Southern Hearts (Southern Love Series)

by Thorn, Ava

  Farrah raised her hand up to stop him. "I've heard enough. Honestly, Austin, I don't care anymore. Just stay away from me, and I'll do the same for you. Actually, I'm thinking about leaving Dallas."

  "I can't fight anymore. No matter who I'm with, I will always love you. I want you to be happy."

  Farrah walked past him to the bedroom. "This is not new to me, Austin. I know what pain feels like, and I'm pretty sure this won't be my last time experiencing this hurt."

  "Farrah, take the money," he said.

  "No." She didn't want anything from him.

  "I already put money into your business account; not to mention I opened an account with your name," he said.

  "Is this a pay off? Newsflash, Austin, I'm not going to tell anyone. Plus, I think the whole world knows already." She laughed hysterically.

  Austin snatched Farrah up and pulled her roughly against him. "I don't give a damn what you think, I'm giving you money because I love you and I want you to be taken care of."

  "Go home to your pregnant fiancée," Farrah said, moving away from him.

  Austin put a set of keys on the nightstand before he took one last look at her and left. "Goodbye," she said softly once the door had closed.

  Chapter Ten

  Two Weeks Later

  Farrah looked around the empty restaurant. Southern Rose Eatery was her hope and dream. She had named it after her mother, Rose Rue, and she always dreamt that one day she would pass it down to her future kids, but that didn't seem like it was going to happen. In a few days, she was closing down the restaurant. Since her affair with Austin was publicized, her restaurant was barely scratching the surface with customers. With the countless break-ins and vandalizing, she decided that the best option was to close until further notice.

  Farrah unfolded the letter and placed it with the other threatening letters she had been receiving. She had over thirty letters from Austin's fans threatening to kill her. But this last letter had her rattled.

  The door of the restaurant closed.

  "Shane?" Farrah called out. When no one said anything, she grabbed the knife off the chopping block as she tried to remember if she had locked the front door.

  "It's me," he yelled out, stepping into the kitchen. "Are you done packing?"

  "I have a few more boxes." Farrah placed the knife back on the counter.

  "Well, Hank and the guys will be here in thirty minutes."

  The whole ordeal was making her sick, so Farrah's plan was to take a month long trip to Aruba to get her mind off all her troubles.

  "This box is trash." Farrah tossed the box with the letters into the garbage can. "Did you lock the door back?"

  "Yeah." Shane watched Farrah; he noticed that she was visibly shaken. "Farrah, what changed since I left?"

  "Nothing."

  "Okay," he said reluctantly.

  Farrah could see Shane was reading her and knew it was only a matter of time before he found out the truth.

  She sighed. "There was a letter."

  She went to the trash and dug out the box. Shane took it from her.

  You should have stayed with your own kind

  Bitch I'm going to burn you alive in your restaurant

  "Farrah, there's thirty-something letters in this box. How could you keep this to yourself?"

  "Shane, I just want to get the hell out of Texas."

  "Farrah, these are terroristic threats. It's a crime." Shane unclipped his phone and called for a deputy to come to the restaurant.

  "It's just an angry person ranting," Farrah said, trying to convince herself more so than Shane.

  A loud shattering of glass sent Shane running to the front of the restaurant; the window was smashed. Farrah caught a glimpse of a man standing there on the other side; he was holding a bottle with a burning rag sticking out of it. Shane knocked Farrah down as something exploded near them. The building instantly filled with thick, black smoke, and Farrah began to cough and choke.

  "Stay low, Farrah." Shane crawled to the back of the building where the emergency exit was located.

  Farrah couldn't see anything; she was blinded by the smoke that stung her eyes as she crawled for safety behind Shane. Farrah could feel the heat from the fire; she turned back for a second to see the orange and red flames. The fire crackled and popped around them as it consumed everything in the room. Making it to the emergency exit, she watched as Shane tried with all his might to get the door to open.

  "Something's blocking it," he said. "Head to the bathroom window." Farrah felt weak and couldn't breathe.

