“No need for him to know I’m acting like a weird stalker,” she murmured. Tilting her head, she tried to see what he had in his hands and all she could tell was that it was a book. “He said he didn’t read.” With a snort of disgust, she squinted to try to see the title. With a muttered curse because she couldn’t see it clearly, Mia went in search of the binoculars she knew were around here somewhere, even though they were intended for dolphin watching and not people stalking.
“A-ha! Found them!” Walking quickly back over to the window, she held up the binoculars and…
A shirtless Austin was even sexier than a dirty one.
“Wow.”
Forcing herself to focus, Mia honed in on the book and froze. Blinking several times, she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
“He’s reading Secrets and Scandals? Seriously?” Putting the binoculars down, she wondered what she was supposed to do. “Okay, dork. You don’t have to do anything. He’s allowed to read whatever he wants.” She paused. “Even though he said he didn’t read books, but…whatever.”
There was no way she could sit at the desk and work knowing if she tilted her head slightly to the right, she’d be able to see him.
Reading her book.
At any other time and probably with any other person, Mia would be thrilled to see them reading her book. But for some reason, seeing it in Austin’s hand felt like…like…okay, it wasn’t like it was a violation, but it still made her feel weird—nervous—like he was reading it just so he could judge her or something.
“And this is why I can normally whip out a one-hundred-thousand-word book, my overactive imagination.”
Grabbing her laptop, Mia told herself to stop focusing on Austin and put her energy into writing the scene she desperately needed to write. Walking into her bedroom, she sat and got comfortable on the bed and had her fingers poised above the keyboard, then wondered how far into the book he was. Did he recognize the clues she dropped in the third chapter about Brett’s knowledge of chemistry? Or how in chapter five, the woman Sasha befriends at the library is actually the grandmother of the half-siblings she didn’t know she had?
Hopping off the bed, she knew she wasn’t going to get a moment's peace until she talked to him. She’d probably make a fool out of herself again, but she could live with that.
Out of the bedroom, across the living room, she stormed around looking for her flip flops. When she spotted them over by her desk, she took another glance out the window just as Austin looked up.
Busted.
“Dammit,” she hissed. “Dammit, dammit, dammit!” Hoping there was a glare on the window and he couldn’t see her, she tried to look away—she really did—but when he rose and seemed to dogear the page, she had a feeling he definitely saw her.
It was too late to hide or do much of anything, and all she could do was watch as he walked down his deck stairs and then across the sand to hers. Mia heard his footsteps as he got closer and when he knocked on the glass door, she had no choice but to go and let him in.
Her heart was beating like mad and she wasn’t prepared to have another conversation with him—not about her book.
Not about anything.
Letting out a long breath, she walked over, pasted a smile on her face, and opened the door. “Hey, Austin,” she said calmly. “What’s up?”
He held up the book to her and looked at her expectantly.
“Oh, so you do read books. I hope you’re enjoying it.”
He didn’t wait for an invitation to come in; he simply stepped around her. “Well, I figured I’d come over and tell you that in person so you could put the binoculars away.”
Dammit…
“What binoculars?” she asked, crossing her arms across her chest and praying she sounded casual.
Austin tilted his head and she knew he was looking directly at the damn binoculars that were still sitting on her desk.
Kill me now…
“Your ego clearly knows no bounds. For your information, I use them to look at the dolphins.”
He smirked at her. Smirked, for crying out loud! “Last I checked there were no dolphins on my deck.”
This was getting them nowhere, so…
“Okay, fine!” she cried. “I looked up and saw you were reading, and after your whole declaration of not reading books, I was curious! Sheesh!” Turning, she walked away and then had no idea what to do with herself.
Austin, however, didn’t seem to have the same problem. He strolled into the living room and sat down on one of the sofas and placed the book on the coffee table.
And yes, he was still shirtless.
“Aren’t you curious about what I think of it so far?” he asked with a hint of amusement that told her he knew it was exactly what she was thinking.
Sitting on the sofa opposite him, she glared. “I’m not sure.”
His laugh was deep and rich and so masculine it should be illegal. “Before I tell you what I think, I have one question to ask you.”
“O-kay…”
“Do you ever meet up with book clubs?”
“Um…what?”
He nodded. “You know, like a group of people who get together to discuss your book. Do you ever meet up with them?”
“Why? You planning on starting one? You know, now that you read books.”
Austin laughed again and she noticed his blue eyes were twinkling.
Ugh…I have got it so bad that soon I’m going to have to take Sydney up on her offer to trade houses…
“My mom’s in one and they’re reading one of your books, so I thought I’d ask,” he said, leaning back against the cushions and resting his muscular arms on top of them.
“Your mom…I mean…” Pausing, Mia took a moment to collect her thoughts. “Her book club wants me to come and talk with them?”
“I can’t say with any finality, but she mentioned it and I thought I’d ask.”
“You told her about me?”
