“Sash, Marnie’s here.”
She appeared out of what I assumed was the kitchen, carrying a wine glass in one hand and a bottle of white wine in the other. Following closely behind, a chuckling Missy held her own glass and a platter piled high with a selection of cold meats and cheese.
“There was no mention of cheese!” I was practically salivating already at the thought of inhaling as much cheese as I could. “I freaking love cheese platters.”
“I knew I was going to like you.” Sasha moved in toward Ben and chuckled at my enthusiastic reaction to cheese. “I’m so glad you made it. Let’s get you a glass of wine, and then we can gorge on cheese. What’s your poison? White or red?”
“Let’s go crazy. I’ll have white tonight.”
“Shit,” Ben mumbled under his breath next to me.
“What?” I raised a brow at him, and my hands moved to rest on my hips. “That’s the second time you’ve said shit since I arrived. Do you have a problem with me being here?”
“No, definitely not. Absolutely no problem with you being here, MJ.” He smirked, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. “If I’d known, I would have taken a nap after work because it’s very likely I won’t be getting any sleep tonight. So I should be thanking you for getting my girlfriend drunk.”
It took me a minute to understand what he was insinuating, and then it clicked, and I realized he was referring to the promise of drunk sex with Sasha.
I twisted to face him and gently tapped his cheek with my open palm and smiled big at him. “You are welcome.”
“Fuck, it’s good to have you back.” He threw his head back, and his deep laughter warmed the room. “You girls enjoy your cheese and whatever it is you talk about at these things. I’ll be in the den. Sasha, when the wine hits, come and find me.”
“Since when do you drink wine?”
My eyes slammed shut, and Austin’s voice wrapped around me like my favorite coat on a cold winter’s day.
When had he turned up? Had I really had that much to drink that I’d blacked out when my ex-boyfriend turned up? Three bottles of wine, two epic cheese platters, and a pizza on its way, Wine Time Wednesday was quickly becoming a night I wanted to happen every week.
I spun around and swallowed a groan at the sight of him leaning against the door frame leading into the kitchen with his legs crossed at the ankles, his arms folded across his broad chest, and his penetrating green eyes locked firmly on mine. Dark washed jeans covered his thick thighs, a black shirt clung to his biceps, and the amusement on his face was reminiscent of the boyish charm I once fell in love with.
“Why are you here? I didn’t think men were invited to Wine Time Wednesday.”
His eyes flashed with humor, and his smirk lit up the room. “Answer my question, Freckles.”
I lifted my wine glass to my lips and kept my eyes glued to his. There was that nickname again. Freckles. I drained the glass, and then I had nothing else to hide behind.
“A lot has changed over the years, Austin. I’m not the same girl I was when I left Monroe. Maybe the new Marnie enjoys wine.”
He pushed off the door and stepped deeper into the kitchen, only stopping when he reached me. He really needed to stop doing this.
“What are you doing?” His chest brushed against mine as he reached up behind me. “You also need to stop calling me Freckles. She doesn’t exist anymore.”
“Whiskey’s up here.” He tapped the cabinet door above my head, his eyes not leaving mine. “In case the whiskey-loving Marnie I know wants to come out and play.”
After he stepped away, I let out the breath I hadn’t known I’d been holding in. Before he disappeared out of the kitchen and out of my sight, he swung around to face me with a smirk still attached to his lips.
“Just to be clear, you’ll always be Freckles. In this life and the next. And I see her clearly, standing right in front of me, existing, breathing, and looking fucking incredible. I’ll see you soon.”
I stood frozen, staring at the door. He left without another word, and I continued to stare. Hushed voices floated in from the living room, then I heard Ben call out goodbye to me, and then the front door opened and closed.
I just kept staring.
Was I even breathing?
“Uh, are you okay?”
I blinked out of my trance as Missy’s voice hit the kitchen, and I turned toward her. “Yep, yep, yes, I’m all good.”
