught her the ropes at nineteen when she got involved in the family business. We’re usually easygoing with our siblings, letting them live their lives the way they want, but Phoenix needs direction and I’m not letting her sit around and do nothing with her life.
“She does okay. But we both know she doesn’t put in the effort she should.”
Savannah eyes the other room and nods in that direction. “What about…?”
“Sedona has good grades in English, decent in science, still editor of the newspaper. She’ll be fine.”
Savannah sighs, eating another piece of broccoli. “So before we get down to business, I have to say, I’m kind of disappointed in you. I mean, having sex in the alley behind Lucky Tavern? You had to know you’d make Buzz Wheel.” She grins.
I roll my eyes. “When was the last time you were on the Buzz Wheel? Oh, that’s right, you don’t do anything but work and workout, so not much opportunity.”
She cocks her head with a “whatever” expression. “Dodging the subject, I see.” After taking a ponytail holder out of her purse, she secures her blonde hair and heads to the sink.
“I’m not dodging. I don’t give a shit who knows what I did. I’m a thirty-year-old man who’s raising his siblings. I deserve to get laid.”
She laughs, wiping her hands on a paper towel and throwing it away. “No one said you didn’t. I just thought what with you having twin seventeen-year-old sisters to set an example for, maybe you’d be more discreet.”
“I wasn’t thinking straight.”
Which is the truth. Holly kind of took me by storm. When we left Lucky, I assumed we’d head to her place, or maybe the inn down the street, but she couldn’t seem to wait, and hey, again, I’m a thirty-year-old guy who doesn’t get laid nearly enough. You do the math. Willing partner + roaming hands the minute we reached the vehicle = sex in my Jeep.
“No, you weren’t. I think the best part though is the picture of your face when she stepped on stage.”
Fucking Buzz Wheel. “Well, imagine it was you.”
She laughs, putting oil in a pan. “I tend to get names before I sleep with someone.”
I slide the chicken off the cutting board into the pan, and Savannah salt-and-peppers it.
“Next subject,” I say, bringing the cutting board to the sink. “Don't we have to talk about our sisters’ futures?”
“I’ll give you a pass this time.” She smiles and puts the broccoli in the pot to steam while I check on the baked potatoes in the crock pot. “We need to discuss Founder’s Day too, and there’s something I need your help on with Bailey Timber.”
“After dinner?”
“Sure.” She shrugs.
“Hey, you two.” Brooklyn barrels into the kitchen, probably smelling the food.
“What’s with the new look?” Savannah asks, because Brooklyn’s makeup looks mismatched.
“Oh.” She covers her mouth. “I was trying on what makeup I want for the wedding, so Aubrey did one half of my face with a nighttime glamor look and the other with the innocent girl-next-door.”
Savannah examines both sides.
“Nighttime,” Savannah says at the same time I say, “Girl next door.”
“Don’t listen to Austin. He doesn’t respect a girl enough to give her a proper bed.” Savannah winks.
I knew the subject wouldn’t go away that easily.
“She’s cute. The principal lady.” Brooklyn smiles at me, taking over for Savannah stirring the chicken in the pan.
“She seems a tad out of your league. I mean, Yale?” Savannah adds more of her two cents.
I cut up a loaf of bread, ignoring them.
“Look at those pink cheeks.” Savannah pinches one and I hip-check her. She stumbles in her heels, Brooklyn catching her, and the two of them laugh in one another’s arms.
“One day it’ll be payback.”
“Please, you gave Jeff the third degree on our first date.”
“Because he’s an asshole,” I mumble.
Savannah straightens and pokes me in the side. “You know, Brook, no one will be good enough for you in Austin’s eyes.”
I don’t argue with Savannah’s point because Brooklyn is twenty-five and can decide for herself what she wants. The wedding is happening, and her douche of a fiancé is going to be my brother-in-law no matter how much I try to help Brooklyn see his faults.
At one point, Savannah sat me down for a conversation to tell me to stop before Brooklyn leaves Lake Starlight and we never see her again.
“Yeah, well, he’s coming to pick me up and take me to the movies,” Brooklyn says.
“What are you seeing?” Savannah grabs the plates, Brooklyn the silverware, and the two of them set the table.
“That new action one with Tom
Cruise.”
I inwardly roll my eyes. I’ve never once heard Brooklyn say they were doing something she liked.
“Oh, is he coming for dinner?” Savannah asks.
