Austin's Revenge (The Townsends Book 4)

by Angie Campbell

  “Better now,” she mumbled, ducking her head a little. “But I don’t think Zane thinks it’s over yet.”

  “It’s probably not. From what I hear, Zane is pretty intuitive where his job is concerned. And very protective of you,” he added as an after-thought.

  “Yeah, he’s gotten me out of fixes before,” she nodded. “But I’m done dating for now. I can’t seem to get it right.”

  “Maybe that’s because you’re not dating the one you really want to be with,” the pastor replied, casting a glance in Zane’s direction.

  She blushed but managed to smile anyway. “I’m sure you’re right.”

  “Jamie was also telling me, you were living with Zane. Are you sure that is wise?” he asked, eyeing Zane thoughtfully. “I know your parents are still on vacation. Maybe you should move in with Jamie and Carl. You two could end up requiring my services before Zane is ready.”

  Zane had heard the way he’d put that but chose to ignore it. He wasn’t ready to explain to the good pastor that he’d marry her tomorrow if she wanted. Instead, he looked over at Amanda and sighed. “I think he’s right. Yesterday should probably have been taken as a big clue. Don’t you agree?”

  She really didn’t want to move out of his house, but she knew she couldn’t argue with him, or he would get suspicious. “Yeah, I know.”

  Luke came up behind them, giving Zane an amused look. “How’s it going, Zane?”

  “Just great,” he grumbled, eyeing his brother-in-law hard. “What’s that look about?”

  Luke shrugged, chuckling. “Just wondering what you two were planning to do today. Your mom said something about everybody having lunch together.”

  “Sounds good to me,” he agreed. “Are we going to the Sapphire Café, or eating at Mom and Dad’s house?”

  “I think we’re going to the café. I think your mom wants a break from cooking.”

  Zane nodded. “Okay, I need to talk to her about something anyway.”

  “Are you going to do what we were talking about then?” Pastor Macy asked, almost looking relieved.

  “Yeah, I think it’s for the best,” he said, still scowling. He really didn’t want to move her out of his house, but he knew he would give in and take advantage of the situation if he didn’t. He wanted to marry her, but it needed to be her choice. If they ended up married only because he couldn’t control himself, that wouldn’t make him any happier than if she didn’t marry him.

  Luke found Zane’s obvious irritation extremely interesting but decided to refrain from asking any questions. He knew Zane would tell him when he got ready.

  Once they said their good byes to Pastor Macy and he walked off to talk to someone else, Zane turned to look at Luke. “Now, what did that look mean? When you first got over here, you were smirking. And don’t tell me you were just wondering what we were planning on doing today.”

  Luke chuckled, shaking his head before answering, “I was thinking you looked like you needed to be rescued from the preacher.”

  “Ha-ha. Very funny,” he snorted. “Are we going to go eat now, or are we waiting on something?”

  “Okay, Grumpy, let’s go,” Luke said, shaking his head. “What’s got your panties in a wad?”

  Zane gave him a dirty look and grumbled, “Nothing.”

  ******

  Luke stuck the menu he had been fiddling with back in its holder and eyed his brother-in-law with a mischievous look. Everybody had gotten their food ordered and were waiting for it to arrive. With the amount of food that had been ordered, it was going to take a while, so he had decided to kill time by pestering Zane. “So, Zane, why did you look like you needed to be rescued from the pastor a while ago?”

  The man in question gave him a hard look and growled, “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  He chuckled and turned his gaze to the woman sitting beside him. “So, Amanda, why did Zane look like he needed to be rescued from the pastor? What were you talking about?”

  “Luke, I think being a part of this family is starting to make you more nosy,” Phillip chuckled. “You’re starting to sound like Zane.”

  “I’m never nosy,” Zane smirked.

  “Seriously?” his brother chuckled.

  “Yep, I’m just concerned,” he said, nodding his head. “It’s not my fault being concerned and trying to help requires me to ask personal questions sometimes.”

