by SJ McCoy
He pushed him away with a laugh. “Get out, perv!”
Dallas laughed. “He’s not stupid. He can smell the blue balls.”
Austin threw a cushion at his brother, but he caught it. “Leave it, D.”
Dallas shrugged. “I will. What I don’t understand is why you did.”
“I’ve told you. I like her. She likes me. There’s no hurry. It’s not about just getting her into bed.”
“Why not, though? I get that you’re not looking for just a quick hookup. But if you’re looking for a deep meaningful connection, why not connect—balls deep—from the get-go?”
Austin had to laugh. “Because in my world getting to know a woman is about more than just that. It’ll come—in time if it’s right.”
“And how’s that been working out for you? You took your time with Nadia.”
Austin made a face. “I was younger and dumber when we got together. Don’t give me any shit about her. She came and gave me a mouthful last night.”
“She did? How did Amber handle that?”
“She was very understanding.” He smiled. “And we didn’t have to deal with the full-blown drama. Kenzie cut Nadia off, dragged her away before she could really get started.”
Dallas grinned. “I like Kenzie.”
Austin gave him a dark look. “She’s married.”
“I know, but she doesn’t strike me as someone—”
“Don’t. Okay? I get the impression that you would have been right about her once upon a time when she first came here. But not anymore. She’s head over heels in love with Chase, and he’s the same with her. In fact, he would have been a good hunting buddy for you before he met Kenzie.”
Dallas nodded. “Makes sense—singing in the band would put a guy in a position where he’d have his pick of all the hot chicks.”
“Yeah, and he used to make the most of it, but not anymore. He’s grown up. You might want to think about trying that.”
Dallas laughed. “I have. I am. I’m only teasing you.”
“Yeah, right. Are you ever going to tell me why you’re really here?”
Dallas shrugged. “I felt like coming home. And … I know I haven’t actually said it in words, but I appreciate you letting me stay.”
Austin smiled. “No problem. I like having you. Any idea how long you’re going to be here?”
Dallas laughed. “You like having me, but you want to know when you’ll be rid of me?”
“No. I’m just wondering what’s going on with you.”
“So am I. If you want to know the truth, I got bored. I felt like I got … lost. I mean, LA’s great. And the women and the parties and … everything. But there’s no … I dunno. Nothing feels real or genuine.”
Austin raised an eyebrow. “And that matters to you?”
Dallas threw the cushion back at him. “Of course, it does. I joke around a lot, but it’s only fun. I might be more easy-going than you are, but they raised us with the same values.” He blew out a sigh. “You’d laugh if you saw me in the city. Down there they think I’m all stuffy and responsible.”
Austin had to laugh. “Damn. I’d hate to see what they’re like, then.”
“You would. You’d really hate it.”
“So, you don’t plan to go back?”
Dallas shook his head slowly. “The thought doesn’t hold much appeal. But what could I do here?”
Austin sucked in a deep breath. “I know someone who might be looking to hire.”
“Who? To do what?”
He smiled, knowing that he might live to regret this. “Me. To lighten my load.”
Dallas’s eyes grew wide. “You’d hire me?”
He nodded. “We’d have to talk about it first, lay out some ground rules, but yeah. You could study for your license. And in the meantime, you could help in the office, learn the ropes.”
Dallas cocked his head to one side. “Why?”
“Why not?”
“I’m serious, A. I want to know why. Just to help me out?”
“No. Because I need some help. Things have really taken off around here over the last few years. And this last year it’s gone crazy.”
“Dare I even ask just how well you do?”
Austin pursed his lips. “You probably don’t want to know.”
Dallas grinned. “I do if I’m going to start getting a piece of it.”
“Okay. Let’s put it this way. Last week I closed on a house, the sale price was in the multiple seven figures.”
“Damn!”
“Yeah. And, as the buyer’s agent, I’m looking at three percent.”
“Double damn! So, you do a couple of those a year and you’re laughing.”
Austin did laugh at that. “I’ve already done a couple of those this year, and a bunch more that weren’t as expensive, but still.” He thought about it for a minute. “Since Christmas, I’ve done over a dozen sales at more than half a mill each.”
Dallas frowned as he did the math. He raised his eyebrows when he figured it out. “And that’s just the high-end stuff?”
“Yup.”
“Wow. And then you have the whole rental business, too. Property management?”
“That’s right. There’s the commission on the properties I manage and the rental income from the ones I own.”
“I’m not even going to ask how many you own.”
Austin was glad. “I’m only telling you so that you know … know that if you want to come in, there’s money to be made. And I could use the help.”
“Why me, though? I don’t know the first thing about real estate. All I know about houses is that you live in them.”
Austin smiled. “You’re a fast learner. When something sparks your interest, you pick it up in no time. People love you. You’d be great with the clients. And …”
“And what?”
“And on a personal level, I’d love to have you home—and to work together.”
“Aww. Are you going to cook for me and take care of me, too?”
“Hell, no. Your first priority would be to find your own place.”
Dallas grinned. “I like the idea of it.”
