Simply Austin

by Gina Robinson

  We spent our days figuring out how to keep Randy at bay. While the ladies thought we were gaming or playing poker, we were running through scenarios and playing logic games with ourselves. Making Venn diagrams and logic trees. Running software simulations, trying to find our vulnerabilities and strengthen our moats. While we raced over the seas in the wave runners, we were relaxing our minds and letting our subconscious work on the problem.

  The attacks had stopped. For now. Which made us nervous. We were sure keeping us off balance was Randy's intention, part of the power game he'd been so adept at playing for years. Randy was a student of the rules of power. One of them was keeping your opponent unsettled. Never be predictable. Sooner or later, when he thought we least expected it, or when we were apt to be distracted and vulnerable, he'd attack. He might even be smart enough, and skilled enough, to create the distraction himself.

  We had to be constantly vigilant. The stakes were too high now. And the question remained—in addition to our software defenses, how did we turn the rules of power back against Randy? What were his weaknesses now?

  Nigel was a different story. I didn't even know the guy. Had never met him. He wasn't a coder like the rest of us. He wasn't interested in hitting us in our bank accounts or damaging our professional reputations. He wanted my fame and my woman, to put it in caveman terms.

  He was a little easier to thwart using the rules of power. Rule number thirty-two: play to people's fantasies. As long as Blair and I provided the romance of the Jamie and Elinor story, as long as we gave people real-life passion and whisked them away from everyday life with its stresses, we had the upper hand. All Nigel could do was play the villain to our epic lovers, the guy trying to disrupt the fantasy. Not a good place for him to be.

  Unfortunately, even playing the villain put him in the spotlight. And even that notoriety, infamy, might be enough for him. It was a side of him Blair said she'd never seen during their years together. But their "together" wasn't really that together. I would have liked to discuss his weaknesses with her, but now didn't seem to be the time. She didn't want to discuss him. Any mention of him upset her.

  There was another thing—patience was a virtue and our friend here. I was as realistic as anyone. Our time in the spotlight as people who were famous for being famous was waning. Once the next season of Jamie started, once the thrill of the chase was over and we were married, where was the romance? The need to follow us? Even Connor's romance with someone other than Samantha Roberts was old news. Fans had grown used to it. And there were even rumors that the relationship with the blonde was in trouble already.

  Blair and I had discussed the situation. We'd both had a good ride and gotten more than we ever dreamed—each other—out of our Jamie roles. But being front and center wasn't a natural, or comfortable, place for either of us. We were eager to fade into the background again.

  I would prefer, however, to fade away knowing neither Nigel nor Randy would be causing us problems.

  Blair

  We arrived in Glasgow in the afternoon and pulled up in front of the science center on the waterfront. We were greeted with curious crowds, a news crew, and Flora Stewart, the PR person from Jamie. So maybe we had been wrong—a yacht this size was news even in a city as large as Glasgow.

  The stewards unloaded our bags into a waiting van as we introduced Flora to everyone and she shepherded us to the van, making small talk.

  "How was your trip?" Flora asked. "You look as if you're coming back to the full bloom of health. Are you getting your strength back, then? Nasty business, that accident and bump on the head. Good for Jamie, I'm both happy and sad to say. Well, if it had to happen, good we got some use out of it and some good came of it, aye? Now that you're on the mend, we can say that. And the engagement video! Another bit of misfortune for you, having it pirated like that. But gold for us. Ready for this blitz of PR?" She fired the questions without waiting for answers, or at least answers that were much more than murmurs and one-word responses.

  Fortunately, her Scottish brogue was tempered by city life and not particularly strong. I could understand her without concentrating too hard. I caught most of it.

  "Nothing on the schedule for tonight. Not event-wise, at least. But I brought some of the crew with me," Flora said. "They're waiting at the hotel. Along with your luggage, Blair. The luggage that went on your connecting flight without you. You'll be wanting that. I'm told it has your costumes."

  I nodded.