And there was that smirk again. “No. It was all really a weird coincidence that your name came up in conversation. You didn’t mention you were famous.”
Her cheeks felt like they were on fire. “I’m not famous…”
“Your books are being made into movies and apparently the books are all best-sellers, so…yeah. You’re famous.”
“It would have been a weird thing for me to mention,” she clarified. “Like, ‘Hey, I’m a famous author!’ Um…no. That’s not cool.”
“I’ve heard worse,” he said with a shrug.
“So your mother just happened to tell you she’s reading one of my books? That seems odd.”
“And it was right after you told me you were an author so I took it as the universe’s way of telling me I needed to read your book.” He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his denim-clad knees. “I haven’t gotten much work done because I’m too wrapped up in it. And of course, I’m not a fast reader so it’s taking forever.”
That…pleased her.
Not that he was a slow reader, but how he was so invested in the story.
“I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”
“I really am. But I just have one question.”
“Oh. Okay. Sure.”
“It seems to me like you dropped the info about Brett being into chemistry for something down the road, but you’re very quiet about the other brother, Gage. Is that on purpose or is it still too early in the series to know everything about them?”
Color me surprised…
“For someone who’s not into reading, you caught on to the things I wanted readers to catch.”
“Just because I don’t like to read doesn’t make me an idiot,” he said matter-of-factly. “I happen to love watching thrillers, mysteries, and dramas.”
“I would have pegged you as an action-adventure superhero fan.”
He let out a low laugh. “Wow, you really don’t think very highly of me, do you?”
Now she really was embarrassed and wished the floor would ju
st open up and swallow her. “That’s not what I meant. And honestly, I thought all guys were more into the action-adventure genre of movies—not just you.”
“What kind of movies do you like?” he asked, his expression turning less amused and more thoughtful.
“I don’t want to say,” she admitted shyly.
And for some reason, that made him laugh. “That means you’re going to either tell me it’s something you think I’ll say is incredibly boring or completely ridiculous.”
“It sounds like you don’t think very highly of me, either.”
“Touché.”
With a dramatic sigh, Mia sat up straighter and looked him right in the eye. “I am a sucker for a good comedy. And before you say anything, it doesn’t have to be a romantic one.”
“Why would I suggest that?”
“Because all guys think the only movies women want to see have to have romantic elements. It’s offensive.”
Austin’s expression closed and he stared hard at her until she started to squirm.
“What?” she finally asked. “Say something!”
“Have dinner with me,” he said.
“Um…what?”
“You heard me. Have dinner with me. Tonight.”
It was the last thing she expected him to say and she had no idea how they went from movies to dinner. She was about to comment on it when he held up a hand to stop her.
“Instead of the two of us alternating between insulting each other and drawing inaccurate conclusions, I think it would be nice if we actually sat and had a conversation where we got to know each other like civilized adults. What do you say?”
“Um…”
But he didn’t wait for her answer. Standing, he stared down at her. “I’m going to pick up some Chinese food and I’ll be here at seven. If you have any requests, speak now. Otherwise, I’ll just order a ton of stuff and hope you like some of it.”
“Hunan shrimp, roast pork fried rice, and crab Rangoon,” she blurted out. “Please.”
“Done.” He gave her one of the sexiest smiles she’d ever seen as he bent and picked the book up off the coffee table. “See you at seven.”
* * *
As Austin walked back up the steps to Mia’s deck, he reminded himself that this wasn’t a date. This was just two neighbors getting together because they had gotten off on the wrong foot. They were both here trying to work and it would be helpful if they got along.
But when Mia stepped outside in a black maxi-dress with spaghetti straps and a violet colored wrap around her shoulders, he knew he was lying.
This wasn’t so much about them getting along as it was about him desperately wanting her to know exactly who he was.
For his entire life, people made snap judgements about him based on his family situation and his wild behavior. No one bothered to see if he was lashing out because of his family situation or if a little compassion or concern would have turned things around for him.
Not that he was feeling sorry for himself or anything, but…something about Mia made him want to show her the real him.
Pausing, Austin saw that she set them up to eat out on the deck. The table was set with votive candles and there was a heat lamp beside it to keep them warm. The air was definitely starting to chill now that the sun was almost down and there tended to be a strong breeze coming off the water. But if this was where she wanted to eat, who was he to complain?
As if reading his mind, she said, “I hope you don’t mind that I set the table out here. I’ve been telling myself I could eat outside for dinner every night, but then I feel a little silly sitting out here by myself.”
“This is fine,” he said, placing the bag of food on the table. “The heat lamp is a great idea.”
“I have to admit, I didn’t have any idea what it was when I rented the place, but it really heats up the space nicely.”
Austin held out her chair for her so she could sit before taking the seat beside her. She had wine glasses out and a bottle of Pinot Gris, which he poured for them before taking their food out of the bag. Their conversation was light and mostly about the food while they each prepared their plates, but as soon as they were settled, he wanted to dive right into getting to know her.
“So where’s home for you?”