  Shane must have sensed her distress; he came up beside her and nearly pulled her into the bathroom. Turning on the water, Shane grabbed some paper towels and wet them. He put one over his mouth and handed one to her.

  "Come on, baby," he said.

  Farrah screamed as the wall started to bubble up. The flames were getting closer; if they didn't get out soon, they would surely die in the restaurant.

  Farrah lost consciousness. When she woke up, she was in the back of an ambulance with Shane. His face was black from the smoke.

  "You're okay," he said before her world went dark again.

  ***

  Austin was awakened by the shrill sound of his phone ringing. Rolling over, he finally answered after the third ring. He was still tired from performing his last concert of the season in Florida. All he wanted to do was get some sleep.

  "Hello." Austin said.

  "Shit, man, there was a fire at the restaurant!"

  Austin could barely understand Hank. "Catch your breath!"

  "Fire at Southern Rose, Shane and Farrah are on their way to the hospital."

  "Which hospital?" Austin bellowed, jumping out of bed. "Are they okay?"

  "Everything is gone," Hank shouted.

  Austin could hear the sirens in the background. "What about Farrah?"

  "We aren't her family, man," Hank said. "They will only disclose her condition to family members."

  Austin hung up and called to have to his jet ready within an hour.

  After two hours, he walked through Baylor Medical Hospital, searching for Farrah's room. He found Shane in Farrah's room holding her hand. Austin walked into the room, but his eyes stayed on Farrah and Shane holding hands.

  "Are you okay?" Austin asked.

  "Austin!"

  Austin registered shock on Farrah's beautiful face.

  Just for a second, he saw something between Farrah and Shane. "Am I interrupting something?" he looked back and forth between the two of them.

  "No."

  Farrah looked at Shane.

  "No," he finally said.

  "What happened?" Austin sat on the bed and cradled Farrah's hand in his.

  "Someone burned the restaurant down."

  "Not just anyone." Shane grumbled. "One of your loyal, crazy-ass fans burned the restaurant down with us in it."

  "Austin, we need to get going," Samuel said when he poked his head inside the room.

  "Two minutes." Austin looked at Shane. "Can I talk to her privately?"

  ***

  A second ticked off before Shane left the two former lovers alone. "Are you sure you're okay?" Austin asked as he pulled her to him.

  "I'm sure," Farrah mumbled, slowly wrapping her arms around Austin.

  "What's going on between you and Shane?" he asked.

  "Nothing. He saved my life. If he wasn't there with me tonight, I wouldn't be alive right now."

  Farrah inhaled Austin's masculine scent knowing this would be the last time she would ever see him.

  "Do you still have that key I left you at Shane's?" he asked.

  "Yeah, why?"

  "I bought you a ranch in Tennessee. You will find Snowflake there," he said with a smile.

  She shook her head no. "I can't accept that."

  "Farrah, baby, look at me," he said softly. She looked up into his soft grey eyes.

  "I knew you were my soul mate when I first laid eyes on you. I made the purchase a few w
eeks ago. I thought we could start our beginning there," he said.

  "I can't take a house from you," she said, wishing that she had the key to give back to him.

  "It's your home; the deed is already drawn up," he replied with a smile.

  "I'm stuck with the memories we shared together. I made the choice to fall for you." Farrah stroked the side of Austin's face. "I wish we could go back."

  Their lips met in a slow, sensual kiss.

  "I love you," he said as he rested his forehead against hers.

  "I love you, too." Farrah kissed Austin again before he stood up. "Goodbye."

  "Bye," he said and left the room.

  ***

  Farrah lay in bed and touched her swollen lips. When she saw Austin standing in the doorway, she wanted him to tell her that he'd changed his mind and was coming back to her. Laying her head back on the pillow, she closed her eyes and exhaled. Farrah let go of the past and looked forward to her future.

  "Why didn't you tell him?" Shane asked from the doorway.

  Farrah opened her eyes to see Shane standing at the end of her bed.

