Southern Hearts (Southern Love Series)

by Thorn, Ava

  "I live off the ranch," Regina replied and paused. "Hank Jackson and his wife moved to the ranch a few weeks ago. He will be managing ranch business."

  "I know Hank," Farrah said with amusement.

  She was happy that Austin had thought of putting someone on the ranch that she knew.

  "I've already informed Hank that you have arrived," Regina said.

  Farrah wasn't used to having someone taking care of her. "You can leave for the evening."

  "Are you sure?" Regina asked.

  "I'm sure. I need to get adjusted, and I have to make a few phone calls."

  "If you need anything, my number is programmed into the phone, and also the two housekeepers will arrive in the morning," Regina said as she walked out of the room.

  Farrah found the master bathroom and ran a hot bubble bath in the huge white marble tub. The hot water helped ease her nerves and jitters about calling Austin. Picking up the phone, she dialed his number.

  ***

  Austin recognized the number calling his phone. He had programmed it into his contacts.

  "Hello."

  He was scared. Depending on who answered, his hopes might be dashed any second.

  "I'm home," Farrah said.

  Austin couldn't believe his ears. They had spoken a handful of times, but every time he asked Farrah if she was coming home, she would reply that she wasn't ready to go back to Texas. Going to Tennessee must have meant something to her.

  "How long are you going to stay?"

  "You need to come home so we can talk about our future."

  Farrah's soft voice was music to his ears.

  Austin didn't care that she didn't give him a definite answer about how long she was going to be home. All he cared about at that moment was that Farrah had reached out to him. "Are you okay, and the baby?"

  He stood up and started to pack, haphazardly throwing clothes into a suitcase.

  "Everything is fine."

  "I'm in Wisconsin finishing up the last leg of the Country Nights Tour. I'm having the jet fueled up as we speak," he said, trying to contain his excitement.

  "I'll be waiting for you."

  Austin smiled and hung up the phone.

  ***

  Austin entered the house using his house key. The mansion had been renovated and decorated with Farrah in mind. He took every detail from her apartment and the fact that she loved the old barn house's rustic décor to incorporate a comfortable and cozy atmosphere he knew she would fall in love with. He knew since the first day he met Farrah that he wanted to make her happy. But he also realized that Farrah was a simple woman who didn't need the expensive things in life. He laughed as he put his bags down near the stairs; his Farrah would have been happy with a simple apartment. When Austin bought this house for Farrah, it served as a symbol of hope for their future. He'd purchased the Nashville ranch the night he saw Farrah riding Snowflake. He had things figured out until Rebecca lied and schemed with a fake pregnancy to keep him and Farrah apart.

  For the past few months, he'd put Farrah through so much. Shit, Rebecca had even put together an online lynch mob that attacked Farrah through social media. Shane told him about the threatening letters and the vandalism at Farrah's apartment and restaurant.

  Austin stood in the doorway of the upstairs master bedroom. Farrah slept peacefully in the middle of the California king bed. He hadn't seen Farrah in two months; his arms ached to hold her.

  Sitting on the edge of the bed, he smiled when his eyes traveled to her small belly.

  "Austin?" Farrah said sleepily as she turned to look at him.

  "Yeah, baby." He stroked the side of her face. "Go back to sleep. I'm going to shower. I'll sleep in the master bedroom downstairs."

  "No." Farrah sat up in bed. "You can sleep in here."

  "Are you sure?"

  "Yeah." Farrah lay back on the pillow and closed her eyes.

  "Okay." Austin kissed Farrah on the forehead before disappearing into the bathroom.

  ***

  When morning arrived, he was alone in the bed. He heard a horrible gurgling sound coming from the bathroom. Jumping up from the bed, he rushed to the bathroom, where he saw Farrah kneeling in front of the toilet.

  "Are you okay?" He kneeled beside her, pulling her hair back from her face.

  "Morning sickness."

  Helping her stand up, he closed the lid to the toilet and made her sit down.

