It is then I remember to ask. “Austin, J said you are going to Houston. When are you leaving?”
He looks down and interlocks our hands.
“I was supposed to leave an hour ago.” I look at him in disbelief, even though it does not surprise me that he blew it off to stay with me. He kisses my knuckles one at a time. “Who knew you going out and getting shitfaced with the detective would benefit me?”
He laughs that beautiful, carefree laugh of his that makes me smile every time.
I know he was only joking, but I still feel a little guilty for last night. I did not intend to drink that much, but once it started it just got out of hand. I felt like I needed to let go and there seemed no safer place than a cop bar with a detective by my side.
“For what it’s worth, Aus, I’m sorry. I had no intention of doing that last night. I really just needed to talk to Ruzek.”
He gives me a puzzling look. “Ry, I will never care who you hang out with so long as I know you love me. If you love me, you will always come home to me and that is all that matters. Last night became a bonus when Bode called me to come stay with you. He figured you would kill him if he left J alone, so I happily obliged.”
“Well, I am definitely glad he called you. You are a much better sight to wake up to than he is,” I say with a wink.
He gives me a look of mock disgust. “I hope you like waking up to this, because one of these days you will be stuck with it forever.”
The way he says forever implies so much and my stomach involuntarily constricts. I love Austin, but after the debacle with Ryan the thought of forever or marriage still scares the life out of me.
“Aus, I - ”
He quiets me with a kiss. “I know, Ry, and I will wait for you forever. I just wanted you to know I am in this. I am in this as long as you will have me. You are my one, Ry. I love you.”
Just like that, he quiets my fears and I fall for him just a little more. I wrap my arms around his perfect body. “I love you too, Austin. I really do.”
It amazes me that he knows me as well as he does without us having shared the entirety of our histories with each other. I suspect part of his knowledge came from my big brother, but I will never ask. If J believes Austin and I are serious, I imagine he thought that giving Austin insight into my past could only help and it does.
“Alright. So you have clearly missed your flight. Do you need to call your mom and let her know? Do we need to book you another one?” My heart dips at the thought because I don’t want to think about him leaving yet.
He slides up to a seated position against the headboard and pulls me in close to him. “Are you that ready to get rid of me?”
I playfully smack his chest. “No, not yet. I think I will keep you a little while longer if I can. You have proven useful.”
He feigns relief with a dramatic flair. “Well, thank goodness for that,” he says playfully. “I will have to book another flight, but I am in no hurry. They didn’t know when I was coming, only that I am. So why don’t we just enjoy the time we have and I will worry about all that later.”
I am all for just spending time being us, so I let the subject go. I do want to know what all the drama was about with his mom, but I think we have enough drama in our lives for now. We may have been friends for several months, but our relationship is so new it is a miracle we have made it this far with all of my indecisiveness and now the stalker problem.
I figure we will get to all the skeletons in our closets someday. Today, however, they don’t seem all that important. What is important is spending the last few hours I have with him, for the near future, in our perfect bubble. In this bubble, we are untouched by the outside world.
“So, you and me for the rest of the day, huh? Whatever shall we do?”
He smiles a wicked smile and raises his eyebrows playfully. “Well I do have a few ideas, but I think we had better eat at some point. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”
I am definitely hungry. I'm just not sure whether I am hungrier for food or him.
He pulls his pajama pants back on and I throw on my panties and a shirt before heading in search of food. The only problem with our search is that I haven‘t been home in nearly two weeks, so it is doubtful there is any food in the house.
After scouring the recesses of the freezer, we come across a frozen pizza. I pop it in the oven and grab a couple beers while we wait for it to cook. We decide to sit on the patio where he pulls me down to sit on his lap. In the time we have been together today, we have had our hands on each other the entire time.
After our meal, we retire back to the bedroom. We make love again and again, seemingly unable to get enough of each other. In the early morning hours we finally succumb to sleep, bound together in our little slice of heaven. Tomorrow we will once again be forced to face the world separately, but we will remain united by our love for one another.
Chapter 14
Austin
I hated to leave Boston and Rylee behind. However, it is probably best to put thousands of miles between us, otherwise I couldn’t stay away from her. My God, I am whipped. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for that woman, including face my past. That is where I am heading.
My plane landed in Houston a few hours ago, but I haven’t been able to force myself to go home and face my demons yet. I left home at eighteen and have rarely looked back. I would never come back if it weren’t for my sister, Ally. She is forced to live with the repercussions of my mistakes thanks to my unforgiving mother, Elaine.
I’m waiting outside a local bar I haven’t been to in years. I know it is only two in the afternoon, but stiff bourbon is calling my name. All that waits for me at home is my overbearing mother and her incessant accusations and insults. The bar is only a few blocks from my childhood home, making it a favorite getaway of mine during my rebellious teenage years.
Walking inside Scooter’s I settle on a barstool in the center of the long, mahogany bar. The place doesn’t look like much from the outside, but the inside is well taken care of. It has the usual neon bar signs hanging on the walls and banners supporting the local Houston sports teams throughout. I smirk to myself. Houston, ha. We whooped their asses to Boston and back last year. What was that score? 41-10 or something equally ridiculous?