I turn my back with the excuse of having to stir the chicken, so Brooklyn doesn’t have to see my grimace.
“Well, I didn’t want to ask…”
“He’s more than welcome. Right, Austin?” Savannah says.
I smack on the smile Savannah demands I use when asshat is here. “Yeah.” Needing as many reinforcements as possible, I call to the family room, “Jamison, you want to stay for dinner?”
“Aye, let me call me hosts and let them know.”
Perfect. A full table where I can talk with Jamison about soccer and ignore Jeff’s incessant chatter about himself.
“Smooth,” Savannah whispers, taking the bread basket off the counter.
I shrug. I can’t wait for one of our brothers to bring home a girl she doesn’t like. My phone rings on the counter, and I place the spoon over the pan to grab it.
“I bet it’s his girlfriend,” Brooklyn imitates a thirteen-year-old’s voice, fluttering her eyelids.
I point at her. “Shut it.”
“She’s probably asking for another round in his Jeep,” Savannah says on a laugh.
Sedona enters the kitchen and joins the party. “That thing is so ugly.”
“Nah, the Jeep’s cool.”
I fist-bump Jamison for the compliment as he walks past me toward the table. “Let’s remember my business is my business.”
“Then keep it private. You know how many girls already fawn over you at school? It’s disgusting and now they’re imagining you…” Sedona’s entire body shudders and her eyes roll back into her head.
Savannah laughs. “When we were in high school together—”
I drag my finger across my throat to Savannah. Sometimes we both forget we’re the role models for these kids and not their cool older siblings. She nods, understanding the kids don’t need to hear how either of us behaved in high school. Not that we were bad. We were… well, teenagers. It’s just different when you are the teenager and when you’re trying to raise one.
Glancing at my phone, I see a number I don’t recognize. I answer in case it’s one of the colleges I’m waiting to hear from.
“Hello,” I say in my most professional voice.
“Hey, Austin, sorry to call you on your cell phone, but I need to see you in my office first thing in the morning. JP’s mother called, and I guess there’s a problem,” Holly says.
I walk out of the kitchen, reminding me of when I was a teenager and could never talk to the girl I liked in front of my family. “Just a little 4-1-1, JP’s mom always has a problem.”
She laughs. “I can tell by his file. But I guess she’s concerned about his friend, Elijah. She’s making some pretty outlandish accusations, and before I address them, I want to talk with you in person.”
“What’s she claiming?” I sit in the family room, turning off the television Sedona and Jamison left on. I used to hate when my parents nagged me to turn shit off. Now that I’m the one paying the electric bills, I get it.
“She’s claiming Elijah isn’t earning the grade he’s getting. She said you’ve been giving him a free ride, so he can get into college.”
The phone almost slips from my hand. She’s got to be fucking kidding me. After all the shit that woman has done, she’s not going to ruin my reputation just because her son got his ass handed to him by Elijah a few nights ago. God, that fucking woman needs help.
“We’ll talk about it in the morning. No worries tonight.”
Her voice is level and kind, but I can’t help but think she probably believes the lie because her whole experience of moving to Lake Starlight has been ruined by my doing. I exposed her to Buzz Wheel, something I knew could happen but didn’t give much thought to in the moment. I embarrassed her at school, which caused her name to once again appear in that stupid anonymous blog. I made her cry.
Fuck, my mom always told me not to make a girl cry. I hate that she could be looking down on me with her hands on her hips and her stern, disappointed eyes surveying all the trouble I’ve caused Holly since she moved to Lake Starlight.
“Elijah earns his grades. The only thing I’ve helped him with is the tapes to send in to colleges, but that’s a coaching thing.”
“Did you do the same for JP?”
“No.” I want to say it’s because JP can barely field a ball cleanly, let alone hit a ball. He’s on the team because he’s the best we have, but he’s no Elijah. My heart races over Gail Andrew’s accusation. An accusation that could ruin my future.
“Well, like I said, we’ll get this all sorted in the morning. I’ll call a sub to take your first period tomorrow so we can talk.”
“Thanks, Holly.”
“Oh, and one more thing.”
“Yeah?”
“You mentioned you’re leaving Lake Starlight next year to pursue a college coaching position. Is that a for-sure thing?”
I blow out a breath. “Yeah.”
“Okay,” she croaks. “Great. Just wanted to know since she talked about that, but I didn’t have any record of official notice or…”
“It’s not set in stone yet. I mean, I haven’t officially been offered anything yet.”