  Farrah couldn't help but smile as Austin went to get a cold washcloth and her tooth brush.

  "How long will you be sick? Maybe I should take you to the doctor." Austin reached for the cordless phone in the bathroom.

  "No." Farrah laughed as she brushed her teeth. "You have a lot to learn, Mr. McBride."

  "I want to learn everything, Farrah. I want to be there for you every step of the way. And most importantly, I want you to be my wife."

  Austin's heart pounded against his ribcage as Farrah went still in front of him.

  "Austin." Farrah made a face that he couldn't read. "I love you, but I don't think I'm ready for marriage right now."

  "So, what are we doing, Farrah?" he asked.

  "I don't know," she said softly and paused to look at him. "I want us to be a family, Austin, but I would be lying if I said that I wasn't afraid. See, I put hope and trust in you. I laid in bed next to you and listened to every word that came out of your mouth."

  "Only to have those words not be true," he finished the sentence for her.

  "Yeah." Farrah wiped at the tears that fell from her eyes. "I've had a few months and days to think about our relationship. Would you believe I have actually done a lot of soul searching and uncovered family secrets?"

  Farrah sat down on the bed and told Austin what she'd learned from her grandmother. He held her hand tightly as she told him about her trip to New Orleans.

  "You met your biological father, Farrah. You have the power in your hands if you decide to have a relationship with him. It seems to me that he tried to be there for you without you even noticing it. I guess he doesn't want to cause any more pain in your life."

  "Yeah, but he told me not to make the same mistakes. You only find that one true love once; don't squander away the time you have with that person."

  "Let me tell you a story." Austin kneeled in front of Farrah. "My mother, Charlene McBride, knew you."

  "I don't recall ever seeing or meeting a Charlene McBride," Farrah said as she racked her brain, trying to put names with faces.

  Austin went over to the nightstand and retrieved his wallet. Opening it, he reached for the picture of his mother sitting on top of Snowflake. He handed the picture over to Farrah.

  Farrah looked up at the older blonde-haired woman sitting at the table in the back. Her grey eyes seemed to be troubled. Cutting a slice of fresh pecan pie and pouring fresh coffee into a mug, Farrah walked over to the table where the woman sat.

  "I didn't order anything, sweetheart," the woman said.

  "You have that look on you face, ma'am, and my momma used to always say that when a woman is down, it's time to indulge in something sweet," Farrah said with a smile. "Plus, it's on the house."

  "Well, I must say that your mother is one smart cookie."

  "She was." Farrah sat down in front of the woman. "I'm Farrah, by the way."

  "It's a pleasure, Ms. Farrah. Everyone calls me Ma."

  "So, Ma, why the sad face?"

  "Well, honey, it's not every day that you get told you only have six months to live," Ma said sadly.

  Farrah's hand instantly found the woman's. "You're right. Nothing I can say will comfort you, not even this darn piece of pie."

  "I don't have any regrets in my life. I was married to the man of my dreams for thirty-two years until he died two years ago to this day. I have this amazing son who any mother would be proud of. I hope and pray that he will be well when I'm gone," Ma said and smiled.

  Farrah cleared her throat and recited her favorite quote.

  "'Somebody should
tell us, right at the start of our lives, that we are dying. Then we might live life to the limit, every minute of every day. Do it! I say. Whatever you want to do, do it now! There are only so many tomorrows.'"

  "Pope Paul VI."

  "Yes," Farrah said excitedly. "After my momma died, I used that quote as a centerpiece for my life. I can assure you that your son will be well."

  "How do you know?"

  "Because you and your husband raised him right. I can tell." Farrah kissed Ma's cheek before walking away from the table.

  Farrah put her hand to her mouth in shock. Ma, a.k.a. Charlene McBride, had visited her until she was no longer able to, when cancer overtook her body. Ma used to always tell Farrah that she wanted to introduce her to her son. Farrah had no idea whatsoever that Charlene was Austin's mother.