  “Okay, you just keep telling yourself that,” his brother laughed. “You are one nosy pain in the butt.”

  “Honestly, Phillip, I know I’m a little nosy, but I really only ask so many questions out of concern. I really can’t help the need I feel to protect those I love and care about.”

  “Yeah, we know,” his brother agreed with a big cheesy grin. “That’s why we put up with it. That doesn’t mean were not going to give you a hard time over it, every once in a while.”

  “So, is one of you going to answer my question?” Luke smirked.

  “No,” Zane said giving an abrupt one-word answer.

  Amanda gave him a curious look before turning back to Luke. “Pastor Macy was talking about how long it had been since Zane had been to church and my getting him to go this morning. Oh, and about the fact I’m staying with him. Only, I guess that’s getting ready to change,” she added, sounding almost sad.

  “That’s going to change?” Mindi asked, raising an eyebrow.

  “Okay, time for a subject change,” Zane snapped. The last thing he wanted to talk about, was Amanda moving out of his house.

  Luke nodded his head, feeling they had pushed him far enough for the moment. “That was an interesting service this morning. Who knew Pastor Macy was going to open that can of worms?”

  “Well, he’s right,” Amanda said, eyeing Luke like she wasn’t sure she knew him anymore.

  “I know he’s right. It was just surprising,” Luke said with a grin, realizing Amanda had misunderstood him. “I’m fairly certain some of the older members weren’t really happy with him about it, though.”

  “Well, he didn’t say it was okay. He said no matter what our personal views were on homosexuality, we cannot judge or mistreat gays and lesbians in the name of Christianity,” she huffed, crossing her arms in front of her. “We’re supposed to love them, and let God deal with the rest.”

  “I agree with him,” Luke said, nodding his head, trying to hide a smile. He didn’t want her to farther misunderstand and think he was making fun of her. “I’m just surprised he brought the topic up.”

  “Well, he’s a young minister. He’s brave, and not so set to a mold he can’t get out of his comfort zone,” Amanda said, still sounding a little defensive, like she wasn’t sure yet on what Luke’s opinion was.

  “I know,” Luke nodded. “He was basically preaching to love all of our neighbors, despite differing beliefs, but that may not stop some of the older members from trying to run him out of town.”

  She shook her head, giving him a somewhat belligerent look. “That’s not going to happen.”

  “I didn’t say it would happen. I said they might try,” he chuckled, no longer able to hold it in.

  “Would you two children stop arguing about that?” Zane asked, looking at the two like they were a couple of misbehaving five-year-old kids.

  “We’re not arguing. Just discussing in an animated fashion,” Luke clarified. “She’s a little feistier since she’s been away from Austin for a few weeks. You may be wearing off on her.”

  “I’m trying to,” Zane replied, starting to arrange all the condiments and menu holders on the tables they had all pushed together. He was trying to line them all up in a perfectly straight line. He always got a little OCD when he was over stressed. “I’m trying to show her she’s allowed to have an opinion, and she doesn’t have to worry about being hit for it.”

  “It seems to be working.” Amanda grinned. She knew she would always be able to speak her own mind with Zane. And any other member of the Townsend family.

  Jamie reached ov
er, laying her hand on top of Zane’s. “Son, are you okay?”

  “Yeah. Why do you ask?”

  She eyed the table where he was still trying to get all the ketchup bottles to line up perfectly. When he noticed where she was looking, he jerked his hands back and laid his one arm across the back of Amanda’s chair. “I’m fine, Mom.”

  “If your sure,” she nodded. “But if you need me, you know where I’m at.”

  “I know, Mom,” he said, giving her the best reassuring smile he could muster.

  Luke cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention his way again. “Going back to the other subject, I have a question.”

  “What’s that?” Zane asked, glancing at Luke.

  “Is your aggravation over the topic of homosexuality because of what happened with your brother and Martin in high school?” he asked, directing the question at Amanda.

  “You could say so,” she grumbled, giving him a dirty look. “You know, after those rumors got started, he never could get a date. Not that he was having a lot of luck before that. He was so awkward, with the way he was built so tall and skinny, and then being so quiet and bashful on top of that.”