I sit and wait as the bartender finishes washing a glass before coming over to greet me. I’, wearing a ball cap, pulled down low in an effort to conceal my identity. She strolls over and seems oblivious.
“Hi darlin’, what can I get you?”
I politely ask for a tall draft beer and throw a twenty down to cover it. My actions convey that I don’t want to be bothered, so she goes on about her daily duties and leaves me to my thoughts. I cannot believe the mess I find myself in. It is not only Ry; my old demons are trying to surface too. Demons I thought I buried ten years ago.
I sit staring at the large flat screen television broadcasting ESPN. The stories are primarily focused on the upcoming draft and the start of the MLB season. After watching for a few minutes, I notice the next story is about Jeremy’s accident. God, I hope they have not caught wind of the facts. The further the media stays away from this story, the better for us all.
I lean down and ask the bartender if she will turn up the volume, and she agrees after I flash her my smile. That smile gets to every woman, including Ry. There are only a handful of people in here and they all seem to be in their own little worlds. As the anchor begins the story, I can tell immediately that they have uncovered a few of the facts surrounding Jeremy’s accident. Shit, this cannot be good.
I listen as they recount the accident and explain that there is abundant speculation this was connected to the bomb threat, Rylee, and a possible stalker. They do not have any specifics because all parties - the police and the family - refuse to comment. I pick up my phone ready to dial Rylee when a familiar face sits down next to me. This day just keeps getting worse.
“So, this is how the magnificent Austin Bl
ack supports his girlfriend in her time of need. He sulks off thousands of miles away to drink and leaves her to deal with everything alone,” Ryan says sarcastically.
I want to punch the guy, but it would do more harm than good. I reel my temper back and think of Ry.
“Look, Ryan, you don’t have the first fucking clue what is going on, so why don’t you back the hell off?”
He studies me closely as I glare at him. My body is tense and I wish I had just gone on to my mother’s now. Even she is more tolerable than the jackass sitting next to me.
“I know Ryles, though, and she can’t be happy that you abandoned her.”
Of course, he knows Ry. She almost married the dumbfuck. I don’t know him well. I’ve heard rumors from teammates and such that he is a world class prick. But I could have told you that. He walked away from the most amazing girl in the world. Don’t get me wrong, I am glad he did, but it proves he is a complete fool.
I can feel my anger rising as I take in his smug appearance. “Look, asshole, I did not abandon her. I did what has to be done for now and trust me, I would rather be with her.”
That statement seems to confuse him. He looks back to the television for a while before asking, “So how is she holding up? I know how close she is to J and I cannot imagine she handled the accident very well.”
Compassion laces his voice and I can see that he obviously cares about Ry. The problem is, I don’t give a shit about him. I know what he did to Ry. I am not supposed to know, but J thought it would make things easier with Ry if I knew what I was up against. I will be forever grateful that he let me in on the whole story. This asshole did a number on her and for that I would like to knock him off that barstool and show him what a little man he really is.
I take a big swig of my cold beer and huff. “She is doing as well as can be expected. Bode and Eric have been with her day and night since this shit began. She is tough. She will be fine as long as J is.”
He nods in acceptance of my explanation. We sit in silence for a few minutes before he breaks it.
“Look, man, I don’t want to cause trouble. I saw you here after seeing the story about J last hour and found myself a little pissed that you aren’t taking care of her. I loved her once upon a time, you know. Hell, the truth is I still love her, but I ruined that chance years ago. She made that abundantly clear in Colorado.”
I cannot believe the nerve of this guy. He is as arrogant as everyone claims. He just told me to my face that he is in love with my girlfriend. He has some set of balls on him, that’s for sure. However, I can’t afford to let him cause problems. We have enough to deal with these days.
I have little to say to his last proclamation, so I give it to him straight.
“Look, Ryan, the only reason I am here is because I love her. The last thing I wanted to do was leave, but right now that’s what is best for everyone. This fucking situation is taking its toll on all of us.”
He looks at me with actual compassion, which makes my skin crawl.
“I don’t know the details, but I will take your word for it. If there is anything I can do to help, you guys just say the word. I told Ryles I would like to be friends someday. I know that is not something you want to hear, but I may as well be straight with you. I will lend a hand if you need anything.”
What I really want right now is to talk to Ry, but we agreed on no phones until Ruzek is sure of how her stalker is monitoring her. That gives me an idea though. Maybe Ryan can be of some use.
“Can I borrow your phone for a second?” I ask unexpectedly.
I don’t want to call Rylee because I don’t want to give Ryan her number.
“Sure, man. Like I said, just ask.”
He hands me his phone and I dial Ruzek, hoping he will pick up the unfamiliar number.
He picks up after the third ring. “Detective Ruzek.”
“Hey Ruzek, it’s Austin Black and I have an idea.”
He is cordial and listens to my proposal. I tell him that I want to buy Ry, J, and myself disposable cell phones so we can still communicate without fear of a phone tap.