“Boston,” she replied with a small smile. “I was born and raised there, and even though I travel some, it’s the only place I’ve ever lived. What about you?”
“Born and raised here on the outskirts of Magnolia and I’ve been living up in Baltimore for the last several years.”
“Nice.” She reached for a piece of crab Rangoon. “And now you’re moving back?”
“Uh…no. Why do you ask?”
“Well, I guess I just figured you bought the house next door and you’re fixing it up, so…” She paused. “Oh…is it going to be an investment property?”
For a minute he wasn’t sure what to say.
“Actually, the house belongs to a friend. I’m just doing the work for him.”
Nodding, she asked, “So you’re a contractor?”
“Architect,” he corrected. “But I spent a lot of years working in construction.”
Another nod. “Just felt like getting your hands dirty again, huh?”
There was no judgment in her words; it was as if she truly understood. “Yeah.” He took a sip of his wine. “So what brought you here to this house?”
“My best friend Sydney grew up here,” she explained. “We were college roommates and she moved back here a year ago. It was a crazy time. Her sister and brother-in-law were killed in a car accident and she came back to raise her niece. At the same time, I had just signed the movie deal and my publisher and agent were both pushing me to hire a full-time assistant. I immediately thought of Syd because the work could be done remotely and from home so she could do it without taking too much time away from Haley.”
“Her niece?”
Nodding, she said, “Yes. She’s thirteen now. Anyway, Sydney had been telling me for years how much she loved it here and was always saying I needed to see it for myself, but I didn’t until she got married six months ago. Once I came, I knew I’d be back.”
Now it was his turn to nod. “Yeah, it’s a great little town. Not too crowded or touristy; it’s kept its small-town feel and charm. My great-grandfather was a big believer in that.”
“Your great-grandfather?”
He took another sip of wine and nodded. “The Colemans were one of the founding families of Magnolia Sound, and my great-grandfather Ezekiel built most of what you see here. He was fully invested in the community. He either owned or invested in most of the older businesses you see here.”
“Like the construction company.”
“Exactly.”
“Wow. That is very cool,” she said, leaning back in her seat. “Is he still alive?”
It was crazy how just thinking about the old guy still made him a little emotional. “Sadly, no. He died a few years ago at the age of 96. We all thought he was going to live forever.” He took another sip of wine. “He was a shrewd businessman and an amazing family man. Before he died, he made arrangements for all of us to give us a leg up in the world.”
“I know you mentioned he gave the construction company to Jake and I know Mallory owns a décor shop in town. I’m guessing your great-grandfather did that for her.”
“He did. My cousin Sam got the landscaping business, my cousin Mason got a pub here in town and some property…”
“What about you?”
He smiled down into his glass. “I got the college education I would have never gotten on my own.” Looking up at her, he added, “And the freedom to follow my dreams and do what I wanted.”
She smiled at him and they stayed like that for several minutes before returning their attention to their food. “It’s nice when things work out that way.”
“Did you always want to be a writer?”
“Definitely. My mom tells everyone how she knew I was g
oing to be an author by the time I was in the third grade, but I don’t know if I knew for sure at that age.”
“Eight years old is a little young for setting a life goal,” he teased.
“Exactly. But the older I got, that was the direction I took and my parents supported it.” Shrugging, she added, “I know I’m lucky and most people don’t get to follow their passion and make a career out of it. Sometimes it feels like all the planets must have aligned for me to have the level of success I’ve achieved.”
“Or maybe you’re just that talented,” he countered. “I know I’m no literary critic, but it’s obvious you’re great at what you do.”
Even by candlelight he could see her blush. “I don’t like to look at it like that. Too much ego. To me, it’s just my job, you know?”
“Not everyone’s job gets turned into a movie.”
She got quiet after that and took a few bites of her dinner and Austin took the hint that maybe this wasn’t one of her favorite topics.
“Got any siblings?” he asked, changing the subject.
“Nope. Only child. You?”
“Two brothers. Both younger than me. Garrett’s only fifteen months younger than me and finally getting ready to finish school to be a veterinarian. Jackson’s the baby and…” He shook his head with a low laugh. “He joined the Marines. It’s the last thing any of us expected, but…if nothing else it’s keeping him focused and teaching him some discipline. He swears he has no idea what he wants to do when he gets out but I’m hopeful he’ll figure it out eventually.”
“Nothing wrong with that. Sometimes it takes a little longer to figure out what you want to do with your life. As long as he’s happy and safe and healthy, that’s really all that matters.”
The thought made him chuckle again. “You sound just like him. Every time anyone asks him what he’s doing, that’s his response—‘I’m happy and healthy so leave me alone.’ I’m telling you, it gets old after a while.”
“Spoken like the responsible older brother.”
Austin’s response was more snort than laugh. “You’re the first person to ever call me that. I think a lot of people would disagree with your assessment.”
The Way the Story Goes: A Magnolia Sound Novel Page 6