  "I had not the slightest clue that she was your mother. She came into Southern Rose, and we started to talk over pecan pie. She told me she was dying, but we made each other smile." Farrah looked into Austin's watery eyes. "Ma said she didn't have any regrets, but she was worried about her son."

  Austin laid his head in Farrah's lap and felt her fingers running through his hair. He knew his mother didn't want him to witness her dying; when he'd told her that he was going to take time off from a tour he was headlining to be with her, she told him no. He always regretted not being fully there for his momma.

  "Charlene didn't want you to see her at her worst. You know what she told me?" Farrah continued to stroke Austin's head. "Charlene didn't want to burden you with the sickness. She wanted you to remember her being healthy and stubborn as an ox."

  "Our paths were destined to cross," Austin said. "Yours and mine."

  "Maybe."

  Farrah thought of her conversation with Elspeth in New Orleans. Child, you and this man have people cheering you guys on from the sidelines.

  "Austin, I'm going to cook us some breakfast and start the search for an obstetrician."

  "Does that mean we will live here in Nashville together?" Austin could hear his heart racing as he waited for Farrah's response.

  "We'll talk over breakfast."

  Farrah kissed Austin's forehead before leaving the room.

  ***

  Farrah was preparing turkey bacon, strawberry pancakes, and scrambled eggs when Austin walked downstairs wearing a white undershirt and blue jeans. He looked so fine that she was on the verge of telling him to forget about breakfast, that she was hungry for something else that wasn't on the menu.

  "You know, I was going to hire a chef," Austin said as he took a slice of bacon from the platter.

  "That would be a cruel joke." Farrah laughed. "Besides, I like cooking."

  "I see." Austin looked over the platter of food Farrah had prepared. He was only in the shower for twenty minutes, and she had managed to prepare a breakfast fit for a king. "Here, let me take over. Go sit. You already did too much this morning."

  "Austin—" Farrah started to say, but Austin gave her a look that said he was in control.

  "Fine."

  She stuck her tongue out at him and marched over to the breakfast table in the kitchen. Sunlight streamed directly into the kitchen through the large window. She could see Snowflake out in the pasture.

  "No horse riding." Austin smiled as he put the last platter on the table.

  "I know." She turned her attention to Austin. "I'd like us to say grace."

  "I'll say it, darling." He took Farrah's small hands in his. "Dear Lord, thank you for this meal that my Farrah prepared this morning. Thank you for bringing Farrah and me back together. We're so blessed that we will be proud parents in a few months. All I ask is that our child is healthy. I can't ask for more. Amen."

  "Amen," Farrah echoed as she took a bite of pancake.

  After making small talk at the table, Farrah decided that she couldn't keep holding off her answer to Austin regarding their living arrangements. She knew that she wanted to be with him and didn't want to waste any more time apart from him.

  "Do you love me?" Farrah asked.

  Austin stopped chewing and looked at Farrah. "I'm madly in love with you."

  "Why do you love me?"

  "I fell in love with your character and your natural beauty. When I first laid eyes on you, I felt something happening to my insides. I felt like I needed to be around you every waking moment. I love the fact that you're caring and grounded. Money doesn't sway how much you love me."

  Farrah nodded.

  "The day I met you at that wedding," she said, "I was intrigued by your southern charms. I didn't even know who the hell you were. All night long, my employees teased me because I didn't know country superstar Austin McBride. We came to share so much of ourselves with each other. I tried every day not to like you and not to fall for you. Every day that we were together, it was like you were breaking every barrier I had put up to protect myself."

  It was time for Austin to turn the tables on Farrah.

  "But do you love me?"

  "Yes. I love you so much that it hurts, Austin. When everything between us was out in the open for everyone to judge, and you left me confused and hurt, I couldn't stop loving you. We have this bond and connection that I never shared with anyone in my life. Our time apart was a learning process for the both of us. I learned that I can trust you, and most importantly, I feel safe with you." Farrah stood up and sat on Austin's lap. "You asked me if I love you, and I do, so much, Austin. I'm willing to make this journey with you."