  "You'll meet the others at the hotel," Flora said. "I've arranged a dinner meeting. We have some ideas about your wedding we'd like to toss about."

  I would have stopped dead in my tracks if Austin hadn't been propelling me along by the elbow. "Our wedding is private."

  She raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Getting married at the anvil isn't exactly private, love."

  I frowned and looked around the guys for the leak. "How do you know about our wedding plans?"

  "Friend in the registrar's office," Flora said. "Comes in handy sometimes. Lots of people eloping there. You just confirmed my source's information."

  "Do you have ties to the CIA?" I said, and not in the friendliest tone.

  "MI5 is our connection." She winked.

  "If that's so, maybe you can put in a word with your friend and speed our application up," I said.

  "Give us an exclusive on the wedding and we'll talk." Her manner was pleasant, but firm.

  I glanced at Austin.

  He shrugged. "She drives a hard bargain. How eager are you to marry me?"

  "Don't move things up too far," Beth said. "I need time to make the dress."

  Flora gave her a quick, apprehensive look. "We may be able to help with that," Flora said as we buckled in and the driver closed the van doors. "We'll talk details and make arrangements later."

  I hadn't agreed to anything. Austin hadn't agreed either. And yet somehow it had been settled. Or had it? How much was I willing to give Jamie? What price fame, right?

  Chapter 8

  Austin

  Flora had blindsided us with the suggestion that our wedding be used as promo for the show.

  Blair looked at me helplessly as we settled into our room. "This is just too much." She sighed and ran her hands through her hair. "Too much. Aren't we allowed any privacy?"

  "If you don't want to do it, we'll tell them no." I caught her in my arms. "Anything you want."

  "It doesn't matter to you?" Her eyes were wide as she looked at me.

  I shrugged. I was on delicate ground here. "If it were just up to me, I'd hear her out. See what the show has to offer. This could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

  "Our wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime thing already."

  "True." I nodded. "But there could be more to it. We might end up getting a professional-quality wedding video and photos out of the deal." I lifted her hair off her neck and nuzzled in. "As long as I end up married to you, I don't really care how I get there."

  "Now you're just trying to flatter me into bending to your will."

  "Am I? I must not be making my intentions clear enough." I slid my hand up her blouse.

  She let out a sigh. "All right. We'll listen to their proposal. But if we don't like it, we walk."

  "Agreed." I pulled her hips into mine. "If either of us doesn't like it, no deal. Now, we only have a few minutes. But that's all it's going to take."

  She laughed. "You really know how to seduce a woman."

  "That's what they tell me." I kissed her neck.

  "And if I take longer?"

  "We'll be late to our meeting."

  Blair

  "Pictures," Flora said as we met with her in a private corner of the hotel bar. "A photo spread. Short, professional clips of the wedding to be used in very tasteful promo pieces for the show and on fan sites. A look inside a real-life fantasy Jamie wedding." Her eyes shone brightly. She fidgeted with her hands, spinning her ring around and around on her finger. She really needed a fidget spinner. She was full
of energy and clearly excited by this idea. "We'll provide the photographer. One of ours. And a videographer from our staff. We'll film the entire thing, but you'll have final say over which clips we use. In the end, you'll have a movie-quality wedding video."

  Austin had been right about that part of the offer.

  I hesitated. "I'm not sold."

  She stopped playing with her ring long enough to hold her hands up. "Hear me out. The entire wedding will have a Jamie theme. Obviously, that's what you want. The blacksmith shop is a period piece already, okay?"

  She didn't give us time to answer. "Now we add authentic old-fashioned flowers with a modern twist to indicate the two time periods—past and present. We dress you, Blair, in a one-of-a-kind couture gown designed by the head of our award-winning costume department, Malcolm Murray. You may have heard of him? He's won more awards than almost anyone in the business. He's been in it a long time.

  "The dress, once again, will be reminiscent of Elinor's in her wedding to Jamie. But with modern elements. You'll start a trend, love. Your dress will be featured in every fashion magazine of note the world over. And be knocked off within weeks, if not days." She nodded, her eyes somehow managing to get even brighter. That might have been the whisky she was drinking. She looked at me like I'd be crazy to turn this down.