Austin’s heart sank. He should have led with something other than the money. Dallas could do well for himself, there was no doubt about that. But Austin wanted him to do well for the clients too.
“What do you like most about it?”
“I won’t deny that the idea of making a shit ton of money has its appeal. But … I like the idea of working with you. I know I can be a pain in your ass—but that’s only when we’re fooling around. I wouldn’t be like that at work. And even aside from that … I’ve never thought about it before, but it’s a pretty cool business, isn’t it? You get to help people find their homes. That’s one of the biggest decisions in a person’s life. It’s a big deal, in every sense.”
Austin relaxed. “It is. I thought you might laugh at me, but you get it. It’s a big responsibility. But it’s really rewarding.”
Dallas smiled. “Okay. I’m going to do some research and see if I think I’m a good fit. In the meantime, you have a think. I won’t be upset if you decide that it’s not a good idea. It’s one thing to sit here and kick the idea around. Actually doing it … well, I want you to be sure first.”
“Okay. How about we talk about it again next weekend?”
“Sure. Whenever you like.” He looked up at the clock on the wall. “But this weekend isn’t about work. This weekend is about you and Amber. I’m going to take myself into town tonight—and don’t worry. I won’t be back.”
Austin pursed his lips. He was about to protest that he didn’t plan to bring Amber back here, but … He didn’t want to rule the possibility out either.
Dallas chuckled. “Go for it. You know you want to.”
“Of course, I want to, but I’m not into immediate gratification.” He waggled his eyebrows at his brother. “It may come as a surprise to you, but anticipation—the buildup—can be enjoyable, too.”
<
br /> “Hmm. I’ll have to take your word for that. But even if you don’t want to bring her back here to screw her brains out, you could still bring her, just to hang out—just the two of you.”
“I could.” Austin liked the idea, but he wasn’t sure it’d be wise. He hadn’t expected Amber to be so willing last night. If they were alone together here, he didn’t know if either of them would be able to hold out.
It turned out that it wasn’t a decision he needed to make.
~ ~ ~
Amber blew her nose loudly and went to splash cold water on her face. It was red and blotchy. She looked a mess. She felt a mess, too.
She dried herself quickly when she heard the front door close. “Hey, sis. I’m back. Ally’s with me.”
That made her eyes fill with tears again. She’d been waiting for Jade to get home, but she’d expected her to be alone. “I’ll be right out.”
She tried to make herself look presentable, but there was no disguising the fact that she’d been crying.
“Are you okay in there? Do you want a glass of wine?”
“Yes, please. I’ll be out in a minute.”
She considered putting some mascara on, but that’d probably only make her look worse. There’d be no hiding it from Jade anyway. She opened the door and went to the kitchen.
Ally was sitting at the counter with her back to her. Jade frowned as soon as she saw her.
“Uh-oh. What happened?”
She shrugged. She didn’t want to start crying again. She’d only just managed to stop.
Jade came around the counter and Ally turned to look at her.
“What is it, sis? Austin?”
“No!” Crap! She hadn’t even thought about that. She couldn’t go out with him tonight.
Jade frowned. “What then?”
She could feel her lower lip trembling. “Milo.”
“What? What’s he done?” Jade’s tone was sharp.
“Don’t be mad at me.” The tears were starting to fall again.
Jade gave her a quick hug. “I’m not mad at you. I’m mad at him. What’s he done? How’s he upset you?”
“He called.” She sniffed.
“And said what?”
“That Mom and Dad really miss me and want me to come home.”
“Bastard! He’s just messing with your head Amber.”
“Too right he is!” She hiccupped back a sob. “He knows how much I love them. He knows I don’t want to let them down.”
“And he’s using it against you to get what he wants.”
“I told him that even if I go back, I’m not going back to him.”
Jade gave her a dark look. “Yeah, right. He knows, and I’m half inclined to agree with him, that if you go back there, he’ll be able to worm his way back in. You have to stay here. Stay away from him.”
“I want to stay away from him, but … I can’t let them down.”
“You’re not. For crying out loud, Amber! Don’t let him use your sense of duty against you! Why can’t you see it? If you’d just tell Mom and Dad the truth—that you’re happier here and you don’t want to go back—they’d be fine with it. They’d be happy for you. They’re only holding out because you haven’t told them not to.”
Amber stared at her for a long moment. “I don’t want to do that to them.”
“Why won’t you get it through your head? Doing what you want for yourself is not doing anything bad to them. You have to put yourself first. Most people do it naturally, you know.”
Amber stared at her. “I don’t want to be selfish.”
“Ugh!” Jade looked at Ally. “Can you talk any sense into her?”
Ally gave Amber a warm smile. “She’s right, you know. You remind me of my mom in a lot of ways. She stayed with my dad far too long because she was so used to putting him—and us—first. Doing what you want isn’t selfish. It’s how life’s supposed to work. The people who love you—your parents—won’t have a problem with you doing what makes you happy. The only people who have a problem with it are the ones who really are selfish, the ones who want you to do what they want instead. It sounds like this Milo is one of those.” She made a face. “From what Jade’s told me, he sounds like my dad. He made my mom miserable for thirty years. Do you really want that for your life?”