  “I seen him that last time he was in to see you and your mom and dad. He’s definitely out grown the skinny part,” Hannah said, fanning herself, causing Jeff to give her a dirty look. “The military has been very good to him.”

  Amanda laughed at Jeff’s expression before turning back to Hannah. “Yeah, my brother is definitely hot now. He’s still really quiet around most people, though. Unless he’s in military mode, he can’t seem to shake that bashful side he has.”

  “He was never quiet around us,” Mindi stated, looking confused.

  “He knew he was accepted by all of you, whether he was straight or not. Besides the fact, when he explained he wasn’t gay, but he wasn’t going to stop being friends with Martin because he came out, the whole Townsend family listened to him and believed him.”

  “Even if he had been gay, we wouldn’t have turned our backs on him, but we had known him all our lives,” Phillip shrugged. “We knew he wasn’t gay. I’ve seen him drool over way too many women to ever believe that one. He always liked the ones with all the curves and that thought like rocket scientist. Honestly, I’m surprised he and Tyler didn’t end up fighting over Lucy Cranes.”

  “I asked him about that once, when he was still in high school,” she replied with a thoughtful expression. “He told me he knew for a fact Lucy was in love with Tyler and he wasn’t going to try and change that. He didn’t figure he would survive the broken heart. Or the broken face.”

  “Which one did he think was going to break his face?” Luke chuckled.

  “Lucy when he asked her, and Tyler when he found out about it,” she grinned.

  “Well, knowing everything we know now, he might have been right to feel that way,” Phillip said, sitting back to let the waitress start sitting plates on the table. “How much longer does he have in the military now.”

  “He’s got a couple of years left this time. Mom and Dad, along with myself, are hoping he’ll come home to stay this time,” she said, speaking low. Zane could tell she was missing her brother and he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close. “We had all been hoping maybe he would find someone while he was serving, but it hasn’t happened yet. There are any number of intelligent women in the military, but I guess he never found any to his liking.”

  “Do you know what he’s planning on doing?” Luke asked.

  “He’s been talking about reenlisting,” she sighed. “It’s not so much that he wants to stay in the Army, as it is that he’s not sure he’ll ever be able to find someone when he comes home. He really doesn’t believe he’ll ever be able to shake the rumors, no matter how erroneous they are.”

  ******

  Zane waved at Amanda, telling her to go ahead and go to the car, he’d be there in a few minutes. Then he jogged across the parking-lot to catch his mom before she crawled in the suburban with his dad and all his younger brothers and sisters. “Hey Mom. I need to talk to you.”

  Jamie turned back to ask, “What about, Zane?” being sure not to give away she knew already what this was about.

  He gave her an embarrassed and almost shy look. “Amanda needs to move in with you.”

  “That’s fine. Your dad and I will be happy to have her with us. But can I ask why you’re changing your mind now?” she asked, determined to make him tell her himself. She figured he needed to admit, out loud, what was going on. “Are you two fighting?”

  “Fighting?” he snorted. “No, not even close.”

  “Then what’s the problem, Zane?” she asked, pushing just a little bit harder.

  “Mom, come on. Why would there be a problem now?” he hedged. He knew she was more than likely wise to what was going on. Besides the fact, Phillip probably told her what he walked in on yesterday, she could see with her own two eyes exactly how close he and Amanda were to sleeping together.

  “Zane, you’re going to have to tell me what the problem is,” she said, holding her hands up in a small shrug. “I can’t read minds.”

  He gave her an as-if look, shaking his head. “Mom, if mind reading were possible, you are one of the two people I would think had the ability.”

  “I’m guessing Luke would be the other one.”

  He just snorted, raising an eyebrow at her. “I’m not even going to answer that.”

  “Well, you’re still going to have to tell me what’s going on.”

  “Fine,” he huffed, placing his hands on his hips and giving her a dirty look. “Make me say it, then.”