“Did you see Austin?” She opened the fridge and pulled out three bottles of water before handing me one. Thank god it was water time because I could already feel the wine hangover coming on. “He looked very sure of himself when he walked out of here.”
I took a long chug of water, then returned the cap and screwed it tight. “Yep.”
“So you two are old friends?” she pressed, turning and leaning back against the counter opposite me and looking at me expectantly.
“Missy, leave her alone!” Sasha shouted from the living room. A couple of seconds later, she appeared and looked apologetic. “Please don’t feel like you have to answer her questions.”
“It’s okay.” The thought of reaching up and grabbing the whiskey out of the cupboard was sounding better by the second.
Sasha grabbed a bottle of water Missy held out to her. “You are terrible.”
“What? I’m just getting to know our new friend. Is that such a crime?”
“It is when you’re prying for information that she might not want to divulge.”
I dropped my eyes to the floor and fought a smile. The idea of developing friendships with Sasha and Missy really freaking excited me. They were hilarious, welcoming, and warm, and we seemed to click immediately. I thought when I moved back to Monroe, I’d just have Mom, Cora, and Trent in my life, possibly Ben. So, it was awesome to think I’d have some girlfriends, and cool ones at that.
“Yes, I suppose you could call Austin an old friend.”
“An old friend or an old friend.”
Sasha and Missy looked at me expectantly.
“An old friend …” I sucked in a nervous breath. “An old friend who was once the love of my life.”
“Wow,” Missy whispered, her eyes wide and staring at me in disbelief.
“The way he reacted when he found out you were back in town made me think there was some serious history between you two, but I didn’t press him for info.”
“How did he react?” I didn’t know if I should have asked Sasha, but I did it anyway. And I sure as hell didn’t know if I wanted to hear her answer, but I found myself waiting with bated breath.
“He was shocked, then he almost got a little upset that he didn’t know, and then something beautiful flashed over his face at the mere mention of you.”
My smile was weak, but I gave it to them. “How about instead of Wine Time Wednesday one week, we have a Fireball Friday instead, and I’ll tell you all about it? I’m going to need whiskey to take a trip down that memory lane.”
Sasha smiled softly. “I’ll make sure Drew orders an extra bottle for Hamilton’s and puts it to the side for us. How about tonight we finish these waters, decide if we want to open another bottle of wine, eat the pizza that’s just arrived, and you can tell us more stories of Ben as a teenager?”
And that’s what I did. The three of us laughed. Got drunk. Ate pizza. And then Ben drove Missy and me home and walked us both to our doors and made sure we were locked in and safe.
After I climbed into bed, a text arrived and through drunken, sleepy eyes, I read it.
Unknown: Thanks for getting my girl drunk. I owe you one.
Ben.
Marnie: You’re welcome. Enjoy your night. She is such a great girl. Love you, Benji.
Ben: Love you too, MJ.
Ten
Austin
Unknown number: Tell your parents to leave me alone.
I stared at my phone and re-read the text. Tension radiated across my shoulders and settled on my jaw as I let every letter and word sink in
as anger raged within me. I didn’t recognize the number, but my gut told me it was Marnie. She’d be the person pissed at being on the receiving end of contact from my parents.
Rising from the couch, I switched off the television, shoved my phone into my back pocket, and headed toward the front of my apartment. My place was simple yet perfect for me. Located two blocks from Main Street, it had everything I needed; a kitchen, bathroom, living area, and a guest room for Ashlyn when she visited from the East Coast. Hamilton’s was close enough to walk home from if I had one too many drinks, and Missy’s Diner was within walking distance for the times I couldn’t be fucked cooking. Once upon a time, I’d lived with the dream of buying my first home with Marnie and carrying her across the threshold, fucking her in every room, and calling it our forever home. Instead, I had a bachelor pad, lived the life of a single man, and Marnie had never stepped foot into my home.