  "Good." He kissed her lips softly. Reaching into his pocket, he started to pull something out when Farrah got up and paced the kitchen.

  "I know you are a musician and a public figure. I know our relationship has been dissected and scrutinized by the media. I think I've had my share of the limelight. So I'm proposing that we must never be seen out in public together."

  "What about doctor appointments?" Austin asked. "Farrah, I will be in every aspect of our child's life including being there for you and your every need. I don't give a flying fuck what anyone thinks, and you shouldn't either."

  Farrah saw the determination in Austin's eyes. "Austin, please don't make this difficult. Come on. One of your crazy fans burned my restaurant down with me in it. I received so many death threats. I don't want this"— she pointed between herself and Austin—"to be the victim of another crazy fan. It would just finish me off."

  "Okay, hiring two bodyguards is on my to-do list today."

  "Austin, I'm serious. I cannot and will not put our baby in jeopardy because of what other people think."

  "And you think I will?" he yelled.

  "No! Please just listen to me." Farrah took a deep breath. "I would never want you to choose music over me. I love seeing you perform and your happy fans. I'm just saying that in order for me to have peace of mind, I propose that we never be seen out in public together. That's all I ask."

  "Fine," Austin said reluctantly. "If I have to choose between music and the woman I love, remember this, Farrah Rue: I will always choose you."

  He knew there was no way he would win this argument with Farrah. Really, he didn't blame her at all. She was scared, and being pregnant would only amplify that.

  "I'm going to hire security on the ranch, though. Just to make you feel at ease."

  "Make me feel at ease? Are you sure you don't mean to make yourself feel at ease?"

  Austin nodded. "I want you to be protected whenever I'm gone away on business."

  "Fine."

  Farrah continued to eat the rest of her breakfast. She wasn't crazy about the idea of security or bodyguards following her around, but she knew Austin was probably still reeling from the whole incident with the burning of Southern Rose in Dallas.

  ***

  "Wait. One more time. What are you saying?" Rocky, Austin's road manager, asked again.

  "I'm going to take two months off to spend time with my soon-to-be wife. Farrah is in her first trimester, and I want to be close to home until the morning sickness subsides."


  "Are you freaking kidding me? Do you even know what you're talking about?"

  "Farrah comes first. The tour is over. I'm going to spend the next couple of months recording my new album at the ranch in Nashville."

  "The record label is not going to like this." Rocky rapidly typed on his computer.

  "I couldn't care less what you or anyone thinks, honestly, because if people ask me to choose family over music, it would be family any day of the week."

  "The label is so not going to be happy. Especially after the cheating scandal."

  "My touring obligation is over. The album went platinum. We have two songs at the top of the charts."

  "I'll let you know what the label says."

  "You do that." Austin tipped his hat before exiting the conference room.

  All Austin wanted was time to show Farrah that he loved her and wanted her. He knew he'd caused her so much pain, and he needed to make up for it. Hopefully, during his time off, he could get them back to where they used to be. He took the ring out of his pocket and kissed it. He was planning on asking Farrah to marry him— properly this time. He had never been this nervous in his entire life. He was so afraid she would say no.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Farrah lay on the table. She smiled at Austin as he very intently studied the pregnancy stages poster on the wall beside them.

  "Having a baby should be easy, sugar. I remember watching a filly being born."

  Farrah sat up and looked over at him. "Really, Austin?"

  "What?" He grinned at her.

  "Nothing." She laughed. Farrah couldn't wait to see Austin in the delivery room when the time came.

  They had decided to go the midwife route instead of having a hospital birth. The moment she first stepped into her new home, she knew it would be the perfect birthplace for the baby.

  Delores Betts, an older woman with a southern accent, was their ideal midwife candidate. She'd been a midwife for forty years, and she didn't mince words.

  "Our goal is to have a healthy baby at home." Delores smiled as she turned her attention to beginning the ultrasound.