Amber shook her head. She’d loved the feeling of freedom she’d had since she and Jade came here—since she’d left Milo. She loved Ally’s mom, Audrey. She was awesome, and she was so happy and in love with the new man in her life. She shuddered at the thought of spending thirty years with Milo before she ever got to find happiness like Audrey had with Ted.
“I just don’t want to let anyone down.”
“You’re not—” Jade began, but Ally held up her hand.
“Can I give you a different perspective?”
They both nodded.
“My mom didn’t want to let me and Brayden down. She knew she was miserable, but she felt like she had to hold the family together. You know … that we should have our dad in our lives … and we should all be together. All that did was make all of us miserable. He cheated on her for years, then dumped her for someone our age. I grew to hate him and had started to avoid him even before they broke up. Brayden tried to be the peacekeeper—and ended up feeling like a failure because he couldn’t bring everyone back together.” She blew out a sigh. “My point is that by trying not to let anyone down, Mom inadvertently made things worse for all of us, and dragged out the misery way longer than it needed to last.”
“See,” said Jade. “It’s like I’ve been telling you. You need to rip off the Band-aid. Tell the folks you’re not going back and tell them once and for all that you’re never getting back with Milo.”
Amber nodded. She could see the sense in everything they were saying. She could see that her sense of duty and responsibility probably was as misguided as they thought. But she didn’t feel brave enough to just do it.
Jade patted her arm. “Come on. Have a glass of wine. You need to cheer up. You’ll have to get ready soon.”
She sniffed. “I’m not sure I want to go.”
“What?!”
She blew out a sigh. “How am I supposed to go out with Austin when I’m all confused about Milo and going home? If I have to go back, then there’s no point in starting seeing him.”
“Jesus, Amber! For someone who’s supposed to be so smart, you are the dumbest person I know. You don’t have to go back. You just have to go after what you want.”
“Well, I don’t want to string Austin along, not until I know what I’m doing. I know that much.”
“So, you’re not going to go tonight?”
She shook her head. She’d been so looking forward to seeing him again, but since she’d talked with Milo, it just didn’t feel right. Milo had talked as if she were still his girlfriend. She wasn’t, but still … It’d made her realize that until she got her act together and made the commitment to either go back, or never go back, it wouldn’t be fair to start anything with Austin.
“You’re nuts.”
“Maybe. Maybe I just need a bit of time.”
“You’d better call him and tell him.”
Ally looked at them wide-eyed. “You’re serious?” She looked at Jade. “And you’re not going to talk her into her going?”
Jade rolled her eyes. “I know there’s no point in trying. I’m mad at her. I think she’s being totally stupid. But I know her well enough to know that she won’t change her mind. So, me yelling at her will only add to the stress and won’t solve anything.” She gave Amber a grudging smile. “So, after she’s called Austin to tell him that she’d not going to see him. We’re going to get her drunk.”
Amber smiled back. “Thanks. I think I need that.”
Ally shook her head in wonder. “I’m not sure I agree with any of this. I think you should call your ex back and tell him to go screw himself. Then call Austin and ask him to come screw you.”
Amber chuckled. “And i
f I were someone else, I’d love to do both of those things. But I’m not. I need to work my way up to them.”
Jade poured three glasses of wine and handed one to Amber with a weird look. “Just don’t take too much longer about it. Or I might have to step in and help.”
“What do you mean?”
Jade shrugged. “I don’t even know yet.”
Chapter Seven
Austin looked around at all the cars parked in the square. It seemed like half the town was here. He didn’t want to face any of them. Didn’t want to hear the questions about how last night had gone. He pulled in and parked next to Colt’s truck and cut the engine and sat there for a minute.
He needed to try and look on the bright side. When Amber had called him last night to cancel she’d said—and repeated three times during the course of the conversation—that she did want to see him again. That she wasn’t blowing him off, just that she couldn’t see him last night.
He didn’t think she was a liar. But she was the kind of girl who wouldn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. Was she lying so that she didn’t hurt his? If she was, he’d rather she’d just told him the truth. This way, he wanted to believe her, wanted to hope that she would call him like she’d said, but he didn’t know if that made him stupid.
He got out of the SUV and plastered a smile on his face. He wished he’d decided to stay home and hide out instead. But that would have meant facing Dallas when he got back, and that was probably worse than this.
He walked across the deck of the Boathouse, thinking that he could probably find himself a table inside and have some lunch alone and unnoticed while most people sat outside in the sunshine to make the most of the beautiful day.
He almost got away with it, too. He was about ready to call for the check when Ben, who owned the resort, spotted him.
“Hey, bud. I haven’t seen you in a while. How’s it going?”
Austin nodded. “It’s going. How about you? How’s Charlie?”
The way Ben smiled made Austin wonder what it must feel like to love someone as much as Ben obviously loved his wife. “She’s great. We’re great. We’re taking off next week, going on a mini vacation, just to get a break.”