  "He's having a baby with Rebecca. I'm a grown woman, Shane; I can raise my son or daughter on my own."

  "My cousin has the right to know," he said.

  "Not right now. I promise to tell him, but not right now." She pleaded for him to understand where she was coming from.

  "Has he ever lied to you?" Shane asked, sitting down in the chair by the bed.

  "No," she said as she bit down on her bottom lip. "I can tell him on my own terms." Farrah closed her eyes.

  For the past couple of hours, her life had been like hell. Someone had tried to kill her by burning her restaurant down with her inside. Now she found out she was six weeks pregnant. She knew exactly when it happened, the time at the ranch in the bathroom.

  "Farrah, I will be there every step of the way. I'm going to the islands with you to help you settle in."

  "I can't let you take time off from work for me," she said, shaking her head. The last thing she needed was to escape only to be around another McBride.

  "I have a lot of time. When my Sarah died, I didn't take time off from work. I have a lot of time on the books. I will spend a week or two with you," he said, ignoring her.

  "Fine," Farrah agreed when she saw that Shane wasn't going to back off. "What about the fire? Do they know who burned my restaurant down?"

  "Not a clue," Shane said. "But I don't want you worrying your pretty little head."

  "How am I not supposed to worry?" she said, looking at him. "I just cashed in my savings, not to mention my livelihood is burnt down to the ground, and I'm having a baby."

  "I will help you if needed," Shane said, looking at her.

  "I don't want anyone to help," she mumbled.

  "Everyone needs help," Shane muttered.

  "Whatever," Farrah said and closed her eyes.

  ***

  "Last Thing I Remember Is Her Kissing Me Goodbye."

  Austin's smooth country was playing, a song about a woman he loved but had to let go. "That's good, man," Diggy, the engineer, said when Austin stepped out of the booth.

  "Thanks, man." Austin sat in the chair thinking about Farrah. He wondered where she was and if she was okay.

  "Do you love her?" Diggy asked.

  Austin knew that Diggy wasn't talking about Rebecca. "Yeah."

  "Then go after her. Fuck everyone who says that being with her could be bad for your career." Diggy smiled.

  Austin watched as Diggy adjusted the sound on the boards.

  "I say give them something to talk about right now. I think that after they listen to your new album, they will understand the love you have for this woman," Diggy said as he played back the song Austin had just recorded.

  Austin laughed. "My momma used to say that."

  "Go bring Farrah home. Everyone saw how happy she makes you," Diggy continued. "If you don't go get her, you will always regret not going after her."

  Maybe he was right. Farrah was stuck in his system, and she wasn't going anywhere. Being away from her was killing him. He had to make this right. She'd already lost so much due to him. Picking up his phone, he called everyone he paid, from his lawyers to the road manager.

  It was time to pick up the woman he loved.

  ***

  Farrah closed her eyes and listened to the waves as they broke the shoreline. She wiggled her feet in the warm sand as the sun shone down on her. A tropical breeze blew over her. This was absolute paradise; there was no ringing cell phone to distract her. She couldn't wait to rebuild Southern Rose, but she was conflicted on rebuilding in the same location.

  "Magnificent." She smiled.

  Opening her eyes, she stared at the luminous turquoise sea before her. Being in Aruba was good for her and the baby. Since their arrival, Shane had been watching her like a hawk, making sure she rested and ate properly.

  She was happy he had come to Aruba with her; it was nice having someone around to talk to. One thing she most appreciated about Shane was that he didn't mention Austin or the fact that she should tell him about the baby.

  Farrah looked up when a shadow leaned over her. "Hey, Shane."

  "I come bearing food." He smiled and put the basket down on the blanket next to her.

  "I'm not really hungry."

  Farrah laughed when Shane gave her a yeah right expression

  "I brought fruit salad, fritters, and jerk chicken." Shane laid the food out on the blanket.

  "Mmm," Farrah moaned when she bit into the juiciest, sweetest strawberry she'd ever had.

  "Good?" Shane laughed.