After grabbing my keys and wallet from the entry table and pulling on my boots, I locked up and headed to my truck. Ten minutes later, gravel crunched beneath my tires, and my truck came to a halt outside her house. Darkness washed the two-level cottage-style house; the driveway was empty, and there was no sign of anyone being home.
Fuck!
I spun the steering wheel and pulled away, leaving dust billowing behind me as her house faded in the rearview mirror. As the town center of Monroe got closer, my brain rattled as I tried to figure out why my parents contacted Marnie in the first place. There was no reason for them to call, text, see, or think about her. I thought I’d made myself pretty fucking clear at the gala, but obviously, my mother had selective hearing or temporary memory loss, so now once I made sure Marnie was okay, I’d have to pay my parents a visit which was my least favorite thing to do, but this shit had to be sorted out, once and for all.
Clicking the call button on the steering wheel, I said Missy’s name and waited for my phone to connect and dial her number. My fingers drummed along with the random song playing on the radio as my impatience grew. I could have called Marnie instead of driving around Monroe searching for her, but the likelihood of her ignoring my call was high. And even if she did answer, it was really fucking doubtful that she’d tell me where she was. So that’s where Missy came into my plan. Earlier today, after I’d finished night shift, I’d stopped at the diner to grab a much-needed coffee before heading home to crash for a few hours. Missy had casually dropped into conversation that Marnie and Cora were coming in for lunch before Marnie spent the afternoon working at her shop which was located across the street, and within view of the diner. I was banking on Missy knowing if Marnie had left for the day because I knew Missy kept an eye on Sasha’s store, so I gathered she’d also now keep an eye on Marnie’s.
Missy’s cheerful voice cut through the air. “Austin Hart, to what do I owe this pleasure? Is it time for us to binge watch more Kardashians? The new season starts soon, and it’s going to be epic.”
I got straight to the point, shaking off the memory of the Kardashian marathon she’d dragged me into when shit went down with the Hamiltons, and I got Missy away from it.
“Have you seen Marnie this afternoon?”
The ease and casualness in her voice disappeared, and concern lathered her words when she replied. “I took over coffee and a muffin about an hour ago, and she said she was sticking around for a few more hours to get some work done. I haven’t seen her leave.”
“Thanks, Miss. Talk soon.”
I took a sharp right onto Main Street, my focus on the bottom of the hill where Missy’s Diner, Sass, and now Marnie’s shop were scattered among other stores, restaurants, and cafes that kept downtown Monroe buzzing on the weekends and during the holidays. Lifting my hand, I moved my finger to end the call.
“Austin! Wait! Don’t hang up. Is everything okay?”
Everything wasn’t okay. I was pissed at my parents and the thought of having to pay them a visit. I was tired as hell after doing the night shift, and I was anxious about getting to Marnie to make sure she was okay and to find out what the fuck was going on. But Missy didn’t need to know any of that, so I kept my response simple and to the point.
I swallowed my sigh and began to ease off the accelerator when I hit the guts of an almost empty Main Street. “Yeah, everything’s okay.”
Her overly loud scoff rang through my speakers. “I’m not convinced. At. All.”
I rubbed one hand over my face, muffling my groan. “We have history, Missy. I’ve just got to see her about something.”
Only a few cars lined the street, so I pulled into the vacant space in front of Marnie’s shop and killed the engine. The call with Missy faded from the speakers, causing me to lift my phone to my ear as I opened the driver’s side door and stepped out into the cold as fuck air.
“News flash, Austin. I picked up on the whole history thing when you had her pinned against the wall at the gala. By the way, that was all kinds of hot.”
Fuck me.
“I’m on Main Street, so I’m hanging up,” I said hastily as I moved toward the black plastic-covered door that showed glimpses of light splintering through the joints of where one sheet met the next.
“This conversation isn’t over, Austin. We will talk about this soon.”