  “I’m trying,” she nodded.

  “I’m going to end up taking her to bed with me. I can’t seem to keep my hands off of her. And if Phillip hadn’t come looking for us yesterday, this conversation would go more like, Mom, I’m getting married.”

  “Well, maybe it’s a shame Phillip walked in on you,” she smirked. “He said he had to try three times to get your attention.”

  “Yeah,” he frowned. “Go figure. You already knew.”

  “Did you really think your brother wasn’t going to tell me?”

  “No,” he said, shaking his head. “I’ll bring her and her stuff over later today.”

  Chapter 19

  Thursday, August 21

  Amanda usually avoided answering the door, because this really wasn’t her house but she heard someone knock several times. When no one answered after about the fifth time, she decided she was going to have to answer for them. She walked through the batwing doors, hollering as she went, “Hang on. I’m coming.”

  When she opened the door, she stood there, staring in horror. She knew she shouldn’t be surprised that he had shown up here again. With everything that had taken place so far, there was no way he was intending to just back off. At least not anytime soon.

  “Hi, Amanda,” Austin said in an almost conversational tone. “How are you doing? I’m surprised you’re not still shacked up with the guy. I know he’s the reason you left me.”

  “No,” she snorted. “The reason I left you is because you’re abusive and mean. Of course, there’s the fact, I was never in love with you, any more than you were me.”

  His pleasant mask slipped for a split second before he managed to wrangle it back in place. “If you just left me because you’re not in love with me, then why are you here?”

  Her eyebrows shot up her forehead in contempt. He was an abusive jerk. The least he could do was acknowledge the fact when she mentioned it. Rather than risk making him angry, though, she chose to just answer his question. “Because the Townsend’s are good people, and they are trying to help me.”

  “Why don’t I believe you?” he sneered.

  She shrugged as if the answer didn’t mean a whole lot to her, forgetting her intentions of just a few seconds ago, not to make him angry. “Because you’re an idiot, and you don’t have the sense to listen.”

  “Whatever,” he growle
d, taking a menacing step forward. “If you don’t come back to me, I’m going to kill your little cop boyfriend. How do you think he’ll look with a bullet hole right between the eyes?” he sneered. He was only bluffing, but she didn’t know that. He knew she didn’t know he didn’t even own a gun of any kind, much less that he didn’t know how to use one. “I don’t figure he’ll be quite so pretty. And with a hunting rifle, I won’t have to get close enough for him to ever see it coming.”

  Jamie picked that moment to appear behind her and Amanda could tell by the look on her face she wasn’t happy. “How dare you show up at my house? You better get out of here. Now,” she said, pushing over in front of Amanda. “You’ve got a lot of nerve.”

  He gave the older woman a dirty look and sneered, “I was talking to Amanda. It’s none of your business.”

  “It is my business, as long as you’re standing on my front porch,” she huffed, literally pushing him back a step. “I’ve already called Zane. He and Jeff are on their way. I figure you have about two minutes before they show up. You might ought to leave. You know he won’t be happy when he gets here.”

  “Fine. I’m leaving. I’m not trying to cause trouble,” he said, sneering at Jamie. “I wanted to talk to Amanda.” He turned back to look at the younger woman and growled, “Just remember what I said.” With that, he finally turned and walked back to his beat-up old ford. It looked like he had driven it drunk a few too many times.

  Jamie waited till he had pulled out of the driveway before she looked back at Amanda. “What did he mean? What are you supposed to remember?”

  “Nothing,” she said, dropping her eyes to the porch with a shake of her head. “It’s not important.”

  “Why do I not believe you?” she asked, giving the younger woman a very serious, concerned look.

  She just stood there staring at the floor of the porch. She was still standing there when Zane pulled up in his patrol car and jumped out. When he stepped up on the porch, he wrapped his arms around her without saying a word. The second his arms came around her, she burst into tears. There was no way she could tell him what Austin had said, or he would stop her from leaving. That was something she couldn’t allow him to do. She couldn’t risk his life, for any reason.