  "You have no idea."

  "Farrah, I want you to know that if you decide not to tell my cousin you're carrying his baby, then I'm willing to tell him for you," Shane said softly.

  Farrah touched Shane's hand. "I'm going to tell him in a few days," she said.

  "Good." He kissed her cheek.

  Farrah ate two helpings of the jerk chicken, sipping on her virgin piña colada. "Have you heard from him?"

  "Actually, he called me this morning; he said he needed to speak to you," Shane said as he put his sunglasses on.

  "You didn't tell him where we are?" Farrah stuttered. She wasn't ready to see Austin yet.

  "Nothing," Shane said simply as he bit into a piece of melon. "Do you want to do more sightseeing today?"

  "Maybe later." Farrah lay back on the blanket and stared up at the blue sky. "Did they catch the person responsible for burning down my restaurant?"

  "Not yet, but I'm pretty sure the culprit will get caught," Shane said as he lay on the blanket next to her.

  "Tell me about Sarah."

  Farrah reached for Shane's hand when she heard him sigh.

  "High school sweethearts. We fell in love our sophomore year when she spilled her juice on me." Farrah could see that Shane was trying to keep his composure.

  "Married at the age of eighteen, fourteen years later she's killed by a drunk driver."

  Farrah turned on her side and looked at Shane. "I don't know what to say." She squeezed his hand. "I'm sorry."

  "It's been a year since Sarah died. I moved out of the home we purchased together to run away from the memories. It's hard, Farrah. I have nothing to remember her by. I wish Sarah and I had had a child." Shane cleared his throat and looked away from her.

  "So you could still have a piece of her on this earth?" she asked.

  He nodded. "Yes."

  Farrah dabbed at the tears that trickled down her own cheeks. "My mother always said things happen for a reason that only God can explain."

  "I know. My grandmother told me that too." He kissed Farrah's forehead.

  "I think I could live here forever."

  No threatening letters, break-ins, or Austin, she thought.

  "Yeah, but this isn't home," Shane said.

  His blue eyes made Farrah shudder. She felt like he could see into her soul.

  "It's only a temporary fix."
/>
  "You're just saying that because I cook three meals a day for you." She laughed.

  "Plus you make dessert." He smiled.

  Farrah observed Shane from where she lay; he was devilishly handsome with his shaggy brown hair and alluring blue eyes. Her gaze traveled across his nice abs; it was evident that Shane worked out every day. Whoever fell in love with and married Shane would be a lucky lady one day.

  "Farrah, did you hear me?" Shane looked at her strangely.

  "Sorry." Farrah shook her head. "Maybe we should go in. The sun might be getting to me."

  "Okay." Shane packed all their belongings and helped her up. They laughed and talked as they walked back to their seaside villa.

  ***

  Farrah closed her eyes as the wind blew in her face and as Shane drove down the sandy white beach to the Natural Pool that they had heard so much about from Pablo, the villa caretaker. It was a must-see destination according to him. Every once in a while, Shane would look over at her and ask if she was okay. The road to the Natural Pool was on rough terrain; she braced her arm against the dashboard to keep from being jerked side to side.

  "You okay?" Shane shouted as he maneuvered the jeep down the golden sand that seemed to go on forever.

  "Yeah," Farrah said through clenched teeth and opened her eyes. "Stop!" she called out.

  Shane brought the jeep to a complete stop in the middle of what could probably be called the desert.

  Farrah stepped out of the jeep and took pictures of the rustic orange rocks, but something else caught her attention: the Divi Divi trees that she had read so much about.

  "You stopped to take pictures?" he asked as he watched her take three snapshots of the trees.

  "Divi Divi trees!" she exclaimed. "The trees always point southwest because of the trade winds."

  "Oh," Shane said.

  For the next few minutes, they took turns taking pictures of each other with the trees serving as the backdrop.

  Getting back to the truck, they ventured up the rocky, bumpy hill. Farrah closed her eyes to get her mind off throwing up her breakfast and lunch from this morning.