“It’s fine. I mean, I’m only here temporarily, but obviously it’s something the school board will need to be informed of.”
“Holly,” I say before she rushes me off the phone.
“Yeah?”
“Please don’t tell the school board. I don’t have a for-sure job lined up yet. They’re looking into me, but I’m still waiting to hear.” I tap my foot on the floor, waiting for her to agree.
There’s silence.
“Well, JP’s mom knows, so my guess is this Buzz Wheel thing will be leaking that news soon enough.”
“I’ll handle Gail.”
“No, you won’t. Listen to me, do not call or go over there. We’ll talk in the morning and figure out a plan. I’m on your side.”
“Why?” I’ll admit I’m surprised. I can usually read people pretty well, and I didn’t take Holly for someone who would have my back.
“Because you said you didn’t do it and I believe you.”
I don’t respond, surprised by the resolve in her voice.
“Let’s just talk tomorrow. Good night, Austin.”
“Thanks for the heads-up, Holly. Good night.”
Savannah pops her head in from the kitchen. “Everything okay? Dinner’s ready.”
“Yeah, everything’s great.” I stuff my phone into my pocket and head to dinner with a smile, courtesy of Holly.
Six
Holly
Austin arrives at my office early, before Fay has clocked in for the day. He knocks on the glass window of my office wall, and I wave him in.
“I know it’s early, but I brought you a coffee and a blueberry muffin from Brewed Awakenings.” He sets them on my desk.
“Thanks, but that wasn’t necessary.”
My eyes soak him in. He’s wearing a pair of charcoal slacks with a V-neck sweater and a white T-shirt underneath. Very uncoach-like, but hot AF as the kids say these days.
“Are you dressed up for an interview I don’t know about?” I laugh.
He sits in the chair opposite my desk, opening the lid of his coffee and blowing into the cup. I try not to think of how he blew his warm breath on my wet nipples the night we were together, but I mean, come on, how can I not?
“No, but it’s laundry day.”
I shake my head. Time to move on. “Well, Gail Andrews is quite the number, isn’t she?”
I open JP’s file on my desk. Complaint after complaint from his mother rests inside. Everything from school lunches to threatening to sue the school when JP got caught cheating in the ninth grade and was forced to serve detention.
After speaking with Austin last night, I knew I had to investigate before hi
s reputation was tarnished by this accusation.
“She’s something for sure, but this is beyond thinking her son is the angel he isn’t. She’s going to ruin Elijah’s chances of a scholarship if this gets out.” He sits on the edge of the chair, his legs open, his coffee on my desk.
I look up from the file and study him. He’s so gorgeous. I have no idea how he’s not taken already. His dark brown eyes, surrounded by thick, dark lashes, look at me, waiting for me to respond.
I clear my throat. “I know. I think we can prove her wrong. My only concern is with the other teachers. I’ll need to question them, get Elijah’s test results, but if I flag them, one of them might get suspicious. Same as you, my concern rests on Elijah’s future.”
“What if you ask for all the seniors’ results? You mentioned at the assembly that you’re going to be meeting with each of them to discuss their futures after graduation. You can say you’re reviewing everyone’s results.”
I lean back in my seat. “That’s a daunting task.”
He slides closer to the edge of his chair. “I’ll help you with whatever you need. After school, I’ll go through papers and test scores with you. We can prove that Elijah’s marks are in line with his classmates who performed similarly.”
I sense that the desperation in his tone is more about Elijah than himself, confirming my instinct that he didn’t do what he’s being accused of. Gail Andrews is just a mom who thinks her son is a special snowflake and can’t imagine him being anything less than numero uno.
“Okay, let’s do it. From what I’ve seen, Elijah has a bright future, and I already have him on the schedule to talk to tomorrow as part of my senior stay-on-track program. But I need you to handle this whole Elijah, JP, and Becca ordeal. I’d ask Vice Principal Ealey, but he’s not in any shape to give advice to anyone about relationships.”
He nods. “I can handle that.”
I figured out what everyone was talking about in the staff room—apparently JP and Elijah are letting some girl come between their friendship and blows have already been exchanged.
“All right, well, I’ll call Ms. Andrews this morning and tell her I’m investigating her allegations. Hopefully I can put this to bed in a week and both you and Elijah can rest easy about your futures.”