  I shook my head and waved my hand. "Hold on. My aunt, my mom, Beth, has wanted to design my dress since I was a little girl. We've been planning it forever. I can't, I won't, disappoint her. She's a costume designer too." I told her about Beth.

  "Well, I'm sure that will be no problem," Flora said without losing her stride. The woman was imperturbable. "She can work with Malcolm. That's a dream right there for any designer. Do you know how many up-and-coming designers would kill to work with Malcolm? If she's half the designer you say, she won't be able to resist the opportunity."

  I bit my lip. "That will be up to her. She won't play second fiddle to anyone. I'll tell you that."

  "Aye, and we wouldn't expect her to. She'd have the full costume department at her disposal. Now who could resist that?" Flora's gaze bounced between the two of us.

  I had no idea what Beth would say. I looked at Austin. "This could go either way with Beth."

  He squeezed my hand. "I say we let her make the call."

  "We'll ask her. Is that all?"

  "If your aunt has no objections, Malcolm and his department will outfit the gents," Flora said.

  I turned to Austin again. "I don't see any problem with that. Do you?"

  He shook his head.

  "Of course, we'll compensate you. And the dress will be yours. We'll do makeup and hair. Provide security. If word leaks out, there's bound to be a crowd. You can invite Connor and Sam. The show would love that, and they've been an integral part of things, but that's up to you. If you do, the show will make sure they fit it in their schedule."

  I was too gobsmacked to reply.

  "It's perfect. Just perfect." Flora's gaze bounced between Austin and me. "The ultimate theme wedding. Unique. Just like the two of you. A cosplayer's dream wedding, really. What do you think?"

  At the mention of cosplaying, I lost Austin to her plan. But she'd won me over, too. If I thought about it, she was describing my fantasy wedding. I mean, we met at Comicon. What was more fitting than to marry as ourselves with a nod to those roles?

  I turned to Austin. "What do you think?"

  He studied me. "What do you think?"

  "Are you going to be this deferential during our marriage?" I laughed.

  "If it keeps you a happy woman."

  I squeezed his hand. "It sounds fantastic. As long as we have input and final say, and Beth's onboard about the dress, I'm all for it. It's like my dream wedding."

  He grinned, kissed me quickly, and turned to Flora. "That's two votes. That's all you need to proceed. You have a deal. Except possibly for the dress. That's Beth's deal."

  Flora beamed and lifted her glass. "To the wedding of the century!"

  Approaching Beth about the dress was tricky. Austin, naturally, left that duty to me. I broached the subject with Beth in her hotel room when I picked her up for dinner with the crew. I arrived a few minutes early, giving myself time to tell her about Flora's plan for a Jamie-themed wedding. And saying that Austin and I were excited about the idea. It was perfect.

  "Malcolm Murray? Yes, of course I know who he is," Beth said when I brought him up. "Who doesn't? He's won a million awards or some such. And yes, I'm aware he's head of the costume department for the show.

  "He's an old fogey, about my age. A dinosaur…I mean, a legend in the biz." She paused. "I wanted to meet him when I was a young designer. He was an up-and-comer then. Made a big splash quickly. Everyone wanted to emulate his career path."

  She grinned. "It didn't hurt that he was quite handsome. Back then, he was a young stud. And not gay. A plus for hetero women in the biz like me." She lifted her eyebrows. "Many of us had a little celebrity crush on him."

  "He's a widower now," I said, encouraged by her fond memories.

  She pursed her lips. "Hmm. But has he lost his looks and gone to seed?"

  "I've no idea," I said. "We'll soon find out. He'll be at dinner." I studied Beth. "He is Scottish. Maybe he has some of Sean Connery's good Scottish DNA and has aged like fine whisky."

  She laughed. "Trying to distract and tempt me with possibly good-looking men, are you now, child? You are naughty."

  "Whatever works," I said. "I want you to be happy."