I had no doubt that I’d be bombarded with texts from Missy and more than likely Sasha once she found out I’d rushed to Marnie’s store. When Ben hooked up with Sasha, Missy came with her. I’d been going to Missy’s Diner for years, and I knew Missy as the striking and hilarious redhead who made incredible coffee and baked the best chocolate chip muffins I’d ever tasted. We’d shared brief conversations and joked around about shit when I ordered and paid, but I didn’t know her as well as I do now. Nowadays, we got along great. She was fiercely protective of those she loved, had a wild streak that kept you on your toes, and would give whoever she gave her heart to one day a run for his money. She was also fucking relentless when she wanted something, so I was well aware that she was telling the truth when she warned our conversation wasn’t over.
I’d deal with that whenever it happened. Right now, I had bigger things to worry about.
After ending our call, I shoved my phone back into my pocket and pulled my jacket closer to my body. Monroe was in the depths of a super chilly fall, and the light rain falling felt like shards of glass hitting my skin. I stepped up to the door, lifted my balled fist, and knocked loudly for attention.
We hadn’t seen or spoken to each other since Ben’s place. That didn’t mean she hadn’t been on my mind every second since. I had no clue what kind of reception I’d receive by turning up here, but I knew for certain I’d be the last person she’d be expecting. I had a billion and one things I wanted to say to her, but I was here for one reason, and that was the text. Everything else would have to wait.
“Austin?” Marnie gasped, shock registering on her face after she unlocked the heavy glass door to reveal me. “What are you doing here?”
She could not be serious.
“You send me a text like that and don’t expect me to come and find you?”
Pink crept over her cheeks, and she sighed deeply. “You didn’t need to come here. How’d you know I was here, anyway?”
“That’s not important. I’m more interested in finding out what you meant about telling my parents to leave you alone. What’s going on?”
Her eyes blazed as she gnawed on her plump bottom lip. Neither one of us breaking, and neither one of us speaking a word as the silence became our weapons of choice. Being near her felt incredible yet heart-wrenching at the same time. Over the years, my need for her had never wavered. Thoughts of a future we’d never share taunted me daily, reminding me of how I’d fucked up the best thing I ever had even when I knew it was what I had to do. All I wanted to do was kiss the fuck out of her, worship her body, and wrap her in my arms and never let go again. Instead, she could barely look at me. That was my penance for breaking her heart, and I’d take whatever punishment came my way because Marnie La
vender was worth it all.
The fire in her eyes burned out, and she glanced over her shoulder into the shop before turning back at me. Hesitation rolled off her in waves, and I could practically hear her mind ticking over at a million miles an hour.
“You shouldn’t have come here,” she whispered, dropping her eyes and shaking her head.
“I’m not leaving until you tell me what’s going on, Freckles.”
Hearing her nickname caused her body to jerk slightly as she sucked in a sharp breath. I loved that it still got a reaction out of her after all these years, and I loved that it was the same reaction as it was when I’d first called her freckles when she was eighteen years old.
I laid back on my bed, hands linked behind my head as I watched Marnie dance around my room in tiny panties and one of my Monroe PD shirts bunched up and tied just above her bellybutton. Fuck, my girlfriend was stunning. Her long brown hair billowed behind her as she spun in circles, and the smile on her lips added to the beauty of her makeup-free face. I was a lucky bastard to be able to call her mine.
“You’re staring,” She smirked, continuing to spin, the shirt she wore creeping up a little more with each turn. “Like something you see?”
“Mmmhmm.”
My eyes ran over her body, from head to toe and back up again. She was my bosses, who happened to be the captain of Monroe Police Department’s, daughter. His baby girl. Captain Lavender was also my mentor and the kind of man I strived to become. And here I was thinking about sliding into her and making her moan my name repeatedly.
My eyes locked on a constellation of tiny dots peeking out from beneath the lace edge of her panties. I focused on that one spot as she spun. My arm shot out and wrapped around her waist, tugging her toward me, my ears filling with her soft giggles.
My Only Reason (Men of Monroe Book 2) Page 8