We end the call agreeing that I will purchase the phones from a local retailer and ship them directly to Ruzek. At least this way I will be able to talk to her by this time tomorrow. I can tell Ryan overheard my conversation. As I hand his phone back to him, he has a guilty look on his face along with an abundance of interest.
“So, I take it there is a lot more to this situation than anyone knows. You guys can’t use your phones?”
I nod. “Yeah there is, and it is a clusterfuck. Thanks for letting me use your phone, bro, that really helped.”
I chose to ignore the question about the phones. He heard enough, but I don’t want to feed anyone information that could be leaked to the press.
I pay my tab, ready to head out and purchase the phones before I am forced to head home. I say goodbye to Ryan and start for the door before he comes trotting up.
“Hey, man, why don’t I give you my number? Like I said, if you guys need something I will help for Ryles sake.”
I agree and we exchange numbers before I leave on my new mission.
Chapter 15
Rylee
Spending the day with Austin yesterday rejuvenated me. I woke up today missing him, but ready to take on the world. It is amazing what a little sleep and a whole lot of Austin Black can do for a girl. I cannot contain my giddy grin at the memory of yesterday. We definitely made the most of our alone time.
J is being transferred out of the Critical Care Unit this morning, so I am back at the hospital. Bode and I couldn’t be happier to finally be leaving the waiting room we have spent the better part of two weeks in. We walk through the hard steel doors and head for a new waiting room on the second floor.
Sadly we find ourselves waiting in another room just as depressingly dreadful as the last. This time we know where J stands and that makes the ugly gray chairs and light blue walls somewhat more tolerable. This room sits off a long corridor which connects several blocks of rooms. Bode and I take a seat in the far corner next to a table with a cute potted plant boasting a few pink blooms.
Bode seems preoccupied and nervous. He hasn’t stopped fidgeting since we sat down. Staring at the television on the opposite wall, I try to keep up with the news story by reading the closed captioning. The story centers on the price of oil and the likelihood that gas prices will once again skyrocket as summer nears. Well, that is nothing new.
I am so focused on the story that I nearly miss when Bode asks if we can talk for a minute. His serious tone worries me. Tearing my attention away from the price of oil, I focus on the stern face of my best friend.
“Ry, I am so happy things are getting better and J is close to going home. I don’t want to be selfish, but I need to get back out on the circuit. My sponsors are getting aggravated and I don’t know how much longer I can put them off.”
I can see remorse and sadness in his eyes. It makes me feel horrible - I never considered what Bode had given up to be here with me all this time. He competes in surfing competitions on a near weekly basis. He has been around a lot lately, which confirms that his sponsors are likely irate by now. They spend a bunch of money on him because he brings in a ton more, so I am sure his presence is missed.
Bode has his hands in his long blonde hair with his head down. He thinks he is failing me by needing to get on with his life. I grab his hands and direct his gaze to me.
“Bode, I completely understand that you need to go. You have been amazing. I could not have gotten through any of this without you, but it is not fair for you to put your life on hold any longer. Go, go rule the oceans like you do. I love you, Bode. You are the best friend J and I could ever ask for.”
My words seem to ease the tension in his body. He squeezes my hands and some of the tightness leaves his face.
“I love you too, Ry, more than I should … which is the other reason I have to go. The past few months I have hoped you would see me the w
ay I see you, but you don’t.”
Sadness overtakes his eyes and I am speechless. I can’t believe Bode feels this way. My suspicions were raised after being at his cabin with him, but I chalked it up to my crazy emotional state. There was a time when I wanted nothing more than to hear those words from Bode. Then we dated and we could never make it work. We are better friends than we ever were lovers.
“Bode, I, uh... I had no idea. We have always been friends. Even when we tried dating it never worked.”
I am at a complete loss for words. I don’t want to hurt my best friend, but I don’t see him the way he sees me. For the first time in my life I am in love with an amazing man. A man I consider to be my destiny. Tears pool in my eyes because the thought of losing Bode terrifies me. I almost lost J. I cannot face the prospect of losing Bode.
“Come on, Ry. Don’t cry, baby girl. I have seen you with Austin and he is good for you. I know we aren’t right, but I haven’t been able to convince my heart of that yet. I just need some time. This isn’t goodbye and you won’t lose me. I couldn’t stay away if I wanted to. That would mean telling J how I feel about you and we both know he would kill me.” He chuckles at the thought.
I smile timidly at him, commanding my tears to stop.
“I am so sorry, Bode. I really didn’t know, but you are right - J would kill you. He hated it when we dated. It was uncomfortable for him.”
He kisses my hand. “Yeah, I’m sure it was. You will call me if you need anything? And if Austin ever messes up, you let me know,” he says with a wink.
I can’t help laughing at that. Ryan made the same comment a few months ago. Poor Austin, if he only knew. Of course, it wouldn’t matter because he is the only one I want.
“I adore you, Bode Roberts, you know that, but you had better not leave without telling J goodbye.”
We walk silently back to J’s room. He seems to be in much better spirits today. He told Bode to leave and promised we would call if there is any news. I decide to leave them alone. I need to clear my head. I walk through the hallways and up to the roof for a bit of fresh air.
Loving Enough (The Enough Series Book 2) Page 7