  "Hmm," she said. "Do you want a man designing your dress?"

  Ooh, landmine ahead! Suddenly there was an edge of hurt in her voice. I reminded myself to step carefully. "Old fogey or not, his costumes for Jamie have won multiple awards and are simply stunning. Being a dinosaur might even be an advantage when designing historical costumes," I teased. "And that's not what I said. I'm thinking of you and me. Both of us. Potential handsome man aside, this is a fabulous opportunity for you. Why waste it? A design credit with Malcolm Murray? International recognition for a design of yours?"

  "Co-design," she said.

  I paused. "This is a dream of yours. You can be as famous as I am. For your fifteen minutes, like me, anyway."

  I laughed and took both her hands in mine, getting a lump in my throat, hoping I could get the words out. "You gave up everything for me when you adopted me. Including the career you loved and your dreams of designing for major productions. I never thought I'd have the opportunity to pay you back, even in some small way. And here it is, falling into my lap. It doesn't make up for everything you've given up for me. But it's a tiny thing I can at least offer you. Whether you take it is up to you. No pressure, either way. This is for you."

  She squeezed my hands, tears in her eyes, and nodded. "You really should be a politician, Blairest. I'll do it. I'll do it for you and Austin." She smiled through her tears. "And myself. At my age, I can afford to be a little selfish. But that man won't boss me around. I'll be his equal partner or the deal's off."

  "Awfully arrogant of you, isn't it? To ask to be equal with the great Malcolm Murray?" I said with a laugh, and nodded, even though she hadn't asked it as a question. "Anyway, absolutely equal. I made that clear with Flora. That's the deal."

  Beth nodded. "Good, then. It's a deal." She hugged me. "Let's go meet this fellow. We have to get cracking. We don't have much time for this project. And if I have to scrap my design…"

  She seemed unconcerned about ditching the work she'd done. She was always eager to improve designs, and fine with starting over if that was required. But I'd never seen her quite so agreeable about going back to the drawing board.

  She grabbed her purse and pointed to the door. "I take it Austin is lurking in the hall, waiting for us? Do you want to step out first and give him the all-clear?"

  "He headed down by himself," I said. "He'll meet us in the banquet room."

  We were meeting for dinner in a private banquet room of the hotel.

  She raised an eye
brow. "Coward." She laughed. "You'd better text him and tell him I'm in on the deal. A Jamie wedding dress it is."

  "Smart is the word I'd use for him. There was no need for him to be collateral damage if things went wrong." I studied her. She'd fixed up for dinner. "You look nice tonight."

  "Don't sound so surprised."

  I looped my arm through hers. "Not surprised, pleased. Are you expecting to pick up a man tonight?"

  "A woman can't fix up for dinner in the city?"

  And then I wondered about her capitulating so quickly. It occurred to me that she'd been anticipating meeting Malcolm and wanted to impress him. At least on a professional level, if nothing else. "The sea air did you good."

  "I suspect it did us both good, Blairest. Shall we?"

  Beth and I were the last to arrive. The crew and the guys were already having pre-dinner drinks. Whisky mostly, drunk from classic crystal cairn glasses.

  Flora greeted us as Austin joined us, looking to me for confirmation that Beth was onboard.

  I nodded subtly, and smiled at Flora. "I gave Beth your proposal. My aunt is eager to meet Malcolm and work with him on the dress."

  "As long as I have equal say," Beth said. "I have to say, I'm excited about the prospect of working with someone with so much talent."

  Flora's face lit up. "You're onboard? Fantastic!" She looked at Austin and me. "So we're good? No more obstacles?"

  "Bring out the paperwork," I said.

  Flora gave me a thumbs-up. "We'll sign everything first thing in the morning." She took my arm. "Let me show you around and introduce you to everyone. Austin's already met the crew," she said. "No one bites, do they, Austin?"

  "Not as far as I've seen." He followed us as Flora led us around the room, making introductions.

  "Now, where has Malcolm gone off to? Ah! There he is. Let's ambush him before he gets away."